I was digging through some old stuff and found something amazing. This is Busch Gardens Williamsburg's description of itself roughly 12 years ago.
The park has gone from writing that to erasing all branding from its hamlets in just over a decade. So, so incredibly sad.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg said:A WORLD OF THRILLS AND ADVENTURE WRAPPED IN THE CHARM OF 17TH-CENTURY EUROPE
BUSCH GARDENS WILLIAMSBURG
Your Passport to Adventure
Germany:
Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s German countryside is represented by two colorful and authentically recreated hamlets, Rhinefeld and Oktoberfest. Both sections offer traditional German entertainment, dining and shopping. These hamlets also feature thrilling rides and attractions for the entire family.
Rhinefeld offers authentic German ambiance with quaint cobblestone streets that give way to charming storefronts. At the German Gifts shop, the captivating M.I. Hummel figurines are on display. Busch Gardens Williamsburg is the only place outside of Germany authorized by Goebel Factory, the world-renowned creator of the Hummel figurines, to kiln fire Hummels hand painted by visiting master artisans.
More traditional German gifts can be found at Festhaus Mugs, which offers an assortment of imported German steins and cuckoo clocks. And a nearby visit to Das Gingerbread Haus complements any shopping excursion with tempting sweets.
In Rhinefeld, guests can enjoy a relaxing cruise on the Rhine River, visit an enchanting children’s area, The Land of the Dragons, and ride on one of the tallest, most twisted inverted roller coasters in the world, Alpengeist. But that’s not all. Sensational entertainment is just around the bend.
Guests looking for a little finger-snapping fun can groove to the rhythm of the Boogie Band in the heart of scenic Rhinefeld. And younger audiences will enjoy meeting the cast of "Captain Kangaroo’s Roo Crew Live." Familiar faces from the ever-popular children’s show will delight guests daily in the Dragon Tale Theatre, located in The Land of the Dragons children’s area.
The adventure continues in Oktoberfest where The Big Bad Wolf sends passengers racing through a deserted Bavarian village. Opening as the one of the world’s best suspended steel roller coasters, The Big Bad Wolf is still a favorite among thrill seekers. More thrills await aboard Wilde Maus, a single-car coaster that sends four guests on a colorful maze of revolving dips and white-knuckle hairpin turns.
Guests looking for more traditional German entertainment will enjoy the 2,000-seat Das Festhaus, which showcases an oompah-style band and authentic German dances along with the country’s finest cuisine. "Polka Mania" sweeps through Das Festhaus nightly during the summer months and invites audiences to participate in the spirit and song of Oktoberfest.
Whether a hearty appetite for thrills, shopping or feasting, Germany offers high-quality, world-renowned food, gifts and entertainment for the entire family.
Italy:
Guests indulge in the beauty and splendor of Old World Italy in the hamlets of San Marco and Festa Italia. A modern-day Italian opera in San Marco’s Italian Pavilion is the perfect complement to the area’s delicious cuisine. Guests can listen to dazzling musical productions such as "Holiday in Roma" while feasting on fresh pasta, cannelloni ala stella, eggplant parmesan or other authentic Italian dishes from the Ristorante della Piazza. Or, they can sit back and enjoy fine European wines, espresso, cappuccino and biscotti at Vino é Caffe. It’s Amoré after dark as the Italian Pavilion transforms into a world of romance and excitement. Guests can dance cheek-to-cheek under the moonlight or kick up their heels to the best of swing as the fabulous "Starlight Orchestra" takes guests back to yesteryear with all the favorite tunes of the big band era.
Beautifully crafted Italian art is abundant in San Marco as master artisans demonstrate Capodimonte porcelain floral sculpting and painting daily in the Bella Casa gift shop. Fine Italian imports, collectibles, Venetian carnival masks and traditional ceramics also are available in this charming shop.
Nearby thrills include Da Vinci’s Garden of Inventions, offering a variety of rides for guests of all ages. Guests also can experience the "rumbles" and "heat" of Escape From Pompeii, a fiery water expedition through the doomed city.
Even more adventure awaits in Festa Italia, a re-creation of a classic Italian street festival. Apollo’s Chariot, Busch Gardens’ newest attraction, is a hypercoaster featuring a total of 825 feet of vertical drops. Riders plunge to the earth at more than 70 mph and then shoot more than 140 feet straight to the stars.
And speaking of "taking a plunge," Festa Italia is a great place to be on a hot summer day. One of the park’s wettest and most popular rides, Roman Rapids, a white-water raft expedition, boards here carrying riders through waterways, mist and fog to a splash of a finish.
The Roman Freeze ice cream shop is a perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day, while La Cucina offers delicious Italian feasts sure to please.
