If Busch Gardens and Seaworld Sold

[eeyorefanuk]

If the above is true, we have paid (deposit) only via our TA for the Discovery Cover/seaworld/aquatica/busch gardens ticket package.

Any idea what will happen here?

 

[Metro West]

I doubt anything will change for a while...the deal isn't expected to be finalized for a few months.

 

[goofy4tink]

Can't imagine anything will change.....your tickets should be just fine.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

We are not going until August 2010 - do you think it will be ok that far in advance??

 

[bazzanoid]

Yup nothing to worry about; bookings are not affected in any way, the only thing that changes is that Busch Entertainment Group is now owned by a different parent company, no different to when InBev took it over from Anheiser-Busch.

The only difference is that InBev were notorious for not wanting to spend money, where Blackstone will happily throw money at theme parks (they own most of the major parks here in the UK and have done nothing but good things), so all signs are good

 

[hvsteve1]

Well, from what I hear, Inbev didn't like giving away free beer and the new owners won't be keeping the Clydesdales (horseburgers?) so we lose the two big attractions for us...free beer and the Clydesdale hitch.

 

[bazzanoid]

Well, from what I hear, Inbev didn't like giving away free beer and the new owners won't be keeping the Clydesdales (horseburgers?) so we lose the two big attractions for us...free beer and the Clydesdale hitch.

The Clydesdales belong to the brewery not the park, so unless an advertising deal is done to keep them in the park as 'promotion' for the beer, they will be going.

An article released over the weekend suggests Blackstone are floating Merlin on the stockmarket to raise a serious amount of money for investment in the new parks - be interesting to see what they come up with. When they purchased the theme park arm of Tussaud's here in the UK they immediately started investing with new attractions, improved facilities etc. They even collared the rights to run Legoland here - they hate to be number 2 and know to be number 1 they have to up the offerings of the parks.

Given their #1 competition in florida is the Mouse and #2 their half-owned Universal Studios, should be very interesting times ahead, most likely with more cross-promotions with Universal etc (in addition to the current Flexticket offering).

The next few years could well be bat and ball between Merlin and the Mouse, which can only serve to benefit us visitors! Maybe Disney will pull their finger out about the long-rumoured fifth park in their attempts to stop their visitors going off-site!