Busch Gardens Challenge: 2016
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Busch Gardens Challenge 2016 is officially closed without a winner... or indeed any participants. All the same, here are the answers (in red below) for anyone who's interested! <3 <3 <3
Sometimes when I go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg I see little details here and there and wonder if anyone else notices them. They're sort of like little secrets of the park and I wanted to do something with them. Initially I thought of hiding small messages in out-of-the-way places to see if anyone found them but in my better judgment I decided against this (because the messages might get stolen, defaced, ruined by weather, cleared away by cleaning staff, etc... plus I didn't want to contribute to any litter or graffiti however well-intended). And so in the end I decided to come up with a little puzzle that anyone could play while at the park. So if you're game and willing to make use of your scavenging and observational skills, intellect, and you have an appreciation for the park then here's Busch Gardens Challenge!
Some of the steps are easy, some are a little more difficult but everyone should be able to complete it. Obviously you can look for images of the park online and figure out the answers to some or most of the questions but my sincere recommendation is that you refrain from doing so, if only for your own enjoyment's sake. All you'll need are the steps below and something with which to write (I suggest the notepad app on your iPhone if you have one). Also these steps do NOT take into consideration any special events such as Food and Wine Festival or Illuminights, et al.
When you have completed the Challenge PM me the answer and I'll put your name on this post in a list of winners. And of course, to those who do complete the Challenge, please don't share any answers until the end of the season when the game expires.
Big thanks to Castle O'Sullivan for pointing out a mistake in step 15! That step has been corrected!
Oh and lastly, this is just for fun but if the game is too easy or too complicated then let me know and I'll make adjustments if I or someone else does this again in the future.
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PHASE ONE: Collecting the Pieces
1. After the turnstiles in England there is a fountain with a type of animal featured in its design. Take the third letter of that animal's name.
Lion. The letter is O.
2. A shop with a stork's nest on top of it has three words in its name. From the nest the storks can see a fountain and an archway. Take the first letter of the third word from that shop's name.
Das Gingerbread Haus. The letter is H.
3. Find a man who has crashed through a roof. Take the fifth letter written on either of the things on his feet.
The man is over the Alpengeist shop with "Bob's Sled Rental" on the skis. The letter is S.
4. On the interior walls of the main atrium of Das Festhaus look for a man dying clothing in a vat. Underneath it, take the 10th letter written on the sign.
The man is on a sign on the left wall near the exit (if you were just coming into the atrium). The sign reads "Der Farb Fleck". The letter is E.
5. In what hamlet can you find wine, a ram, and cheese sticks? Determine that hamlet's most popular eatery and take the third letter of its name.
Italy, thus the eatery is Marco Polo's. The letter is R.
6. Find a nymph from German folklore and stand by her. From there take the nearest bridge and cross to the other side. Look at the nearest coaster and take the first letter of its color.
The nymph is Lorelei which is also the name of a boat in the Rhine River Cruise. If you stood near "her" the nearest bridge would be the one leading you from that point directly across the river to Scotland. The nearest roller coaster would be right above you, the Loch Ness Monster and its color is yellow. The letter is Y.
7. If you were to write out the names of all six of Busch Gardens' roller coasters how many times would you find the letter 'C'? That is how many letters you will need from step 5.
Alpengeist
Apollo's Chariot
Loch Ness Monster
Verbolten
Griffon
Tempesto
The number is 2, so you would need 2 R's.
8. Find a shop that was established in 1672. What is the first letter on the top left side of its sign?
The Trading Post shop in New France says on its sign that it was estanlished in 1672. The word in the most top left position is "Mining". The letter is M.
9. Looking at the stage of Celtic Fyre in the Abbey Stone Theater there is a chalkboard on the left. What is the very last letter on that board?
The word is music. The letter is C.
10. On the streets of France there is one townhouse with three shuttered windows. The left is closed while the other two are open. Beneath these windows are words written on the side of the building. Take the fifth letter of these words.
The letter is N (Sorry, I've quite forgotten what it says on the side of the building).
11. Find a man holding a lantern on a stick. How many other people are in the group standing with him? That is the number of letters you will need from step 4.
The man is on the outside façade of Das Festhaus on the right. There are four other people standing with him, so you would need 4 E's.
12. The Father Time gift shop has a number beneath its sign. Take the first and second digit of that number and add them together. That is how many letters you will need from step 3.
The number is 11. 1+1=2, so you would need 2 S's.
13. Take the first letter of Sr. Giussepe's last name.
Sr. Giussepe's last name is Peczi, from a sign painted on a wall in Italy near Il Teatro di San Marco. The letter is P.
14. Facing the exterior of Grogan's Pub but standing several paces back from the entrance near Europe in the Air find an oval portrait of a woman hanging on the wall. Take the first letter of that woman's first name.
The woman in the portrait is Annie Grogan. The letter is A.
15. Griffon and Italy have what in common?
Griffon, Italy. The letter is I.
16. What kind of desserts will you soon be getting according to Mad Ludwig of Curse of DarKastle? Take the first letter of that word.
"You'll soon be getting your just desserts!". The letter is J.
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PHASE TWO: The Anagram
Now that you have collected all the letters you need only unscramble them to solve the puzzle and complete the Challenge! Once you have done so PM me and I will include your name in the list of winners!
The anagram with all the letters is:
EENSCYRJPSMREOHEIA
When the anagram is solved it spells out:
Josephine's Creamery
