PKD and Busch Gardens

[rollercoaster1234]

I was just wondering I might be planning a trip down to Virginia and wanted to know your opinions were on Busch Gardens Williamsburg (of course) and PKD (Paramounts Kings Dominion for all of you who dont know what that means) JK.

 

What park would you choose if you coud only go to one of them and why?

 

Thanks

 

P.S. I look forward to hearing your feedback!

[TwistedTrack]

I visit both once or twice every summer. If you want a lot of coasters go to PKD, although most of their coasters are medium class. I recomend Busch Gardens. All of their coasters are top notch and well themed. BGW(BGE) is a well known American park, mostly known for being the most beautiful park in the U.S. Busch Gardens also has a well known waterpark just across the street! Busch Gardens is probably the best choice!

[rollercoaster1234]

Thanks I sort of want to go to Busch Gardens more. I was there when I was little but did not go on any coasters. The major reason I would go to PKD would probably be for Volcan: A blast coaster

[cfc]

Personally, I give the edge to BGE, but I enjoy both parks. PKD has more flat rides and coasters (including three woodies, one currently down), but BGE's coasters are better overall (as is their food). And Curse of DarKastle is a lot of fun.

 

Water Country isn't exactly "across the street"--more like across the interstate on Rt. 199. But it's a very nice water park (not open until May, though).

[Swimace]

BGE is one of my all time favorite theme parks. I've never made it to PKD but the park always struck me ass looking rather bland and average in terms of park experiences.

[jamesdillaman]

Personally, I give the edge to BGE, but I enjoy both parks. PKD has more flat rides and coasters (including three woodies, one currently down), but BGE's coasters are better overall (as is their food). And Curse of DarKastle is a lot of fun.

 

Water Country isn't exactly "across the street"--more like across the interstate on Rt. 199. But it's a very nice water park (not open until May, though).

 

Which woodie is down?

[alpengeist04]

^Hurler, but it's no big deal.

[jamesdillaman]

Oh, I went on Hurler it's opening season, so that's fine. I just didn't want to miss out on a credit I haven't had. Julia will be dissapointed, though...

[alpengeist04]

^You still have 3 other woodies to ride.

[GAcoaster]

I love both parks, and I advise everyone who makes this trip the same thing...go to PKD first, then BGE(W). If you go the other way, PKD feels like a real second class park after going to BG, and in reality it's a very nice park.

[TwistedTrack]

If you want to go to PKD for Volcano, you must be a hardcore intamin lover. It's not that great of a ride. Launch, Launch, zero-g roll like 4 times, done. Plus the minimum wait when I go their is like 3 hours for it.

[ECZenith]

I have been to both quite frequently...

 

BGE:

 

I prefer Busch Gardens to PKD not only because of my B&M fetish, but the place is just so damn beautiful. Alpengeist is one of my favorite coasters (been on over 200) Busch also has Darkastle, and it's rare to find a park nowadays with a decent haunted house (not full of cartoon characters!!) If you're planning on '07, you might get some Dive Machine action. On the other hand...

 

PKD:

 

AWESOME drop tower. Drop Zone is worth a visit in itself if you like drop rides. It's one of the few rides out there that "gets to me" just because of the height. I don't really care for PKD's coasters that much. I love Volcano but I can see how someone can get bored of the repetitive elements but the launches are pretty intense and the second one will surprise you on your first ride. PKD has great flat rides including a brand new Huss suspended top spin.

 

Really try to hit both parks, they're must-sees.

[pkdcoaster]

I will add my opinion on the subject and I am sure alot of people will disagree...but I have been going to BGW since 1987 and the park has seen much better days....to me the park is VERY boring aside from the 4 coasters without the coasters it is a Old person park...very boring and average rides that EVERY other park has...If you just LOVE seeing flowers in person than BGW is the place for you. Dark Castle is alright but just confusing and not that impressive to me. If you like more rides than choose PKD but Like I said the (only) 4 Coasters at BGW are great but that is really all that is there in terms of rides.

 

I would probably think BGW is a great park if I had only been once or twice but the park is very boring when it is so close and the operations of the coasters used to be top notch (trains running,speed of ops)...now it just sucks

But look at pictures and videos and see for yourself...what rides would interest you the most. and if possible do both they are both good parks.

 

JEFF

[Three]

Hurler is down? Meh. That's the worst woodie at the park (Scooby is cute, and Rebel Yell and Grizzly are frickin' fantastic).

