Concepts Think Tank

[Coasternerd]

I obviously agree this should be done—the ability should have never been stripped from Platinum to begin with—but, to be fair, even if that is done, a solution for "the masses" still needs to be implemented down at the parking booths. No one should have to ever endure that circus for the privilege to *checks notes* pay to park their car.

I just did a quick little calculation. Base parking rate is $30 for general parking. My calculations are assuming all incoming cars are paying for general parking, with an average of 4 people per car.
*actual numbers will vary as passholders have parking included, some guests pay for preferred, VIP, Pet Kennel, and RV/bus parking

Low Attendance: 4,500 people ≈ 1,125 cars ≈ $33,750 in parking sales
Average Attendance: 9,000 people ≈ 2,250 cars ≈ $67,500 in parking sales
Medium Attendance: 16,000 people ≈ 4,000 cars ≈ $120,000 in parking sales
High Attendance: 28,000 people ≈ 7,000 cars ≈ $210,000 in parking sales

If they’re in fact making that much money per day from parking, they should be able to implement actual gates that move when parking is paid (see: Carowinds), newer trams because the current ones are barely alive as it is, repave all lots and redesign the drop-off setup so it’s more seamless.

Pipe dream, but I’d also like to see them rework the road from the tolls to the 3way intersection to go toward France, England, Scotland and Bavaria, and toward Germany, Italy & Ireland, to have two lanes per turn. I.e., far right lane to Germany only. Left hand of the two right turns to Italy/Ireland. Far left of the left turn lanes to lead into France, second to the left would lead towards England, Scotland & Bavaria.
It’s a pipe dream because that road from the tolls to that intersection is far too narrow to be able to be widened to that degree. Plus, it would also require the road they turn onto to be widened as well.

 

[warfelg]

I just did a quick little calculation. Base parking rate is $30 for general parking. My calculations are assuming all incoming cars are paying for general parking, with an average of 4 people per car.
*actual numbers will vary as passholders have parking included, some guests pay for preferred, VIP, Pet Kennel, and RV/bus parking

Low Attendance: 4,500 people ≈ 1,125 cars ≈ $33,750 in parking sales
Average Attendance: 9,000 people ≈ 2,250 cars ≈ $67,500 in parking sales
Medium Attendance: 16,000 people ≈ 4,000 cars ≈ $120,000 in parking sales
High Attendance: 28,000 people ≈ 7,000 cars ≈ $210,000 in parking sales

If they’re in fact making that much money per day from parking, they should be able to implement actual gates that move when parking is paid (see: Carowinds), newer trams because the current ones are barely alive as it is, repave all lots and redesign the drop-off setup so it’s more seamless.

Pipe dream, but I’d also like to see them rework the road from the tolls to the 3way intersection to go toward France, England, Scotland and Bavaria, and toward Germany, Italy & Ireland, to have two lanes per turn. I.e., far right lane to Germany only. Left hand of the two right turns to Italy/Ireland. Far left of the left turn lanes to lead into France, second to the left would lead towards England, Scotland & Bavaria.
It’s a pipe dream because that road from the tolls to that intersection is far too narrow to be able to be widened to that degree. Plus, it would also require the road they turn onto to be widened as well.

I would be interested in knowing where this comes from (budget wise) but just daily you need to out of that:

Pay booth workers. Let’s say 5 booths open, assume 6 employees to rotate. 2 shifts of 8 hours, that’s 96 labor hours. Now assume they make $12/hr, that’s ~$1,200. Now that’s going bare bones with that staff.

After that you’ve got at least 3 people directing traffic. Again bare bones, but add one more for rotation reasons, 2 shifts, and lets assume they get paid $15/hr since the job is a touch more difficult. That’s another ~$1,000.

Then you got tram staff, that's a minimum of 8 people, likely 9. Now with this one you can say 8/9 are getting paid that $12/hr rate, but the driver likely makes more (I‘ll increase that to $18/hr). That’s another ~$1,700.

Now I know those staffing numbers seems small compared to the overall number you posted. But then some of that money would get diverted for utilities for all the lights, some gets diverted to security, some to maintenance for upkeep of tram/booths, some to landscaping, and some likely needs to be put aside for general parking lot care.

So all in all they likely aren’t making that much off parking. In fact, parking makes much less money than many would think when you trace the money coming in. Having worked at PSU Athletic department and seeing numbers like that laid out, you would be shocked to see how little is made on that. And I didn’t even account for anyone cleaning the parking lot at the end of the night, the trash being picked up throughout the day, and other occurrences.

 

[RollyCoaster]

The simple solution is... Photos! Use the photo from the front of the park to display at the toll booth when you scan in.

Kings Dominion has hardly any issues with parking using the photo system. Making people pull out a pass, checking what kind, then asking for a physical ID of the person on the pass, then asking for a zip code, then handing out papers, then explaining where to go. It's just too much.

I accidentally forgot my physical ID the last time I went to the park. I had my virtual ID from the Virginia Mobile ID app that litterally scans like your real ID. I didn't plan on drinking, didn't plan on using any physical cards, and the park is cashless. So just my phone should work. Right?

