Christmas Town 2022
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As I mentioned in the Membership thread I cancelled my memberthip right before it was to renew at the beginning of this month. I did not go to CT before it ended so this will be the first year I will not go to the park for CT since it started. And the sad part is that I really haven't missed it and I don't have hardly any desire to go even now. I used the money that the renewal would have cost me and put it toward a new desktop computer (on sale that was too good of a deal to pass up) for the house to replace a 10 year old one that is showing it's age.
Not too much of a surprise...
Due to inclement weather, Busch Gardens® Williamsburg will be closed today, Thursday, December 15. We will reopen tomorrow at 2PM as scheduled.
Due to inclement weather, Busch Gardens® Williamsburg will be closed today, Thursday, December 15. We will reopen tomorrow at 2PM as scheduled.
It isn't horrible, but it's more of the same with worse food & Winterfest has improved significantly. If you have a choice between the two, I'd choose Winterfest.
I am, especially the shows. The talent is excellent. BG always seems to bring some extremely energetic and versatile performers that makes each show a pleasure to watch. The lights have been good, but not great. There is definitely room for improvements.
To tell the truth the main reason I'm going to Christmastown this year is because it's time to spend with family at a park we've loved for years while I'm on leave for the next few weeks.
The advantages that Christmastown has over Winterfest
More coasters open, if the weather is warm enough
Sometimes longer operating hours
Better entertainment, and sit down the entertainment venues. No offense to the performers, but all of the entertainment at Winterfest is high school level production. However, Busch Gardens has cut back greatly on the quality of their entertainment
The train and the cable skyway
The advantages that Winterfest has
Absolutely spectacular lighting. The lights at Busch Gardens look like amateur lights compared to King’s dominion.
Better park operations, especially food service
A much better park design, they can handle crowds. Busch Gardens is miserable when there’s a crowd with the narrow pathways.
That being said, I enjoy Winterfest much much more than Christmas town. Like I said above, it’s miserable navigating the crowds at Busch Gardens. And Kings Dominion just has a more magical feeling with the lighting
While, Kings Dominion seems to be improving their operations. Busch Gardens is going in the gutter.
I attended Christmas town December 19 and 20. On Monday, they only had the smokehouse and Festhaus Plus the pretzel shop operating. Despite the huge crowd on Tuesdsy, only the Festhaus and pretzel shop are operating. And with no show that day in Festhaus they were still making people wait outside to enter because it was the only major location open.
I’ve never seen anything like it where a park doesn’t actually try to sell food. But it’s like everything else at Busch Gardens. They keep pennypinching and cutting the quality of everything as they continue to spiral downward. I guess some genius in management thinks that cutting payroll is better than selling food.
Oh and let’s not forget the sleazy 5% upcharge Busch has now added to food service prices. What is that?
Busch gardens has cut the quality of the entertainment, the lighting at Christmastown, park operations (opening parts of the park late). and now food service. All while jacking up prices. I really don’t understand why they get such large crowds when the experience is mediocre.
More coasters open, if the weather is warm enough
Sometimes longer operating hours
Better entertainment, and sit down the entertainment venues. No offense to the performers, but all of the entertainment at Winterfest is high school level production. However, Busch Gardens has cut back greatly on the quality of their entertainment
The train and the cable skyway
The advantages that Winterfest has
Absolutely spectacular lighting. The lights at Busch Gardens look like amateur lights compared to King’s dominion.
Better park operations, especially food service
A much better park design, they can handle crowds. Busch Gardens is miserable when there’s a crowd with the narrow pathways.
That being said, I enjoy Winterfest much much more than Christmas town. Like I said above, it’s miserable navigating the crowds at Busch Gardens. And Kings Dominion just has a more magical feeling with the lighting
While, Kings Dominion seems to be improving their operations. Busch Gardens is going in the gutter.
I attended Christmas town December 19 and 20. On Monday, they only had the smokehouse and Festhaus Plus the pretzel shop operating. Despite the huge crowd on Tuesdsy, only the Festhaus and pretzel shop are operating. And with no show that day in Festhaus they were still making people wait outside to enter because it was the only major location open.
