Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

[cfc]

^Speaking of Christmas Town . . . the park has released more information about this year's event--just in time for Halloween!

Busch Gardens® Williamsburg’s Christmas Town™ opens next month with one of the largest light displays in North America, new shows, and fan favorites 

• One of North America’s Largest Holiday Displays with More than Ten Million Dazzling
• Lights
•  First-Ever Christmas Town™ Performance of Celtic Fyre Show, Voted the #1 Theme Park Entertainment by USA Today’s 10 Best
•  New Holiday Scavenger Hunt presented by Coca-Cola©

Busch Gardens® Williamsburg is trimming the tree and hanging the lights for the full return of Christmas Town™ beginning on November 12. Voted the World’s Most Beautiful Theme Park every year since 1990, Busch Gardens® Williamsburg will transform into a stunning holiday wonderland with over 10 million twinkling lights, one of the largest light displays in North America. Along with a return of fan favorite shows, bites, and delights, this year’s must-see event will appeal to guests of all ages with new performances and activities including:

• Celtic Fyre®: A Christmas Celebration – Celtic Fyre returns for the first-time ever during Christmas Town™. Voted  USA Today’s #1 Theme Park Entertainment, this iconic fan favorite show celebrates Irish culture with step dancing at Abbey Stone Theatre. The encore performance adds Christmas flair with a new twist on a Killarney classic.
• Up on the Haus Top – It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Warm up with modern-day Christmas classics in a festive performance in Das Festhaus.
• Unto Us – A choral celebration of the greatest story ever told. The first Christmas comes alive in this inspiring new show takes place in the open-air Il Teatro di San Marco Theatre.
• Holiday Scavenger Hunt presented by Coca-Cola© – Spot the special holiday ornaments around the park and you could receive a Coca-Cola prize while supplies last!
• North Pole Nightcap Bar – Grab your swizzle stick and make a toboggin run to the all-new bar featuring specialty holiday cocktails!

Guests can renew holiday traditions by enjoying fan favorite Christmas Town™ classics including Santa’s Workshop, the Christmas Town Express, and Twas that Night ice skating show featuring Champion figure skater Elvis Stojko, who brings the magic of Christmas Eve alive in a spectacular performance.
 

Other popular returning fun includes:

• Elmo’s Christmas Wish – Join Cookie Monster, Rosita, Grover, and Zoe as they help Elmo find his Christmas wish! Families are sure to be singing and dancing along while watching this fun holiday show. Visit the Sesame Street Forest of Fun outdoor stage to enjoy this show!
• O’Tannenbaum – Gather in front of Festhaus for a Christmas light show unlike any you’ve ever experienced.
• Scrooge No More – The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future will be swept away at the Globe Theatre this season.
• Holiday Flavors to Savor – Find the tastes of the season throughout the park with the return of fan-favorite beverages, including the decadent Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate and the extra-jolly After Dinner Mint Hot Chocolate, perfect for after the kids nestle snug in their beds. The ever-popular Christmas Turkey Dinner returns to the Festhaus, the perfect meal while guests enjoy the all-new show Up on the Haus Top!

Over 20 thrilling rides and coasters, festive treats, and holiday shopping complete the immersive experience with Christmas fun for the whole family.

“Christmas Town is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to create unforgettable memories in an incredible park setting and we are thrilled to feature its full, park-wide return this year,” said park President Kevin Lembke. “With more than ten million lights and all new shows, 2021 promises to be our best holiday celebration ever. From the meticulously decorated trees to the beautifully choreographed new shows, this year’s Christmas Town gives us all a reason to celebrate the season again with friends and family. Not even Scrooge himself will be able to resist joining in on the festive holiday cheer.”

Christmas Town™ will run on select dates through January 2, 2022.

 

[racingmoose]

Hi all.  We're long time readers and lurkers in the forum.  We really enjoy all the great information and insights that help with planning trips to various parks.  I'm hoping someone here might have an idea on what to expect as far as black friday prices on season passes..

We are planning a trip that will take us to Christmas Town before the end of the year.  We will also be visiting the park next year in April and probably again next fall.   In addition, we plan on visiting Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld Orlando for a total of 3 days in May of next year.  We've been considering the 11 park pass since it will include each of our visits + parking and discounts in the parks..

Has Busch Gardens put these 11 park pass on sale during black Friday in the past?

Thanks for any insight and all the great information we get from this forum and site.

 

 

[coasterbill]

Honestly, I'm not sure about discounts for Black Friday but buy it at Sesame Place if you live in Hershey... it's a lot cheaper.

[tndank]

SeaWorld San Antonio typically has the cheapest prices.  Could buy from there.  Not sure how it compares to Sesame...did not price it when I bought earlier this year.  Don't ever have to visit SWSA.

When I bought last year, it was $149.99/ea (which was $50 off normal price) so they have done some sales.  This was early January after a crazy pandemic year.  Seems to be $172.99 right now.

 

 

[coasterbill]

Oh, I assumed you actually had to go to the park to activate it. Yeah… ignore me then. 

[Hilltopper39]

7 minutes ago, tndank said:

SeaWorld San Antonio typically has the cheapest prices.  Could buy from there.  Not sure how it compares to Sesame...did not price it when I bought earlier this year.  Don't ever have to visit SWSA.

