Busch Gardens Williamsburg Membership Program

[Nicole]

This article summarizes everything we know about the program, and includes comparison charts.

The short answer is that you will not get all of the benefits that Members get, if you stick with your pass, and you probably will be required to switch at some point.

 

[Washingtonian]

This article summarizes everything we know about the program, and includes comparison charts.

The short answer is that you will not get all of the benefits that Members get, if you stick with your pass, and you probably will be required to switch at some point.

Whenever that day comes, I will deal with it.
I read the comparison chart when the emails were sent. The big thing to me was getting access to all the parks, not just Water Country or BG Williamsburg.

 

[Nicole]

Just to clarify, our charts include a lot of data that is missing from the park’s marketing information.

 

[BGW Family]

Anyone else get this?

 

[Nicole]

I, personally, have never heard of a Membership packet. I’m curious if anyone has gotten one?

As for the QQ and digital download, it appears that they are only available to people who sign up, during this special offer.

Since we still have not gotten any new benefits, despite assurances from Marketing, this is especially galling. I know people took the park at its word, and switched believing there would be new benefits. Apparently, there are... just not for those who joined early.

 

[VonDerrick]

woopie, $2/month savings compared to the QQ and digital download, that really is terrible, almost like they want to piss people off

 

[Nicole]

No, it is as if they don’t care about pissing people off, or about the value of their word.

We were told the introductory offer would be the best deal.

This whole thing is just sleazy. (And I say that as someone who would never use the digital download anyway.)

 

[Zachary]

*agressively sharpens pitchfork*​

[tweet=https://twitter.com/BGWFans/status/983747103246770177?s=19]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/BGWFans/status/983750470366908416?s=19]

Needless to say, after being used by Marketing to spread what seems to amount to lies, BGWFans.com has a lot to say about this.

 

[Pretzel Kaiser]

I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of disappointed by this. The value of these benefits to me are minimal but it does stuck that they're offering it to those who didn't sign up even it was first offer. I get that we do get the discount, but had I known they would have done stuff like this, I would have waited to see what my options were going to be.

I really hope that this is not a trend.

 

[WDWRLD]

Busch basically just gave the big finger to everyone that they told by upgrading now would get the best offer! So basically it was false advertising because those two things add up to more than the $22 I saved for upgrading early.

 

[warfelg]

I keep coming back to everything about the membership idea seemed rushed and half baked. I still stand by wishing they announced it as a 2019 program; took the feedback; and hardlined the change at that point.

Do they effectively now have 3 types of passes/memberships at 3 levels plus all the passes? How is any employee to keep that straight?

 

[Peej1212]

I haven't chosen an option yet for membership. And in a way im glad i haven't. This is the kind of thing that can shake the faith of people on the fence about joining especially if they are ill informed on the options available to to them. I think this is unfair and a dangerous game to play for a company because its like slapping the more ardent guests to the park in the face. I know this is all business but there were other things the park could have offered to people already signed up in lieu of what new signups were given. That or take more than $2 off a month. I can see why everyone is upset by this it sucks.

 

[WDWRLD]

Makes me wonder what the next giveaway will be for those that upgrade after this offer ends. Also, never hared of a membership kit and they had no lanyards at the early upgrade. Interestingly enough we have never had the nice lanyards and holders that the Florida parks get. I hope I see Kevin in the park this weekend, this is really infuriating.

 

[Nicole]

We have written a front page article and reached out to Marketing for comment. We hope to publish later today.

 

[BGW Family]

………….Soapbox slides in.

Let's see...I felt forced to do this "upgrade" to get it at the "best price" which was still $120 extra a year for what I already had plus a half-ass water park I'll likely never visit and for Christmas Town access that I only used once last year because it was the most horrible CT experience ever. AND there is less to do at the park with rides, shows, and stores shuttered. AND NOW that “deal” wasn’t even the “best” anything. Pitchforks and slaps, indeed. The 2 hours to Carowinds versus the 4 hours to BGW for a "quality" park experience is a fast closing gap.

