COVID-19’s Impacts on BGW

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Bringing the conversation back to Busch Gardens . . . I think having a reservation system would not be hard to implement. We have seen the park try to manipulate crowd management through ticket sales before with ChristmasTown. If I am not mistaken, they used to have specific dated tickets and charge differently each day based on their predictions as well as in the moment ticket sales. They weren't necessarily reservations, but rather specific dated only tickets. You only arrive on that date. Otherwise, you call in and make arrangements for another date.

We could easily see a system similar setup year-round and set to low capacities and pricing varying in an effort to disperse the crowds. The only concern would be putting something for pass holders in place to allow them to make reservations.

One thing the park did that helps with social distancing - kind of - is the way passes are issued. It is my understanding that you can now use the print out you have at home for your pass indefinitely. No more going to Guest Relations and no more having to redeem at a kiosk, unless you wanted to.
 
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VonDerrick said:
Bringing the conversation back to Busch Gardens . . . I think having a reservation system would not be hard to implement. We have seen the park try to manipulate crowd management through ticket sales before with ChristmasTown. If I am not mistaken, they used to have specific dated tickets and charge differently each day based on their predictions as well as in the moment ticket sales. They weren't necessarily reservations, but rather specific dated only tickets. You only arrive on that date. Otherwise, you call in and make arrangements for another date.

We could easily see a system similar setup year-round and set to low capacities and pricing varying in an effort to disperse the crowds. The only concern would be putting something for pass holders in place to allow them to make reservations.

One thing the park did that helps with social distancing - kind of - is the way passes are issued. It is my understanding that you can now use the print out you have at home for your pass indefinitely. No more going to Guest Relations and no more having to redeem at a kiosk, unless you wanted to.
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Flex pricing would be a good way for the park to handle non-members wanting to come. Higher prices on Fri-Sun, lower Mon-Th. Then as time gets closer, days start to fill up, the prices can flex some and they increase to some degree based on being close to state set capacity, closer to the day, the popularity of the day.
 
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warfelg said:
Flex pricing would be a good way for the park to handle non-members wanting to come. Higher prices on Fri-Sun, lower Mon-Th. Then as time gets closer, days start to fill up, the prices can flex some and they increase to some degree based on being close to state set capacity, closer to the day, the popularity of the day.
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This is exactly what BGW tried to do for Christmas Town a couple years ago. From what I understand, it was all handled manually though—once a day marketing would go in and change the prices. I imagine the lack of an automated system to handle the price elasticity was a big reason we saw the system abolished after a single season.
 
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Back when BGW was having concerts at the Royal Palace Theater they regularly didnt save enough seats for the "reserved seating with meet and greet"that they sold. Thats a pretty simple process yet they regularly screwed it up so not very confident that could do it on a large scale.
 
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Honestly couldn't find a good enough place to put this, so since we can't be in the park for this:
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Idk if this has been discussed on this thread yet, but would it be beneficial to write letters to local and state level congressmen and women for a potential financial bailout or stimulus regarding the amusement industry (i.e busch)?
 
Possibly, but it is important to do this carefully so that one does not come off sounding like a whining fanboy.

I think @warfelg had some positive experience with this?
 
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Jahrules said:
Possibly, but it is important to do this carefully so that one does not come off sounding like a whining fanboy.

I think @warfelg had some positive experience with this?
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More positive with medical employees than amusement industry but yes I have written and have heard back. Basically isn’t much of a worry at the moment.
 
SeaWorld had a page with a formletter asking for certified Zoos to be included in one of the Stimulus bills at some point. I can't find it anymore right now, but it had a few good points that you could make to your politicians.
 
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SWO is likely much closer to opening. We don't know what phase parks will be allowed or when that phase could be. Florida is actively encouraging their parks to open. But I hope we see something soon!
 
BGW website currently shows park opening June 13th, whereas BGT website shows June 1st. Not sure how many times those opening dates have been pushed back, but that is what the calendars are showing. Agree that Florida will happen before Virginia, but one interesting note having to do with lack of international travel this summer is Discovery Cove is only taking reservations Friday - Monday all summer long, with first date being available June 1st.
 
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BGW showed June 1st when I looked... yesterday? So this is new.

EDIT: Counterpoint... Water Country USA says the 13th now too... and I don't think ANYONE thinks that is happening... right?

EDIT 2: Busch Gardens Tampa, Adventure Island, SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando, and Discovery Cove all say the 1st. SeaWorld San Antonio and Aquatica San Antonio say the 6th. SeaWorld San Diego and Aquatica San Diego have the 28th listed. Sesame Place Pennsylvania is listing the 15th.

I'm going to take these dates as the "soonest possible" still till we hear more.
 
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For what it is worth, I have been watching the sites, and they extended the dates after the initial closure through end of April. Beginning at the beginning of May, they began pushing the dates out by 2 or so weeks at a time. Hopefully these new dates reflect a more accurate picture of potential soonest opening date.
 
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The 13th makes sense to me to advertise because that's the first Saturday after the "lock down" is supposed to end on June 10th. Is that going to happen? Oh, absolutely not, but I could see the logic in putting a reasonable date out into the aether.
 
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