Busch vs. Busch

[307]

Busch Gardens Europe has better scenery and is a lot more beautiful... and has a better "atmosphere".

 

Busch Gardens Africa has better coasters - though with the addition of Griffon, perhaps this will change.

[pkdcoaster]

They are both equally & Uniquely (sp?) Awesome in my eyes. (although they do have their faults)

 

Almost All of the Major Busch Coasters have changed so much over the last 10 years, it is hard to judge them.

 

I just don't understand why all the other Busch parks have kiddie coasters except THE coaster parks

 

My son always says he wants to ride a coaster at BGE. you would think they would have one by now since they are so "Family Friendly".

 

JEFF

[dr.gumbo]

Sorry to butt in but I made a thread on this years ago...

 

www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=199639

 

But this one seems to be a bit more succesful so I'll just leave it if you want to have a look...

 

(BTW According to the results BGE seems to be the best)

[cfc]

^^That's always puzzled me too, Jeff--I think BGE used to have a kiddie coaster way back when (before I moved to Virgnia).

 

I'm sure they could fit in a rollerskater where, oh, Drachen Fire used to be.

[ECZenith]

^ "Das Kätzchen" (The Kitten) closed in 1984 and was located in Oktoberfest.

[raptorcrew2002]

They also did have that wild mouse that use to between Alp’s location & Oktoberfest I want to say. But that is the one they moved to Tampa.

 

Is kind of funny to think of since they never did replace that with another family type coaster ride.

[EvoLee]

removed

[Diddi]

i absolutely hate the walkpath-system (can't think of another word to describe right now) at BGA. It takes you like an hour to get from SheiKra to Montu...

[DATman]

While BGE is my home park I still to this day have not forgiven them for removing Drachen Fire and the damn monorail. That air-conditioned monorail taking me to the land of free beer was priceless. (Don't get me started about the antique cars.)

 

I've been to BGA and consider their combos of Montu, Kumba, and Scorpion better than BGE's Apollo, Alpie, and Loch Ness. I was not overly impressed by SheikRa and I think I'll feel the same way about Griffon (too much wait for 35-45 seconds of "one-trick" pony-ism).

 

Plus, it seems like BGA will be getting a new coaster in a couple of years while BGE will have torn down Loch Ness and BBW before building another B&M in, oh....2014.

 

Hey...first post.

 

Lee

 

How can you possibly say that Griffon is a one trick pony? It has two vertical drops, two immelmans, an air hill and a splashdown. Griffon is anything BUT a one trick pony.

[ginzo]

How can you possibly say that Griffon is a one trick pony? It has two vertical drops, two immelmans, an air hill and a splashdown. Griffon is anything BUT a one trick pony.

 

I don't think this is too unreasonable of a critique of diving machines. I haven't been on Griffon, but I have been on Sheikra, which is similar enough. Sheikra is just too "wham, bam, thank you m'aam" for me to measure up to Montu and Kumba, which are much more balanced, varied rides. I'd hate to wait an hour to ride a diving machine.

 

Yes, Sheikra is fun, but I think it's too centered around doing one thing really well to be a top level coaster for me.

[doom1001]

Scenery,theming and location= Has to go to BGE,I love the woody,hilly location of the park as well as the European countries theme! BGA is also a very beautiful park with great landscaping but I prefer the European theme over the African and Zoo thing!!

 

Coasters=Slight edge to BGA.Montu rocks while Alpengeist has the lamest ending of any B&M invert.Divers cancel each other out since I haven't been on Griffon.I love Apollo's Chariot and even if people complain about Gwazi being rough I also love it,so then you have to put up Kumba against Wolf and Lochness. Even though I bang my head too much on Kumba's restraints I will say very few rides have a HOWL like that ride and has amazing speed throughout the ride,plus Montu is the coaster that truly got me hooked back in 96!

 

Flats and other rides and shows=This has to go to BGE with it's much better collection of flats as well as rides like Darkcastle and Corkscrew Hill

and like I said before even though I prefer Rhino Rally to Disney's safari I'm not a big zoo guy so while I ride it it's never a must do!!

