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Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

P. 467: Media Town Hall Report

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I went to BGW today for the first time in like 6 years.

I haven't really kept my finger on the pulse of what other enthusiasts's feelings are, but I really liked InvadR! I had really low expectations and the ride surprised the hell out of me.

I really enjoyed Tempesto as well. It was my first Sky Rocket 2 and it was weird, yet... fun!

 

Anyway, a solid visit and I hope my next one is sooner rather than later.

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Was at Busch Gardens yesterday for a few hours yesterday. All rides were a walk-on except InvadR which had a 15-20 minute wait and Verbolten which was only running 2 trains and had a 20 minute wait. Griffon, AC, Alpengeist were all running two trains and rerides were permitted (depending on the OP), if no one was waiting for your row.

 

As part of the 40th Anniversary of LNM they added (or restored) the lighting effects and sound effects in the tunnel. There are now several strobe lights in the tunnel and a loud roar right before you exit the tunnel. There are also some sound effects as you enter that kind of remind me of Verbolten. Anyway, the effects are a nice touch.

 

So here's the scoop on the 40¢ beers. The beers are 7 ounce pours and they will be alternating between Coors Lite, Bud Lite, and Rolling Rock. Yesterday it was Coors Lite. You can only get one beer at a time. The 40¢ beers are only available in Das Festhaus at the last food service lane to the left, and there is no other food or drinks available in this lane, just the cheap beer. They stamp your right hand and then your left hand and give you a receipt which you must provide to the ladies pouring the beer. No season pass or membership discounts apply.

Edited by VACoasterdude
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My parents are heading to the park next week. They have never been there and are wondering where the best food is in the park. Any suggestions?

 

The Smokehouse is good, the Mediterranean beef in Marco Polo's Marketplace is good, and the sausage sampler at the Festhaus is tasty. The french-fry joint in France is worth a look, too.

 

If they're visiting over the weekend, they can sample the Food & Wine Festival booths, too.

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If they are going next weekend, they should check out the Food & Wine Festival. Check out Chuck's review posted above, there are a lot of great food samples from all over the world for a very reasonable price. Otherwise it depends on what type of food they like. The corned beef sandwich and sausage sampler platter in Das Festhaus are both very good. Also, they should grab a pretzel at the stand across from Verbolten, as they are worth a special visit. If they like BBQ, there's Trappers Smokehouse, which my wife really likes. If they prefer Italian, San Marcos Marketplace offers a good variety, although the food quality there is sometimes hit or miss. Overall the food at BGW is much better than your standard amusement park fare, but I would stay away from pizza, turkey legs and chicken nuggets when there is so many other better food options.

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Hey guys...

We are getting excited about our trip to Bush gardens next month(July 3rd and 4th). This park is part of a multi park trip, and those dates are unfortunately the only dates that will work for us.

Since we are planning on hitting the Florida parks next spring, we are buying the membership that gets us into all of the property's.

A few questions though...

 

1. How are the crowds on the 3-4th of July? I assume they will be packed for the fireworks, but how are the ride lines durring those days?

2. We are thinking of getting the all day dinning plan , but the description only says that you can eat every 90 min. It only says 1 entree and 1 side or desert. What is considered an entree in the fest house for example?

3. Over the course of 2 days, we would like to hit all the coasters once or twice. Not really concerned about power riding coasters "multiple" times. Would we still need to purchase a skip the line pass to make that possible? And do they offer a parent swap type program?

4. What's a good plan of attack for this park? I seem to remember that they open the park in sections. Is this still the case?

5. Since we will have memberships, what type of discounts do you get in the park? Tried looking for this, but you must sign into the pass holder website to see. Being that we don't have our passes yet, we can't access the site.

6. Last question....We like to check out a few shows at parks we visit. What shows can you guys recommend, and what shows should we pass on? Also, is seating limited?

 

Thanks for any help!

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My parents are heading to the park next week. They have never been there and are wondering where the best food is in the park. Any suggestions?

