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I am convinced that the Busch Gardens I see people report on the internet is completely different than the Busch Gardens I visit. I showed up this morning, a summer Saturday, at 9:45am (10am opening) and breezed right through security (multiple lanes open). Longest line today was Cheetah Hunt which was posted at 70 minutes but was actually only about 50 minutes. 4 trains and both stations running with semi-decent dispatches. Iron Gwazi was also barely outside the station queue once the morning rush died down. Multi train ops on everything and we had a blast. Even if today was a fluke, I guess I get lucky? I visit this park every 3-4 weeks and exclusively on weekends-only due to my job schedule (mostly Saturdays too) and I've always had an awesome experience. I don't think I've ever seen one train ops on anything during the weekend. I don't really know. I must live in an alternate reality? I absolutely love this park.

RMC have been known for refurbishing older coasters that no longer ran well. Who will RMC the RMC’s?

So as big fans of Detroit-style pizza, it was time we make the trek to Detroit to try the original Pizzerias that kicked it off! We went to both Loui's and Buddy's (original location) on this day trip. Buddy's is really the OG of the style, creating back in the 1946. Loui's was started by a cook that worked at Buddy's who branched off to open their own pizzeria. Little know fact is that Detroit is really considered the "Pizza Capital" of the US, and actually boasts the most pizza places per capita, even over Chicago, NYC, etc... Who knew! Not to mention, was the origin of many popular chain pizza places (Little Cesears, Dominos, Jet's, Hungry Howies). Welcome to Michigan! Detroit is just shy of a 2.5 hour drive from us in Cleveland. First up, Loui's Pizza! Lots of historical articles and such all over the walls, cool vibe! The main dining room. It's empty because it literally opened just about 15 minutes before our arrival. People start flowing in shortly after. Our pizza! Pepperoni, green pepper and black olives. Tons of brick cheese goodness. This was seriously cheesy stuff! The crust was to die for, as expected, the best part of Detroit-style pizza! Sauce, although light, was really fresh and loaded with herbs. The beautiful edge! Now the Original... THE start of Detroit pizza! Walking in, some awesome murals and of course, a bunch of articles/front page and other write ups. Some history and what makes Detroit style pizza so special! One of the dining rooms (there is a bar/dining section at the bottom of the steps through the double doors there, and another third room off from that). Not too busy, which surprised me, but it was set to close in about an hour, so likely why! Our future?? Love the appreciation for the history of these pies! Our order... Two 4-piece Detroit pizzas... On the left, just old world pepperoni and on the right, a Mediterranean which featured a cheese blend, red onions, spinach, beets, feta cheese, fresh dill and tomato basil sauce. It was SO good. But the pepperoni is hard to beat for a 'classic' pizza. So good... The sauce was nice and bright in flavor/acidity. Not as herby as Loui's, nor is the pizza as cheesy. However, it's more balanced and overall, we both think this took with the win between them. However, if you like LOADS of cheese, Loui's would be the winner. Both have a fantastic crust texture, nice crispy bottom with a light/fluffy top. Then of course, the cheese coated/crispy edges are just pure heaven. Yum! The dill really shined on this pizza and beets were a great topping. The infamous mural! We can't wait to get back and try a few more of their fantastic pizzerias! Such as Cloverleaf and Supino, among others. Highly recommend if in the area to stop by and try these iconic places!

