Busch Gardens Williamsburg Membership Program
- Thread starter Nicole
- Start date
Good article, it seems that they are not thinking past the day any more. They only do and say what will get them though the day and worry about the consequences tomorrow. I had hoped with the increased presence on Twitter and FB since the beginning of 2018 and with the new park president opening a Twitter account the park was going to be more interactive but that has appeared to only be true when its a kiss up remark. The park president hasn't replied to one thing that I have seen. Information is at the worst I have ever see at BGW, it really does ruin the park experience when you feel like the management is peeking through the windows at you in the park and laughing that they got another one over on the park guests.Nicole said:
If they don't, this all becomes far worse.
Ultimately though, what they need to do is open up the rewards program to all membership holders. Busch Gardens Tampa and Adventure Island season passes are cheaper than Williamsburg's Unlimited Membership (BGW & WCUSA equivalent) yet they get far more perks and have a longer operating calendar.
Check out their monthly membership rewards program: Link
BGT can offer all of that yet BGW can't spare two single ride QuickQueues and a free digital photo download for everyone who took a chance on their new, seemingly faith-based membership program?
It's bullshit. Plain and simple.
Ultimately though, what they need to do is open up the rewards program to all membership holders. Busch Gardens Tampa and Adventure Island season passes are cheaper than Williamsburg's Unlimited Membership (BGW & WCUSA equivalent) yet they get far more perks and have a longer operating calendar.
Check out their monthly membership rewards program: Link
BGT can offer all of that yet BGW can't spare two single ride QuickQueues and a free digital photo download for everyone who took a chance on their new, seemingly faith-based membership program?
It's bullshit. Plain and simple.
There's always a chance they'll announce benefits at any time. However, the fact that they announced this before benefits is an optics issue in the best light.
Sky said:
Yes, they could, and we asked Marketing that specific question.
The biggest issue for me isn’t whether Members get perks; it is the fact that those who already joined don’t get these benefits.
That wouldn’t be as big a deal, if the Summer Rewards weren’t worth more than the discount that was offered in March. But, the fact is that despite Marketing’s specific promises, those who switched early did not get the best deal.
I'm curious....what other park chains do? Are they all park-by-park like SEAS seems to do? Or it it a chain wide you get the same benefits for the same level and price depends on home park? Or is it sliding perks and price per park?
I'm gonna go on the side of I think it's going to be same perks, different prices within a chain.
As for the CS issues, I think it more has to do with a lack of communication than anything else. They are helpful when I call, even if they aren't sure what to do. Worst case I go to the park and talk to someone there. This is why I don't think SEAS has a great structure where every park gets to do their own thing. My KD pass, if I go to KD, call the number, or show up at another park; I get the same answers to the same questions with the same perks.
I'm gonna go on the side of I think it's going to be same perks, different prices within a chain.
As for the CS issues, I think it more has to do with a lack of communication than anything else. They are helpful when I call, even if they aren't sure what to do. Worst case I go to the park and talk to someone there. This is why I don't think SEAS has a great structure where every park gets to do their own thing. My KD pass, if I go to KD, call the number, or show up at another park; I get the same answers to the same questions with the same perks.
I can't even...
[tweet=https://twitter.com/BGWFans/status/983858642041663488]
THEY ARE PAYING RETAIL PRICE! THEY ARE NOT ENTITLED TO EXTRA FOR PAYING RETAIL PRICE!
The only reason the introductory offer existed was to encourage people to take a leap of faith and trust that the park would get everything sorted out. We got $24 off for the year because we were the guinea pigs. Apparently those who join in April—the ones who won't have to sit on the phone for three hours—the ones who won't have to drive to the park before they open for the season to upgrade—those people are apparently even more valuable to the park than the beta testers.
[tweet=https://twitter.com/BGWFans/status/983858642041663488]
THEY ARE PAYING RETAIL PRICE! THEY ARE NOT ENTITLED TO EXTRA FOR PAYING RETAIL PRICE!
The only reason the introductory offer existed was to encourage people to take a leap of faith and trust that the park would get everything sorted out. We got $24 off for the year because we were the guinea pigs. Apparently those who join in April—the ones who won't have to sit on the phone for three hours—the ones who won't have to drive to the park before they open for the season to upgrade—those people are apparently even more valuable to the park than the beta testers.
Zachary said:
I’m not familiar with any other major parks but I had to research Six Flags in NJ for work last week and I was blown away by how much more you get with their passes, *especially* their top tier pass, and at a much lower cost than BGW. I don’t know how the parks compare, but as a Premier member I definitely felt a little twinge comparing the packages to what we get at our cost. It’s not Disney-level money, but it’s a hefty chunk of change.
