Busch Gardens Williamsburg Summer Nights 2023

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AlpenChrist97 said:
Shitty top 40 music is back…. I hate SEAS nowadays, completely out of touch with its fans or they just don’t give a shit.
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I was very disappointed while there today specifically because of the music. I get the general "summer is here, let's have some fun" vibe with fireworks and concerts but what happened to the charm of a quaint, themed park that plays fitting music to accompany it? People would come to enjoy BGW all summer long with bagpipes and accordions playing over the speakers and have a blast riding coasters named after European monsters. When people I know hear any classical music, they're response is typically, "oh man it sounds like Busch Gardens!" Can't say that much anymore.
 
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Visited this evening. Event was as annoying as I remember in the past. 4 minute dispatches on most of the coasters and the park reeking of weed didn't help the atmosphere either.

Instead of complaining, I'm going to propose what I think the park should do: Scrap the event. Keep your concert lineup and fireworks, but extend the beginning of Bier Fest to the ending of F&W, making that yout summer event. Rebrand it if you want, and obviously scrap the pop.
 
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Rheath said:
4 minute dispatches on most of the coasters and the park reeking of weed didn't help the atmosphere either.
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Honestly - I think that happens regardless of what the event is. I was at SF:GA Friday and experienced similar.
 
Not that I'm necessarily condoning the behavior, but isn't that a reason why edibles exist?

May take a bit longer to hit, but if your plan was to get high and go ride some things it'll work.

But I'm not really sure that'd add much to the experience.
 
Because it takes one of the few remaining inherent strengths of the park over the competition that SEAS can't fully eliminate without demolishing the park (themed areas, where visually and through sound you can be "immersed" in a foreign country inspired land) and just deletes a huge chunk of the immersion factor. Same reason why I personally don't like when they change the entire park sound track for things like Mardi Gras and whatnot, though the double dose of shitty pop music being both against the theming and making it feel like a SF park is probably why people despise it significantly more than the other soundtrack changes.

As with most reasons people get upset about something BGW related, it just hurts the feelings man. People have an extreme emotional connection to this park, I'd say an above average size of people relative to attendance compared to most regional theme parks, because for a while this place was special and unique. A lot of the times people are upset not because of the logic you can put on paper, but because it just sucks to see where we are. This addresses more than just your question here, just a general statement for all things "why do hardcore BGW fans care so much about this one stupid thing". Hell I still hate when I am in England and Brit rock comes on instead of classical music.
 
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Ice said:
Because it takes one of the few remaining inherent strengths of the park over the competition that SEAS can't fully eliminate without demolishing the park (themed areas, where visually and through sound you can be "immersed" in a foreign country inspired land) and just deletes a huge chunk of the immersion factor. Same reason why I personally don't like when they change the entire park sound track for things like Mardi Gras and whatnot, though the double dose of shitty pop music being both against the theming and making it feel like a SF park is probably why people despise it significantly more than the other soundtrack changes.

As with most reasons people get upset about something BGW related, it just hurts the feelings man. People have an extreme emotional connection to this park, I'd say an above average size of people relative to attendance compared to most regional theme parks, because for a while this place was special and unique. A lot of the times people are upset not because of the logic you can put on paper, but because it just sucks to see where we are. This addresses more than just your question here, just a general statement for all things "why do hardcore BGW fans care so much about this one stupid thing". Hell I still hate when I am in England and Brit rock comes on instead of classical music.
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The reason I asked is because I couldn’t think of a good thing to replace it with. There’s historical implications to most days you can connect to different countries represented.

I think all these parks have learned that events sell so I don’t see them going away.

As for something small - I have less of a problem with the classic rock from that country part. The Mardi Gras one bugs the crap out of me because it is a far more American than anything. I do feel there are some fun things you can tap into to give a very spring festival like feeling like doing a “Bloom into Spring” event with bringing landscape companies in for a contest in making plantings featuring tulips.
 
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warfelg said:
The reason I asked is because I couldn’t think of a good thing to replace it with.
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I guess my stance is you don't need to have it in the first place. Do stuff other than changing the music.

I know Illuminights was controversial in its own way, but it at least felt like a BGW version of a fun and new event. Take that tact, make some summertime sideshows for each country, maybe some new temporary decorations based on the festivities, and it all culminates in an end of night spectacular with fireworks. The Summer Nights thing honestly feels like a "let's theme BGW to summertime at your local amusement park!" It's lazy and doesn't even count as an event in my opinion, it's just fireworks with screwed up hamlet music and some new shows.
 
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warfelg said:
The reason I asked is because I couldn’t think of a good thing to replace it with.
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Why does anything have to replace Summer Nights? Why can't there just be fireworks at the end of the night? Why do we have to have a special event for every season? I really dislike Summer Nights. I hate the crappy pop music played on a short loop throughout the park. I hate that they put Dublin Over in Hawaiian shirts and have mixed in mediocre pop songs into their set.

I agree with @Ice about Illuminights. I felt each hamlet had entertainment that fit the hamlet. Unfortunately, Illuminights de-evolved and now we are stuck with Summer Nights. We no longer stay until the end. The food costs, the surcharge, plus the pop music at 5pm force us out of the park.
 
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Let's posit that year-round events are inevitable. That doesn't mean they have to clash with the theme of the park.

EPCOT, which used to have a lot in common with BGW, has clearly turned into a giant special events venue. Disney makes an effort, however, to tie much of it to the immediate environment. Even the non-country-specific overlays are less intrusive than the things that BGW has been doing since (at least) COVID.

I get that BGW isn't Disney, but EPCOT was very BGW-like. Additionally, I would argue that the events are charming, while all of the added IP is the issue at EPCOT.

Moreover, playing inappropriate music is an unforced error. There is no financial reason to pick generic pop music or bad NOLA cover songs, etc. over something more appropriate for the park.

Essentially, my point is that special event overlays do not need to detract from the charm and theming. In fact, if you think back to the first years of F&W and Christmas Town, a well done event can enhance the park's theming.
 
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Nicole said:
Essentially, my point is that special event overlays do not need to detract from the charm and theming. In fact, if you think back to the first years of F&W and Christmas Town, a well done event can enhance the park's theming.
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A thought I had but don’t have a firm grasp on the geopolitical landscape for this but I wonder if July could be a month about independence celebrations in each country.

Edit - they could conclude the nights, weeks, events with their own version of a Eurovision contest.
 
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