New found respect for Disney's Parks

[wdwfreak]

Before our last trip to WDW (2/04), we were given free passes to Busch Gardens by a friend. We had never been there before, so we thought it would be fun to try it out.

All I can say is that BG was awful! Sure, it had some great coasters, such as Montu, Kumba, and Gwazi, but it was filthy and had some of the rudest employees we have seen in any theme park. There was trash everywhere, chipping paint, and overflowing garbage cans. We overheard the employee running one of the kid's rides say that he "hates this @#$%*** job". There were also 3 emplyees standing near the elephants pits that were talking very derogatorily about some girl. We are by far not prudes, but the kind of language and gestures that they used had no place in a family theme park.

Needless to say, we will not be back. We have always loved the Disney parks and this experience with BG just reaffirms to us how much care, attention to detail, and training Disney uses in the operations of it's parks. We have found a new appreciation for WDW. I hope that our experience with BG was isolated because we are from the hometown of Anheuser-Busch and would hate to think that this is a normal representation of how they run their parks.

By the way, we did go to BG with open minds. My SIL lived in Tampa several years ago and raves about it. Has anyone else had this kind of experience eith BG?

 

[Kaycee]

It wasn't at Busch Gardens, but the same thing happened to us last year when we went to another amusement park, King's Island. My DH's employer has a day set aside where employees get in free and the first two hours are only for company employees. We went and left before those first two hours were over! Good thing it was free.

We just couldn't believe how dirty everything was, how rude the employees were, and how...unDisney it was, lol! That happened summer of 2002, so we didn't even bother going last year and we won't go this year.

WDW has completely spoiled us. If we can't go to Disney, we just won't go!

 

[mog]

Busch Gardens Williamsburg is very nice. It probably is still a step below Disney, but when all we have to compare it to between Disney trips is Kings Dominion it certainly comes out way ahead!!
We always enjoy going there since we live relatively close by and have never run into any rudeness or unusual dirtiness. Maybe yours was just an isolated incident, or maybe it is just Busch Gardens Tampa??

 

[funhouse8]

We also enjoyed Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The staff were very nice and the park clean. Cedar Point in Ohio is awesome for a mega-rollercoaster park I have to say it was clean and very well run. My kids love the fact as you are getting on the ride they tell you facts about the coaster and when you return they ask everyone "How did you like your ride?" If you have older children and want to try another amusement park this would be my choice. Gina

 

[moinab]

Sea World is very clean and well run by Anheuser-Busch. We had Fun Cards last year (annual passes) and visited many times.

Thanks for sharing your experience at BG. We often wondered about going there, but could never talk ourselves into the extra driving time. Sounds like we might have regretted it if we had.

 

[Granny]

We go to Busch Gardens and Sea World every year...about 8 trips so far. We have never encountered anything remotely like the conditions described. We've found both parks to be spotless and the employees to be tremendous.

For what it's worth, I've seen the exact same kind of post many times before......about WDW!!

I think it just goes to show that "on any trip", people can experience things that are less than great. I can assure everyone here that Busch Gardens is a first class theme park.

 

[NCRedding]

BG-Tampa and BG Williamsburg are very different parks. I didn't care for BG Tampa at all because of traffic issues and staff attitudes as described above. BG Williamsburg is a wonderful park--I think it is prettier than parts of WDW becasue is blends so well with its surrounding--lots of trees, shades, etc. I will go back to BG Williamsburg, but not to BG Tampa.

 

[puffkin]

Never been to BG-Tampa, but I can understand your feelings after getting used to the Disney parks

Everyone always says that BG-Williamsburg is america's best theme park, and while it was nice, it just couldn't compare to Disney. I would go back though. Living in PA, we visit Hershey Park, and again it is very nice, but just not Disney. It is amazing what the attention to detail and staff attitudes make in an overall theme park experience.

BTW, I have also visited Six Flags Great Adventure recently and wow! It made Disney look extremely affordable. The rides were fun, but everything was OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive. Peeling paint, weeds, rude employees, everything. It was the complete anti-Disney. I don't think I will be going back anytime soon.

 

[anotherboardnposter]

FWIW, anybody consider it odd that Sesame Place (the "Sesame Street" theme park in PA) is run by the Busch guys as well? Rather odd to combine kids' shows and beer.

Anyway, back on topic...Sorry to hear that. I went to Busch Gardens back in 1994, and I didn't share your experiences. It hopefully was an isolated incident. Either way, it's still the Disney parks for me (with Universal tops in coasters).

Sincerely,

John "anotherboardnposter" Kilduff

 

[Hippychickali]

I always enjoyed Busch Gardens and Sea World but I haven't been to Florida for many years. I think that leads to the question of which to visit first. Would you get more from non-Disney parks if you visited them before WDW or should you do it vice versa? Any suggestions?

Ali

 

[pouncingpluto]

I remember going to Busch Gardens when I was about 10. My mom (who hates roller coasters) told me there were no rides, just animals. :/ I remember waiting in line for a train or some other kind of transportation, and there was a giant map of the park on the wall, and there were little drawings of roller coasters on it. She told me it was just decoration.