Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

BGE or Hershey Park?


Where should I go?  

55 members have voted

  1. 1. Where should I go?

    • Hershey Park
      17
    • Busch Gardens Europe
      38


Recommended Posts

Within the next month or two, my grandmother and I are going to take a bi-annual vacation.

 

After 2 of my amusement park trips this year were recently canceled (SFOG & SFStL), she has agreed to take me somewhere with an amusement park, even though she is COMPLETELY terrified of coasters.

 

So after some research, I've decided that our two best options would be BGE or Hershey Park, because both are areas we would enjoy visiting.

 

We live in Mid-Kentucky, so we will fly to either location. Airfare is currently $225 + tax for Newport News (near Williamsburg), and $205 + tax for Harrisburg (near Hershey). The catch is that Grandma would prefer to avoid driving, so we would need a shuttle to our hotel/resort from the airport. (Any tips on this would be great!)

 

Keep in mind, I have never ridden a B&M Hyper OR Dive Machine. Then again, I've heard that Fahrenheit is amazing, and Storm Runner is the best Intamin Accelerator, so I'm kind of split between parks...

 

So where would you go? (Which destination do you think would be most enjoyable for both of us?)

 

Also, any suggestions on lodging and area attractions would be great!

 

Thanks for the help!

 

-Daniel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 32
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Tough call, sir.

 

You'll end up a winner with either park that you decide upon. Hersheypark has my favorite wooden roller coaster (Wildcat), my first looper (SooperDooperLooper) and an atmosphere that I truly revere. Lighting Racers, Storm Runner, Fahrenheit, Comet and even their Wild Mouse are truly wonderful rides.

 

Busch Gardens Europe has some truly great rides and landscaping that will blow your mind. Each ride does its best to optimize their surroundings and you'll end up going home with a sense of satisfaction.

 

Either way, you win.

 

 

Dr Jazz D.D.S.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed that it is a very tough decision. I like BGE as a park more, but there is more to do at Hershey. I'd go with BGE because it has 5 really good coasters, Hershey has maybe 3 that are in the really good category.

 

And BGE has DarKastle, which I quite like.

 

But I love both parks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would lean toward BGE (but I'm a local)--HP is a great park, too (plus it has the World of Chocolate).

 

The Newport News/Williamsburg airport is only about twenty-minutes from Williamsburg (the park is about fifteen minutes from there), and you can get a cab or limo to town. The only hotel that offer a regular shuttle to the park (as far as I know) is Kingsmill (very pricey), but a cab ride in Williamsburg shouldn't be too expensive. Colonial Williamsburg has it's own bus service that shuttles people all around the Historic Area.

 

Hope this helps. I'd check with the individual motels and hotels in the 'Burg about the shuttle situation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having visited both parks only recently, I can say I loved both.

 

HP has more rides including Great Bear, Stormrunner & Fahrenheit of which we did not manage to ride the last one on opening day

BGE has 'only' 5 coasters but they are all 5 excellent ones. Also the landscaping at BGE is really amazing so I tend to say, go for BGE.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another vote for BGE. It has Alpie and AC, both pretty much at the top of their classes, the one-of-a-kind set design of BBW, and now Griffon. Plus it's really beautiful, and has DarKastle, as well as a number of other non-coaster attractions and shows both you and your grandmother would probably enjoy.

 

The World of Chocolate? Meh. But like someone else said, parkwise it's a win-win. And if you go to Hershey, maybe you could wheedle a side trip to Knoebel's...

 

Edit: Just saw the above question. Actually, BGE tends to have a late entry policy, where portions of the park are kept closed until after the official opening time. Frustrating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another deciding factor may be early entry...

 

Does Hershey offer early entry for Fahrenheit and Storm Runner? What does BGE offer? Anything?

 

HP resort guests can enter the park 1 hour earlier.

Also if you arrive the day before, you can enter HP for free as from 3 hours before closing time if you buy your ticket for the next day at the booth. This is intesting as HP empties out quickly during the last operating hours.

No such things at BGE and as said here above, some parts of the park are not open as from the beginning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What flats do the parks have?

 

Sorry for bombarding you all with questions, I just want to make sure we make the right choice...

 

I know the poll currently suggests otherwise, but right now I'm leaning towards Hershey. The resort prices are much cheaper (with more amenities), and the flight is shorter. PLUS, there seems to be more to do there...

 

Then again, BGE has a waterpark that we could visit too. Decisions, decisions!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hersheypark may have quantity, but BGE has the best quality right next to Disney.

You will not have a bad day a BGE. The coasters are very fast loading, the shows are wonderful, the park is friendly, the food is decent, the theming is good, and it's the most beautiful park on the planet.

 

Go for Busch Gardens!