I’ve never seen anything like it where a park doesn’t actually try to sell food. But it’s like everything else at Busch Gardens. They keep pennypinching and cutting the quality of everything as they continue to spiral downward. I guess some genius in management thinks that cutting payroll is better than selling food.
Oh and let’s not forget the sleazy 5% upcharge Busch has now added to food service prices. What is that?
Busch gardens has cut the quality of the entertainment, the lighting at Christmastown, park operations (opening parts of the park late). and now food service. All while jacking up prices. I really don’t understand why they get such large crowds when the experience is mediocre.
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They’ve done this for as long as I can remember. It’s not anything new. Toll plaza/parking/turnstiles/England has always opened around 30 minutes early, sometimes 45 minutes. And then the villages have opening times (usually in increments of 15 minutes from the park opening time if I remember correctly).
I’ve seen:
9:30—parking/turnstiles/England open
9:45—scotland, Ireland, sesame open
10:00—festa, France, New France open
10:15—Oktoberfest open
When Kings Dominion or any other Cedar Fair park opens so do all the rides and areas except water park.
Busch used to open everything like that years ago. It’s been a while. Instead now they chose to force the crowds into
a few areas at opening, providing a lesser experience than Cedar Fair parks.
I recall staggered opening in the 80s, actually. Oktoberfest opened later than the rest of the park.
Back to CT vs Winterfest, Winterfest may have fewer rides (I actually have‘t counted), but it has more varied attractions and experiences. It includes the ice skating rink, carriage rides, cookie decorating, the igloos, etc. It also attracts a wider selection of outside artisans.
Back to CT vs Winterfest, Winterfest may have fewer rides (I actually have‘t counted), but it has more varied attractions and experiences. It includes the ice skating rink, carriage rides, cookie decorating, the igloos, etc. It also attracts a wider selection of outside artisans.
I'm not sure if it was the same timing I've experienced as @Coasternerd pointed out above your post, but the staggered hamlet openings existed when I was going back in the late 90's so it's not at all a new thing in the park.
Are the lights at kd really better now? I haven't been in a while and the last time I went I wasn't a fan of the absurd Pompeii display and the new for then globes that blocked all the views from the train and looked tacky anyway.
Still, that was the best Christmas display I've seen imo.
Still, that was the best Christmas display I've seen imo.
BGW’s have gotten much worse.
In my opinion, yes, KD’s are dramatically better.
In my opinion, yes, KD’s are dramatically better.
Inclement weather tomorrow…. Must be the crazy cold temps. I can’t imagine much was open today either. After 12pm today it was crazy windy and the temps dropped like a rock.
Given the cold and more winds (though not as strong) on Sunday, why don't they just call it a weekend... Lets most staff (someone's gotta take care of the animals) stay home on Christmas plus it avoids issues if the scheduled staff were to call out between how mind-numbing cold it is and the holiday.
But nope, got to chase the almighty dollar because Christmas is in the name of the event...
But nope, got to chase the almighty dollar because Christmas is in the name of the event...
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Maybe I’m incorrect about them. But I feel they are more severe now and jam everyone together until the next gate. At least that’s what I experienced.
Regardless quality operations like Cedar Fair open the entire park at the advertised opening time. I just feel this is another SEAS penny pinching measure thst nahed a lesser guest experience
I find KDs lights totally immersive. They have them below, at and above eye level. On the shrubs and up in mature trees.
Busch on the other hand is mostly at or below eye level (as their live trees get smaller). It just doesn’t have that grand feeling of the lights in the air as KD.
And I haven’t seen anything as impressive as KDs International Street at Winterfest for a Christmas event. The Eiffel Tower lighting, lights on the buildings, lights down low, lights high in the trees, the up lighting of the trees and down lighting of the buildings. With the ice skating center stage. Even Kings Islands can’t compare as they whacked down their mature trees a violent years ago.
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