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Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

P. 467: Media Town Hall Report

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Great video! It looks like a great event, I just wish they'd run more coasters.

 

The event is pretty epic for sure. I agree, I wish they could run more coasters however we totally understand the reasons they don't.

 

Glad you enjoyed the video. Jen and I are branching off on our own now after a couple other runs so support like yours is great!

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however we totally understand the reasons they don't.

 

I'm glad somebody does because we don't. Six Flags seems to have no issue running them at their parks in colder climates.

 

That probably costs way more money to do. Money is something Six Flags has a lot more of than Sea World, although their respective 2017 additions imply the opposite. Also I've noticed the B&M coasters at BGW seem way more reliable than Six Flags'. I can't necessarily speak for Tampa or Sea World, but the B&Ms at BGW are almost never down. I actually can't recall a time where any of them have been. As for Six Flags, I've seen the opposite to be true. I've been to SFGAdv twice and 3 B&Ms were down at some point in the day. I'm not sure if that directly correlates to running them in cold weather, but I assume Busch does it for cost reasons, something Six Flags shouldn't have to worry about as much.

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That probably costs way more money to do. Money is something Six Flags has a lot more of than Sea World, although their respective 2017 additions imply the opposite.

 

Parks that run coasters for their Holiday events aren't running them because they have money to blow, they're running them because they feel that they'll justify their cost by bringing guests to the park and through in park spending (skip the line passes, ride photos and merchandise) just like every other day of the year.

 

I'm not telling them how to run their business, I'm speaking from a personal perspective. I personally have no interest in the event but clearly they do quite well for themselves.

 

Also I've noticed the B&M coasters at BGW seem way more reliable than Six Flags'. I can't necessarily speak for Tampa or Sea World, but the B&Ms at BGW are almost never down. I actually can't recall a time where any of them have been. As for Six Flags, I've seen the opposite to be true. I've been to SFGAdv twice and 3 B&Ms were down at some point in the day.

 

This is anecdotal and ridiculous. We've had Six Flags season passes every year for almost 20 years and go to Great Adventure multiple times a year and I've never seen a B&M closed for mechanical reasons for an extended period of time aside from Superman (but B&M flyers are always slightly more tempermental than their B&M counterparts). Even so, I've never once been there and seen a B&M closed all day which is honestly pretty remarkable. Since we're just throwing around anecdotal bullsh*t though I have been to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and seen Alpengeist down for mechanical reasons all day once, actually on our first ever visit to the park.

 

I'm not sure if that directly correlates to running them in cold weather

 

...no

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Anyone have experience going to Christmas Town during the week between Christmas and New Years? We plan on going Dec 27th and (based on the surge pricing... or lack thereof for that day), I'm hoping that the park will be pretty empty, but just wanted to know if anyone had any first hand experience. Historically, we've always gone on a Friday or Saturday in early December and had run into massive crowds. Hopeful for a relatively empty park.

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That probably costs way more money to do. Money is something Six Flags has a lot more of than Sea World, although their respective 2017 additions imply the opposite.

 

Parks that run coasters for their Holiday events aren't running them because they have money to blow, they're running them because they feel that they'll justify their cost by bringing guests to the park and through in park spending (skip the line passes, ride photos and merchandise) just like every other day of the year.

 

I'm not telling them how to run their business, I'm speaking from a personal perspective. I personally have no interest in the event but clearly they do quite well for themselves.

 

Also I've noticed the B&M coasters at BGW seem way more reliable than Six Flags'. I can't necessarily speak for Tampa or Sea World, but the B&Ms at BGW are almost never down. I actually can't recall a time where any of them have been. As for Six Flags, I've seen the opposite to be true. I've been to SFGAdv twice and 3 B&Ms were down at some point in the day.

 

This is anecdotal and ridiculous. We've had Six Flags season passes every year for almost 20 years and go to Great Adventure multiple times a year and I've never seen a B&M closed for mechanical reasons for an extended period of time aside from Superman (but B&M flyers are always slightly more tempermental than their B&M counterparts). Even so, I've never once been there and seen a B&M closed all day which is honestly pretty remarkable. Since we're just throwing around anecdotal bullsh*t though I have been to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and seen Alpengeist down for mechanical reasons all day once, actually on our first ever visit to the park.