Nope, after waiting 45 minutes to get through the toll plaza, they scanned my pass off of the BGW app, and refused entry without an ID to match the pass EVEN if I paid for parking.

My Virginia mobile ID wasn't an accepted ID. My pass, on my app, that is linked to an email address, that I pulled up for them, and showed that I have access to it didn't work. I logged out and back in of the app again, didn't work. I pulled my darn registration out of the glove box to match names. Nothing. Nothing worked.

I was litterally told to leave. Yeah I held the line up, and yeah, they should totally have a more user friendly and efficient process for its customers. They take a photo of us when we enter the park with a pass for the first time. Link it to the systems that the toll plaza uses and make things easier for your customers and your employees.

And for the record, yeah, I did turn around and leave, came right back, waited another 45 minutes in a different lane, and went through without any questions after scanning my pass only.

The parking experiance at Busch Gardens is a joke and is miles behind the rest of the industry.

 

[Jonesta6]

It sounds like there's a difference in training between parking attendants?

 

[S23X]

My Virginia mobile ID wasn't an accepted ID.

I do think its important to clarify that Virginia Mobile ID is still very new, and isn't widespread even across local law enforcement agencies and even Virginia ABC stores yet (its being piloted in a few stores in the Richmond area). I work in upper management for a large grocery store retailer, and seeing many more people getting upset that they have their mobile ID for proof of age and we don't accept it yet. The state of Virginia is still working on solutions for private businesses to accept these mobile ids by using a QR code scanner. There are a few businesses starting this push in the coming months. My company already accepts this with alcohol purchases made at registers in one state only (accepting that state's version of the mobile ID system only), where you just simply scan the QR code on the mobile ID card for proof of age. In the coming years, mobile ID will be more widespread in Virginia.

Right now, Virginia mobile ID can be used at: select airport TSA security screening checkpoints, VA state police, some local police jurisdictions, Virginia DMV locations, select ABC stores in the Richmond area, and as of right now ONE brewery in Norfolk.
Mobile ID Participating Locations

 

[Zachary]

Totally understand and agree with you broadly @S23X, but for @RollyCoaster's specific situation, the BGW parking booths should be basically accepting any form of remotely legitimate looking photo ID if you ask me. If I have a library card that has my photo on it, I'd expect them to accept it. It's just a means to match your name to your face. If someone with access to a valid pass in someone else's name REALLY wanted to scam BGW out of parking fees that badly, they'd just get a fake state ID to begin with. At some point, the juice just shouldn't be worth the guest experience squeeze and I'd say that line should be drawn way, WAY before @RollyCoaster's case. By not accepting any form of photo ID, they're just going screw over way more legitimate guests than they will catch scammers.

 

[harry580]

didnt someone said sesame place supposed to be built, because if that's the case, maybe the old Pompeii ride and the Sesame Street area would make a perfect sesame place (not gonna happen due to obvious reasons but a man can dream right)

 

[Zachary]

The Sesame Place that was designed for Williamsburg was slated to annex the existing Sesame area and expand out into the parking lot. Official concept plan here:



GIven the situation at Sesame Place San Diego and the removal of Sesame from SeaWorld San Antonio, I don't expect these plans to come to fruition in the current environment.

 

[MrBradferd]

I don't think seseme place needs to be a forced walthrough. Keep it seperate off the main path like it is so theres less strollers and shit built up there. It's already chaos right there as is during the summers

 

[warfelg]

Totally understand and agree with you broadly @S23X, but for @RollyCoaster's specific situation, the BGW parking booths should be basically accepting any form of remotely legitimate looking photo ID if you ask me. If I have a library card that has my photo on it, I'd expect them to accept it. It's just a means to match your name to your face. If someone with access to a valid pass in someone else's name REALLY wanted to scam BGW out of parking fees that badly, they'd just get a fake state ID to begin with. At some point, the juice just shouldn't be worth the guest experience squeeze and I'd say that line should be drawn way, WAY before @RollyCoaster's case. By not accepting any form of photo ID, they're just going screw over way more legitimate guests than they will catch scammers.

This is the spot where physical plastic card passes that have a photo printed on it would be perfect. On top of that imbedding a RFID chip into it that someone taps, looks into a camara, and AI compares and opens. Have a physical person be a backup attendant in case the system fails.

Ultimately I think the whole interchange off the highway is terrible. The current design does not allow for reworking of the parking plaza at all. IMO there should be a Member/Prepaid section that keeps flow moving much faster. If I could have my way, I would completely rework that plaza and highway interchange to flip everything for getting on/off the highway to either north of Merrimac Trail or out onto the unused land. Update the system to what I said above for members, and have 3 lanes dedicated to this type of entrance. 2 lanes dedicated to prepaid parking, where you just scan a QR code and go in so you don't even need people attending those booths/lanes. Then you have 4-6 lanes to daily fee parking. Use the old employee entrance for top level membership passes and kennel daily fee parking.

