KD/BGE on 6/13 or 6/14

[Guest]

So I'm taking a trip next week to Maryland, Kingsville to be exact, right outside of Baltimore. The weekend after we get there we're going to either BGE or KD which has yet to be decided, (because BGE is the one thing I wanted to do as my gift since I piad $225 to fly out there and my friend's grandparents are paying for her, so I thought since it was my vacation too, I would get to pick something but that's recently been questioned).

 

So I ask you native's to VA this,

 

1. Which park do you prefer, BGE or KD?

 

2. Do you think it's unfair that I'm paying to go on vacation, and my friend decides 1 week before we go that she doesn't want to drive the extra 45 mins. to BGE when it's the only thing I wanted to do & it was decided to go since the trip was planned?

 

3. Is the extra $ worth it to go to BGE rather than KD?

 

4. Should I go on Saturday, or Sunday?

 

5. Is the Quick queue @ BGE worth the extra $?

 

 

Thanks in advance!

[Homeboy23]

1. BGE - because of theming, rides, food, and everything else.

 

2. I'm staying away from this question.

 

3. Yes!

 

4. Sunday

 

5. Never used it so I can't answer. But I know they reserve row 2 on Apollos and Alpengeist for this service.

[netdvn]

I have three $15 off Admission KD passes that I will be willing to trade for any old or new maps/brochures. I'm not exactly sure where they came from because my brother's German teacher gave them out as prizes for something but you should try any local fast food/hotels/supermarkets around Hampton Roads/Richmond if you don't wanna trade. Good for up to 6 people, the pases expire June 28th.

-----

I have three BGW 2009 coupons I recently picked up which allow adults into the park at children's price. All of them expire on June 14, 2009.

 

I'm willing to trade these for any extra theme park maps/brochures if you're interested.

 

... If you don't feel like trading with me and are in the Hampton Roads area/northeastern North Carolina area and want to visit BGW before June 14 you can pick up these coupons at local Subway restaraunts...

 

Are you interested? Please PM me if you're interested.

 

As for your questions...

1. Are you more into rides or atmosphere. KD is more of a rides park while BGW is more of a theme/atmosphere park. If you want more credits/rides, KD is the park for you, but if you're more into shows and theming, then go to BGW. Both are great parks though and I recommend visiting both.

 

2. If you're paying for it then you should be the one deciding where to go unless you're doing the trip for her.

 

3. Again, are you more of a rides person or an atmosphere person?

 

4. Either day is fine. I've gone to BGW on both days numerous times before and I can say that crowds are unpredictable.

 

5. I've never used it, but if you can manage your time and hit all the big rides as early as you can before crowds pick up, you won't really need to use it.

[Guest]

Thank you for your feedback!

 

Netdvn: Are these coupons at subways AROUND BGE?

[cfc]

^You can get the $15-off deal by buying your tickets through KD's Web site, too--if you buy them three days in advance. You can print the tickets at home and avoid waiting at the ticket booth. It's a bit cheaper to buy your BGE tickets online, as well.

 

As for your other questions:

 

1. BGW--a much nicer park. KD does have a greater number of coasters, but it is a matter of quality over quantity. KD also has a water park onsite that doesn't require a separate admission (if you're into water slides).

 

2. No comment.

 

3. I think so--Williamsburg is a nicer area to visit in general, and BGW is a nicer park than KD (although I've had fun at both).

 

4. Sunday--summer Saturdays tend to be a bit "zooey."

 

5. If you go on Sunday, I doubt you'll need it. I'd spend the money on Saturday, though.

 

Have a great time!

[netdvn]

You can get the coupons at Subway restaraunts around the Hampton Roads area, Northeastern NC, and around Richmond so yes, Subway restaraunts around Williamsburg should carry BGW coupons...

 

I'm trying to get rid of my BGW and KD coupons since I probably won't use them before they expire so if you're willing to trade any old theme park maps/brochures for them that would be awesome.

[Guest]

^How old we talking? I'm only 19, & I wasn't into coasters as much as I am now until about 13 or 14. & the oldest I have is from like 2 or three years from a couple Florida Parks.

[netdvn]

Old as in from 1900-2009. As long as its not in my collection, I would gladly trade the coupons for your maps/brochures if you're willing to.

 

Just drop me a PM if you're interested...

 

And don't worry... I wasn't into riding coasters until I was 17, although I was into collecting theme park maps/brochures since I was 3. Too bad my parents threw most of them away.

[Guest]

Does anybody know if there are any Hershey Park coupons in the area around the park, I'm going the 15th all day.

[cygnusx1]

So I'm taking a trip next week to Maryland, Kingsville to be exact, right outside of Baltimore. The weekend after we get there we're going to either BGE or KD which has yet to be decided, (because BGE is the one thing I wanted to do as my gift since I piad $225 to fly out there and my friend's grandparents are paying for her, so I thought since it was my vacation too, I would get to pick something but that's recently been questioned).

