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Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

P. 469: Family inverted coaster announced for 2025!

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They seem to be taking an under-promise and over-deliver approach right now.

Tempesto and Loch Ness were open this weekend despite not being on the website at all. Alpengeist also ran on at least a few weekdays last week. It seems like it's all based on staffing. The first weekend in June is also a different event.

I don't expect this to be an issue then, but yeah... if you're going Sunday then ride everything then anyway.

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Alpengeist, Apollo's Chariot, and Griffon, I recall all have big boy seats.

you might have an issue on InvadR and Loch Ness Monster, . . and I think for sure you'll have issue on Verbolten


I'm not a "regular" at this park tho, so hopefully someone that goes frequently (Chuck?) can give you more detailed answer :)

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Here's the thing: someone who is 5'2 and 250lbs is going to have a very different experience with any riders seats/restraints than someone who is say 6'2 250lbs. Body types can fluctuate considerably so I don't know how anyone can say whether or not someone who is 250lbs will have a hard/easy time fitting into rides without knowing what their height/body type is. I've seen big tall dudes with giant beer guts fit into El Toro and short small women with a tiny waist but thick legs get the walk of shame.

Also I'm not sure about big boy seats at this park (I should know, tbh since I am one) but I disagree with Bert about Verbolten - as a big boy I've never found those trains or lapbars particularly tight/unaccommodating.

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11 hours ago, bert425 said:

Alpengeist, Apollo's Chariot, and Griffon, I recall all have big boy seats.

you might have an issue on InvadR and Loch Ness Monster, . . and I think for sure you'll have issue on Verbolten


I'm not a "regular" at this park tho, so hopefully someone that goes frequently (Chuck?) can give you more detailed answer :)

The "big boy" seats on Alpengeist are in the two middle cars of each train (the "diamond" rows in the station). Griffon has two such seats in the middle of each row (look for the double seat belts). Apollo's Chariot doesn't have "big boy" seats to the best of my knowledge. InvadR can be tricky for large folks (I have to give the lapbar a strong yank to lock it in place).

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1 hour ago, boldikus said:

Here's the thing: someone who is 5'2 and 250lbs is going to have a very different experience with any riders seats/restraints than someone who is say 6'2 250lbs. Body types can fluctuate considerably so I don't know how anyone can say whether or not someone who is 250lbs will have a hard/easy time fitting into rides without knowing what their height/body type is. I've seen big tall dudes with giant beer guts fit into El Toro and short small women with a tiny waist but thick legs get the walk of shame.

Also I'm not sure about big boy seats at this park (I should know, tbh since I am one) but I disagree with Bert about Verbolten - as a big boy I've never found those trains or lapbars particularly tight/unaccommodating.

Thanks, I completely understand. I also appreciate everyone’s feedback. I’ll be going for the first time and just want to make sure I have an awesome experience. This park has been on my bucket list for years.

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3 hours ago, boldikus said:


Also I'm not sure about big boy seats at this park (I should know, tbh since I am one) but I disagree with Bert about Verbolten - as a big boy I've never found those trains or lapbars particularly tight/unaccommodating.

I guess that comes down to the different body type thing you just brought up. . . Verbolten has always been super snug for me (I fit, but not comfortably. . same thing with Backlot Stunt Coaster at KD).

and I'm not super big - I don't use the Big Boy seats on the B&Ms for example, I fit in the regular just fine.


so yeah, reiterating what you said. . different people are gonna fit differently.

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Logo.jpg.ddd8845c3f6af0d483034310fa1e9652.jpg

BUSCH GARDENS WILLIAMSBURG SESAME STREET KIDS’ WEEKENDS OFFER SAFE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY & FURRY FUN 
Including enhanced health and safety measures, weekends offer scavenger hunts, dance parties, a NEW Julia’s Welcome Party Weekend and more from June 4 to 20.