France:
The charm and flair of France is captured in the hamlets of Aquitaine and New France. Shopping and dining in Aquitaine with its sidewalk artisans evokes the ambiance of Europe’s most storied region. Guests can relax with a steaming cup of espresso or cappuccino and homemade European desserts at Le Grande Gourmet or enjoy carved-to-order smoked turkey breast and delicious chicken entrees at Le Coq d’Or. Parents can sit back and relax as the children chauffeur them around the park’s scenic landscape on Le Mans Raceway. And an evening of spectacular entertainment can be found at the Royal Palace Theatre during the summer months.
In the rustic trader’s village of New France, guests will find the finest in leather gifts, glass sculpting and delicious barbecue. Traditional Native American gifts are beautifully displayed in the St. Lawrence Shipping Agency Trading Post and guests can create their own works of art by painting hand-crafted pieces at Caribou Pottery. Visitors to New France can sink their teeth into savory, hickory-smoked barbecue pork ribs or smoked beef brisket at the Three Rivers Smokehouse. More highlights of this French Canadian logging village include an antique photo studio and Le Scoot flume ride, featuring a 50-foot vertical plunge to a millpond. Headlining at the rustic Canadian Palladium theater in 2000 is "American Jukebox," a combination of favorite dances and musical hits from the ‘50s, outrageous tunes from the ’70s, and contemporary country and pop chart-toppers of the ’90s.
England:
Guests will receive the royal treatment in jolly old England. Quaint gift shops and a delightful bakery brimming with tasty treats tempt passersby in the village of Banbury Cross. There, shoppers can indulge in imported English soaps, scents and porcelain gifts at Her Majesty’s Fancy and research their family’s coat of arms at the Heraldry.
Delectable snacks are just a sweet scent away in Banbury Cross. The Muffin Man offers freshly baked muffins and pastries, while M. Sweets & Son serves up caramel and candied apples, homemade chocolates and fudge. Those looking for a variety of lighter fare will find mouth-watering sandwiches, refreshing salads and more at Squires Galley.
High-tech comedy sets sail in Banbury Cross with "Pirates," a swashbuckling, 4-D adventure that puts guests in the middle of the action as they experience sprays of water and a treasure trove of surprises during their journey with the sea’s most hapless band of cut-throats. "Pirates" is anchored at the park’s Globe Theatre.
Docking in the medieval village of Hastings is the award-winning song and dance review "Rockin’ The Boat." A mixture of pop tunes, from the ‘50s to the present, fill the park’s Magic Lantern Theatre. Colorful puppets, dramatic lighting effects and an electrifying finale complete this fantasy voyage. Outside the theatre, magic and fantasy spill into Hasting’s medieval streets and ancient boutiques. Wizard Works is an enchanting shop featuring mystical feats of wonder to amuse and amaze. Nearby, the Enchanted Laboratory invites audiences to witness magic and illusion beyond their wildest dreams. Home to young Northrup, apprentice to the royal alchemist, magician and soothsayer, Nostramos The Magnificent, the Enchanted Laboratory has a few surprises cooking for unsuspecting guests.
Rare and majestic birds of prey take center stage in "Falcons and Fables," which features free-flight demonstrations and hunting techniques of exotic birds and raptors.
Yet another amazing bird species is making its home at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 2000. Known for its brilliant plumage, the lorikeet takes flight in the park’s new interactive aviary. Accented by beautiful landscaping, the habitat welcomes guests to a uniquely engaging environment. Inside the aviary, guests become human perches as lorikeets alight on arms, shoulders and even heads.
The animal adventures continue at Busch Gardens Williamsburg as the park introduces guests to the plight of the gray wolf. Guests can enter the den of this exciting species and experience these fascinating animals first hand. An up-close encounter provides an interactive look at this amazing species and illustrates the need to conserve it.
"Reptales," an interactive reptile presentation, dispels many of the myths surrounding these animals. An intimate setting provides the perfect backdrop for Busch Gardens naturalists to describe the importance of preserving these species.
Scotland:
The Loch Ness Monster has been sited in the Scottish hamlet of Heatherdowns. The first steel roller coaster introduced with interlocking loops, "Nessie" is a double-looping steel marvel.
In addition to one of the country’s top-rated roller coasters, Heatherdowns features a host of activities designed for the entire family.
This picturesque hamlet is home to the world-famous Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales. Guests can catch a glimpse of these majestic animals as they frolic through the park’s lush pastures. And, families will enjoy watching pint-sized thrill seekers take a spin on one of the park’s most popular mini-rides, ‘Lil Clydes," while souvenir-seekers will enjoy spending time in Tweedside Gifts, a shop specializing in a wide variety of Scottish and Irish imports and Clydesdale souvenirs.
The park has gone from writing that to erasing all branding from its hamlets in just over a decade. So, so incredibly sad.