Maximize Your Visit To Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
by Elizabeth Pellicane
Virginia Beach Family Fun
A visit to Busch Gardens Europe, also known as Busch Gardens Williamsburg, isn't cheap. A family of four will spend over $220 on single-day tickets alone. (We're not even talking food yet.)
And it's big (and hilly) enough that it's hard to hit even just the major rides in one day. So you really want to maximize your time and money on your visit. Follow these tips to help you get the most out of your visit.
Especially if you're coming some distance. Unless you've managed to secure special discounts (click here for discount ticket secrets) your best deals will be found online at the Busch Gardens Williamsburg website.
This includes getting discount parking; buy your parking pass online at the Busch Gardens Williamsburg website and you'll save 10%. You'll pay $9 per visit rather than $10. The parking discount seems small, but if you have a Busch Gardens Europe Fun Card, which doesn't give you a discount on parking, the parking fees really add up. You'll find the link at the bottom of this page.
Plus, buying your tickets ahead of time saves you from those long summer ticket lines at the gate...so you can get to your favorite rides that much faster.
The Best Days of the Week to Visit--
Going to Busch Gardens Europe during summer break? Try to go on a Monday or Tuesday. It's usually less crowded then. Avoid the weekends. If you have to go on a weekend, Sundays are less crowded than Saturdays. Fridays would be your second choice if you have to go on a weekend.
THE Best Time to Go--
Really HATE crowds at amusement parks? Your best time would be a weekday before school gets out or early spring. If you do have to go in the summer, try to avoid weekends (Saturdays are the busiest). Another choice would be Tuesday-Thursday in September, after school is back in session.
Buy a Game Pass--
Save time (and avoid having to carry too much cash) by purchasing the new Busch Gardens Europe Game Pass card. You can load money onto the card and then just slide it into the readers at the arcade areas. For details on the Game Pass, click here.
For Coaster Lovers--
Most people have one thought when they first get to the park: to the coasters...pronto! If you want to get on the newest Busch Gardens Europe roller coasters without waiting in horrendous lines, hit the most popular rides (Griffon, Alpengeist, Loch Ness Monster, Escape from Pompeii, Big Bad Wolf, and Apollo's Chariot) first thing in the morning or late at night. Lines tend to be shortest then.
Be Prepared to Walk--
Busch Gardens Europe is rather hilly, so wear good, worn-in walking shoes. Also, take advantage of the sky ride and train station.
The train goes all the way around the park. You can take the full ride around the park (which takes about 20-30 minutes), or take it for just one or two of the three total stops. There are stations in Scotland (near the Loch Ness Monster), Italy (near Roman Rapids and Apollo's Chariot), and New France (near Griffon and the Le Scoot Log Flume). Keep in mind you may have to wait up to 20 minutes for the train (even if there isn't a line).
In contrast, the Sky Ride cars run continuously. However, since each tram car only seat up to four people, you may end up waiting about the same length of time as for the train on busy days. Also, the Sky Ride goes in a triangle, running from Germany to England to France. So it may not go in the direction you want to go, and you may be better off walking.
We went on a really quiet day in March and had 15 minutes to get from Land of the Dragons in Germany to England's Globe Theater for the Pirates 4D show. We took the sky ride (no waiting) and were at the Globe lickety-split. We would have to allow a lot more time in summer.
If you have someone in your party who's a bit afraid of heights, they may want to skip the Sky Ride. It really doesn't go that high, but someone like that might find having the Griffon and Loch Ness Monster coasters zoom by a little unnerving. For the rest of us, it's a thrilling way to see the coasters (and take photos) without actually going on the rides.
Bring Your Own Stroller--
You may be able rent one, but they charge around $15 (a $5 increase from last year) for a single stroller. (And wouldn't you rather use that $15 elsewhere?) If you didn't bring your stroller and you could use a new one, it may make more sense to buy a stroller at Busch Gardens Europe for $35.
Ditto for wheelchair rentals, which are $15 for manual wheel chairs, and $35 for electric wheelchairs. During the busy summer season you'll probably have to wait in line for these, so plan ahead and you'll get to the rides that much sooner. But with the hills and distances in the park, less mobile visitors will find them a welcome treat.
Walk Counterclockwise--
Most people on a Busch Gardens Europe family vacation getaway find that the crowds head immediately toward Italy (clockwise), so try going in the opposite direction toward Ireland and France (counterclockwise).
Stay Cool--
In the height of summer, it can get pretty hot at Busch Gardens Europe. The line outside DarKastle sprays a mist. Corkscrew Hill is an air-conditioned ride, and you'll spend most if not all of the wait in their cool, cave-like halls. Other cool spots include Pirates 4D and Abbey Stone theatre.
The Emerald Beat gives you a break from the sun, so on hot days it fills up fast. Get there 30 minutes before the show for the best seats. Other cool spots are indoor restaurants like Das Festhaus, heavily shaded eating areas like the ones in Teatro di San Marco, and of course, the shops.