Headed out yesterday for the passholder preview and... woof. I don't want to sound bitchy but I was really disappointed. SFMM decided that functional is the same as finished and we got a pretty terrible overall experience. Coaster - A solid 7/10. Less insane than the 1st-gen single rails, but I think that's a good thing. Easing up on the aggression makes it really re-rideable and I think it will be a huge hit with enthusiasts and GP. My one ride was in row 10, but I heard folks saying that the front was crazier. The new trains do make you sit with your feet unnaturally far apart, and it's kind of uncomfortable. Could be a more significant problem for folks who have shorter legs or narrow hips. Ops - I wasn't able to figure out what caused this but trains were regularly being sent out with only 4-6 passengers. Quite a few trains had only 2 or 3. This happened over and over again during my 3 hour long wait and it was maddening. The handful of times that they did send multiple full trains in a row, I noticed that the line actually does move, so that's a plus. I happened to be in one of the full trains, so I didn't get to see what the problem was they were experiencing. And I'm sure the employees were doing their best, no shade to them, but management forced them to open when they were very clearly not ready. Presentation - Lots of construction stuff still up around the area, a big dirt hole to the right of the switchbacks, confetti still all over the place from media day. The inside part of the queue had no working A/C, so it was hot and very humid from all the sweaty bodies standing inside. The floor inside the building is also a mess. It's like they told the construction crew: "don't worry about spilling paint on the floor because we're gonna do a finish coat on it"... and then they just didn't. Also, the paint on the coaster supports looks SUPER patchy and weird, especially near the ride entrance. Like they got scuffed up and someone fixed them with red spray paint. Extra weird thing - The entrance and exit of Batman have switched so that Batman and WW can share one exit path. Except there was no sign, so we walked off WW directly into the Batman queue and kept going onto the ride. Wasn't a big issue in the moment since there was virtually no line, but that better get fixed quickly before fights start about people cutting the line. -- The whole experience gave me the mental scenario of the construction project manager sending an email update saying "Hey everyone, we're almost to the end. We'll be ready to open in 3-4 weeks." And then someone from marketing replying "We just announced the opening day, so actually you have 2 weeks. Figure it out."

For those of you who have been wondering what's been going on with the old candy shop in Germany . . . Sip in Secret at an ALL-NEW Theme Park Speakeasy, Opening this Month at Busch Gardens Williamsburg For a Limited-time, Guests Can Save 20 Percent on Reservations for this Exclusive Experience Something new is brewing at the all-new Bürgermeister’s Hideaway This immersive, one-of-a-kind experience debuts on July 20 Guests 21+ can enjoy handcrafted cocktail flights customized to each season For a limited-time, all reservations receive a 20 percent grand opening discount Save up to 55 percent on tickets, Fun Cards and Memberships during the Summer Sale A one-of-a-kind, immersive bar experience is debuting this summer at Busch Gardens Williamsburg with the addition of an all-new speakeasy. Bürgermeister’s Hideaway will open on July 20 and offers guests an opportunity to partake in a spirited experience with festive drink and fantastic ambiance. Behind a sweet façade visitors will explore an exclusive hideaway bar that houses mystery and marvel for all to enjoy. The tale of Bürgermeister’s Hideaway dates back to a centuries-old mystery bar that offers a different type of counter service with a drink that is contrary to its country. This hidden den, run by Busch Gardens’ iconic Bürgermeister, offers signature cocktail, mocktail, wine, and beer flights that will leave guests craving more. Beverage flights are chef curated and seasonally inspired, debuting with the vibrant flavors of summer. Guests who select the cocktail flight can sip on the perfect blend of sweet and spice with the refreshing Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita and the Banana Nutella Martini, a smooth and savory concoction with a hint of hazelnut. Prost to sweet surprises with this ALL-NEW adventure at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Visitors must prebook their speakeasy visit here. Each reservation includes a timed entry to Bürgermeister’s Hideaway and one drink flight. For a limited-time, guests can save 20 percent on reservations purchased before July 22. Throughout the year, Members receive a discount on this all-new experience.

Was at the park yesterday (full trip report later) and Bat was back to two trains!

Man what??!? Nostalgia for old people?!? Most of their rides are terrible among today's coasters?!? Some of today's coasters cannot hold a candle to some schwarzkopf coasters. How many "todays" coasters have been torn down while parks opt to keep their coasters for "old people" lol? It's not our fault we appreciate and cherish good engineering and well thought out layouts.

Have Intamin install a cable lift and call it a day

Nearly all S&S and Intamin towers have had secondary seatbelts for 20+ years. It's nothing new and will not affect the ride experience a single bit, and likewise won't really affect operations either since it clips to the outside. It's a no-brainer move in my opinion.

Maybe the ride op was "fragile" or maybe a person that simply does not respond well to pressure or maybe afraid she was going to get in trouble. My son had a supervisor give him a safety once over some people ignoring him when he directed them to stay seated until the go karts had all been parked and he was pretty sure they did not understand English, so hardly his fault but the supervisor didn't care. Impossible for anyone to pass judgement when they don't know the person/situation/job pressures, etc. On the other hand maybe people could stop being so defiant and just follow directions once in a while. All he had to do was wait on the ride and the whole thing would have been avoided