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Sep 5, 2010
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RICHMOND
In 1969, Donald and Doris Fisher opened a record store in San Francisco. As an interesting add-on, the Fishers also decided that their store ought to stock a peculiar item; the couple sold blue jeans.

This little record store, which the pair dubbed "The Gap", soon became a much better outlet for denim than for vinyl. Now, you can walk in and buy jeans in over 3,000 GAP stores across the globe, but you won't find a record in any of them.

Record stores, in my experience, tend to have their own little crowds that, for whatever particular reason, choose to hang around; they derive an identity from their association. Maybe it's the particular stock of the store, or the element of the local scene it represents. I can imagine that as the record stock got smaller, and the jean selection got wider, those who'd chosen "The Gap" as their "home" record store started to feel a little homeless. Some migrated to other stores, I'm sure, but some would certainly have become record store hobos, who mostly just complained about the loss of "The Gap" to consumer culture and fashion.

But "The Gap" became GAP nonetheless.

I said all that to say this -- after today's trip to the park, I'm ready to say something I never thought I'd say:

Busch Gardens is as good today as it has ever been.

Today, I realized that Busch Gardens is no longer "The Gap", and I had become a record store hobo. The "record store" version of Busch Gardens that I remember was a quiet, quaint, sparsely populated and slow-moving themed park that replicated in romantic fashion Shakespearean - Edwardian Europe. In my mind, Busch Gardens has remained the record store since I first fell in love with it, despite the fact that the record collection has been steadily shrinking. What I've been neglecting to notice is the influx of high quality jeans into the stock room. Today I realized that the record store closed a while ago. They sell jeans now, and they're pretty nice ones.

What do I mean? I mean that today's Busch Gardens is not the sleepy historic park I loved. Busch Gardens today is a vibrant, colorful, bustling and modern theme park, which uses an anachronistic and cartoonish European fantasyland as a background for amusements and spectacle.

And they do a good job of it. All around, I noticed families having fun. Smiling. I was at the park with my wife, our daughters, a couple of our friends and their children. We never ran out of things to do. While I've lamented the addition of Sesame Street into my "vintage vinyl shop", I realized today that there's a reason it's there. No, it most certainly does not fit into the record store. BUT THE GAP IS NOT A RECORD STORE. Like the first fashion mannequin at The Gap, shoehorned into some space between the classic rock and roll and the modern hippie stuff, it was, at first, out of place. But Sesame Street, like the mannequin, was not a permanent alien...it was the advanced guard of a new direction. Sesame Street was colorful, loud, busy and fun. Soon, other things came. When Big Bad Wolf was removed, it wasn't replaced with old German folklore. At the time, the addition of the 20th century specific Verbolten seemed a sore thumb in the quiet German hamlet. So we complained. But the pretzel stand went up too. And Oktoberfest was transformed into a Bavarian storybook. And there are butterflies. And there's a 250 ft maypole. Aquitaine is France. The Globe dropped the 18th century pirate tale in favor of the Beatles.

Taken individually, each of these changes really bothered me, because I kept thinking to myself "jeans don't belong in a record store." Today, I realized that it's not a record store any more, and all of these mannequins and models actually do belong right where they are.

Why do I say it's as good now as ever? Well, I was not, today, immersed in the Europe of the past. But I had lots of fun. In fact, I had more fun than I've had at the park in many years. The experience was totally different, of course. It wasn't escapism into a fantasy world, as much as it was escaping into a world of play. Where the old Busch Gardens was a heavy experience, this one is light, whimsical, frivolous. And people seemed to genuinely enjoy it.

I wondered to myself: is this better? And I had to conclude that perhaps, yes, it is. Maybe today, what people want most is simply a colorful place to play around. Several times, I found myself reminded of Walt Disney's original impetus for building Disneyland. Walt wanted to build a place where parents and children could play together. That was the genesis of Disneyland, and, by extension, the genesis of all the clones and copies and imitators in the country (of which Busch Gardens is one). I wondered if perhaps, at some point, fans of the Europe-immersion concept (myself included) had not allowed our love of an ideal take precedence over the function of the space: to provide a place for fun.