If it's really hot, avoid Trapper's Smokehouse Restaurant; the food is fantastic, but you have to eat outside, and the flies may enjoy it more than you do. Plus there is only limited shade there (although it's really fun to eat while watching Griffon zoom in the distance). On the other hand, the barbecue there is really good, so one option is to get your food and trek the block or so down to the Griffon observation deck. You'll get a refreshing mist as Griffon splashes down for a landing (or a real soaking if you get right up to the edge).
Other spots to avoid on really hot days: Royal Palace Theater, Pet Shenanigans (except on the far sides and the back right under the trees), Jack Hanna's Wild Reserve, and Wolf Valley and Show (they're all without shade).
Rides at Busch Gardens Europe for really hot days (read: you need to get wet) include: Griffon and Escape from Pompeii (get really wet on these two), Le Scoot Log Flume and Roman Rapids (get less wet on these), and Corkscrew Hill and Pirates 4D (get a teensy bit wet on these). You can also get really soaked if you stand on the observation decks for Griffon and Escape from Pompeii.
Kids can get absolutely soaked in the water area at Land of the Dragons in Germany. It's a small area, but has water jets that burst from "volcanoes" and up through stepping stones. Our son got so wet on this that when we went over to the Pet Shenanigans show I kept cool by hugging him in his wet clothes! Hint: make sure your kids take their shoes off before going in the play area. Also, there's a fair amount of benches and shaded places for parents to set while the kids frolic in the water.
Dress for the Occasion--
Be prepared on your Busch Gardens Europe family vacation getaway. Bring a hat, use sunscreen (and insect repellent) and consider getting one of those cooling neckties or bands. They're filled with little polymer granules that soak up the water (you soak them before wearing) and then keep you cool for hours. See "How to stay cool" for other ways to cool off.
Wear extremely comfortable shoes--you'll be thankful later. And remember that the park has rules about modest attire in keeping with its family image. No inappropriate t-shirts are allowed.
If you' have a season pass, get a free season pass holder. One of the perks of season passes (except for the Fun Cards) is that you can use them to get discounts throughout the park. For example, you can get 10% discounts at Busch Gardens Williamsburg restaurants and shops.
But you don't want to have to keep pulling your card in and out of your wallet (that's a great way to lose it). So when you first get to the park, stop at the Guest Relations building (it's on your right, just after you go through the turnstiles at the entrance. Go in and ask them for a pass holder and they'll give you as many as you need.
The pass holders are plastic sleeves (yes, they'll keep your pass dry on Griffon and Escape from Pompeii) which are clipped to a lanyard you hand around your neck. So whenever you buy something, just flash your card.
Picnic Areas--
Picnic areas are located in each parking lot. Picnics and coolers may not be taken in Busch Gardens Europe (except for baby food and medicine, which are permitted, just not in glass containers). However, we recently went in with water bottles and granola bars in our backpacks. They checked them at the entrance and said nothing, So light snacks and bottled water should be fine. Just don't try to bring in a whopping cooler!
What to do with Fluffy--
Pet care is provided in the England Parking Lot (pets are not allowed in the park). Boarding is $6.00 for regular guests per pet, per day, and $3.00 per pet, per day, for season passholders. Be aware that the facility is ventilated but it's not temperature controlled (and it can get hot!). Pets will be offered fresh water but it is the owner's responsibility to bring food and feed their pet. Trained service animals (e.g., seeing eye dogs) are welcome throughout the park.
Best Shows--
The Busch Gardens Europe shows we've heard recommended over and over again are Pet Shenanigans and Emerald Beat. Emerald Beat is Busch Gardens Europe's answer to Riverdance, the flashy, exciting Irish step dance extravaganza. Emerald Beat is a worthy alternative, especially if you sit down front, and it's blessedly cool on hot days.
Our kids loved Pet Shenanigans. It's about 20 minutes, and full of too many cute animals to count. The only downside to Pet Shenanigans is that the theater is open air. It can get pretty steamy on a hot day, so go for the morning show. Or, do what we did: have the kids play in the water park in Land of the Dragons. They'll get soaked and stay cool throughout the show (you can stay cool too, just by hugging your wet kid!). Or, stop by the observation deck for Griffon and get wet there.
Anyway, Pet Shenanigans features dogs, cats, ducks, pigs, a rat, doves, and a parrot, all performing on cue in a very entertaining performance. The highlights: the terrier pulling up a fire extinguisher, a rat that outwits a cat, and a parrot that does math problems!
We can also recommend the Pirates 4D show. It's a 20-minute 4-D movie starring comedians Leslie Nielsen and Eric Idle. Although it's several years old, it's amusing, clean, and we all enjoyed it. Just beware: you'll get a little wet, especially if you sit in the front middle sections. Be prepared to jump a little from some of the other 4-D effects.
One tip: if you eat where there are outdoor shows, you'll get two types of entertainment at once. One place you can do this is the Viva Italia show at the Teatro Di San Marco in Italy.
So go out and have a great visit!
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Thanks for this great review.
Told me what I needed to know.... Thanks alot!!!!
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