 

I'm not sure if that directly correlates to running them in cold weather

 

...no

 

First of all, I never said they were just throwing around money. I'm not exactly a business expert so I didn't think of every possibility. Plus I was just stating what I saw and my experience. A few B&M's were down on my visits (and only for two hours, tops) and after reading about how Six Flags runs them in cold weather, I thought maybe there's a correlation. MAYBE. You're acting like I spoke like I absolutely knew everything I said was 100% true. Also calm down. We're literally on a theme park forum. It's not the end of the word if I propose some things that may not be true. No need to say what I'm saying is bullshit.

 

Im 16. Sorry I'm not an expert on something that doesn't matter at all like you are.

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Sorry I'm not an expert on something that doesn't matter at all like you are.

 

I never claimed to be an expert, but the people who are experts (the maintenance teams at the park) wouldn't do something that would cause damage to the rides that they spent millions of dollars on. You're implying that running the coasters in the cold is damaging the rides enough that it's rendered them unreliable months later in mild weather. Even though you never stated that as fact (which is an improvement over what a lot of enthusiasts do), to even suggest it seriously is a little nuts. Do you really think any park would do that?

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Sorry I'm not an expert on something that doesn't matter at all like you are.

 

I never claimed to be an expert, but the people who are experts (the maintenance teams at the park) wouldn't do something that would cause damage to the rides that they spent millions of dollars on. You're implying that running the coasters in the cold is damaging the rides enough that it's rendered them unreliable months later in mild weather. Even though you never stated that as fact (which is an improvement over what a lot of enthusiasts do), to even suggest it seriously is a little nuts. Do you really think any park would do that?

 

You missed the most important part of that quote lol. "I'm 16." Explains the part where he got offended and defensive lol

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InvadR & Christmas Town, Too

 

How about a two-part update from Busch Gardens this week? First, we'll take a look at how much progress they've made on InvadR; second, I'll take you on a little tour of Christmas Town. Sound OK?

 

The park's first wooden coaster is really taking shape now. They've been working on the themed area around the station, done a lot of work on both sides of the railroad tracks, and have made a lot of progress on the lift hill, which goes over LeScoot (the log flume). You can get a good look at the construction from the train, but they put up lath on one side of the Alpengeist bridge (they do this every year during Christmas Town). It makes it tricky to get good photos from there now.

 

Let's have a look.

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Welcome to BGW's Christmas Town, where you can . . .

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. . . do your weekly produce shopping? (The onions and potatoes are real, but the carrots are plastic.) More on the park's yuletide event later.

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For now, let's take a little train ride.

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Not reindeer. Sorry.

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Hello, what's this? Looks like we're entering the InvadR construction zone.

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Remember that tunnel? It now has quite a bit of track.

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Looks like it'll go over the railroad tracks about here (on the right side of the train).

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Here's a hill on the left side of the train.

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This section looks very close to the train tracks.

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Another look at the tunnel section.

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Looks like the return to the station.

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Here's the lift hill, which looks very close to Le Scoot.

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I like the nice sweeping curve and drop here.

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From the last car of the train in the Caribou station.

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Watch out for that caboose!

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Looks like they've already starting painting the "fort."

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After making a careful examination through the peephole in the construction wall, I deduce that someone on the crew likes Fanta. They've added to the station a bit, too.

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The station has its own little Christmas tree.

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Here's a wider look at what I presume will be the entrance to the queue at some point.

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Let's check out the view from the bridge. This deer is very excited.

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Why, those sneaky devils! Lath!

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But where there's a will, there a way. Here's a look back at the station and approach to the lift hill.

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Here's a closer look.

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The drop on the other side of the tracks (complete with train) from the bridge. That's all for InvadR. On to Christmas Town!

Edited by cfc
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As usual, BGW looks beautiful during Christmas Town. The park boasts "over eight million Christmas lights," and while I didn't take time to count them all, I'll take their word for it. (I hate to be the poor guy that has to find that one loose bulb, should the park ever go dark.)

 

So, what's new at Christmas Town this year? Like the other Busch/SeaWorld parks, BGW has added Rudolph's Winter Wonderland--a meet-and-greet with characters from the classic TV special. It's located in Apollo's Chariot's queue in Holiday Hills (aka Festa Italia), and it draws quite a line. Being as I was on my own last Sunday, I didn't check it out. It is part of Quick Queue if you want to skip the line. Forest of Fun is open for the first time this year during Christmas Town, and it features plenty of Christmas trees. You can also ride both Tempesto and Verbolten, along with the rest of the park's flats, the Flight of Lights skyride, and Nacht Tower (aka Mach Tower in elevator mode).