WHAT:  Created especially for the youngest members of the family, kids and parents alike can join in the fun at Busch Gardens Sesame Street Kids’ Weekends, including an ALL-NEW weekend celebrating the arrival of our newest Sesame Street friend, Julia. Included in park admission, guests can take part in safe family fun with modified operations for everyone’s health and safety, including:


⦁    Open-air activities with plenty of space for physical distancing in the Sesame Street Forest of Fun play area plus even more room to explore and play with special activities.
⦁    Enhanced cleaning and sanitation of surfaces and ample availability of hand sanitizer.
⦁    Individually distributed, single-use supplies for crafts, scavenger hunts, and more.
    
WHEN:         Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from June 4 – June 20 
 

Guests can enjoy themed, daily Sesame Street Storytimes in our outdoor play area, and live performances of “Let’s Play Together” at the Globe Theater in England. Additional open-air fun festivities include:


⦁    NEW Flower Maze:  Families can explore and grow with each twist and turn in this colorful flower-filled outdoor maze.
⦁    NEW Sunny Days Mural: Artists big and small will have the opportunity to share the masterpieces they create in the craft tent at our ALL-NEW kid-friendly art display. 
⦁    NEW Sesame Street Photo Opportunities: Enjoy physically distanced photo opportunities with the Sesame Street gang at 1-2-3 Smile with Me. Plus, for the first time, meet Julia!
⦁    Furry Friends Dance Party: Guests can let loose and groove to the beat at a physically distanced DJ dance party hosted by your favorite Sesame Street friends. 
⦁    Scavenger Hunts: Use the clues to find the featured letters of the week, then fill in the blanks on your clue sheet to spell the special word and win a prize! 

Families will want to return to the park again and again to enjoy new themed activities celebrating their Sesame Street friends each weekend, including: 
        
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NEW! Julia’s Welcome Weekend, June 4 - 6: Help us welcome our newest Sesame Street friend, Julia. She is an amazing 4-year-old with autism who loves to draw and play with her friends Elmo and Abby Cadabby. Julia shows kids that we’re all a little different but share the same joy of play and friendship. Say “hello” and take physically distanced photos with Julia in her garden in Sesame Street Forest of Fun. Don’t miss a special Storytime with Julia and her friend Elmo. 

 

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Rosita’s Friendship Fiesta Weekend, June 11 - 13: Join Rosita and friends as they celebrate the joy of friendship all weekend long! Rosita loves to dance, so get ready to move and groove with her at the Furry Friends Dance Party. Kids can also participate in our friendship themed scavenger hunt, and don’t miss a special Storytime with Rosita. 

 

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Super Grover Heroes Weekend, June 18 - 20: There’s no better way to celebrate Father’s Day weekend, than by treating your #1 dad to a weekend of fun. Celebrate dad and other everyday heroes all weekend long with everyone’s favorite furry blue hero, Super Grover! Participate in our heroes themed scavenger hunt, make special arts and crafts for your super dad, and don’t miss a unique Storytime hosted by Super Grover.

Admission to the Kids Weekends is included for active Members, Annual Passes and Fun Card holders. Visit https://buschgardens.com/williamsburg/events/sesame-street-kids/ for a complete list of rides, attractions, event activities, and to make reservations.

Guests can receive the latest information on hours of operation for Busch Gardens Williamsburg by visiting, BuschGardensWilliamsburg.com or Facebook.com/BuschGardensVA.

Best Way to Play for the Little Ones 
For a limited-time, kid’s ages 3 - 5 years old can get a Preschool Pass for unlimited complimentary admission to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA through October 31, 2021.  Guests will need to register online and visit the park by May 31, 2021 to activate.  
 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here's some information from the park about the return of "Summer Nights"--including nightly fireworks and Celtic Fyre!