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. For certain, theme provides a logic to a park. The brain interprets visual noise the same as it does audial. It is important, then, the provide structure for the environment, to create a story-skeleton on which to hang the park experience. For this reason, I still believe that sticking to a theme is of central importance to theme park development and I still hate King's Dominion. However, what IS the theme of Busch Gardens? I believe that I have been laboring under the misconception that the theme has not changed since 1976...but the theme most certainly has. The new theme is more forgiving...more elastic...has more flexibility. The old Busch Gardens was a place of structure and, to an extent, rules. I liked that, because I'm a bookish kind of guy. I am becoming a history teacher. I used to have a season's pass to Colonial Williamsburg. I go on plantation tours for weekend fun. I'm not alone, certainly, but I'm bound to be in the minority.

This is not to say that I don't think the park has problems. Of course it does. I think the park's potential is met unevenly. I don't like the shows that are being produced nearly as well as shows from the past (some of which I think fit perfectly well with the modern model). And I'll continue to criticize this wasted potential. But the one major thing I have criticized is the way that modern changes have been "destroying" the park by neglecting or poorly fitting the theme as I understood it. Today I realized that when I step back and look at it with new eyes (those of my non-BGWFan friends and our children), all of the changes of the last several years have not destroyed the park. They've simply changed it into something else; something else which, I realized today, I really do like quite a lot.

I guess I could say that while I've lost a place to hang around and listen to music, I've found a pretty cool place to shop for pants.
 
Money, reading your post is simply amazing. I love it. I really love the way you compared the park to The Gap. Honestly, this is starting to change my opinion of things. I quite honestly never thought of things the way you just explained them until now and I must say that I completely agree.

I know I've seen a handful of people write comments on the Busch Gardens Facebook page in regards to what happened to "The Olde Country" and old world Europe. Some people have questioned what does these new additions have to do with that theme. I kept repeating to myself that the theme they spoke of died somewhere near 2009.

I've also said to myself and I think I mentioned it somewhere as well, the park has been in an awkward transition stage where they are redefining their brand. People have criticized this idea. Honestly though it really makes sense to me now. They truly have redefined their brand as bright, happy, friendly, and most importantly FUN. A lot of emphasis is going into the word fun in the park's marketing plans. "Spring into Fun", "99 Days of Summer Fun". I can imagine that is their goal, to be a place of fun.

That said, I do agree that extremely detailed theming is really cool and neat, but that does nothing for me unless I am having fun and enjoying myself.

Great, great post Money!
 
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Fantastic post, sir. Wonderfully said. Your thesis of Busch Gardens simply being good at "something else" now is a very well-taken point, and frankly I think a great deal of my issues with the park is that I simply haven't let go of what the park used to be. I'm just too sentimental. I guess for the most part Busch Gardens is good at being "Action Park Europe." It just doesn't interest me. I think my biggest issue is that I can't find Busch Gardens' "charm" anymore. It's nothing that can be measured, I can't explain it, but some of that feeling is gone. I can't find the park's soul anymore... hopefully some still can. Ah well. At least Kings Dominion still has things to do for people like me...

Anyway, great read! Applause, sir, applause!
 
Joe said:
I think my biggest issue is that I can't find Busch Gardens' "charm" anymore. It's nothing that can be measured, I can't explain it, but some of that feeling is gone. I can't find the park's soul anymore...

No doubt about it. Charm is one of those things that went by the wayside. And I don't mean that to be condescending...not everything that's good is charming. A similar criticism is sometimes made of The Magic Kingdom at Disney World vs. Disneyland. Having been to both, I can agree: Disneyland is quaint and charming. Disney World bowls you over with scope and grandeur.

The old Busch Gardens was quaint and charming. The new Busch Gardens takes a different aim.
 
To continue with your comparison, Money --


Unfortunately for me, I am passionate about my music and like to experience it frequently -- daily even. And purchase new music several times a month. Denim? Eh. I buy a few pairs of jeans or less a year. Not really passionate about them, either, though I know plenty of fashionistas are.

Case in point, I bought a few pairs of metaphorical BGW jeans early in the spring, and was really excited about them. Started posting here on the forum a lot about the BGW denim store and really felt "into" those jeans. Then after the two pair, I was done. Haven't been moved to go shopping again. So the BGW Gap must bank on a succession of new jeans buyers and possibly on hoping that at least some of them will want to buy multiple pairs. Meanwhile I've got iTunes ...
 
It's funny, because I was thinking something similar. Back in the early 00s, I wanted go to BGW all the time. For the past several years, however, when I've gone to Busch Gardens, I've had the "I'm good" feeling and not really felt compelled to return.

I spend pretty much all day in the park yesterday, and yet I'm excited sitting here thinking about going back.

That's a good sign.
 
