Das Festhaus

[Jonesta6]

The menu is always pared down and simplified during HOS from the spring and summer. It's happened every year for as long as can be remembered. It helps to increase the speed of lines and simplifies food production to keep up with demand.

Maybe it's a case of labor and not product supply being the issue. Of course, then again they usually make huge batches of everything anyways, so I'd guess it's a lack of staff cooking than it is any front-line service employee you actually see.

However, the changes to the sandwich sound like something else because it's not hard to sling a handful of ingredients into a bun and stick chips on the plate to go with: rinse and repeat a billion times.

 

[WDWRLD]

When we ate there the other day they had a very paired down menu then were out of many things including the Corned Beef Sandwitch. Behind the counter there were only 2 people workind, one making turkey sandwitches and keeping desserts stocked then one other person serving hot food. It was a very slow process and checkout lines were even longer, basically we got drinks and took one step and was in line to pay.

 

[BGW Family]

So, is my memory fading even more, or did we miss this later in the year at Christmas Town, or has it been there and I can add blindness to my ailments? Otherwise, someone has been doing some heavy touch up painting on the 'ole gal according to the virtual background images.

 

[Mwe BGW]

They repainted the murals on the festhaus, you can see from griffon.

 

[warfelg]

Its sounding like lost of areas got touch ups during the extra time off. Hopefully the inside got some TLC.

 

[Mushroom]

They repainted the murals on the festhaus, you can see from griffon.

I heard they painted the Entwined characters on them.

 

[Mwe BGW]

Has anyone seen the murals around the park?

 

[CastleOSullivan]

This is still a work in progress, but here are photos of the facades in their entirety on the left and right side of Das Festhaus.

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[Merboy]

I couldn't be more in love with this. THANK YOU for this!

 

[boston191]

 

[ludmarco]

Ahh the memories of eating cheese pizza with a side of mozzarella sticks

 

[r757chan]

Ahh the memories of eating cheese pizza with a side of mozzarella sticks

I remember dipping the mozzarella sticks into cheese sauce. As a kid I think the festhaus really was the main thing we looked forward to when going.

 

[ludmarco]

I remember dipping the mozzarella sticks into cheese sauce. As a kid I think the festhaus really was the main thing we looked forward to when going.

I remember always silently hoping we’d eat there, but I was too afraid to admit it because it was “theme park food”

 

[Jonesta6]

I don't think the moz sticks were a thing in my formative years (or were too expensive so I never noticed), but fond memories of the true mile high sandwich or splitting some fries ordered from the pizza line.

 

[Mwe BGW]

Here is one of the soundtrack records for sale: https://www.discogs.com/Festhaus-Band-Oktoberfest-Live/release/13049338

 

[FestHaus Enthusiast]

Can't wait to go back!

 

[Jonesta6]

Sneaky contractor?

I read in the Busch family biography that the original Das Festhaus (Tampa, I believe) was built as a gift from Gussie to his wife as a way to more easily partake in the community customs of her homeland.

 

[CastleOSullivan]

Sneaky contractor?

I read in the Busch family biography that the original Das Festhaus (Tampa, I believe) was built as a gift from Gussie to his wife as a way to more easily partake in the community customs of her homeland.

Tampa’s Festhaus opened in the 1980’s, after the one in Williamsburg.

I think the place in Tampa that you’re referring to is what used to be called the Old Swiss House. It was given to August Busch‘s wife as either a Valentine’s or anniversary present. I wouldn’t say it’s quite the same as Das Festhaus, but it had Swiss/German food, so I suppose it’s possible that it may have inspired the early DFH menu in some way. Some of the DFH architecture on the outside also looks similar to the OSH, FWIW. I would go as far as to say that DFH’s exterior is a composite of the Löwenbrau beer tent in Munich and the old Swiss house at Busch Gardens Tampa.

To further add fuel to the potential tie in between the two establishments, Busch Gardens Tampa re-themed the OSH as soon as they opened their Festhaus.

 

[ludmarco]

On BGW’s website, Das Festhaus is open. Has anyone been in recently to know if that gift shop inside is still set up?

 

[Rothbury]

Yes, the gift shop inside the Festhaus is open.