TR - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

[edboxer]

TR - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

 

Saturday, April 15th.

 

We paid our $10.00 parking fee and followed the flag guys to a parking lot. We passed 6 lots that were totally full and it looked like we were being directed to a lot about a mile from the entrance. We got a view of the thousands of cars and decided to wait until Sunday. We left without even parking.

 

Sunday, April 16th.

 

What a difference a day makes. There was a very light crowd. It was also free to all military. Very nice gesture. We arrived about 10:30. It was my first trip to BGW. Very nice park, although IMHO, its doesn't rank as the world's most beautiful (I think IOA should get that title).

 

Apollo's Chariot, 20 minute wait for front row. A great hyper. Excellent anticipation after the chain before the first drop. Some great airtime. Loved the return trips twisted airtime. Its now my #6.

 

Big Bad Wolf, 15 minute wait for front row. Cool swoop through the village. Excellent drop over the lake, but was disappointed that after the drop it just rises to the final break. But an excellent ride overall.

 

Alpengeist, 40 minute wait for second row. Love all the theming, nice Immelman over the shed. Was slightly disappointed at how much it slowed down going over the snow drift sections. But a cool ride.

 

Loch Ness Monster, 10 minute wait for the second row. Was surprised at how low to the surrounding hills the loops were. Painfully short OTSR. Loved the spiral tunnel. Again, surprised that after the second loop you hit the brake.

 

The train. This for me was the single most disappointing thing in the park. You cannot see much of the park at all from the train, and the never ending ad was out of synch with our location at any given time. It was an annoying 20 minute ride.

 

We left about 3:30, over all spending 5 hours in the park touring, etc. Had a good time. And an infinitely better experience than we had in BG Tampa a few years ago.

 

We had some dinner and I returned to the park solo at 6:45 (they were closing at 8).

 

I headed from Apollo's Chariot. I got a ride in the front seat and a ride in the back seat (with some military guys I met in line who were a scream, literally) by 7:30. They would scream like little girls from the moment the train left the station until the restraints were released. It was hysterical.

 

I got another front row ride by 8:50. I was seated next to a girl (maybe mid-20s) who appeared scared to death. When the train dropped over the first hill she grabbed my wrist and didn't let go until we hit the break. When we got back in the station, the only lines were for the front and back row, so if there was an empty row, you could move to it and stay on. I got 3 rides second row without moving the restraint. The wrist grabber moved to the second row as well. Very cool policy.

[cfc]

I drove by BGE on Saturday--you were wise to wait for Sunday (my personal rule of thumb all summer).