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^I just walked in on Sunday. When is was the LeMans Bistro, they took reservations (or at least had a host or hostess). Now it's more like Golden Corral with a cashier up front.

Welcome to this Thread (just keep reading and scrolling) May 10, 2009--Bud and BBQ BG on a Friday Night BG on a Hot Sunday Afternoon in August Howl-o-Scream Prep and the Mystery Walls The Last Day of the Big Bad Wolf More HOS Prep--and Some Wolf Pics Final Look at Howl-o-Scream Prep Review of the First Night of Howl-o-Scream 2009 2010 Sunday, March 28--The Thread Awakes Sunday, April 18--Some Little Things--and Celtic Fyre Sunday, May 9--You're Up in the Air in Miles o' Sky Saturday, June 5--Chuck Takes His Niece and Nephew to Busch Gardens Tuesday, June 22--Happy Belated Father's Day from BGW Monday, July 5--Pre-Independence Day at BGW with Dave, Jason, and Kerry Sunday, September 19--Gettin' Ready to Scare: Howl-o-Scream 2010 Prep Sunday, September 26--Is the "Scare" Really "Everywhere? The 1st Night of Howl-o-Scream 2011 Easter at Busch Gardens--and the Resurrection of this Thread Tuesday, June 7--Last Friday Night at BGE (Mini-Update) July 4th at BGW and "The Legend of Killarney"--Sort Of The Thread Rises from the Dead: Howl-o-Scream 2011 Merry Christmas Town, Everybody! 2012 Saturday, March 13--Passholder Preview Day Sunday, April 15--Bistro 205 and Other Odds 'n' Ends Friday, May 18--Just How Long Is the Wait for Verbolten, Anyway? Saturday, June 9--Verbolten Passholder ERT Session Wednesday, July 4--Leiderhosen, Udders, Chickens, and Explosions - A Wee Look at Illuminights 2012 Sunday, October 14--Arise, Thread! I Bid Ye Arise for Howl-o-Scream 2012! Sunday, December 2--Lights 'n' Trees 'n' Other Holiday Stuff: Christmas Town 2012 2013 Sunday, March 17--As Williamsburg Comes Back to Life--Busch Gardens Passholder Preview Day 2013! Wednesday, April 17 - A Random Spring Day at Busch Gardens Sunday, May 5 - Mini-Update: BGW Gets Ready for Food and Wine--Plus Two Little Surprises May 12, 2013 - "Friday Night Lights" for Passholders at BGW June 6, 2013 - More Photos of Buildings and Food: BGW's First Food and Wine Festival August 2, 2013 - Chuck Finally Gets to Illuminights 2013 August 26, 2013 - BGW Gettin' Ready for Howl-o-Scream 2014 March 16, 2014 - The Thread Crawls Out of Its Winter Cave, Stretches, then Heads to the Park for Passholder Preview Day April 26, 2014 - Happy Easter from Busch Gardens--Now with Extra Leaves July 12, 2014 - Star Spangled Nights: Italy Gets All Patriotic As many of you TPR oldtimers are probably aware, I live in Williamsburg and go out to BGW fairly often during the spring, summer, and fall. Sometimes, I feel like doing a full-blown photo TR; other times, I don't. So, in the spirit of the SFMM updates thread, I'm starting a wee update thread of my own, rather than starting a separate thread for each visit or park event (such as Howl-o-Scream and Christmas Town). Sometimes, I'll impart useful information. Sometimes, mindless nonsense. Oftentimes, a bit of both. So, where to begin? How about with one of my standard Sunday visits, say, April 19, 2009? It was the last day of spring break, and the park was bustling with, well, spring breakers, tourists, and lots and lots of school bands and swing choirs (there was a competition going on). I made my usual lap around the park, hitting all the coasters and DarKastle and getting a bite to eat. There are some new restaurants for 2009, so I checked 'em out. Let's have a look, shall we? Doesn't mean that everybody's going to use it, though. Later, folks. I ambled by the Forest of Fun on my way out. BG did set up a "stroller-parking" area. Hmm--after that, I think a good scourging by fire, followed by a nice rinse, might be a good idea. As you can see, cleaning up a "protein spill" is a highly compex, technical procedure involving trained professionals. "Houston, we have a problem." Everybody acting like idiots for the camera? Good. Well, what's the other "special" ride up to? Hard to believe it's been ten years. The dogwoods! They're waiting for you! Fools! My God! Those people are being swallowed by a carnivorous Virginia dogwood! I'm glad they're putting this room to some use. It does offer a nice alternative to the other Festhaus offerings, at least. And don't forget dessert. (I can personally vouche for the Sesame Street cupcakes--they rule.) . . . beer (well, in this case, stout). Let's go in. You can buy coffee, sandwiches on "artisan" bread (everybody's gotta have "artisan" bread these days), salads, and, of course . . . Well, there is this replacement for the Brewmaster's Club. But what else is new in Germany? Party on, BBW! These folks are ready to party with Wolfie. With three-train operation, this line takes about 20 minutes, unless you want the front seat. Time to celebrate 25 years of wolfiness. Here we see a demonstration of an old German custom--balancing a Pepsi can on your knee. Yes, the residents of the small German village of Das Pepsistein perform this ritual for hours at a time, after a rousing session of slap dancing. Well, let's hope the skyride and see what's happening in Germany. Or faraway and still kind of personal (if you use a zoom lens). As a bonus, you get some nice views of Griffon, up close and personal. . . . mini corn dogs! (This one had a little nose, so I named him "Snooty"--right before I ate him.) They should sell these things by the bagful--they're great! The chicken was kind of dry, and the veggies were standard frozen stuff. But there is a salad bar and whole bunch of other stuff, such as cheese tortellini in butter sauce, pulled-pork BBQ, waffle fries, various desserts, and this, the real star of the show . . . "Bistro" is French for "buffet," you know. (Come to think of it, "buffet" is French for "buffet.") It's all you can eat, and the price was a little over $18 with a drink (and a passholder's discount). OK, here's the story. Back in the day, this was a fried-chicken joint called "La Coque d'Or." It shut down one season, and reopened as a sitdown restaurant sans chicken: the "LeMans Bistro." Well, along comes Griffon, and LeMans goes away. So, now we have the "Bistro 205." And what's on the menu again? Fried chicken! (All is round.) Griffon was going by the time I got off 'Geist--and the single-rider line was nearly empty! Woo hoo! Usually, Germany doesn't open until 11:00 (I was there around 10:30). But BGW opened Alpengeist early because Griffon was having some issues that morning. Yep--happy dangly feet! . . . or not. Let's try Alpengeist. Usually, I start with Griffon . . . And Hummel Boy is a very busy man, as you can tell from his umbrella, bulging carpet bag, and look of steely determination. The tourists are bustling and hustling and tripping and running and jumping. The dogwoods are blooming. Ah, spring in Virginia at last!

