Delayed Opening

[ecosta]

Hi,

We went to the park on Friday, and after getting there at 10, we were surprised to find many of the areas not yet open. Germany and Italy did not open until 10:45! Is this something that happens often? The hours on the website are listed at 10. Is there any way to know a head of time what days will have delayed openings?

Thanks!

 

[Nicole]

RE: Delayed Openings???

Yes, the park does staggered openings. So, very often, you can not get beyond Heatherdowns when the park first opens.

 

[Bama]

If you look on the back of the park map you get at the park on the back they list the opening times for each section.

 

[ecosta]

Thanks, guys. It was frustrating that the delayed opening was not listed a head of time or somewhere you could see before getting to the park - especially when you're trying to plan a day to visit when coming from out of town. :-(

 

[VonDerrick]

Why is it important for people to run to the back of the park as soon as it opens? That seems to be where everyone is running, making the back of the park more crowded. Why start in the back instead of starting at the front?

 

[Mushroom]

As someone who has been visiting the park my entire life, I agree with you, ecosta. Not only does the park not publish the individual village opening times, they switch them up from day to day, making it impossible for even the most seasoned guest to predict when each part of the park will open. It's incredibly frustrating.

Often, I find it irritating not because the park opens later than published, but sometimes it opens earlier than what's posted online. For instance, during Spring Break I arrived a few minutes before the posted 10 o'clock opening time, hoping to be there at rope drop to get to InvadR before the line got too long. To my dismay, I arrived at the park and saw printed on the map that New France had actually opened at 9:30- and a massive line had already formed at the coaster.

As somebody who isn't exactly local to Busch Gardens, it isn't an option for me to simply leave earlier in order to make it for an ambiguous opening time that may or may not be accurate. I really wish the park would publish the village opening times online to ease the guesswork and frustration of first-time and long-time visitors alike.

 

[Nicole]

Why is it important for people to run to the back of the park as soon as it opens? That seems to be where everyone is running, making the back of the park more crowded. Why start in the back instead of starting at the front?

Typically, a majority of guests start at the front of the park and work their way to the back. So, reversing that improves your chances of getting short lines, at least to start.

Right now, I'd imagine a lot of people are sprinting to InvadR, hoping to beat the long lines.

 

[ecosta]

Why is it important for people to run to the back of the park as soon as it opens? That seems to be where everyone is running, making the back of the park more crowded. Why start in the back instead of starting at the front?

We were there during a very hot day with a 3 year old, so I was hoping to maximize our time at the Land of Dragons before it got too hot.

 

[Unagi]

Why is it important for people to run to the back of the park as soon as it opens? That seems to be where everyone is running, making the back of the park more crowded. Why start in the back instead of starting at the front?

Well there is a brand new coaster back there. Go figure.

 

[VonDerrick]

Why is it important for people to run to the back of the park as soon as it opens? That seems to be where everyone is running, making the back of the park more crowded. Why start in the back instead of starting at the front?

Well there is a brand new coaster back there.  Go figure.

This is something I noticed BEFORE InvadR, obviously people want to ride it first or before the line gets too long.

I think the park doesn't let people know about the delayed openings because they use them as a crowd control tool. If everyone shows up right before the posted time, then you get a large group of people clogging up an area. Better to open early without warning so that people aren't crowding the entrance on busy days. Opening later, I can't think of a reason except maybe to save some money or for some type of maintenance work?

 

[Nicole]

I think it is to save money on staffing. If Oktoberfest opens later, they can wait to have people set up and manning attractions. Possibly, the same staff can work from the front to the back of the park prepping the areas, ahead of the crowds.

But all of this is just my best guess. Soneone with previous experience working at the park might have better insight.

 

[Unagi]

This is something I noticed BEFORE InvadR,

You can blame the installation of Griffon for that. I remember the first weeks it opened, it seemed like everyone who entered the park just funneled (via Killarney and Wild Reserve) into Aquitaine at opening. And this lasted for many years. The addition of InvadR is starting that habit back up again.

 

[Zimmy]

Griffon ruins everything. (this is why we can't have nice things...)

I am fairly certain there is a post about Griffon ruining everything around here somewhere...