 

The shows are back, too: Twas the Night (ice show) in France, Gloria (religious show) in Ireland, Scrooge No More (Dickens, of course) in England, Miracles (sort of religious show) in Italy, and O'Tannenbaum (music and lights) and Deck the Halls (old-style Christmas TV special) in Germany.

 

Ready for an overdose of Christmas cheer?

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I got off the train and hoofed it into France.

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France is themed to the "Twelve Days of Christmas" this time of year; this year's tree is fancier than last year's (well, this is France, you know).

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The path to Ireland is lined with green-lighted trees and luminaria.

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This wolf was so excited for Christmas that it ran around like a maniac that night.

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They've changed the decorations in Ireland. The old "shamrock" lights have been replaced with pine garlands festooned with pine cones and cranberries. They're a bit more subdued.

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I like Ireland's Christmas tree.

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Here's a closer look at the tree's old-school decorations.

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The Jack-o-Lanterns of Howl-o-Scream are gone in favor of these star-filled globes.

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Here's a look at one up close.

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I think the Scottish Highland Cow prefers the colder weather of December to the heat and humidity of summer.

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Forest of Fun's water play area is now filled with Christmas trees.

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"Skillet Cookies"? You intrigue me.

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Ice cream makes a skillet cookie even more intriguing.

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I love the decorations here. Reminds me of my hometown back in the ancient times--only we didn't have Tempesto.

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Then again, Holiday Hills probably looks better.

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The entrance to Rudolph's Winter Wonderland.

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I didn't venture in because 1) there was a huge line, and 2) I was on my own that night, so it would've been creepy. ;)

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Never let Herbie the Elf pound on your molars.

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I'm sure Rudolph runs a clean game.

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Where there is Christmas Town, there is a gift shop. Or two. Or more.

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All this and more can be yours!

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Santa Claus: The Arrogance of Power.

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Tremble before the power of the Claus! Watch as he makes the tree behind him burst into flame by using his mind!

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I remember burning my fingers on huge bulbs like this when I was a kid.

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Gold and silver are the decorative motif in Italy. So elegant, so dignified, so beautiful . . .

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. . . er, stay classy, BGW guests.

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What's happening in Germany?

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Well, you can help Santa climb out of his chimney by spraying him with a squirt gun.

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You can watch O' Tannebaum (music and synchronized lights) in front of the Festhaus.

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Perhaps you'd like to buy your very own ugly Christmas sweater . . .

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. . . or ask Santa to bring you one on Christmas Eve.

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I bought the Scotland ornament. I usually buy one new ornament per year at Christmas Town.

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It would't be Christmas Town without Creepy the Elf.

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More of the silver and gold in Italy. Why isn't Yukon Cornelius prospecting here?

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The Polar Pathway (Escape from Pompeii) is the park's single most spectacular display.

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Hard to believe it was infested with homicidal zombies just over a month ago.

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On the way out, I caught Scrooge No More. I think it's the best of the park's Christmas shows. I'm a sucker for Dickens's "A Christmas Carol."

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And that's all for now from Christmas Town.

Edited by cfc
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^They have all sorts of cocktails--along with the usual hot chocolate. Cobblestone Ale and Spirits is a bar in England, which features Sam Adams Fezziwig (their seasonal brew). I had a nice steak sandwich at the Festhaus, and the griddle cookie with ice cream (Forest of Fun) was delicious. I might try their smoked ham dinner next time (it's at the Trappers Smokehouse).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Quick question everyone. I am a veteran of Busch Gardens Tampa. Been there a few times while vacationing in Orlando/Tampa. Love it. It is like someone imagined a rollercoaster park and a zoo and combined them. Okay, so I've never been to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. I am getting passes for a gift for some family members and just wondering how much better it is than Tampa. I have heard pretty much unanimously that it is the far better park. Always rated the most beautiful, etc. But can you tell me the comparisons between the two, the pros and cons?

 

Also, I threw in Colonial Williamsburg as another thing to do and from what I understand there is plenty to do in that area and even just down in Virginia Beach also if anyone has some tips. Thanks.

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