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I just want to leave this very controversial question here:

Which version, the "old" Busch Gardens or the "new" Busch Gardens, is better for the park? Which do more people want to see?

Other than myself (a clear advocate for the former) I don't know what the better selling point for the park is these days.
 
I have no idea. I, personally, prefer the Old Country. I like that kind of thing. But as far as which version is more popular? Attendance may not even get at the question because there are other factors that can be at play.

Of course, the second question is *which* people? The park will certainly have strategies for attracting different demographics. It may be that locals, who represent more of the revenue (just an example...I don't know if that's the case) prefer the Old Country, BUT 80% of them will come no matter what the theme, and out of towners, who represent less of the stream but won't come at all if they don't like the theme, prefer the new direction.

Again, I'm not saying those are accurate representations of public opinion...just that linking up "which is better" with attendance/public opinion can be a murkier proposition than it would seem.
 
Money, I love the analogy you chose to compare The Old Country with the park as it exists today.

I had a similar revelation this year in that I noticed I am changing. Like many on this forum, I grew up with Busch Gardens in my backyard. I first visited the park around 1976 before The Loch Ness Monster when the Log Flume was the big attraction. I was 8 or 9 years old. During a school trip in my teens I played Pac-Man in the Hastings arcade for the very first time. Today, I still have a favorite coaster and ride coasters almost every trip, but I noticed I now have some favorite spots to relax and people-watch. Wow, when did this happen? ;-D

Similarly, I was part of the original MTV generation. It was only a few years that MTV showed videos before they moved on to tailor their programming for the next generation. I think we are fortunate BGW has moved at a much slower pace.

No one has mentioned Christmastown in this thread, but I REALLY loved seasons 2 and 3 of it and found much of the romance, charm, and slower pace of the original park in those visits.
 
Excellent post Money, I agree with all of it. You know, as much as I dislike the new direction the park is taking(notice my lack of posts in the BGW section over the last 9 months) I still have fun every time I go, maybe its because its a place where I can be free of the stress of life and just simply hang out with friends and family. The park still has some charm, its not six flags level of gaudy or anything even close to it. I LOVE CT, and imo it is the best addition the park has done in the last 15 years. Now, it certainly has lost a lot of charm, but sometimes you spend so much time looking at the negatives you lose sight of the fact that their are still positives.
 
I'm pretty much the same way as Ben here. I still always enjoy myself at the park; there is still plenty to do, see, hear, and (of course) taste. There is still a lot of charm in the park, and I would be lying through my teeth if I said the park doesn't have character. Very few parks have the character and originality that Busch Gardens Williamsburg has. While I have noticed a lot of what I consider to be "charm" (that unmeasurable measurement, that unquantifiable quantity) has been removed in favor of more generic things for the sake of making a few quick dollars, I do still have a good time at the park. Whenever I smell chlorine, I think of Rhinefeld. Whenever I hear bagpipes, I think of Heatherdowns. The first thing that pops into my mind when I smell barbecue is New France. That wouldn't happen if I didn't love the park.

I think part of my problem is that my mind still expects record store-era Busch Gardens quality. Maybe Busch Gardens isn't trying to stay on the level of Florida's greatest theme parks anymore, maybe they are now settling for quality to compete with Kings Dominion. That's why I get so emotional and passionate (negatively or positively) about certain things Busch Gardens does. It's because they are no longer living up to a now nonexistent standard, but they are living up to a completely different standard that they have now set their sights on. And that's fine, they are simply taking a different approach nowadays. I know which approach I prefer, but that doesn't mean I don't like the new approach.

There's nothing that compares to sailing along the Rhine, getting such an immersive feeling of the different villages (even Epcot takes a different approach from Busch Gardens here), or just taking in the sights, the smells, and the sounds of the park.

Since it's become obvious at this point that I may have a slight favor towards Kings Dominion's direction nowadays, I'm sure some are wondering why I don't just shut up and go to just Kings Dominion. Well, for one thing Kings Dominion--even with the marvelous improvements they have made--still hasn't earned the respect that I have for Busch Gardens. As I said, I still have high (maybe unrealistic) expectations for Busch Gardens. While my expectations for Kings Dominion will continue to rise so long as KD stays on the path they're headed (maybe even to the point where their quality equals that of BGW... the day could be closer than you think), I still don't have as high of expectations from them, because until recently I haven't been given any reason to. Will that change someday? We shall see. But for now, I still hold Busch Gardens on a level all on its own. I love Busch Gardens. I will love the park until the end of time. I will always visit the park, because there are some things (maybe some day, things that will be just memories) that cannot be taken away.