And the whole pain they made this switch-over with waiting times and mistakes. I’m now watching my credit card to see what joy awaits in wrong or double billing. You know I actually experienced Carowinds finally beating Busch at customer service. Another fallout of the Member crap at BGW, we decide to give Carowinds another try this year. I took our pass printouts in to redeem, walked into the member processing area, got our HARD passes printed AND they did my daughter’s without her even being there. All in 5 minutes. It took longer to walk all the way back there than the process itself did. My wife and I walked away with the exact same shock and thought: “That was easier and better than doing anything with BGW in the last 4 years and especially the switch-over last month.”

Also, I think the membership packet spiel was an outright lie to get us frustrated people to just piss-off and quit bothering them. That is why I asked if any others had been told this. Theme parks I put money into are suppose to be fun, relaxing, and escapism for me. The times we’ve left the park happy in recent years can be counted on two hands while the remainder is something to make us question why we go. If it wasn’t for all the great friends we go there to hang out with, we’d probably been out years ago.

The Member push was a push, but in the wrong direction. This was a line in the sand for us. We were locked into 5 years before and probably would have continued coming during that time. Instead, BGW has until these passes expires in one year to make us believers and happy customers…or we are done.

Yes, many grammatical issues (I look forward to Thomas’s critique) starting so many sentences with ”and”, but that is the treatment I feel I’m getting. And this…and that…and now…and…

soapbox slides out……………….

 

[WDWRLD]

You are right....nothing is easy at BGW. You never know what you will get until you get it. Its the most poorly run organization I have seen ever.

 

[BGW Family]

Our feelings after the four hour drive and a day of the park's hospitality...

BIG EDIT:
Thankfully, good friends, checking in on Zachary and Nicole’s Eire misery watch, a fine Celtic Fyre, and the most awesome Killarney Village Band saved the weekend for us.

 

[warfelg]

You are right....nothing is easy at BGW. You never know what you will get until you get it. Its the most poorly run organization I have seen ever.

Comcast still takes the cake. Sorry.

Honestly. I’ve never had a problem with CS at BGW. Every time I talk to someone, I’m firm, use the info I have, and worst case asked for a supervisor. (Trying to say this next part as nicely as possible) It’s all in how you talk to them. I’ve found being pleasant, happy, friendly, but letting them know I’m not satisfied gets me so far. Tending to go in on them right away makes someone want to be less helpful.

 

[WDWRLD]

You are right....nothing is easy at BGW. You never know what you will get until you get it. Its the most poorly run organization I have seen ever.

Comcast still takes the cake. Sorry.

Honestly. I’ve never had a problem with CS at BGW. Every time I talk to someone, I’m firm, use the info I have, and worst case asked for a supervisor. (Trying to say this next part as nicely as possible) It’s all in how you talk to them. I’ve found being pleasant, happy, friendly, but letting them know I’m not satisfied gets me so far. Tending to go in on them right away makes someone want to be less helpful.

Im always nice to them in person or on the phone. I think the problem is we are more informed most of the time when we call than the person we are talking to. When you call BGW you actually end up talking to someone in Florida, then they keep putting you on hold to call and ask someone here in Virginia, thats annoying. Also, I have called sometimes 3 and 4 times to ask the exact same question to see what response I get, generally its always different. When I called about the membership the first upgrade weekend the woman more or less acted like I was crazy with them offering a refund and until I was persistent that she find out more for me. Then she came back and confirmed what I already knew but could provide no info other than it was occurring.

 

[Zachary]

I, too, try to be the most charming, pleasant person customer service reps see all day. Last season though I saw a huge change in CS at BGW.

Being told "we are not going to do anything for you" when I have evidence that different people are being given different discounts, isn't ok. I wasn't even afforded so much as a "I'm sorry, the other discounts were given in error. Our policy is ______." There was a time when guest services at least tried to act concerned and engaged. Oftentimes I didn't even receive that decency last season.

And like WDWRLD said, finding anyone who knows what they're talking about seems next to impossible these days. Just like with the refund fiasco, we have found ourselves using our marketing contacts more and more to get answers that anyone should be able to get themselves at guest services.