Thirding the suggestion for the Festhaus. That sausage sampler is my go-to meal every time I go. But be sure to have them check out all the offerings at the Food & Wine Festival too because they are usually pretty solid. I haven't been there for this year's festival but check back a few posts and you can see pics of what's on the menu.

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Hey guys...

We are getting excited about our trip to Bush gardens next month(July 3rd and 4th). This park is part of a multi park trip, and those dates are unfortunately the only dates that will work for us.

Since we are planning on hitting the Florida parks next spring, we are buying the membership that gets us into all of the property's.

A few questions though...

 

1. How are the crowds on the 3-4th of July? I assume they will be packed for the fireworks, but how are the ride lines durring those days?

2. We are thinking of getting the all day dinning plan , but the description only says that you can eat every 90 min. It only says 1 entree and 1 side or desert. What is considered an entree in the fest house for example?

3. Over the course of 2 days, we would like to hit all the coasters once or twice. Not really concerned about power riding coasters "multiple" times. Would we still need to purchase a skip the line pass to make that possible? And do they offer a parent swap type program?

4. What's a good plan of attack for this park? I seem to remember that they open the park in sections. Is this still the case?

5. Since we will have memberships, what type of discounts do you get in the park? Tried looking for this, but you must sign into the pass holder website to see. Being that we don't have our passes yet, we can't access the site.

6. Last question....We like to check out a few shows at parks we visit. What shows can you guys recommend, and what shows should we pass on? Also, is seating limited?

 

Thanks for any help!

 

Expect July 3 to be fairly quiet and July 4 to be a bit nuts. As for Quick Queue, I'd recommend it for July 4.

 

They still open in sections sometimes, but not every day (being a local, I usually go on Friday nights or on Sundays, though). France should open first, follwed by Germany and Italy. Passholders get discounts on food, merchandise, and Quick Queue (usually 10 percent). Celtic Fyre is the best show, and More Pet Shenanigans is cute. The Coexist show at Wolf Haven is worth seeing, too.

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New Groupon for BGW & WC:

 

$50 gets you unlimited admission to Busch Gardens and Water Country USA for up to 3 Days within 7 consecutive calendar days from first visit . Valid through Labor Day weekend! No blackout dates. You can purchase up to 10 per person! Pretty good deal, considering a 1-day ticket is $70 and the same 3-day ticket is $90 on BGW's website currently.

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According the the Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg's local paper), the James City County Board of Supervisors has approved a height waiver for "an attraction not to exceed 115 feet above finished grade or not to exceed 155 feet above sea level" in Ireland: http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-james-city-supervisors-busch-gardens-expansion-0613-story.html.

 

The park didn't provide any other details.

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BGW Fans had a story and some blueprints suggesting that it's a Screamin' Swing.

 

I could definitely get on board with that. The only thing Busch Gardens lacks is a strong flat collection and this would be a start to amend that.

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BGW Fans had a story and some blueprints suggesting that it's a Screamin' Swing.

 

I could definitely get on board with that. The only thing Busch Gardens lacks is a strong flat collection and this would be a start to amend that.

BGW has quite a few flats, but they're all milder flats, Mach Tower being the only thrilling one among them. Likewise, their coaster lineup is pretty top-heavy in intensity. This and InvadR are steps in the right direction.

 

I enjoyed the Screamin' Swing at Valleyfair, so I'd be happy to have one closer to home. Knowing that Dollywood themed theirs decently, I'm confident BGW should be able to too.

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BGW Fans had a story and some blueprints suggesting that it's a Screamin' Swing.

 

I could definitely get on board with that. The only thing Busch Gardens lacks is a strong flat collection and this would be a start to amend that.

yes.gif.8f9b6e0fcab998891267b453e0dfa402.gif

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A Screamin' Swing in Ireland. Alright! Good fit for the park, but I'm wondering now what they'll theme it to.

 

if they go this way? most obvious is something Banshee related (screaming Banshee)?

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^ I was thinking of leprechauns, pots of gold, and double rainbows.

 

Whatever they pick, I'm sure it will turn out great based on Busch's pedigree.

 

If it is a Screamin' Swing (which would be OK by me), they should put it in Scotland and call it the "Highland Fling."

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