When I bought last year, it was $149.99/ea (which was $50 off normal price) so they have done some sales.  This was early January after a crazy pandemic year.  Seems to be $172.99 right now.

 

 

It was on sale for like $150 just last week, so I'd expect it to go on sale again at some point. SeaWorld has typically offered Black Friday sales in the past on tickets and passes, I've never bought the 11 park platinum pass but I'm assuming the deal would be valid on that. In the past one year they did BOGO passes then  the next it was Buy One Get one half off. I'm sure there will offers this year but so it seems like the deals have decreased slightly year to year, and post pandemic with parks back in full swing I'm not sure what to expect.

 

Does anyone know if the extra perks you get with a platinum pass, like free tickets/tours/etc., are only valid at the home park? That's the impression I was under but curious if anyone knew definitively. 

[tndank]

Everything is home park only except preferred parking and merch/food discounts in park. 

[YoshiFan]

The 1 exception for that is the Platinum Pass purchased at a Florida park, those perks do work in all the parks in the state. I bought my Platinum Pass at BGT and can use my 1 free daily Quick Queue or bring a friend free tickets at Sea World, Adventure Island and Aquatica.

[racingmoose]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions on the Platinum Pass.

I just got an email offering the Platinum Pass from BGW for 30% off as a Black Friday presale..  The price ends up being $ 260.50 instead of the normal $ 372.00.    

[AmyUD06]

On 11/13/2021 at 9:24 PM, racingmoose said:

Thanks everyone for the suggestions on the Platinum Pass.

I just got an email offering the Platinum Pass from BGW for 30% off as a Black Friday presale..  The price ends up being $ 260.50 instead of the normal $ 372.00.    

Mind forwarding the link in that e-mail to me in a PM?

[JJLehto]

Perhaps a crazy move but I'm using Good Friday as a long weekend to drive to VA and visit BGW. Holiday I know but is this one where people are more likely to go to a park? Hope not an my heathen ass has a fairly quiet park lol 

Also how does the Platinum Pass work? Is it nationwide? Since I'm doing both BG's, both Sea World's, I figure this may be worth looking into? 

[tndank]

Yes. Nationwide for entry and parking.  San Antonio typically has the cheapest prices.  Active upon purchase.

 

[robbalvey]

Yay!  Pantheon POV!

 

[Shavethewhales2]

Looks brilliant. Lots of originality in the layout. It's funny how the only straight hill seems to be in the middle of the swing launch. Wave turns are all the rage right now. 

I want to see some footage of that track switch on the swing launch. It must have a way of moving into place in a hurry. Usually transfer tracks take their sweet time moving and aligning themselves. 

[Haymaker]

The upside down straight away looks longer than Velocicoaster's. Im interested to see how the speed compares too

[bert425]

that long upside-down stall looks pretty amazing.

 

can't wait to get a chance to ride this.

[boldikus]

1 hour ago, Shavethewhales2 said:

Looks brilliant. Lots of originality in the layout. It's funny how the only straight hill seems to be in the middle of the swing launch. Wave turns are all the rage right now. 

I want to see some footage of that track switch on the swing launch. It must have a way of moving into place in a hurry. Usually transfer tracks take their sweet time moving and aligning themselves. 

Intamin are calling it a "high speed transfer track", Hagrid's has basically the same thing.

[pryonisys]

I love the look of the ride, I'm curious what they will eventually do with the landscaping, but it's Busch Gardens so even if it stays a field it still looks pretty nice (I wouldn't complain about some landscaping or scenery though).

I look forward to riding it

[PKI Jizzman]

Almost 90 seconds of ride time, that's awesome. The first inversion is going to be so funky, the next twisted speed hills have way more speed than I thought they would have! 

Usually I'm not this geeky, but how about the sound of the backwards launch! vrrttttt new Intamin fart. The #1 element I overlooked on Velocicoaster wsa the normal top hat - that drop is incredible and I can't wait to try Pantheon's. The finale looks truly wild with those quick twists, like Storm Runner 2.0.

Can't wait for a return visit to BGW!

[JJLehto]

Looks phenomenal. Can't wait to ride. Most hyped ride of 2020 finally happening, better late than never!

And yes I love the layout, very interesting, and looks like it hauls over that acceleration hill

Also excited to go to BGW in general, last time I went was 20 years ago!

[thrillseeker4552]

Looks amazing. Can't wait to visit for the first time this April!

[JJLehto]

4 hours ago, thrillseeker4552 said:

Looks amazing. Can't wait to visit for the first time this April!

Interesting, when are you going? I'll be there for Good Friday weekend 4/15

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Pantheon does a bit of everything and looks like it will do it well. Love the extended stall.

[cfc]

On 12/13/2021 at 5:42 PM, boldikus said:

Intamin are calling it a "high speed transfer track", Hagrid's has basically the same thing.

During the construction tour, they mentioned that the transfer track takes just a few seconds to get into position.

 

[TrippinBillie]

I’m not sure of the policies on this site, but another BGW well-informed site dropped a bomb about DarKastle’s replacement. Anyone heard/know more? From what they report, it’s going to be a very unique indoor Intamin family launched ride with an ending that…..”doesn’t end” (don’t want to give spoilers). If allowed, I’d be happy to link. Otherwise do some searching or check twitter. Sounds like a wonderful addition and a really great concept! If done right, could be a real winner and something some other parks would want to jump on. Cheers