Party Rocker mentioned that he hated This Is Oktoberfest in another thread. I don't mean to call him out, because I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that in the slightest. However, it opened my eyes to the fact that people just don't appreciate the old, classy, simple approaches that the park used to take. Maybe flashier, more familiar things like Entwined and Killarney Kommotion are what people want to pay to see these days. Times are changing. One thing that differentiates Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion is their coaster count. "GP" folk certainly go to parks for coasters. Maybe without an abundance of coasters to attract the public, Busch Gardens needs to resort to familiarizing the park with modern stuff (for lack of a better phrase, "dumbing down" the park) to keep money coming in. Maybe this is why Kings Dominion can resort to older, non-"hip" things and still stay in business. Perhaps Busch Gardens does not have such a luxury.

It almost seems like the park doesn't know what it wants to do with itself. Maybe it really doesn't. As I too have cut back slightly on my infatuation with the park, I fear my interest is beginning to weaken. I fear BGW's fan base is weakening. I have made this comparison before, and I will make it again. Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens used to be on the same level. When Paramount bought Kings Dominion, though, the park fell way off track. What made the park so special was ripped out in favor of "hip" things like coasters and thrill rides. Sure, people still came, but nowhere near as many people as how many used to come. Seeing as Kings Dominion is still digging their way out of this deep ditch, I don't want the same thing to happen to Busch Gardens. I don't want to have to hide in the woodwork as a fan for twenty-something odd years before things change like Kings Dominion.

...but what is the "right" direction? Last year the park's attendance dropped 13% in attendance, but there easily could have been factors other than quality involved (like the Colonial Williamsburg issue). Perhaps only time will tell.

Whatever happens, I do know that I will always love Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
 
Joe said:
Party Rocker mentioned that he hated This Is Oktoberfest in another thread. I don't mean to call him out, because I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that in the slightest. However, it opened my eyes to the fact that people just don't appreciate the old, classy, simple approaches that the park used to take. Maybe flashier, more familiar things like Entwined and Killarney Kommotion are what people want to pay to see these days. Times are changing. One thing that differentiates Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion is their coaster count. "GP" folk certainly go to parks for coasters. Maybe without an abundance of coasters to attract the public, Busch Gardens needs to resort to familiarizing the park with modern stuff (for lack of a better phrase, "dumbing down" the park) to keep money coming in. Maybe this is why Kings Dominion can resort to older, non-"hip" things and still stay in business. Perhaps Busch Gardens does not have such a luxury.

Joe,

I know this comes as no surprise, but I object to some of your assumptions here. I am not quibbling with the gestalt of you post, but some of your assertions made me uncomfortable.

First, on the issue of TIO. I don't like it either, and that doesn't mean I prefer KK and Entwined. I was so upset by TIO as a child, that I still actively avoid the Festhaus. You know how I feel about the park shows, in general. Disliking BGW's theatrical nightmares, however, does not mean I dislike the charm of the Old Country. And I would hesitate to call any show in a theme park "classy." I think that word gets thrown around far too much here.

Second, about roller coasters and the GP. I don't think we need to go down the rabbit hole of how offensive I find the term "GP," again. We've pretty well beaten it to death. So, if we accept the term, I still question your comments about my beloved roller coasters. I know you didn't say this explicitly, but there seems to be an implication in your post that going to a theme park for the roller coasters demonstrates a lower level of taste. I am certain that the are several coaster enthusiasts who are regular contributors to this forum. There is nothing wrong with loving the rush of a thrill ride. Wanting to spend time on coasters has nothing to do with your expectations for the park and it's quality. I was willing to defend KD before it became trendy, but I would never claim it is as lovely as BGW. Yet, riding the coasters will always be a priority for me.

I think in the end I object to the implied criticism of someone who loves the park differently than you.
 
Nic, I definitely see where your coming from, but I think your rushing to conclusions on what Joe implied to say. I don't think he ever implied to put people down who didn't agree with him. Trust me, no one person loves Busch Gardens in the exact same way. At one time I loved Busch Gardens only for the coasters, and a bit for the atmosphere. Every time I used to go to Busch Gardens, I just wanted to ride all the rides, it really wasn't until last year when I really started to develop an interest for the shows, and everything else the park had to offer.

Joe was making a point from his point of view on this situation. That doesn't necessarily mean he was aiming at any one person, or group. We all like different things about he park, we all look at it from different aspects, different viewpoints.