 

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Busch Gardens’ Summer Nights Is Back! Bigger and Brighter than ever with New Live Concert Series, New Daily Fireworks, Electrifying Entertainment and Extended Hours Beginning June 25 
Amidst an open-air block party atmosphere, park guests will also enjoy the return of fan favorites such as the high-energy laser lights show “Spark!” and the award-winning Irish dance show “Celtic Fyre®”

For 35 nights, guests can stay late and enjoy world-class coasters, electrifying entertainment throughout the park and more with extended hours and expanded offerings at Busch Gardens Williamsburg beginning June 25. On weekends and select dates, guests can jam to the sounds of NEW Live Concerts by famous artists from an array of genres. Then guests can look to the sky for nightly fireworks and the pulse-pounding dynamic laser lights show Spark!® featuring pyrotechnics, party starters and a one-of-a-kind Electric Dance Mix!

 

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Sizzling NEW Event Experiences!
NEW! Live Summer Concert Series: The summer of epic live music is here at Busch Gardens. Top artists from a diverse collection of genres and decades will take the stage LIVE on select nights at the outdoor Royal Palace Theater. From Country, to R&B and Classic Rock, to Christian and Pop there will be tunes that turn up the fun for all and get guests singing this summer.

NEW! Nightly Fireworks: Choose the picture-perfect viewing spot for a dazzling fireworks show that will serve as an impeccable end to your Busch Gardens Williamsburg day. With bright colors bursting at every moment, this is sure to be a hit for everyone.

NEW! Seasonal Summer Menu: From the talented culinary artists behind the Food & Wine Festival, taste the inspired new seasonal summer treats! Guests will discover all new snack options, decadent sweet treats and more throughout the park. Adults 21+ can indulge in NEW summer cocktails or refreshing non-alcoholic drinks that are equally beautiful and satisfying for the perfect end to a summer night.

NEW! Open-air block parties throughout the park: As the sun goes down, electric summer vibes amp up throughout the park with DJ’s, dancing, seasonal eats, and special entertainment.

MORE Fan-favorite summer experiences return this season!

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Award-winning “Celtic Fyre” Irish dance show returns: Starting July 2, the Abbey Stone Theater will once again be home to “Celtic Fyre”, the foot stomping, toe-tapping Irish dance celebration, including late shows on select dates for Summer Nights.

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Back by popular demand! Spark! Presented by Coca-Cola: This nighttime party lights up the night with a high-energy laser lights showstopper, complete with stunning pyrotechnics, party starters and a one-of-a-kind pulse-pounding electric dance mix.

Party All Summer with a Busch Gardens Membership or Fun Card!
Celebrate all summer long and visit again and again with a Busch Gardens Fun Card! For only $99.99, the Fun Card get guests unlimited access through September 12, 2021, so you can visit again and again, and experience great events like Sesame Street Kids’ Weekend, Summer Nights, and Bier Fest! For the best value and amazing benefits, guests can upgrade to a Membership to enjoy the perks they want most throughout 2021. Members* receive 12 months of visits with the best benefits ever, including FREE parking, up to 6 free guest tickets, and up to 50-percent savings on merchandise, Quick Queue, and more!

Guests can visit www.BuschGardensWilliamsburg.com for more information and reservations—and to purchase tickets, Fun Cards, or Memberships.

 

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Just got back from our trip to Williamsburg.  Visited the park on Sunday and Monday.  The crowds were very light and we were able to ride all of the coasters pretty much at will.  

On Sunday and Monday Finnegan's Flyer and Mach Tower were closed but pretty much everything else was running.

On Monday in addition to those two Le Scoot and Escape from Pompeii were down which sucked since it was 93 degrees.  

Overall we had a great trip since the main reason we go is to ride the coasters and we rode the crap out of them lol

It did kind of suck to walk around the park and see Pantheon sitting over there quiet.  Oh well we will be back.  It looks absolutely incredible in person.  It's going to be an awesome coaster if it's half as good as it looks.

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I wonder if Finnegan's Flyer is having a mechanical issue or if it's just in refurbishment now since it operated all winter (unlike a lot of other rides in the park). Hopefully as they get into the groove of year-round ops they start posting refurb schedules like BGT.