Regarding the new promotion, yeah that kind of pisses me off too. I have a feeling they didn’t get as many new members as they’d hoped, whether people didn’t sign up because of the change or because they literally were not able to during the fiasco. This feels like a Hail Mary move to try and get those numbers up. Still, it is a shady move.
Anyway, thanks to the team here for sticking up for what’s right. Anyone who thinks you “shill” for the park needs to read that article because that is definitely not the case.
Yikes. I don't get why the needed to say something like that. Why? They shouldn't have done jack for the people that wait to change. That's their own fault IMO.
I dunno, I guess my frustration continues to bee this feeling from the park to be fair to everyone. They let people hold onto old rates for a long time, then when switching they offered a discount 'to be fair', and now they are offering this 'to be fair'.
Yeesh. When any of my utilities raise their rates they don't do anything to make it 'fair'. When we raise rates at work we don't offer long term customers discount 'to be fair'.
Not sure why the park feels they need to be different. Especially with the troubles they are having.
I dunno, I guess my frustration continues to bee this feeling from the park to be fair to everyone. They let people hold onto old rates for a long time, then when switching they offered a discount 'to be fair', and now they are offering this 'to be fair'.
Yeesh. When any of my utilities raise their rates they don't do anything to make it 'fair'. When we raise rates at work we don't offer long term customers discount 'to be fair'.
Not sure why the park feels they need to be different. Especially with the troubles they are having.
warfelg said:
This is what annoys me the most about all of this.
Frankly, I expected the park to backslide on their commitment to price and perk equality in a few years and dig themselves back into the hole that they found themselves in before this new program. That said, I never expected them to go back to their old ways TWO MONTHS later.
It's incomprehensible to me. They just got done painfully ripping off the bandaid and enduring a firestorm of controversy to get out of the corner thay backed themselves into and, here we are, two months later, and the park is already walking right back into that same corner again. Absolutely dumbfounding.
I've had some time to think this over, and I am pretty upset about it. I, personally, pushed for everyone I know to switch to the membership program because I toted that we'd be FINALLY getting all the same perks that BGT and SWO got now that everyone will be paying the same. I look like an IDIOT with my friends right now. I can only pray, they redeem some shred of decency and announce something soon. This makes me happy I bought the season long Shoppers Pass they offered. By the way, does anyone know what a single day shoppers pass costs?? Now I'm questioning if it was a real deal. I usually buy some type of merchandise every visit, so it will pay for itself regardless.
musicman3204 said:
I did the math on the discounted Shoppers Pass at the 2017 Pass Member Preview and it made numeric sense. I think it still does.
And trust me, we know how you feel. BGWFans were pretty much the only ones defending the park, when they announced the Membership program.
Makes me wonder what the May, June, July and so on incentives will be. And depending on how desperate they get in December before the end to get people switched over.
I have read the whole thread and the BGWFans articles, but am a little lost - what was the final (or, final to this point) outcome on the refunds/discounts - who qualified for those, as best as you guys can tell? Was it folks who recently bought a pass under the old program, and paid in full rather than signing up for EZ Pay? Still trying to wrap my head around those refunds, or park credits, or whatever they were -- and now this Summer Membership thing.
Gah, BGW, get it together! Though I'm one who always expects inconsistent information and treatment from CS ... never get the same story twice with BGW on much of anything, big or small.
Gah, BGW, get it together! Though I'm one who always expects inconsistent information and treatment from CS ... never get the same story twice with BGW on much of anything, big or small.
You would think with all the troubles SEAS is having with attendance, especially at flagship Sea World Orlando, they would focus on CS a lot more. This change in what is being offered is a slap in the face to all of us and is yet again another realization of what they really think of us.
As stated before they should have offered a little more for the switch to unlimited and like any sale, snooze you lose. They just failed on so many levels; no online options to sign up, long waits to call, misinformation, double billing, to refund or not refund ... :irritated:
I really hope they get it together and correct this. On a side note they still have not set the date for the ChristmasTown Dash and from the Facebook page they have said they have problems with selecting the date with the park and its partners. With all the fails from the park this does and does not surprise me.
As stated before they should have offered a little more for the switch to unlimited and like any sale, snooze you lose. They just failed on so many levels; no online options to sign up, long waits to call, misinformation, double billing, to refund or not refund ... :irritated:
I really hope they get it together and correct this. On a side note they still have not set the date for the ChristmasTown Dash and from the Facebook page they have said they have problems with selecting the date with the park and its partners. With all the fails from the park this does and does not surprise me.