Banbury Cross Retheme Coming in 2014

[mwhinva]

Are KD's numbers up or down? I think you need to stick to similar economies.

My personal experience: if I didn't have two-year passes, I don't know how often I'd go, because of last years government furlough and the possibility of a government shutdown and/or another furlough. I think a lot of BGW's customer base has been affected directly or indirectly by the government budget "issues."

As others have stated, I am pretty sure Cedar Fair does not publish individual park attendance figures. I thought I saw an amusement industry web site put out their own "estimated" attendance numbers for each park in the Cedar Fair chain.

The last figures I remember were either for 2011 or 2012. Kings Dominion's numbers ranged between 2.2 to 2.25 million visitors. I have no year over year attendance figures to make any comparisons.

Course, I could not compare BGW attendance figures with Kings Dominion numbers due to BGW having 15%-20% more operational days per year than Kings Dominion. (I assume that the "Christmas Town" attendance numbers are included in BGW's attendance numbers?) Its hard to make direct comparisons due to other factors like BGW being in the middle of a major tourist area, (Williamsburg/Jamestown/Yorktown), closer to higher density population areas than Kings Dominion, etc.

 

[Nicole]

I am not convinced he will be do everything he wants.

"All plans are good until the first shot is fired"

That said, I agree with Zack that partial implementation could be worse than a complete makeover.

Regardless, I think finding a way to solve the problem is a better use of our time than bickering amongst ourselves.

 

[chickenking]

In all honesty I won't mind the changes as long as there isn't any red or blue paint used, but from what Zach has been saying I don't really have my hopes up.

Dude...did you look at the concept art? It is ALL red & blue.

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Am I the only one here that doesn't think 60s rock is old and dated at least not British Invasion stuff)?

You are not. I'm not gonna address the "dated" issue' I will say that a lot of the music from that time is definitely considered classics/timeless/whatever. This is the music that has and will continue to be around being played on the air and purchased by new generations because it is EXCELLENT music. That is a fact. The numbers speak for themselves. When we are all gone from this world, I am confident we can rest assured that The Beatles and some others will still be heard and talked about. The Beyonces, Miley Beibers, Jazees lady humps and whatnot and Gagas of the world will have long been forgotten.

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And yes Cody, I want my Aquanet back!! I loved making flame throwers with that stuff.

 

[Nicole]

Am I the only one here that doesn't think 60s rock is old and dated at least not British Invasion stuff)?

You are not. I'm not gonna address the "dated" issue' I will say that a lot of the music from that time is definitely considered classics/timeless/whatever. This is the music that has and will continue to be around being played on the air and purchased by new generations because it is EXCELLENT music. That is a fact. The numbers speak for themselves. When we are all gone from this world, I am confident we can rest assured that The Beatles and some others will still be heard and talked about. The Beyonces, Miley Beibers, Jazees lady humps and whatnot and Gagas of the world will have long been forgotten.

Let me second that (third?) That is why I still have hope for the show, despite the ghastly spectacle that assaulted our senses on Pass Member Day. The music is timeless, and has had enduring influence on pop and rock.

Sometimes the music is the important thing. (Most of the time for me, actually.)

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

I think the issue isn't who has more guests, but who is losing our gaining guests. I'm going to see if I can track down numbers, but the trend in the company is we're the only chain loosing guests.

It should also be pointed out that there are areas in the park that look terrible now and are in desperate for a refresh. The show is whatever, but Banbury is the best looking place in the park still and should be at the bottom of the renovation list.

 

[Haberdasher1973]

I will say that a lot of the music from that time is definitely considered classics/timeless/whatever. This is the music that has and will continue to be around being played on the air and purchased by new generations because it is EXCELLENT music.

Agreed - Remember folks, even under the Busch Family's ownership, British Invasion music played after 6pm for many seasons.

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

The music will be fine, I'm sure, this hasn't been about the music.

The best music can't save gaudy facades with obnoxious colors. There's also the issue of threw money being wasted to redo an area to promote a show.

 

[Haberdasher1973]

The music will be fine, I'm sure, this hasn't been about the music.

The best music can't save gaudy facades with obnoxious colors. There's also the issue of threw money being wasted to redo an area to promote a show.

Just agreeing with Chicken King's statement on music - it was by NO Means an endorsement of the retheme - you should all know where I stand on issues like that by now. It's like you don't know me at all *sniffle*sniffle*

 

[Party Rocker]

I just have this question; why do you need a revamped area to promote a new show? also, why do you need a new show to promote a new ride?

Shouldn't these new things stand alone, perhaps add additional signage just outside the theater or attraction just for that year? Isn't that good enough? Why go overboard on these expensive and very much unwanted changes?

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

True, we both like to ruin the fun of others at the park.

But I was just pointing out my issue isn't the music or culture of the thing.

 

[Haberdasher1973]

I just have this question; why do you need a revamped area to promote a new show? also, why do you need a new show to promote a new ride?

Shouldn't these new things stand alone, perhaps add additional signage just outside the theater or attraction just for that year? Isn't that good enough? Why go overboard on these expensive and very much unwanted changes?

...aaaaand we now have common ground.

 

[Party Rocker]

I am not saying I hate the concept or anything I was just asking why go to so much extra work just for promotion? If they really wanted to refresh Banbury Cross I'd have no problem if it turned out like Aquitaine, but I just can't imagine or desire for red, white, and blue painted everywhere.

 

[Nicole]

The music will be fine, I'm sure, this hasn't been about the music.

The best music can't save gaudy facades with obnoxious colors. There's also the issue of threw money being wasted to redo an area to promote a show.

