COVID-19’s Impacts on BGW

[Jonesta6]

As someone who was a server I would have taken a ride ops job hands down. Being talked down to because you are a server really tried my patience.

Fair enough - I figured ops during the pandemic would be taking just as much abuse in different forms since people can be just as entitled at a theme park... Especially if the ops try to enforce masking and distancing protocols (which it sounded like they were doing until the last few weeks).

Karens come in all forms, but then again they can't do the disappearing dollar bill bullshit to a ride op.

 

[Rothbury]

I have to tell this story. Yesterday we took the wife's car in for inspection and one year service. While sitting in the waiting room waiting to get the car back I overheard 2 women talking about BGW. It wasn't good. One had been this past Saturday. She was totally trashing the park and everything that has been talked about here. The other woman after hearing about the lines, lack of food and crowds pretty much said she guessed she wouldn't go. A couple of other people overhearing the conversation said they had heard similar comments and didn't plan to go either. I didn't participate in the conversation at all. So, I guess it is safe to say the reputation of BGW is definitely taking a "hit" and it's not in a good way.

 

[bgwfanatic]

My concerns re: pretty much everything is already documented in a few threads here. However, even though it sounds really bad right now, the customer service on phones and e-mail have been terrible, we seem to have minimal benefits for what we've paid, and I am less than thrilled about wearing a mask at an amusement park, we are considering going this Sunday, simply because we are just eating a Platinum pass and all-season dining plans right now. This may be a fool's errand, but I want to try to feel like we're getting something for our money.

My questions are these, if we come. We are coming from 2.5 hours away, and I want this to be as enjoyable as possible for my family, because if it is awful, I'm not sure we will be back. The parks opens at 11 - what time can we actually get into the parking lot, and then the gates? Also, is Festhaus the only place All-Season Dining plans are being accepted during food and wine festival? If so, what can we actually get there this year? I'm assuming everything is different.

Thanks, all.

 

[Memles]

The parks opens at 11 - what time can we actually get into the parking lot, and then the gates?

Historically, the park is opening parking roughly a half-hour before the park opens, although it has occasionally been closer to 45 minutes. Once you get parked, you can immediately enter England. Scotland and Ireland then typically open 15 minutes before the rest of the park, and then at 11am they let people into Italy and the Wild Reserve.

So basically, to maximize your time, get to the parking gate for 10:20 or so, get into the park for 10:40, hit Finnegan's Flyer during the 10:45-11:00am window, and then either do Apollo's/Verbolten or Invadr/Griffin as basically walk-ons depending on which way you want to go. If you want to go lunch early, go with Apollo's/Verbolten since you end up right at Festhaus, but if you really want to get on Invadr efficiently it might be better to go the other way since it tends to have the slowest operations of the four open coasters. (Although if Alpengeist remains open on weekends after its opening this past weekend, you'll get more coasters quickly by fitting France first).

 

[WDWRLD]

@bgwfanatic I would arrive at least 1 hour before opening but if you can get there earlier than do that. The earlier you arrive the v=closer to the tool booth you will be and the quicker you will get to temp cahck and security before that line gets long. If you want to eat I suggest heading straight to the festhaus and eat then. Shortly after opening the line will get long, tables will fill up and it will be a long wait to get in. The olny places to use your dining plan is Pretzel World and the Festhaus but at Pretzel world they are considering pretzels a meal so IMO the Festhaus is the better option. All food locations will have long waits. Take you some bottled waters as there are no water fountains open and the only places to get drink refills on your drink plan are places like Three Rivers Snacks, Festhaus, Pretzel World, Grogand and OBradys Snack Stand in Ireland but they will all have long lines. The shortest waits will be either in Ireland. Some gigt shops do have bottled drinks but they are pricey.

 

[Rothbury]

Parking and opening have been just as inconsistent as everything else. I would probably get to the parking lot by 10. They may or may not be open but if you wait until later the lines can be as bad as they have always been. I have seen it backed up around the bend and crossing the train tracks. What we have found is they partially open the park early and stop you at the Ireland breezeway and the train tracks at Italy until the published park opening. In your case 11. I wouldn't plan on anyplace except the Festhaus taking the dining plan. Les Frites has been accepting it but I doubt it will be open when you visit because of F&W. I have to warn you though; be prepared for the dining plan to not work. Be prepared to stand your ground and argue for your dining plan. It is a real hassle but like you, I paid for it; now honor it. I'm sure you have read through this thread recently and know distancing is non-existent. There is no enforcement and due to the overcrowding the lines are long and slow. Speaking of lines. Literally, if you get there at 11 I would suggest heading towards the Festhaus opening at 11:30 (Again inconsistent time). The lines any later can be an hour or more long. Menu is very limited. They have a sirloin sandwich that when we tried it was more gristle and fat than meat. They have the German sampler platter with the sausages, pizza and a roasted chicken dinner. All expensive without the dining plan. The pizzas are long like a flatbread pizza would be. They still have salads and desserts self serve.