 

So I ask you native's to VA this,

 

1. Which park do you prefer, BGE or KD?

 

2. Do you think it's unfair that I'm paying to go on vacation, and my friend decides 1 week before we go that she doesn't want to drive the extra 45 mins. to BGE when it's the only thing I wanted to do & it was decided to go since the trip was planned?

 

3. Is the extra $ worth it to go to BGE rather than KD?

 

4. Should I go on Saturday, or Sunday?

 

5. Is the Quick queue @ BGE worth the extra $?

 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

I'll answer a couple questions...

 

1. As another poster said, KD for more credits, BGE for better shows/theming. I think Apollo's Chariot is the best coaster at either of the parks. Also, if you're interested in riding Big Bad Wolf (Arrow suspended coaster with cool theming), rumors have said that this season is the last season for that coaster.

 

4. Kings Dominion is hosting HurlFest on Saturday, which will have ERT on Volcano, Dominator, Flight of Fear, and Anaconda. The ERT is from 9:00-10:30am; more info on this event is available at KDFansite. It would be well worth it to go to that, maybe stay until lunchtime to pick up the rest of the credits in the park, and then go to BGE. BGE has 6 credits (counting Grover's) which should only take a couple hours to pick up all of. If you're not interested going to Hurlfest, but you do want to do KD, wait until Sunday. Saturdays in the summer are extremely crowded; expect lines to spill out of their queue areas by mid-afternoon and be slow. In contrast, BGE's lines all move pretty fast (I especially noticed this on Alpengeist), except for Big Bad Wolf's.

 

5. I would doubt it, especially if you're going to the park on Sunday. BGE's crews are good at handling big crowds... when I rode Alpie there on Memorial Day, the line went out of the queue house and through the next set of switchbacks. I was expecting it to be about a 45 minute wait from there (given wait times for Volcano and Dominator at KD) and got through it in 15 minutes. My longest line of the day was about 25 minutes. Griffon's line went up to about 35 minutes in the afternoon; I waited about 15 minutes for the back and 20 for the front in the morning. I'd say ride a couple coasters and gauge the crowds before you decide whether or not QuickQueue is worth the extra money... you've already pointed out (rightfully) that BGE's ticket prices are higher than most of the neighboring parks. If you want, and since you are not a Virginia resident, you can buy tickets online that let you go back to the park as many times as you want to in a week with the first day's ticket.

[cygnusx1]

Does anybody know if there are any Hershey Park coupons in the area around the park, I'm going the 15th all day.

 

At some Subway restaurants in Maryland, I have found coupons offering varying discounts for Hersheypark (depending on the time of year) for up to 6 admissions. I think it's $12 off for June. I think I've also seen these coupons at Burger Kings.

[B-RadG]

I'm shocked nobody has brought this up yet- lockers.

 

At King's Dominion they have cubbies on the exit side of the train that are free, but that also makes it a little bit slower for loading because you have to wait for people to put their stuff on it. Backlot has this little table thing that you put your stuff on while you're in the queue, and it's right by the exit. On Volcano someone comes around to collect your stuff and puts it on the table thing by the exit.

 

Busch Gardens requires you to buy a locker for each ride, unless it's Big Bad Wolf, on that they let you hold backpacks or put them around your ankle. They also have the all day lockers, but they're in England, inconveniencing you every time you need something.

 

Other than that fact, I'd say definitely go to Busch Gardens. It's cleaner, prettier, better coasters, and all that jazz.

[cygnusx1]

^ "fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo"?! Did you actually type all of that out, or does TPR censor that word because we don't like having to pay to put our stuff away? If so, that is a great word censor, even better than "indoor sporting eventing" and "that other donkey from that other movie" on the Washington Capitals' message boards.

 

I have a digital camera case that I can tie onto my belt so that my stuff doesn't go anywhere... it's also big enough to (tightly) fit my cell phone and keys. I took it on Alpie and Apollo with no problem. I tied it down very well and creatively (involving my belt, two belt loops, and using the wrist strap on my camera to make sure the zipper was going nowhere!) so that I would not lose them on the ride. Let me make it abundantly clear: *No*, I did not actually *use* the camera or the cell phone while on the rides! And the only thing the ride ops had to hold for me was my hat. They didn't make me pay to put that away.

 

Before I figured out that I could do this, the ride ops on Griffon in the morning let me put my stuff down by the exit ramp but made it clear to me that I was holding up the line. I didn't pay for a locker all day.

 

Edit: Wow. Just wow. That word is censored. Next I'll try... Vekoma?

[BuschSchoe]

unless it's Big Bad Wolf, on that they let you hold backpacks or put them around your ankle.

They allow you on Curse Of DarKastle as well.

[B-RadG]

Well I hate dark rides so I know nothing about any of them.

 

And the woman in front of us in line for one coaster had a fanny pack (dorky... but efficient) and they let her take it on all the rides and she managed not to lose it.