There is perhaps no stronger childhood memory than an oddly chilly morning on the first day of school, pudgy hands clutching an embarrassingly bright backpack, and seeing a saturated yellow bus approach.
As the doors open and you step up the sloping stairs, you steel yourself only to be faced with gray seats repeating into infinity, a pattern only broken up by the heads of tall upperclassmen and lacrosse sticks. Suddenly, you panic, your head filled with questions of where to sit, whether you forgot the summer reading homework, and all of the life decisions that led you to this moment.
This year, childhood memories will become significantly different as the Botanic Gardens Shuttle changes to fix these problems and more. Doing away with the traditional school bus, the BG Wickcoaster is now a state-of-the-art roller coaster, transforming an ordinary commute into a thrilling ride that cannot be forgotten.
The main benefit of this is circumventing Chadwick’s CUP, since Los Angeles County does not regulate rollercoasters in residential neighborhoods.
The unprecedented rebranding has thus far been met with positive reactions.
One Upper School student recently explained how much she loves the BG Wickcoaster: “My favorite part is the Academy Hill ascent,” she says. “The barrel roll completely releases all stress and tension—especially since I’m finally faster than the Cross Country runners.”
The design of the Wickcoaster is on point. Designed with two loading stations, similar to the Hogwarts Express at Universal Studios Orlando, the BG Wickcoaster captures the feeling of riding to school in the morning while hanging on for dear life.
Some enthusiasts have even praised the ride’s amazing, realistic details, such as the missing chunks in the seat in front of you and the myriad of duct-taped features recalling the feel and ambience of a run-down spacecraft’s cargo hold or the interior of a steampunk airship.
Its sound design has garnered similar praise, with riders commending the realistic soundtrack of first graders screaming at the top of their lungs, as well as the same ESPN ad on the radio on loop.
But the highlight is undoubtedly the first few minutes as the rollercoaster leaves the Botanic Gardens, where it has the most intense drops and turns. Its acceleration varies by day—sometimes multiple thrusts forward, often a sudden dip, and then a surge—but is always thrilling. When the ride is full, the sensation of falling right out of your seat beats any dark ride jumpscare.
Students have already noted how the rollercoaster has deepened their connection to Chadwick and its mission. “I love developing my leadership skills by initiating the scream-along,” said one Upper School student. “And I love connecting with people from all over the world—that is to say, my friends who live an hour away from me who make planning hangouts as difficult as planning to launch rockets to Mars.’”
Finally, as a warning, like with any amusement park rollercoaster, the Wickcoaster is definitely not suitable for people with high blood pressure, heart problems, or back and neck issues.
