Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

P. 467: Media Town Hall Report

Recommended Posts

Busch Gardens Williamsburg having a nightmare of a situation. Put a 4th of July ticket sale on-line and the site keeps crashing. Many cards were charged without order confirmations (me included). Two hour wait on the toll free line.

 

Not a good look at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got through for my parents online at about 1030 EST but it took two tries. Got my confirmation and vouchers, and then 15 min later got an email saying the names werent entered (they are though). Got through online earlier for myself in the afternoon without a problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Busch Gardens Williamsburg having a nightmare of a situation. Put a 4th of July ticket sale on-line and the site keeps crashing. Many cards were charged without order confirmations (me included). Two hour wait on the toll free line.

 

Not a good look at all.

 

know what IS a good look for them?

 

they updated the website:

bgw.thumb.PNG.0630bd4c4783e7a94bc13c0481cc10a6.PNG

Sorry you spent so long on hold to "fix". . but the website is directing folks to just come to Guest Relations and they will honor everything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Busch Gardens Williamsburg having a nightmare of a situation. Put a 4th of July ticket sale on-line and the site keeps crashing. Many cards were charged without order confirmations (me included). Two hour wait on the toll free line.

 

Not a good look at all.

 

know what IS a good look for them?

 

they updated the website:

 

 

A very nice manager called me back and I think my credit card is taken care of. The poor customer service staff took the brunt of this, as they had to staff up for the holiday in order to answer phones and call back angry customers. Its too bad, you would think the Order to Cash system of a major theme park would be better.

 

This will not deter from our trip as I have been looking forward to seeing BGW for quite some time. Question for the group - How difficult is it to park hop from the theme park the water park? I know its not walkable and I can't find a shuttle service between the two on the website. Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There isn't a shuttle between Busch Gardens and Water Country--unless you stay at the Kingsmill Resort. It's about a five-minute drive. Just leave BG as though you're heading to Richmond. But instead of merging onto I-64, just stay in the lane and take the exit to Rt. 199, merge to the left, and follow the signs to WC's guest entrance (and do not turn in at the Marquis shopping center).

 

Some hotels offer shuttles to the two parks. You might check on that. But you're better off driving yourself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There isn't a shuttle between Busch Gardens and Water Country--unless you stay at the Kingsmill Resort. It's about a five-minute drive. Just leave BG as though you're heading to Richmond. But instead of merging onto I-64, just stay in the lane and take the exit to Rt. 199, merge to the left, and follow the signs to WC's guest entrance (and do not turn in at the Marquis shopping center).

 

Some hotels offer shuttles to the two parks. You might check on that. But you're better off driving yourself.

 

Thanks. We are staying at the Marriott which is a BGW preferred hotel but there is no shuttle. I have been reading your responses in this thread and they are very helpful for planning. So thank you. Really looking forward to checking out that pub.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're welcome. Water Country is a good park, and they just opened a water coaster this year. Aquazoid, Big Daddy Falls, Malibu Pipeline, and the Hubba Hubba Highway "fast" lazy river are fun, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the park today, whatever the new attraction is, theyve been piledriving all day. What appears to be a station skeleton is built too.

 

How was the crowd in this heat? BG has lots of shade, but it has to be brutal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the park today, whatever the new attraction is, theyve been piledriving all day. What appears to be a station skeleton is built too.

 

How was the crowd in this heat? BG has lots of shade, but it has to be brutal.

 

Only thing weve had to wait for was Verbolten and Roman Rapids so far. Havent been to Griffon, Alpengheist or Invadr yet. Theres a few camp groups but overall crowd is light. Swamp ass is heavy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Am I the only one who’s upset that Drachen Fire’s plot still stands empty? I always imagined the next expansion would take over back there; I never could have foreseen it going where it is.

 

I took the train on my visit in 2015 and really actually enjoyed the animal enclosures in the area where the new coaster is going.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^No, I've also been bugged about that plot being empty, ever since Drachen Fire was no longer there! As one of those (apparently few) people who loved the coaster, and didn't think the roughness (even with the removed corkscrew) merited its removal, I've lamented its lack of existence for years now, and the lack of anything directly replacing it has been a bit of a sore spot too. However, I think I've heard that there are some issues with the neighbors in the area back there putting up a stink about noise, which has probably led to the lack of anything new there. However, I'm still holding out hope for a B&M Floorless Drachen Fire tribute coaster back there, and choosing to believe that's why they haven't put anything else there!

 

Another issue that could explain it, is that one of the stated reasons for Drachen Fire's closure is that it had low ridership numbers since it was a bit out of the way (it really was - though not on the level of The Bat at KI or Thunderbird at HW). So they may be gunshy about putting anything else there, unless they build up that entire area alongside it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm always at a loss to figure out why enthusiasts care about something as trivial as a plot of land that once housed a former attraction now sitting empty. If it was a case of the park never adding anything after a removal I could completely understand, but... like this park adds stuff every year or so... How many coasters have they added since they ripped out that failure of an Arrow?

 

Was there something about the trees over there or what? I'm not really trying to be a dick - help me understand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If a park put a giant empty field in the middle of the park I might care, but I've never once even bothered to walk by the Drachen Fire plot because it's in the middle of nowhere. I can't believe they ever put a ride there to begin with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It’s not about the Drachen Fire plot per se, but the animal enclosures that used to be on this land that I enjoyed. You could only see them from the train.

 

The Drachen Fire part is only that they have that land they could’ve used instead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm always at a loss to figure out why enthusiasts care about something as trivial as a plot of land that once housed a former attraction now sitting empty. If it was a case of the park never adding anything after a removal I could completely understand, but... like this park adds stuff every year or so... How many coasters have they added since they ripped out that failure of an Arrow?

 

Was there something about the trees over there or what? I'm not really trying to be a dick - help me understand.

 

Honestly, it's not something I care THAT much about, and my post (complete with laughing face and winky faces) should be taken with an appropriate measure of exaggerated humor, as that's what I was saying it with. Obviously, it has had zero bearing on my life, and I almost never think about it.

 

But do I wish Drachen Fire had never been removed, as it was a very fun coaster? Yes. Do I wish it had been replaced with something similar there, in the 20+ years since its removal? Sure. BGW is an awesome park, that has put in plenty of awesome coasters since, but nothing that directly replaces Drachen Fire. So sure, why not? It's not like I am upset about it, but I certainly think it is something that would have been nice to have. Do I think they should still utilize that land for something in the future, assuming the locals allow it? Yeah, I think it's a fine expansion spot at some point, in spite of being a little out of the way. Believe me, as somebody who has actually ridden the ride, and gone "way back there", it wasn't that far off the beaten path or out of the way. No more than a number of places in other parks I've been to. The Bat at KI is probably twice as far off the closest midway that Drachen Fire was. Besides, you can always build up that area around it in tandem, and then it's more of a draw, and less out of the way.

 

But no, that specific area, or the trees around it, aren't the issue, and for me, it's as much a musing based on nostalgia for a fun coaster, and a great experience in my youth, that sadly has gone and will never be again. So while it brings a twinge of sadness, as the departure of all things that bring good memories do, it's not something has affected my life in any negative or lasting way, nor do I feel any serious lamentation or depression over its loss, and those comments I posted above were being said in a tongue in cheek, grandiose way!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/