 

Both parks in my opinion have some of the best food at any park as well as great stage shows and special event like Howl-O-Scream,so for me I would give BGE an 8.9 out of 10 while BGA gets a very close 8.7.

 

They're both excellent parks,I'm giving Williamsburg a slight edge for some of the reasons I've stated but also you have to consider I've been to BGA dozens of times,probably even over a 100 times so that park just won't have the same appeal as another park you also really like but have only visited 3 times!!

[ginzo]

i absolutely hate the walkpath-system (can't think of another word to describe right now) at BGA. It takes you like an hour to get from SheiKra to Montu...

 

The skyride solves that problem. After you enter the park, you go:

 

1) Montu

2) Skyride

3) Kumba

4) Sheikra

[???]

Hmm...

I think i should choose BGA becuse of...

1.Coasters like nothing else in Florida!

2.It`s not many parks with African theme!

3.You can go there all year around!

4.They have a water park too!

 

Is Big Bad Wolf and Loch Ness closing?!

That can`t be true,these coasters are neary legendary!

[PKI Jizzman]

^BGA is a water park? Last time I checked they didnt

[???]

^BGA is a water park? Last time I checked they didnt

They have Adventure Island!

[alpengeist04]

^ ...and BGE has Water Country USA.

[cfc]

^BGA is a water park? Last time I checked they didnt

 

Er, it's right across the street.

[EvoLee]

removed

[cfc]

^It all depends on what sort of "trick" you like. I could ride something like Sheikra and Griffon multiple times in a visit, but once on a launched coaster like Kingda Ka is plenty.

[BarryH]

i absolutely hate the walkpath-system (can't think of another word to describe right now) at BGA. It takes you like an hour to get from SheiKra to Montu...

 

It takes me about 15 minutes to walk from the front gates to SheiKra. You don't have to walk. You can use the skyride or the train.

 

If it takes you an hour to get from Montu to SheiKra, are you crawling to the coaster?

[mike541x]

I have to say BGE. They may only have 5 roller coasters (which are awesome) but the other thing that I like about BGE is the atmosphere.

[coasterdude5]

Since I've now been to both, I think I can give this question a fair answer.

 

I went to BGE when I was nine years old or somewhere around then. It was my first major themepark after Opryland so I was sorta taken away by the whole thing. Back then, I didn't like riding coasters but it was awesome watching them.

 

I think BGE is a better overall park than BGA, but I think part of that could be the "everything looks bigger and badder when you're younger." I could go to BGE this summer and go, whoa, this park isn't anything like what I remember it to be.

 

The thing I didn't like about BGA is however much they tried to cover it up, I felt like I was in the middle of a city (which I was), when you have an African theme like that, I gotta feel like I'm going somewhere, and hearing the cars and everything 20 yards away sorta ruined it (in some parts of the park, not completely). But they cannot help that it's not really a big deal when you're there to ride some rides.

 

BGA also had a very old feel to it, as if it had aged alot and had just had some paint put over it, not really anything new. This is probably the same at BGE, but because of the "Old Europe" theme, it is hidden better.

 

As for ride selections, I feel they're about the same. Sheikra is great and I'm sure Griffon is too. I think both parks have their ride strengths and weaknesses, but they counteract each other.

 

Basically both parks are great, but I'd probably lean towards BGE in which one is better overall.

[Thelegendarymatthew]

Well I was thinking about the two Busch parks, and I know a lot of people argue over a coaster, but I'd rather argue about the park.I was thinking about the many rides(mainly coasters).

If we look at there coaster line

BGE BGA

Alpi Montu

Appolo Kumba

Nessie Scorpion

Wolf Gwazi

Griffon Shekira

Grover Cheetah Chase.

I personally think that one of my home parks are better, and I have not yet been to BGA yet. So whats your pick?

Good Night everyone

-Matthew.K

[Guest]

Europe is the far superior park IMO because the Europe theme in general is way better than Africa. Kumba is probably my favorite coaster of the two parks, but the rest of the coasters I like at BGW. The landscaping, scenery, theming, etc are top notch in the VA park and Tampa is themed after a desert which is kindve lame.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

BGE.

 

The beauty alone gives it the edge over BGA. And personally I think BGE has a better theme and rides.