Just agreeing with Chicken King's statement on music - it was by NO Means an endorsement of the retheme - you should all know where I stand on issues like this by now. It's like you don't know me at all *sniffle*sniffle*

I understood!

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

This is the issue exactly. New regular season Aqutaine looks nice, fits the park, and was somewhat needed.

 

[Alf33]

I just have this question; why do you need a revamped area to promote a new show? also, why do you need a new show to promote a new ride?

Shouldn't these new things stand alone, perhaps add additional signage just outside the theater or attraction just for that year? Isn't that good enough? Why go overboard on these expensive and very much unwanted changes?

This was the first thing I thought about. Why does a new show dictate the re-theming of an entire hamlet? It shouldn't.

Updating or changing BC because it needs a refresh is one thing but this is doing the wrong thing for the wrong reason. Also what happens if the show doesn't turn out to be that good? The park will have to spend the $$$ on changing it back to the way it was or doing another update. But on the other hand if the show is a hit and runs for many years then the changes will stick. This is a point I think a lot of people fear. A big question is then how well do they implement the theme change? If it's quality and well thought out then it probably/hopefully won't be bad at all and it will be accepted. But as Zachary has pointed out the budget for a good, quality change probably isn't there and what they will do will be cheap and cosmetic which will degrade or even ruin the look and feel of BC. I for one hope not but we're all just going to have to wait and see.

 

[pandorazboxx]

I don't know how I feel about this. On one hand I enjoy the way it looks. On the other hand I am only in the England area entering and exiting the park. I'll call it a success if it looks cool and it gets me to spend time (and money) there. When do we expect to see concept art?

 

[Zachary]

I doubt we'll see it advertised independently so, unless someone leaks it out (hint, hint, get in contact), I wouldn't be surprised if we never see any.

 

[Shane]

Ok, you can look through my post history and see that I am seldom negative about the park. I did not have problem with the addition of the sundial in Pompeii, in fact I liked it, and still do. I didn't have anything either way to say about Illuminights. I have nothing to say about Howl-O-Scream this year, other than I am sad they painted an iconic Busch Gardens landmark. I don't have a problem with the theme or concept used for Howl-O-Scream in this hamlet, but they could have gone without painting a historic building in the process. I love what the park did with France this year. I am one of the few people who actually liked Entwined when it re-debuted at the start of the season. I was not up-in arms when Le Mann's Raceway we replaced with Griffon. I did not have a problem with an automobile themed roller coaster going into Oktoberfest. I don't even have a problem with London Rocks coming to the Globe Theater. The park has a long history of shows that don't fit inside their hamlets; I won't list them here as others have.

Now, I don't really post all that often anymore and really stick more to the administrative portions of the ParkFans Network, but Banbury Cross is very, very special to me. In fact it is my favorite hamlet in the park. When you hear someone say "Busch Gardens" what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For me it is Banbury Cross, Elizabethan England, and "Big Ben," which was never intended to be a reproduction of Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster, it’s just the nick-name given to the Banbury Cross clock tower by the villagers that live there.

Banbury Cross, or England as they choose to call it now, sets the entire tone of the park when you enter it. Unlike Disneyland/World, Kings Dominion/Island, and countless other parks around the world you are not greeted with a large imposing entrance plaza and loud fanfare music; no, you walk down a densely wooded path with a babbling brook as if you are on a journey from a faraway place. On this journey you come across a 16th Century village in Oxfordshire in southern England where you have the pleasure of exploring quaint shops of this beautiful cobble-stoned village. You can hear the sounds of George Fredrick Handel’s Water Music Suite which although is from the Baroque period and not the Elizabethan period still fits the village perfectly. The sights and sounds aren’t imposing and put you in a relaxed mood and set you up for the rest of your casual tour through Olde World Europe. Banbury Cross is the quintessential representation of what atmospheric themeing should be for an immersive attraction such as a theme park.

Though I love the music played throughout the park and its hamlets, and have made it my mission to own every track of atmospheric music played in the park during its main season, the soundtrack of Banbury Cross has fostered a deep love and appreciation for classical music that started with me has a small child. I must have been 6 or 7 at the time and would beg my parents to tune the radio to WHRO, the classical music station in Hampton Roads, and would sit at the old beige boxed PC we had with a Microsoft Encarta CD-ROM and play the wav sample of “Water Music Suite in F major – Hornpipe” on the George Fredrick Handle article over and over again.

I have known about the proposed retheme of Banbury Cross for a very long time and when I originally heard about it I lost sleep for a couple of days. If the plan is indeed to transform this quaint English village into London then you will need to bulldoze the entire hamlet and start from scratch, because it was never intended to be so. You do not enter London from a quiet wooded road. You cannot turn the Banbury village clock tower into Elizabeth Tower. You cannot turn the adorable 16th Century village of Banbury Cross into 20th Century London with buckets of paint. Not only do the existing structures not translate into London, but the entire theme and style of this project destroys what it means to be Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Put your London Rocks show in the Globe, and even mount a loud, 60s Rock and Roll, Union Jack styled sign over the doorways to the Globe Theater, but do not touch the hamlet itself.

Banbury Cross holds a very deep, emotional, and special connection with me that though very difficult to explain I have tried to form into words today. I will end with these words: I do not approve Mr. Gasparich. I do not approve at all. This act alone has and will forever ruin Busch Gardens Williamsburg for me.

 

[Nicole]

Thank you for this post. Really excellent.

You had me at "wooded."

 

[Shane]

Thanks, I spoke from the heart.