Question for anyone who has been to Colonial Williamsburg

[Jeafl]

We will be in the Williamsburg area for only 4 days. We already know we will be buying the 3-day bounce tickets to Busch Gardens & Water Country, so that takes care of 3 days.

This leaves us only one day for Colonial Williamsburg. From what I see on the website there is a one day ticket for $16 that just includes 40 buildings, and another one for $33 that includes the 40 buildings plus the governors palace, the capitol, a museum and a tour.

My question is, if you don't do the governors palace and capitol, is there enough to see? The woman from the tourism bureau said that those are the things most people come to see, so she didn't recommend the $16 ticket.

My dilemma is, we will be just coming from a week in Wash. DC and I'm afraid my kids will be on "information overload". That's why we only want to spend one day on educational stuff, but is that enough? Is it a waste of time if you don't see the Palace and capitol?

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I think there is plenty to do without the extra stuff. We go all the time.

 

[Tina]

I wouldn't go Hog-wild with the Williamsburg tickets. If you are visiting in the summer, it will be VERY hot and VERY humid. You'll probably be moving rather slow anyway. I would just pick the cheaper ticket and make it a slow-paced day. Have you chosen a hotel yet? We stayed at the Radisson and it was HORRIBLE. I would not recommend it to anyone. The Hilton Garden Inn is a good choice.

 

[piratesmate]

When we went a few years ago, we got a bounce ticket that included Colonial Williamsburg, as well as Yorktown & Jamestown. We ended up letting it go until our last day & were very sorry. We spent additional $ to rent a costume for DD (9 at the time). She got much more out of the experience because of it.

The rental included activities similar to a scavenger hunt that took her to various exhibits. The interpreters at each interacted with her as if she were an inhabitant of the city. She told us that she wished she could have gone back another day (a 2nd day rental was only a bit more.)

As I remember it, the Governor's Palace & Capitol were not part of the "scavenger hunt". Although we did visit them, DD couldn't wait to leave & move on to the next activity.

If I had to choose, I'd take the cheaper ticket & use the difference to rent costumes. However, I don't think the boys' activities take you to the same places as the ones for the girls. I think they include the encampment & "apprenticeship".

 

[Barb D]

If you only have one day, the cheaper ticket will be plenty. There's a LOT to see. If I were you, though, I'd cut BG/WC short a day and do two days at Colonial Williamsburg. BG is by far my favorite non-Disney theme park...but you probably don't need three days there.

 

[Cruise04]

Also just an FYI - the tickets are mainly for using the bus and getting into some of the buildings. Personally the Capital was the best part but there are many other buildings you can go into and skip the Capital. The Governor's Palace is cool too but again, probably something you could miss. If you think there is a chance you might get there again, save til next time since they will have gotten a lot of stuff like in DC (if you are doing that stuff). But they both are pretty cool.

 

[Jeafl]

Tina, we are staying at the Fairfield Williamsburg Patriot's Place. It's gotten great reviews on tripadvisor.com, so hopefully it will be nice. I think it's actually a timeshare resort because it's a 1-bedroom condo with a kitchen, fireplace, living room, etc. It also has tons of kids activities and indoor and outdoor pools. We got it for a great price of $89 night, and on most websites it's around $200/night!

Barb D., We were sort of planning on doing Busch Gardens on all three days from opening until about 1:00, then moving over to Water Country afterwards. Do you think that's too much time at BG?

 

[Dopey Sharon]

If your kids are anything like mine were, I would save the money and skip the Colonial part and go to BG, WC and hang out at the hotel. They were so bored and it was in the summer, so it was also hot and humid.

 

[FranP]

Just got back from VA - DD's choir spent the day at Williamsburg this past Friday - it was VERY hot and humid - the cheaper ticket is probably enough because it might be hard to take the heat.

Just remember to drink enough water at all three venues - DD had kids fainting from the heat all weekend - hard to convince teenagers that they must eat and drink water (not soda) to stay alive!!!!!

BTW, the kids had a great time at Williamsburg and Busch Gardens!!

 

[Barb D]

Originally posted by Jeafl
Tina, we are staying at the Fairfield Williamsburg Patriot's Place. It's gotten great reviews on tripadvisor.com, so hopefully it will be nice. I think it's actually a timeshare resort because it's a 1-bedroom condo with a kitchen, fireplace, living room, etc. It also has tons of kids activities and indoor and outdoor pools. We got it for a great price of $89 night, and on most websites it's around $200/night!

Barb D., We were sort of planning on doing Busch Gardens on all three days from opening until about 1:00, then moving over to Water Country afterwards. Do you think that's too much time at BG?

OK, I take it back. This sounds like an awesome summer plan. One day in the heat at CW will be plenty, with the cheap tickets. The afternoons at WC will be a blast, and you've got plenty of other educational stuff going on.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by Dopey Sharon
If your kids are anything like mine were, I would save the money and skip the Colonial part and go to BG, WC and hang out at the hotel. They were so bored and it was in the summer, so it was also hot and humid.

Heck even I was bored at the Colonial part! If you find that stuff interesting then its a great place for you but I was bored to death even at 35 when I went! Bush Gardens is great, the water place is good and Kings Domininon (sp?) was good!

 

[disykat]

We have a trip planned next month too. Maybe someone can help me too!

We also thought the colonial part would be too much wasted money for our kids. We are planning to go to Jamestown and Yorkstown and maybe a plantation instead. It will still be cheaper than getting a pass to CW and I think they'll enjoy it more. Does that sound reasonable? Can we still walk around the CW area and maybe eat in a pub if we don't buy tickets?

We are doing BG, but have an 11 year old who doesn't like to swim. Is there anything he can do at the Waterpark?