 

[bgwfanatic]

Thanks for all the quick responses guys. I truly appreciate it.

 

[Zachary]

To introduce a ray of hope into your equation @bgwfanatic, this weekend may be dramatically better than the last few weeks have been. The weather is cooler and Spring Break is over. Food & Wine is a couple weekends old now and BGW opened a couple more attractions last weekend too. I have some degree of optimism right now. Fingers crossed!

 

[WDWRLD]

But dont forget the locals that basically avoid the park over spring break that will now head there.

 

[Memles]

But dont forget the locals that basically avoid the park over spring break that will now head there.

Unlike the Spring Break crowds, I'd hope the locals have a better understanding of the current operations of the park, which would also be helpful.

 

[WDWRLD]

Im not sure they do, I mean they probably expect less drink stands open than normal years, a couple closed rides possibly, but I doubt many would assume there would be one snack/drink stand open in the entire park, 1 resturaunt if its on a weekend, Grogans, and a place to get pretzels.

 

[WDWRLD]

So I ran across a random youtube channel that they I think are from the midwest visiting family here and they went to BGW on April 10th. The video I think gives a idea that people visit and really dont realize how limited the park is. They mention in the video it being a "letdown and dissapointment things being closed" and at one point talk about wanting to do Pompei next. In the video he actually mentions that he looked online and read the list of rides open and thought it was alot so he thought the park was open but in fact quite a bit of the park is closed. All in all I dont think they came away with a "what a great park feeling".
If you want to see the video its "fowler Family Farm" on youtube, The video was just posted this morning.

 

[wombat96]

Found this on the front page of the official BGW website very close to the top.

Going to take this as a hint that the park is hurting for staffing, hopefully hiring more staff will ease some of the operational issues that have plagued the event. I haven't been to the park since November, but so many of the reviews and reports I've heard not just from people on this site but friends from home and even out of state who went to visit the park are extremely out of character compared to the normal BGW experience.

The way things are being run is laughable and is not anywhere close to the BGW experience that I know and love. This is supposed to be one of the best regional parks in the country and a major tourist draw for the historical triangle, with limited attractions in the area already and pent up demand for the park so high it would be a shame if they continued to operate the park in this manner, as they are fumbling the bag at an impressive rate. Fingers crossed this is a sign that normalcy (or closer to normalcy) is returning soon at BGW or else these continued lackluster operations could seriously affect attendance and the brand image for years to come.

 

[..…]

So if they're hurting that much for employees, maybe they should choose a photo that shows the more exciting aspects of the job than wiping down rides? Just saying.

 

[The Quist]

They should show someone mopping up the puke under FF. That would rope 'em in.

 

[WDWRLD]

But at the same time why do I see comments on their facebook page saying things like "I applied but never recieved a call back who do I contact" or "I was laid off but havent recieved a call back". And I would hate to see it come to this.....butif it comes down to half the park staying closed or hiring people from a temp agency then id take temp employees in positions such as parking, dumping trash, gift shops, things like that.

 

[horsesboy]

But at the same time why do I see comments on their facebook page saying things like "I applied but never recieved a call back who do I contact" or "I was laid off but havent recieved a call back". And I would hate to see it come to this.....butif it comes down to half the park staying closed or hiring people from a temp agency then id take temp employees in positions such as parking, dumping trash, gift shops, things like that.

Busch is offering a fairly low starting salary right now. My guess is they are not bringing back people in hopes of hiring on the cheap. That is not working out so well.

 

[BGW Family]

Several employees we know, and other employees they know, have not received a call back. So the shortage is not all attributed to schools still in session or the Summer season not in yet. The staffing blame seems more likely to be on BGW's shoulders. If BGW is so short staffed, why are they not bringing all these old employees back? Of which many have been eagerly waiting for a call?

 

[WDWRLD]

I didnt want to say it because I thought I would get backlash but honestly I dont think the park is really trying to hire, they are just giving the illusion of attemptong to hire and blaming shortages on lack of people willing to work. while they are doing this they are trying to take in as much money as possible and pay out as little as they can. In all the years ive never seen "now hiring" banners outside the park and it looks tacky.

 

[bill s]

Before spring break, it wasn't crowded at all and even recently it seemed to me enough people were working what was open, they just didn't have the ability to open up more stuff and they needed it. People are dumb about assuming everything's open though, here's the part where I again tell the story of the family trying to decide to ride I305 or Volcano first at Winterfest 2018 in 38 degrees.

I went Monday 4/5 and saw the hour long Pretzel line, and supposedly there was a long line just to get into the Festhaus. I waited 'til later and got Frites with no line whatsoever, after going into Festhaus with no problem. I felt like it was poor trip until the last hour which got much better. Still probably wasn't as bad getting on rides as a regular July Saturday.

Whatever you go for, the first and last hours are the best. Don't go so extra early you want to leave early. Get right to what you came for, if it's food do that but expect that would be best for the middle of the day sometime (well after lunch) when the rides are worst. I feel like I'm just burning time then anyway. For coasters at rope drop, go to InvadR then Bolt.