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On a related/unrelated note, ran into Kevin when I was there and voiced my displeasure with how he’s being treated from a guest and corporate management end but let him know the position he’s in sucks because the park is suffering. He tried to give the line I bet they want him to give but you could see on his face he wasn’t happy.

Having been in those shoes to a very small extent a few years back that position is an extremely taxing and draining position to be in. Kevin seems to hold do and admirable job managing it and staying positive and I have always been quite impressed with him and how he leads the park.
 
I don't get to visit often anymore, and the ticket pricing (or passes or whatever) is usually far more expensive than I'd be willing to shell out for mostly rides I've been on a bajillion times (except Pantheon).

When I was much younger, my family had passes and we went at least weekly for many years, so to echo @Zachary it has my heart.

I'm discouraged from visiting on my own dime these days, especially with KD upping their game. Once the Volcano replacement coaster (assuming there's going to be one) opens, it'll be hard to want to go to BGW unless they go back to putting CX first.
 
General question to those in this thread who seem agitated (and rightly so) at the current state of BGW, but what keeps you involved on this forum and with the park? It seems like many have the attitude that things will continue to get worse and while SEAS owns the park things will continue to looking increasingly grim.
I’m not a local, but have been going to the park since the year after it opened. I haven’t been there since late 2019, but I look forward to the day we go back. I like to keep up with park happenings here on the board, and though a lot that I read is deeply disappointing, I fully expect to go back in the not too distant future.
 
I've moved away and barely make it back anymore compared to my frequent trips in the 00s. It still feels like home and I can picture every inch at least how it used to be. I'd been happy to see the park mostly stay on a positive course after the InBev and SEAS turmoil; perhaps not perfect in my opinion (RIP darKastle, you weren't my favorite but you represented a commitment to quality I loved), but close enough realizing my opinion is but one and that times change. This thread and others make it seem like despite getting past those close calls, maybe the train is off the tracks this time.

That said I'm glad the park is not withering on the vine with no investment as many parks do. A major new coaster, another becoming reality day by day, and another slightly beyond the rumor stage. That is something we would have been excited about in 2005! This being possible gives me some hope that some of the pieces can be put back together again in the future.

Also, this is a hard time to operate in, not that I defend nor am impressed by their choices. I'd like to see them do better in it, but I'm not writing them off forever either.
 
I started not to say anything but then for people who remember the park a certain way I just want to point out a few things. I've mentioned in other posts that I've gotten too old to ride the coasters anymore. The last coaster I rode would have been Griffon probably the year it opened. When you get to be my age they want to load you up on BP meds and cholesterol meds and the coasters aren't fun anymore when you get off and have to hold onto something until your vertigo calms down.
Anyway, to get to my point. Zachary, Warfelg, Horseboy and the rest I wholeheartedly agree with your observations about BGW. As I have previously stated I've been going there since they opened. But what I do want to point out for those who would have to travel to get here the park isn't what you remember. It probably will be at some point but for now it has a long way to go. This is going to be a little long but I'm going to give my experience so far this season. My biggest issues would be the lack of places to eat and the places that are open the quantity and quality of what they are serving. I do think there is too much emphasis on alcohol sales now but we'll see how that works out in the long run.
I'll start with England. The drink stand across from the Globe has not been open 95% of the time. Squires opens sometime after noon. It used to open for breakfast and I still overhear people complaining when they get there at park opening that there is no place to eat. The churro place has not been open at all to my knowledge. There used to be a soft serve ice cream place beside Squires. Every time we went there they always had a line. It is permanently closed. Moving on to the stables the walk up place that sold corn dogs and good fries is permanently closed. It was open for F&W but that ended yesterday. Moving on to Ireland, O'tators is closed permanently. That venue is used still for F&W and where the free beer will be served beginning Friday. Next is France. Les Frites has been closed throughout F&W but will reopen now that F&W is over, I hope. Let's just hope they cook the fries enough this time. Josephines is closed permanently. Next would be Rhinefeld. The candy shop closed several years ago and sat vacant. Reading here I believe it is going to open as a bar at some point soon. The walk thru drink place between Alpengiest and Rhinefeld has been closed for a while. I think it might be undergoing a renovation of some kind. The ice cream place under the clock appears to be closed permanently. The place that serves funnel cakes is closed but again I think may have been a "victim" of F&W and probably will reopen now. Moving on to Germany. Bar Kastle is closed. Probably reopening now that F&W is over. The Festhaus is open but as some other people have said the quantity and quality of the food leaves a whole lot to be desired. I overheard a father yesterday complaining that he paid $10 for 5 chicken nuggets. In Italy, Marco Polo is mostly closed but again, now that F&W is over will probably reopen. However, the food choices are mediocre and the dessert station has not been open. And just one more to go. New Italy only has the ice cream place to get any sort of food if you want to call it that. The buffet restaurant by Roman Rapids apparently is permanently closed. Several drink and popcorn places located around the park have not opened so not sure what the plan is for them. If you want a drink or snack your choices are bottled drinks and way overpriced "Snack & Go" sandwiches located in the shops. The sandwiches are way overpriced and I question how fresh they are.
Real quick on rides. Battle for Eire is permanently closed, Dar Kastle is permanently closed, Da Vinci's cradle is literally gone. I'm probably forgetting some things but this is already too long.
Sorry for the length of this post. Just my experiences recently.
 
Can I add this part with some understanding into it?

I get everyone’s frustration and decisions to spend money elsewhere. But DON’T WRITE OFF BGW!!! They deserve the backlash and the “hate” they are getting right now.

But. But….