 

[MrBradferd]

Why can't we get some sort of EZ pass way as a passholder to soeed up parking? Especially for platinum members at the least.

 

[S23X]

Why can't we get some sort of EZ pass way as a passholder to soeed up parking? Especially for platinum members at the least.

I think there are many issues with why they dont go the route of an "express" lane format.

• The ID check process they have now to match the name of the person holding the ID to the pass/membership is to make sure that the vehicle entering the parking lot has the correct passholder/member in the car.
• Despite as much signage and advertisement of such benefit of passholder ones and such, someone who doesn't hold the correct product will still try to go through the lane and get stuck. What usually unfolds is many cars will then line up and be delayed while the car at the gate would need to back out and merge into the correct lane. This has happened to me in the past at both Carowinds and Kings Island which incorporated "self scan" lanes in their new parking tool booths. I know Carowinds has switched back to only having staff attended toll booths due to both technical and user issues with the self scan lanes.
• BGW also has a very compartmentalized parking system too. A lot of the routing of cars can be determined very early on, and change rapidly throughout the day with VIP and preferred parking availability. The paper preferred/vip passes are handed out to guests in vehicles based on availably. so they would also have to incorporate a technological system capable of the variances of this system too.
• The closest we ever got to a "preferred" entrance for platinum members was access to the parking lots via the employee gate that is manned by park security. Post-pandemic, this is no longer a perk.

 

[MrBradferd]

I think there are many issues with why they dont go the route of an "express" lane format.

• The ID check process they have now to match the name of the person holding the ID to the pass/membership is to make sure that the vehicle entering the parking lot has the correct passholder/member in the car.
• Despite as much signage and advertisement of such benefit of passholder ones and such, someone who doesn't hold the correct product will still try to go through the lane and get stuck. What usually unfolds is many cars will then line up and be delayed while the car at the gate would need to back out and merge into the correct lane. This has happened to me in the past at both Carowinds and Kings Island which incorporated "self scan" lanes in their new parking tool booths. I know Carowinds has switched back to only having staff attended toll booths due to both technical and user issues with the self scan lanes.
• BGW also has a very compartmentalized parking system too. A lot of the routing of cars can be determined very early on, and change rapidly throughout the day with VIP and preferred parking availability. The paper preferred/vip passes are handed out to guests in vehicles based on availably. so they would also have to incorporate a technological system capable of the variances of this system too.
• The closest we ever got to a "preferred" entrance for platinum members was access to the parking lots via the employee gate that is manned by park security. Post-pandemic, this is no longer a perk.

Ahhh yea i can see the issues. They just gotta fix their parking ways. It's miserably slow and being a passmember we shouldn't have to wait in the same like imo

 

[RKRCC]

I would just like to use the employee entrance again for parking

 

[jscll]

Ahhh yea i can see the issues. They just gotta fix their parking ways. It's miserably slow and being a passmember we shouldn't have to wait in the same like imo

Forget about us pass holders a minute. On a busy day, the parking experience in unacceptable for a day guest that paid $55 or whatever other number they pulled out of a hat that day.

 

[MrBradferd]

Forget about us pass holders a minute. On a busy day, the parking experience in unacceptable for a day guest that paid $55 or whatever other number they pulled out of a hat that day.

If pass members got their own thing it would help both sides of the line

 

[mikes]

Ahhh yea i can see the issues. They just gotta fix their parking ways. It's miserably slow and being a passmember we shouldn't have to wait in the same like imo

The process sucks for everyone. I don't have a pass any longer but always do pre-paid. I should be able to get in quicker than a pass member because there is no ID check needed. Paying at the gate should be quick, pass members should know an ID is required. This isn't rocket science. Either the people working are slow or the systems are slow to validate the passes/prepaid

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

I hope Williamsburg gets a brother's grimm fairytale land that replaces Forest of Fun. Expand into backstage, into a parking lot maybe with reroute of tram/walking path. Could be cool. Lean into a dark ride or two to anchor the land, keep a playground/outdoor stage maybe loosely themed to Into the Woods (without directly using its' copyright), small coaster replacing Grover with something more like SWSD did with their new kiddie coaster. Few new flat rides (Zamperla Lolly Swing, while repetitive, could be cool and already fits the general theme, a mini ferris wheel) and retheme what's there and congrats, you've got a beautiful, large, immersive and popular land.
It'd also fit much better into the park overall, and the Skyride station would look better next to it for as long as that lasts.
I think this would be the best bet for an IP as I don't think any known corporate IPs will trust United with their theme park rights again for a long time.
I doubt it'll happen, or anything near it, but wouldn't it be awesome? A whole family-oriented fairytale hamlet replacing a weird half-empty falling-apart land that they will soon have to remove anyways

 

[filter]

If they pushed all ticketing and kiosk to the structure across from the entrance store, the current ticketing area could be the tram drop off and the current forest of fun section could be almost doubled in size. If they were to replace the alpine express, it would great if it were able to be moved into the land of dragons section.

 

[Tacky3663]

I still want that Hyper RMC one day….