 

I would recommend Busch Gardens, as quite simply it is the most beautiful park I've been to. It's hard to describe how well the theming is done. But not only that, the park is in a gorgeous environment in the first place. Florida parks may have good theming, but it's all just artificial plastic, concrete, and steel erected above flat land. Busch Gardens? Absolutely gorgeous. Both the theming and the area.

 

And the coasters are pretty dern great. Big Bad Wolf is a kickass suspended coaster, the beamers are... not as good as some, but well worth a ride anyway. And Loch Ness Monster is just plain iconic.

 

That's not to say PKD is a bad park -- I enjoyed my visit there a hell of a lot. And they have quite a selection of coasters (with a few stinkers in the mix). Grizzly, Avalanche, Anaconda, and yes, Hypersonic were all fantastic. And Drop Zone managed to freak me the hell out (of course, drop rides are about the only rides that can do that to me anymore). It's a fantastic park... but Busch Gardens Williamsburg is fantastic^100.

 

Oh, and don't ride Tomb Raider if you have testicles.

[jamesdillaman]

Well, I'm making a trip down there this saturday, and we're only going to PKD. The decision-maker for me was the half-price admission for ace members at PKD. Go to where you want, and do the other one a different time, or if you can, do both. I'll be back to catch BGE later in the season for sure. As stated before, look at the rides and what you like better.

-James

[pkdcoaster]

Oh, and don't ride Tomb Raider if you have testicles.

 

I never understood why some of you guys say that about TR but nobody says anything about Acrophobia...Worst ride ever....maybe TR doesnt bother me cause I already lost my nuts on Acrophobia

 

JEFF

A CHICK designed this ride!!!!!!!

[cfc]

^Hurler, but it's no big deal.

 

Yep--I think Grizzly is the best one, and Rebel Yell is fun, too.

[ECZenith]

Think Acro and Tomb Raider are bad?

 

Dude, one word... Tango.

[alpengeist04]

Well, I'm making a trip down there this saturday, and we're only going to PKD. The decision-maker for me was the half-price admission for ace members at PKD. Go to where you want, and do the other one a different time, or if you can, do both. I'll be back to catch BGE later in the season for sure. As stated before, look at the rides and what you like better.

-James

 

Good luck, hopefully the crowds won't be too bad.

 

 

Edit: Just remember that there's no FOF and IJ:Turd coaster isn't ready yet.

[DerekRx]

Kings Dominion is a good park for quantity of coasters, whereas Busch Gardens is a good park for quality of coasters. You can easily spend more time at Kings Dominion, but I'm not sure if that's because there is more overall to do there ride-wise, or because you'll be waiting in line longer to ride everything. Busch is nice for a more relaxed vacation trip, plenty of great coasters that you can reride over and over again, excellent food, good shows, nice scenery, shade, and overall theming. Kings Dominion has lots of cool coasters, most of them used to be fun, now just a few of them are top-notch, which even the GP knows and therefore the lines for them are always long (though that may also be because those cutting edge rides also have poor capacity).

 

I'd go with BGE, but I like the person who said once you go to BGE, PKD is a second rate park!

[BrownStreak]

If you want to go to PKD for Volcano, you must be a hardcore intamin lover. It's not that great of a ride. Launch, Launch, zero-g roll like 4 times, done. Plus the minimum wait when I go their is like 3 hours for it.

 

Damn I knew I sucked! I got Volcano Blast as the result of the "What coaster are you" survey. I have never been on it- but I had the feeling that I sucked!

[cfc]

^Oh, Volcano hardly "sucks" (I think it's a lot of fun)--but the line can get pretty dang long (be sure to hit it early in the day).

[Billy]

i have not been to PKD yet, but ive been to BGE a bunch and its fantastic. Its quality and beautiful. Its got some good rides, how can ya pass up Alpengiest and Apollos chariot? or the Big BadWolf - its a classic! the ride selection seems like a better choice to me.

[live2tell75]

Both are fun. But if you want quality over quanity then definitely Busch Gardens Europe.

 

--Eric J

[shepp]

Yeah, like almost everybody else, I prefer Busch. But then, I like my parks more well-rounded than just coaster-packed - unless the coasters in question are top-notch, and most of PKD's aren't. (Hypersonic? OUCH!) Of course, that opinion is colored by Volcano's being down both days I was there.

 

Also, I found Busch's customer relations and ride ops to be a lot friendlier and more helpful than PKD's.

 

On the other hand, I didn't find it the "most beautiful" park I've been to. Nice setting and vegetation, but I found a lot of the buildings to be kinda clunky, like a second-rate EPCOT. Among parks I think are generally better-looking: BGT, IOA, DAK, Boomer's Dania Beach (just kidding).