^Larry and I were on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend last year, and the longest wait we experienced was for dinner--not because the line was that long, the service was simply that bad. But you could practically walk on to most of the rides during the day.

They could retheme the mine train to Jonah Hex.

I'm not holding my breath for this one (although keeping my fingers crossed is not out of the question). It looks like it could be a great family coaster if it works.

Yep--both were voiced by Paul Winchell.

The pic in which the train is being "sliced up" by the buzzsaw blades is great, Hanno.

^You're welcome, Mike.

Here's their customer base. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPYQtuDH6_o

Did the park have any dark rides (named "Scary Ghost Train" or "Wonderful Shooting Dark Ride," perhaps)? It looks like a particularly nice carnival inside a warehouse. Thanks for giving us a look at this now defunct park.

^Universal hasn't announced any specific date--their Web site still says "Spring 2009." So, technically, they have until June 21 to make that deadline.

http://web.archive.org/web/20070309101304/http://hometown.aol.com/sharktums/ I say, Holmes--how do you do it? No need for this thread now. Locked

How post-Modern of you.

By using the cliched term "jumped the shark," you have now "jumped the shark"--as have I.

I will see your imaginary dragon battle and raise you one candle on the water! --Robb "you're going to name your kid elliot? No no no. Eliott is a fat kid that eats paste.." Alvey Hah! I'll use "every little piece, every little crease" of your imaginary dragon for my imaginary get-rich-quick scheme! Yes, that little bit of a song from Pete's Dragon has somehow been burned into my brain (probably because I saw the trailer a million times). And to be fair, I'm quite fond of the Flash Gordon flick starring Sam J. Jones and Max Von Sydow (hardly a cinematic masterwork).

^Boy, you sure showed him. Larry will never dare to cross rhetorical swords with you following such a stinging retort.

How can you say that about a movie that "stars" Helen Reddy, Jim Dale, and Mickey Rooney? On second thought, how can you not say that about a movie that "stars" Helen Reddy, Jim Dale, and Mickey Rooney?

The Neilsen Ratings are in. The Bryan and Adam Show is down by five points in most major markets. Coke is threatening to pull their advertising, and Pepsi is cackling with glee.

Whenever I see a rice cake I think of a coaster--always want to set my drink on the damn thing.

Hmm--I recall that there used to be a drive-in movie theatre on the parkway somewhere in the area you describe (but I think all traces of it are gone now). Hadn't heard about any segregated amusement park, though. I wonder if someone in the history department at the College of William & Mary can help you.

Very cool--thanks for sharing the pictures. Did the carousel have a steam-powered calliope, as well?

Yes! I, for one, love the Shockwave! If anyrides at KD are to be removed it should be Anaconda or Hurler! Now THOSE are back-breaking rides. Shockwave was the roughest I encountered last week when I went. I didn't want to go near it after. For some reason I don't remember it being that rough last year, so maybe I just got unlucky last week. I think the right question regarding Shockwave is not "Prople still ride it?" but "How long is the wait for the people who do?" This is one of the slowest-loading rides I've ever been on. From the front it's OK (the loop is actually fun), but from anywhere else it rates a "meh" to an "ouch." Nice shots from the Ferris wheel. I like the spot where the park placed it.

^Exactly. Mike, your elaboration on what you actually meant is appreciated. However, your gratuitous shot at the end was not.

^Do they have as many working rides as BGE? Busch's offerings also are, for the most part, superior to HRP's.

Just a reminder from your friendly neighborhood site moderator--please 1) be respectful of others and 2) remember that having a sense of humor is essential. ^The answer to your question is no.