Anybody else NOT like Busch Gardens

[sunlver]

I know we are all Disney lovers on this board. I do know a lot of people love Busch Gardens as well.
Any of you NOT a fan of BG?

I have been to Busch Gardens once, about 9 years ago. I was so NOT impressed. Maybe I am a disney snob, like so many of us. I just don't see the appeal.
My daughters girlscout troop went there today for the day. They are using the money they made from cookie sales to fund this event. I normally go to all girlscout events, but I firmly told the troop leader I would not be going

My other 2 kids would of loved to go, but I say I don't like it there. Besides that, I just dont have the money for the rest of the family to go.

My 9 yr old daughter was more then happy to go, I sent her off with a hug and said "enjoy your day"...

 

[ajk912]

It's ok. We had the Fun Cards for two years in a row a few years back and now my DH and I are kind of sick of it. I am sure the kids would want to go back. To me, it's fun for a few hours and then it's kind of BTDT.

I am spoiled by Disneyworld and the fastpass system. Wait for a ride? What's that about? At DW obviously you just fastpass your favorites and then go on the ones with no waits while you are waiting. And no way am I paying for a fastpass (that's what BG has), so it's not worth my time. Plus the food is pricey. Where's my Disney Dining plan? Where's my character meals? Where's my CRT? Chef Mickey's?

I do want to check it out this Christmas when they are doing the new Christmas thing. That sounds cool. So we will probably check that out once.

 

[okeydokey]

I went this past week with the DDs school and we had a great time and only saw or did about one third of what was there. Nothing is themed like Disney so you really can't compare the two. BG however is $69 for an annual pass for FL residents so it's certainly a bargain and the roller coasters are terrific.

 

[Planogirl]

I would love to go during Halloween one time. I know that Universal is likely better but Busch Gardens looks fun and I love Halloween.

 

[sunlver]

I would love to go during Halloween one time. I know that Universal is likely better but Busch Gardens looks fun and I love Halloween.

Hi Planogirl..completely off topic, just saw where you lived.
We will be in that area in August. We are flying into Dallas to visit my sister in law in Frisco, but we are staying at a hotel in Plano. Is there any must sees in that area? I have never been to the Dallas area before. I do have 3 kids, who will be 15,10and 5 at the time. I am just trying to find things for us to do.

 

[KirstenB]

We love BG, and buy platinum passes each year. When we go to Orlando, we use them for free admission to Sea World. The landscaping is gorgeous at BG, and they've added lots of stuff for little kids, so our whole family can do rides, etc. Now if anyone asks if someone doesn't like Kings Dominion, then I'm your person!

 

[Bluestars]

We went for the first time on our last trip to Orlando. Our son met one of his friends who lives there and they ran around the park, meeting up with us throughout the day. Everyone had a great time.

The grounds and landscaping are beautiful. We saw the animal show and loved it. The roller coasters were fun. We loved everything about it and plan to go back. It is our son's favorite park now.

 

[Tina]

We hated it. We were missing Disney, so we decided to drive down to Busch Gardens (Williamsburg area) for a day trip. We got there early. We started walking until we hit a roadblock. It seems they only open half the park in the morning and we had to wait to have the 2nd half opened so we could continue on. We're not big rollercoaster fans at all. We walked through the entire park and did not find a single ride that we were interested in. We walked out only a couple of hours after entering. We were so disappointed that we asked for a refund (we rode nothing), which we were given.

 

[frisco]

Only been to the one in Virginia, but I didn't care for it. This was also 15 years ago, and I didn't really appreciate more in depth theme parks as much as I do today.

 

[Feralpeg]

DD and I will be in Tampa in about a week. We plan on visiting Busch Gardens while we're there. We are not coaster people, so that part does not appeal to us at all. We are going for the animal interaction.

 

[bama106]

We have only been to the BG in Williamsburg, Va. and that was in 2005. We really liked it as I am really into rollercoasters and thrill rides. But like someone else said, the fun only lasts a few hours and then we were tired of the place. We go to WDW every chance we get and will never get tired of it. I would like to visit BG Tampa but I could not think about going every year. Disney has spoiled us as well.

 

[Pin Wizard]

DS practically lives at BG in Williamsburg during the summer. It's a great place. Never been to the one in FL. Sea World is the place I've been once and will never return. Bored to death.

 

[sunlver]

I have heard that they do have their own version of fastpass that you have to pay for.
I have been to BG once in the 15 yrs we lived here. At the time my oldest was 5 and my youngest was 8 months old. I was so not impressed with the kiddie rides. You are not "allowed" to hold babies in your lap on the kiddie rides
I guess after going to Disney so many times, I just assumed it was standard practice being able to hold babies on your lap. Apparently BG hadn't read the Disney manual
Now, I don't know if this has changed or not.
Now I don't have any babies at home, my 3rd(youngest child is now 4)so it wouldnt be an issue.

Most everybody I know in this area has season passes, except me.
We went for free last and only time I was there(my husband got them free from his job). Unless I got more free tickets, I think I will stay put

 

[OhMari]

We were there, last Nov.
Nov. 15 to be exact. The one in Tampa.
We actually enjoyed the park, and attendance was so low, we felt like we were in the Movie Jurasic Park. I don't pay to much attention to signs, but I saw a big Jack Hannah sign, and he was there that weekend.

Worth the price of admission alone.


Plus I bought our tickets on-line, and paid for 5 tickets, that were the cost of child's ticket.

 

[Shelton123]

I've gone to BG Williamsburg, and it's really good. Better than Universal, I'd say. I mean, of course it's not as good as Disney, but I quite like it.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

We went there three years ago because we had free passes and thought that maybe it would be something different to do. Well we got free passes then next year also but I did not want to waste my time. We learned out lesson.

 

[KPeveler]

I used to go there, but with their new wheelchair policy, I will not go again. THEY decide at the front gate what rides you are allowed to ride (don't you think the person with the disability knows best what they can do??) and they make the person in the wheelchair wait at the exits of non-accessible rides (almost all of them) and the family leaves them there and waits in the normal line. I am NOT paying that much money to be separated from my family. I have no problem with waiting the standby wait time, but it is illegal to make me separate from my family just because of a disability! I loved BG, but it sounds like it would just be a hassle for me