 

--James

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I may be local to Hersheypark, but visit Busch Gardens just as often. Based on the fact that it is your grandmother going with you, I would probably have to vote depending on your grandmother's age and style of amusement. If she likes at least some rides I'd go with Hershey. Busch Gardens is more lots of pretty flowers, long walks, hills, a few coasters, and a bunch of shows. Hershey has more coasters for you, more coasters for the whole family, a couple of shows (like the aqua theater), long walks, pretty flowers, hills, a bigger variety of flat rides, a waterpark inside the park, and a free chocolate ride. Pretty much, either option would be a good one for you, and both have a great assortment of coasters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know, I guess BGE would probably be more enjoyable for your grandmother simply because they have a lot of things to do there besides ride coasters. But HP would work as well; it's really your call which one you want to go to. I mean, both are great parks and you and your grandmother will have a fun time regardless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also really enjoy both parks. I have been to Hershey three times, and this year I will be making two visits, one this coming Friday, and one exactly a month from this Friday. When I visited Bush last year, I thought the park was beautiful, and the coasters were all really good, especially Alpengiest. But, I really do love Hershey. Maybe its the nostalgia I feel when visiting their. Also, I know that some hotels offer shuttle service. The only one I know for a fact is the Best Western about a half mile from the park. Whatever choice you decide to make, it will be well worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well considering I was in Annapolis like 2 weeks ago, we had a day to kill so I talked the peoples into driving 3 hours to get to BGE, along the way we passed SFA and KD, and it was tempting just to go there, but BGE was well worth the drive and was everything I could have possibly wanted it to be.

 

Its a very good park with plenty to do and see. I cant speak for HP though, it looks cool. But I'm just saying BGE WAS FUCKING AMAZING!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Busch Gardens Europe! Easily my favourite actual park that I've been to. Such a beautiful place with good coasters and a bunch of other stuff to do!

 

Plus they have very good food!

 

And Colonial Williamsburg, if you or your grandmother is into historic stuff!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

visitwilliamsburg.com= [tippy top of page]Maps & Transportation; How to get here, Getting around while you are here.

 

[very bottomof page] Free Visitor Info.

 

Also a great list of hotels with good info on them. I make reservations directly to or on the hotel's website.Tickets, only from the park site. AAA discount may be available.

 

Remind Grandmom that if you were with a school club you would be on your own so she will go see shows while you ride and not sit on a bench for hours waiting for you. But you look at the show list and see some too!

Shows are a big part of BGE. All of Ireland's are great, so is Ocktoberfest and the Piazza's opera is fun. Don't forget Pirates 4-D.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^I will assure you, she is is.

 

Thanks for all the responses, and I'm glad to hear that we will enjoy either park we go to! So in the end, I've left it up to her.

 

Wherever we go, we are staying at the park resort (Hershey Lodge or Kingsmill), so we will need to make reservations SOON. I will let you know the final decision tomorrow...

 

Thanks again!

 

-Daniel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i just went to both

 

hershey had intiman goodness and 3 GCIs which was very attractive to me but yeah, theyre not the best.

 

every coaster @ BGE is quality and the atmosphere is amazing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a really tough decision. I say go for BGE, though I've grown up around Hershey so maybe I'm a bit biased against it.

 

I like BGE better because it is themed pretty well, it's in a nice wooded area, there are great rides there (like Curse of DarKastle), and Griffon kicks some serious butt.

 

Yeah, Hershey has all the usual coasters; Great Bear, Lightning Racers, Sormrunner, and of course Fahrenheit, but......gah, screw it. I've actually changed my opinion by writing this. Sure, I've been to Hershey a lot and BGE only twice, but I still like hershey better. I mean they have 11 coasters, and awesome flats, as well as chocolate everywhere you go. So, I say go to Hershey, BGE is amazing, but after the big 5, what is there to do??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, the final decision has been made. On July 21st-23rd, my grandmother and I will be visiting......................

 

 

 

 

 

Hershey Park!

 

 

 

 

It was a tough decision, it really was. But in the end, there was more for us to do, the prices were more reasonable, and Grandma wouldn't have to drive ANY the entire trip!

 

Thanks for all the help, and any more tips are greatly appreciated!

 

-Daniel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i think it depends what you're grandma likes the best. If she likes the euro-style, then BGE is great. If she loves chocolate, then take her to Hershey!

 

And if you are a woodie fan, hershey has what i believe are 3 top wooden coasters in the world. BGE lacks a woodie (which i think is the biggest downfall of the park IMO)

 

Both parks are equivelant however i think in rides. All 5 are great at BGE, but i think Hershey stacks up with Storm Runner, Farenheit, Lightning Racer, Wildcat, and Great Bear has what i consider the best drop on a Beemer invert.

 

It's a tough call. I can't count my vote because i'd choose BGE since im 30 mins from Hershey and am there all the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ha so i was late, well it's a great choice, make sure to get to the park around 9 to ride the chocolate ride! its fun and you get chocolate at the end.

 

 

check this topic out

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=40771&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=40

 

and ride all the woodies from the back seat. Great airtime!

and do not pass up Storm Runner's front seat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/