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1 hour ago, coasterbill said:

I wonder if Finnegan's Flyer is having a mechanical issue or if it's just in refurbishment now since it operated all winter (unlike a lot of other rides in the park). Hopefully as they get into the groove of year-round ops they start posting refurb schedules like BGT.

I wondered the same thing.  Every time we walked by it was just deserted and we didn't see anyone working on it or anything.  They were obviously still having staffing issues but I wouldn't think that would be the issue since it only takes a couple people to operate the ride.  

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I have reservations for Monday, July 5th and Wednesday, July 7th for the park. Since the 5th is when most people get off for the 4th, I'm obviously planning on unlimited quick queue for that day. So the question is: if I buy in advance and for whatever reason, the park ends up being absolutely dead/lines are non-existent; will I be able to get a refund? Alternatively, how likely is it to sell out in park day of?

And since I'm here, what is recommended for late-night bites in the area after park close? Or should I just plan on food at my lodgings?

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10 hours ago, CaptainUnknown said:

I have reservations for Monday, July 5th and Wednesday, July 7th for the park. Since the 5th is when most people get off for the 4th, I'm obviously planning on unlimited quick queue for that day. So the question is: if I buy in advance and for whatever reason, the park ends up being absolutely dead/lines are non-existent; will I be able to get a refund? Alternatively, how likely is it to sell out in park day of?

And since I'm here, what is recommended for late-night bites in the area after park close? Or should I just plan on food at my lodgings?

We had this exact concern with SWO back in October and it ended up being dead, they refunded our Quick Queue before we even had to ask and told us to just come back if it gets busier. I'm imagining they should handle it similarly at BGW if it's dead. I would expect for the park to be packed though regardless and they do occasionally sell out.

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Hello,

I just bought tickets and made a reservation  to visit Busch Gardens.

I was wondering if you all had any tips to make the most of my day at Busch Gardens. What is the best way or order to navigate the park to beat the crowds and not have to wait long in lines? Is there anything cool to see or anything along those lines? I also had heard that some rides were not open due to staffing issues, is this still the case and which ones are closed? Any help to make the most of my trip to Busch Gardens would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

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36 minutes ago, karlkjr said:

Hello,

I just bought tickets and made a reservation  to visit Busch Gardens.

I was wondering if you all had any tips to make the most of my day at Busch Gardens. What is the best way or order to navigate the park to beat the crowds and not have to wait long in lines? Is there anything cool to see or anything along those lines? I also had heard that some rides were not open due to staffing issues, is this still the case and which ones are closed? Any help to make the most of my trip to Busch Gardens would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Is your trip on a day that ends in y?  Buy QuickQue.

Rides that are open and closed are listed on the website.

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3 hours ago, Mike240SX said:

Is your trip on a day that ends in y?  Buy QuickQue.

Rides that are open and closed are listed on the website.

Pre-covid, I went during the week in July and walked on everything except Verbolten, LeScoot and Roman Rapids. Quick Queue wouldve been a colossal waste.

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10 hours ago, michaellynn4 said:

I get the sentiment, but still think weekdays it would be unnecessary. Just my opinion, we'll see how it plays out in a few weeks here. 

 

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Hard telling this year. If Pantheon were open, I'd say go for it. Otherwise, we have had good luck on summer weekdays. We bought it once and regretted it. Although, if you happen to think Le Scoot is the best ride in the park and you want to get on it whenever you damn well please, buy the QQ. Otherwise, you're in for at least a half hour of close switchbacks in a crowded lumber mill-ish building.

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Busch Gardens does a very good job of updating the website with what rides are currently closed for staffing and budget.

In short:

Finnegan's Flyer and The Flying Machine are closed but I think they're both actually broken / being refurbed, Mäch Tower (lol), Rhine River Cruise, Roman Rapids and Skyride are closed every day for staffing. Battle For Eire is also closed, possibly forever.

Escape from Pomeii and Le Scoot are open Friday - Sunday only but this park has a strong under-promise and over-deliver policy with this list so if they opened them on a weekday if they had the staff I wouldn't exactly be shocked.

All other rides including all coasters are open daily.

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