I LOVE TIO as a lot of you may know, and I do disagree with you wholeheartedly Nic, but I already understand you're not a fan of most shows in general, even if I find the show to be spectacular. I respect your opinion, but I don't see it your way, like you don't see it mine. That doesn't mean Joe or I are criminalizing you for how you see the park and the shows.
 
Nicole said:
First, on the issue of TIO.  I don't like it either, and that doesn't mean I prefer KK and Entwined.

You may not, although others did. That's not to make assumptions. I merely intended to point out that there is a demographic that does not care for shows like This Is Oktoberfest, but are more attracted to shows like KK.

I was so upset by TIO as a child, that I still actively avoid the Festhaus.  You know how I feel about the park shows, in general.  Disliking BGW's theatrical nightmares, however, does not mean I dislike the charm of the Old Country.

Not sure what's so upsetting about these shows, but that's your opinion, so whatever. :p  

And I would hesitate to call any show in a theme park "classy."  I think that word gets thrown around far too much here.
 

Check out any of the shows (past or present) in main season Abbey Stone and get back to me on that. ;)

Second, about roller coasters and the GP.  I don't think we need to go down the rabbit hole of how offensive I find the term "GP," again.  We've pretty well beaten it to death.

If I remember correctly, "lowest common denominator" was the debatable term. As far as I am concerned, "GP" simply refers to the general public, not super-fans like us.

So, if we accept the term, I still question your comments about my beloved roller coasters.  I know you didn't say this explicitly, but there seems to be an implication in your post that going to a theme park for the roller coasters demonstrates a lower level of taste.  I am certain that the are several coaster enthusiasts who are regular contributors to this forum.  There is nothing wrong with loving the rush of a thrill ride.  

Check out some of my old posts when you get a chance, and see what I always talked about. I love roller coasters, and as a huge B&M fan Busch Gardens is one of my favorite coaster spots. I actually am a pretty nutty coaster enthusiast, I just don't comment on them much because they are not constantly changing like shows and atmosphere of the park. Busch Gardens has a stellar coaster collection.

Wanting to spend time on coasters has nothing to do with your expectations for the park and it's quality.  I was willing to defend KD before it became trendy, but I would never claim it is as lovely as BGW.  Yet, riding the coasters will always be a priority for me.

I probably should have been clearer, because that was not what I was getting at. In fact, you make a good example for me. Lots of people (particularly those in the general public) do not go to the parks for shows, but love the rides. I used to mainly go for rides before I started liking the shows. However, people are attracted to rides and a larger ride lineup is bound to attract guests. That is quite literally all I was trying to say.

I think in the end I object to the implied criticism of someone who loves the park differently than you.

I certainly hope an argument doesn't start over this, but the intent of my post was not at all to criticize. I want to apologize to PR if he feels as though I singled him out, because that was not my intention. I merely wished to use him as an example to explain my point. In fact, my intention was not to criticize at all but to point out how people love the park for different reasons. I hope you understand.

If you have any more questions I will be happy to discuss with you over PM. ;)
 
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Joe I never said I hated it, only that I dislike it. That also in no way means I prefer Entwined or Killarney Kommotion. Yes I do enjoy flashy modern things, but Entwined no. Killarney Kimmotion had potential but it wasn't executed the way I would have preferred.
 
I appreciate the clarification. And I think we are all good.

As for GP, there is an entire thread on the subject. I personally like the term lowest common denominator.

Sorry if I am grumpy. I've had 6 hours of sleep in the past two days, and my mom is having surgery tomorrow.
 
Joe said:
Very few parks have the character and originality that Busch Gardens Williamsburg has. While I have noticed a lot of what I consider to be "charm" (that unmeasurable measurement, that unquantifiable quantity) has been removed in favor of more generic things for the sake of making a few quick dollars, I do still have a good time at the park.

I agree, Joe. When InBev purchased the park I was worried park quality including the landscaping would suffer. My worries were mostly unfounded. While some/all of the landscaping was outsourced it remains excellent. On our first visit that season we noticed paint colors were just a bit brighter. I have definitely noticed an increase in merchandising including more opportunities to purchase food, souvenirs, and definitely alcohol purchases.

A couple of the things I miss most today: smaller budget shows that spotlighted local singing talent and a chance to interact with park employees from around the world.

I did not know until reading this thread park attendance was down. I think admission and parking price increases are definitely a factor in lower attendance. Although I would be surprised if sales were not up overall with the increased prices and many more locations for alcohol sales.
 
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