If they put money into something to make it better again. If they put an effort into DarKoaster to make it good. If La Cucina opens with a better menu.

….reward that!!

If you write them off, they improve a show/themed ride/food and you don’t reward them for that then they have no reason to continue doing it.

And I don’t think I can stress that enough if you want to see BGW get back to it’s roots in a way, you got to do those things.
 
I'm usually in "escapism mode" when I am at the park so stuff doesn't usually come up most of the time with the exception of the occasional decision to reduce capacity on a ride or if anyone my group literally needs to go to guest services.........like at all. It seems like staff communication is strugs and their POS systems are horribly inconsistent and this is a trend I've seen across all theme park forums, youtubers, and at the other 3 major SEAS parks I've visited. I mean more often than not I go to most parks with blinders on and a reluctance to be negative about much. It would be deeply interesting to get a look at the financials and see how they've changed over the years in regards to budget allocation.
 
I keep trying to rationalize a trip to the park (6+hour drive) but simply can't. I'm so sad. 😢
It bugs me too.... I still really want to ride Pantheon but even if I had another free ticket it's not worth the 3+ hr drive and the price of parking and dealing with horrible in-park quality and food -- not to mention no guarantee that I'd be able to ride Pantheon.

General question to those in this thread who seem agitated (and rightly so) at the current state of BGW, but what keeps you involved on this forum and with the park? It seems like many have the attitude that things will continue to get worse and while SEAS owns the park things will continue to looking increasingly grim.
This forum isn't just BGW and it's kind of hard to find enthusiast communities that have a majority of people that actually use their brains. This forum keeps me up on the industry and is a community I can be involved in. While there is a heavy focus on BGW there's also an equal focus on KD which is the exact flipside. There's also the train wreck that you can't look away from...... but in reality, there's also the fact that at some point things will turn around. That might not happen for years until the park really starts struggling or the park gets sold but when the tide turns I want to see that.

Can I add this part with some understanding into it?

I get everyone’s frustration and decisions to spend money elsewhere. But DON’T WRITE OFF BGW!!! They deserve the backlash and the “hate” they are getting right now.

But. But….

If they put money into something to make it better again. If they put an effort into DarKoaster to make it good. If La Cucina opens with a better menu.

….reward that!!

If you write them off, they improve a show/themed ride/food and you don’t reward them for that then they have no reason to continue doing it.

And I don’t think I can stress that enough if you want to see BGW get back to it’s roots in a way, you got to do those things.

This is the hardest line for people to walk.... and it gets really complicated in these situations. The problem is how do we know how our actions will be taken? So let's open a new ride and get rewarded and then let the ride fall apart after we get that reward and then in doing so we need to continue that which can only be accomplished by removing other rides. I mean, I totally understand what you're saying but this isn't a park that we can easily voice direct opinions with our wallet -- we either support it all or support nothing. With $30 parking fees and abysmal food I'm not going to show up no matter how great Darkoaster might be. Sure, I'd love to voice my opinion of a great ride opening but the park has to do more than just open a great ride because it's not like I can just go spend money on that ride and that ride only.
 
This is the hardest line for people to walk.... and it gets really complicated in these situations. The problem is how do we know how our actions will be taken? So let's open a new ride and get rewarded and then let the ride fall apart after we get that reward and then in doing so we need to continue that which can only be accomplished by removing other rides. I mean, I totally understand what you're saying but this isn't a park that we can easily voice direct opinions with our wallet -- we either support it all or support nothing. With $30 parking fees and abysmal food I'm not going to show up no matter how great Darkoaster might be. Sure, I'd love to voice my opinion of a great ride opening but the park has to do more than just open a great ride because it's not like I can just go spend money on that ride and that ride only.
I mean. You can though. Go on a friends bring a guest and just ride DK. If there’s an eatery just eat there. If there’s certain merch that’s priced right and you want them to carry it more, buy it.

If someone is a member they can go and just do the things that deserve the praise. Ride just the rides that are good. Eat just what deserves more.

Places look at these metrics. That’s how they know certain things work. Even on an one ticket gets you everything they understand what’s driving people to come. If they see in a year that adding a heavily themed coaster (VBolt) and revitalizing an area (Oktoberfest) works but years 2-3-4-5 don’t get the pull, while adding a lightly themed thrill coaster (Griffin) continually drives ridership in years 2-3-4-5, that’s what they think people want.

So again. If BGW does something positive, show support for that one thing. If they aren’t. Then fine. But if they came up with the greatest show in the parks history to put in RPT and get Trappers to be amazing and the speakeasy is bonkers good while DK is amazingly themed….if you don’t ride those things, eat those items, visit those bars, and watch those shows….they have no understanding of how good that is for them.
 
Somehow the email survey is STILL not fixed.

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I guess if guest satisfaction doesn't factor into any of your decisions, the survey doesn't matter though...

Are you sure this is a mistake, given how often it is down due to wind, restraint Issues, switch track problems, etc. :)
 
Just read the twitter post about RAP and HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!

Like I can get being wrong with something like grandfathered passes because (stupidly) every park is different and every grandfathering (stupidly) is different. But HOW THE FUCK DO YOU GET RAP WRONG?!?!
 
Just read the twitter post about RAP and HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!

Like I can get being wrong with something like grandfathered passes because (stupidly) every park is different and every grandfathering (stupidly) is different. But HOW THE FUCK DO YOU GET RAP WRONG?!?!

ENRAGING, right?

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I swear I read a post “inside” a BG Facebook group today but it’s been mysteriously deleted (seriously did anyone else see it)?
 
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