cfc

I'm most interested in the Bride of Frankenstein house, as I like it when they revisit the classic Universal horrors, Hill House looks good, too.

I wonder if they'll be on Door Dash.

Yes, "huge brawl" is an exaggeration here, but fights like this are very unusual at the Williamsburg park. In fact, I can't recall any other such incident there, but I might be mistaken. Now that donnybrook at Mt. Olympus in the Wisconsin Dells a few years ago . . . that was more of a "brawl."

Saturday will be the busiest of the three days, and Quick Queue would come in handy. Bier Fest is also going on that weekend, if you're into sampling local craft brews (some breweries will have reps to talk about their beer, too). I'm going over there myself for Bier Fest today. I'm curious about the status of the Sky Ride, too (they've been testing it and training a crew).

^Same. I always liked the Roaring 20s and Roaring 20s Airfield more than the generic Boardwalk. It's nice to see Knott's pay a little "tribute" to the Roaring 20s.

Hmm--I was there Friday evening and don't recall it operating (they have been training staff for it, though).

Most rides should be open during Howl-o-Scream, with the exception of water rides (that's what they've done in the past, at least). Battle for Eire (simulator) and the Skyride haven't been open since 2019. I've heard nothing about Pantheon's status.

I just watched the Behind the Attraction episode about the Tower of Terror rides, and I'm even more intrigued with Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout. Pretty impressive what they could pull off in 11 months.

Dive coasters have been enjoying quite the resurgence during the last few years (for example, at Cedar Point and Liseberg). The ride looks like fun, and I'm curious to see how well the queue is themed.

I was seriously concerned that the boat was sinking.

Here's the boilerplate about the "summer sale" from the Bierfest press release (I usually omit this stuff).

Reservations are no longer required to visit Busch Gardens. which is perfect timing for . . . Bier Fest! Here's some information about this year's event. ALL NEW BIERGARTEN RESERVE AND OVER 100 BEER VARIETIES MAKE BUSCH GARDENS’ BIER FEST A HIT Starting July 30 with live music, NEW beer-infused bites, and more! Balancing the traditional and the modern, Busch Gardens’ Bier Fest returns on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from July 30 through September 6 with plenty of NEW fun to help you soak in the last days of summer. The event is a fusion of the craft beer scene with an Oktoberfest flair showcasing over 100 different beers tapped throughout the park and includes an ALL-NEW Biergarten Reserve with live entertainment, specialty brews, and NEW beer-infused bites. Bier Fest wouldn’t be complete without brewery talks from local craft brewers, popular local bands like Kevin MaC and Audacity Brass Band, and Friday and Saturday night fireworks. Among the beers on tap are varieties of local favorite craft brewers Alewerks Brewing Company®, Billsburg Brewery®, and Virginia Beer Co.®, plus Virginia-based breweries ranging from Virginia Beach’s Wasserhund Brewing® to Callaway’s Chaos Mountain Brewing®, and everywhere in between. For the more traditional fans, Hofbrau Munchen®’s Oktoberfest and Spaten®’s Oktoberfest will be making appearances, too. Feel like something different? Bier Fest will still include your favorite wines, ciders, and non-alcoholic beverages, with something for every taste! Now for the perfect pairing! ALL-NEW beer infused bites make their debut throughout the park, and these culinary delights are not to be missed. Some highlights include Spicy Lager Wings tossed in beer-infused Sriracha, Beer Bang Shrimp tossed in sweet and spicy chili IPA-infused garlic sauce, Beer Cheese Nachos, and Bratwurst Burger Sliders. This event is FREE with park admission. Beers are available for guests aged 21 and over, for an additional fee.

"Food, glorious food! We're anxious to try it!" Looks like a lot of people were ready to try it. No one does a better food fest than Epcot.

I was wondering about that--not surprising.

I thought rabid-fox attacks were offered as an upcharge during Howl-o-Scream. Just saw on Twitter that reservations are no longer required to visit the park.

I like how Disney has "plussed" the Jungle Cruise over the years. It's a classic attraction, but it's always had some "problematic" scenes. The new scenes look great, and I'm looking forward to riding it in November.

I like how the riders in the concept art look a bit like crazed zombies.

Thanks for the look at Cedar Point's Snake River Expedition. It seems like a nice addition to the park (something different from the big thrill rides they're known for).

BGW has featured DJs for special events like Summer Nights and Howl-o-Scream for years.

Fixed that for you. That being said, I love Steel Vengeance, too. Great report, Adam.

I particularly like the mine-train waterfall picture.

I share your concerns, but at least the trains lack "comfort collars."

Getting Closer to "Normal": Busch Gardens Kicks Off Summer Nights 2021 Busch Gardens held a media event for theme-park bloggers on Saturday, June 26 to kick off Summer Nights, and Theme Park Review was invited. This was a nice opportunity to meet the park's new public relations director, Matt Klepeisz, sample the new cocktails and kettle corn for this year's event, and see Kool and the Gang in concert. But I think the main theme of the night was best put by the park's president, Kevin Lembke, in his remarks to the group: The return of Summer Nights means that Busch Gardens is getting closer to "normal" after a year of pandemic-related restrictions. Yes, we're seeing the return of not only concerts and fireworks, but also full-blown Howl-o-Scream, Christmas Town, and Celtic Fyre in July. Why, it looks like even Mach Tower is waking up from its long sleep. But let's get this out of the way: No news on Pantheon. I met some friends at the park that morning (hi there, Lizzy "Falafel Girl" Palmer), and although it was quite stormy that afternoon, it cleared up that evening in time for the Kool and the Gang concert. I remember them looking a bit different back in the 1970s. But they still got the funk and the soul. Kool and the Gang put on a great show for nearly 90 minutes, and the crowd loved it. I think BGW picked the right act to begin Summer Nights. Future shows will be a mix of soul, country, some mellow 1970s rock (courtesy of the Little River Band), and even a Led Zeppelin/Doors tribute. Here's a look at BGW's big summer party. Based on the large crowd last Saturday night, I think folks are ready for all this. Does my pass look better here . . . . . . or here? Kevin Lembke, BGW's president, tells us more about what to expect this year. They're planning to continue with the "year-round" events as they did from 2020-21, and Howl-o-Scream will be back with some new surprises, as will Christmas Town. It's good to see people getting soaked on Escape from Pompeii again. LeScoot is running too, but the Roman Rapids remain closed. Sigh , , , someday. But train rides are nice, too. What's this? Are we hallucinating? A small street party . . . . . . and a somewhat larger one in Germany. There were DJs in other parts of the park, too. You can spend a classy evening in Italy . . . . . . or get funky in France with Kool and the Gang. Here's Robert "Kool " Bell, who cofounded the band back in the mid-1960s. They've been though plenty of name and personnel changes, but Kool is eternal. And he still plays a great funky bass. Griffon swoops by to check out Kool and the Gang. I checked out the fireworks from Grimm's Landing on the Rhine River. I was distracted from time to time by the Loch Ness Monster. I've never watched the fireworks from this vantage point before. It's not a bad spot, but it has two disadvantages: trees and bugs. The Lorelei II is under attack! Abandon ship! If you're going to watch the show from the Rhine River, you need to stand by the boat slips. Didn't they sell these at Spencer's Gifts? Yep--lots of explosions tonight. I live 20 minutes away, and I can hear these at my house. That's it for the opening of Summer Nights. My thanks to Matt for inviting TPR to this event. And thanks for reading.

Same here--I like the "Retro Tomorrowland" vibe.