The State of the Park: Busch Gardens Williamsburg

[horsesboy]

That's unfortunate! We had a similar situation back in July, and they were able to print us each a pair of $5 vouchers in exchange for our unused $10 Busch Bucks. It wasn't an easy process, and the time it took almost made it feel like a waste, but there were certainly two VERY different attitudes from the two guest relations employees that were assisting us. Had the second person not chimed in, we would've likely been in your situation.

Yep an that attude came from the SUPERVISOR not the line employees. Honestly I was fully prepared to be out thec$10 bucks but to then be told by the merchant supervisor that it was fixable and then to be told no was just unbelievable to me. Either there is horrible policy misunderstanding or the people running guest services today just don't care.

 

[apollo18]

I was at the park briefly yesterday and have been here most of today. I made a rookie mistake yesterday and printed my $10 busch bucks but forgot to use them. I stopped off in the Emporium today and asked the supervisor about it. She gave me excellent customer service and explained that she couldn't address it but assured my that if I went to guest services that they could exchange it for a guest appeasement voucher for the same value. I was pleased beyond belief till I got there and the employees said that they couldn't do anything. I pointed out that a merch supervisor had sent me to them and assured me that they could and would be more willing to fix the simple problem. They can continue to say no and outright accused me of trying to scam them. I honestly have no words for the condenseding and uncaring attitude displayed by guest relations. I guess it will be McDonald's for dinner tonight instead of the park where I would have easily spent 15-20 more the the voucher.

I was at the park today too and also had an expired Busch Bucks card. The cashier at the store I visited said I should go to guest services and ask for a reprint. I did and received two $10 Busch Bucks cards, to be used separately. Didn't have any problem on either end. Go figure.

 

[warfelg]

Why do area supervisors not have the ability to override an expiration date on something like that?

 

[horsesboy]

Why do area supervisors not have the ability to override an expiration date on something like that?

No idea as someone that work in customer service I was completely baffled by the whole thing if the issue had cone up at my work and supervisor was called the reaction would have more then like been why didn't you just address this.

For the record I was back in the Emporium staying out of the rain while waiting on the doors to open for Passing Zones show and saw the same supervisor who recognized me and asked if GS had got it taken care of for me. She was completely floored when I told her that they said no. I sent a rather lengthy email to BGW last night both paising the Emporium staff and explaining my complete disgust with how guest services had responded. I also outline the money that I refused to spend in the park yesterday as a result of that disgust to make sure they understand that it hit their pocket book.

This stopped being about 10 dollars for me a long time ago and is now about what I see as a complete disregard to respect me as a customer and treat me like they value my spending money with them.

 

[Nibbins]

I was there earlier this year and printed our $10 vouchers in hopes to go paint some of the ceramics in New France with my daughter, but the place was closed that day.

We went to guest services the same day and explained to them how disappointed we were that the place was closed, so they re-dated the vouchers for us by writing a new date on them (the next weekend, when we told them we would be back) and signing it.

 

[mikes]

I've generally had a good experience with guest relations, but I know there is one lady there that doesn't belong there. She was complaining about her previous interaction over and over again in front of everyone. Like, go vent in the back out of customer ear range.

 

[Zachary]

Two weird things I've overheard at guest services recently:

1. An employee talking at length with a guest about how great Kings Dominion is as other customers waited for service
2. A (to be clear, different) employee telling a guest they would never visit BGW as a guest and explaining that that's why they know very little about the park past Banbury

Walked away from the counter both of those days wondering what the fuck I had just witnessed.

 

[Nibbins]

Two weird things I've overheard at guest services recently:

1. An employee talking at length with a guest about how great Kings Dominion is as other customers waited for service
2. A (to be clear, different) employee telling a guest they would never visit BGW as a guest and explaining that that's why they know very little about the park past Banbury

Walked away from the counter both of those days wondering what the fuck I had just witnessed.

Yes, one of the guys in Guest Services was praising Kings Dominion to us as well earlier this year when my daughter was asking if they will bring back the All-season dining plan.

Guest Services seem to be the most disengaged employees.

 

[horsesboy]

Yeah at one point yesterday I ask if their was anyone hire up that I could speak to. The response I got was "no if you want to speak to someone else call the call center.". I asked if they were really suggesting that I call Florida to get help with an in park issue. " No our call center is actually in Jamaica so I am suggesting you call Jamaica.". That literally was how bad the experience was.

 

[Zachary]

Yeah at one point yesterday I ask if their was anyone hire up that I could speak to. The response I got was "no if you want to speak to someone else call the call center.". I asked if they were really suggesting that I call Florida to get help with an in park issue. " No our call center is actually in Jamaica so I am suggesting you call Jamaica.". That literally was how bad the experience was.

I swear this has to actually be from a script for some sort of retail sitcom. WTF

 

[Rothbury]

We've been to Guest Services 4 times this year with various questions and problems. Not one time was it a good experience. Made no difference if it was the in park GS at the front or the main Guest Services building. Have heard similar conversations about KD and one time 2 TMs were arguing and yelling at each other. Went recently when there was no line and they still can't do hard passes. I just don't think they care. It has definitely gotten worse since covid.
We've visited the park every year since they opened in 1975. They didn't offer season passes right away but we have had passes since they started offering them. We recently had a conversation about whether we would continue after this year. We were trying to make it to the 50th but just not sure that is a goal worth reaching.

 

[Mamunia]

That sounds like a random insult when you’re done arguing with someone.. “oh, go call Jamaica!”

Can anyone explain why you have to print a voucher, then redeem a voucher for another voucher, and why it’s only good for that day? I get why you probably wouldn’t want people to be able to print bucks they could sell on the black market (being a little to tongue in cheek here), but why can’t they set it up so you swipe your card at the point of purchase? “I see you still have your $10 Busch Bucks available, would you like to apply it to this purchase?” How hard is that?

 

[Zachary]

Considering what an incredible challenge it apparently was to have meal credits appear as associated with a pass, I'm guessing they legitimately don't have the technology required.

Plus, even if they did have the technology, not making it incredibly irritating and inconvenient would defeat the purpose. These rewards are supposed to coax you into coming to the park—they'd very much prefer that you not actually use them when you arrive.

 

[Nicole]

I’ve had several good experiences at Guest Relations recently. I find myself there whenever the kiosks fail, and they are always great about getting me my benefits. Admittedly, that isn’t a difficult or controversial request, but I thought I should point out that they aren’t all bad.

 

[Rothbury]

I too have had to go to Guest Services because of problems with the kiosks. Not to counter what you're saying Nicole but if they were doing their job correctly there would be no reason to visit Guest Relations because the kiosks didn't work. The kiosks should work all of the time. Sure, maybe one will break down but not the whole system. I found out this past winter that they turn the kiosks off & on from the computers inside of guest services. I have had them tell me, "Oops! We forgot to turn it on". And, you probably haven't been in a half hour or more line to wait for guest services to get a voucher the kiosks should have done in the first place. Or, better yet, waited in line to resolve a problem only to be told they can't help.

 

[warfelg]

I’ve never really had an issue at guest services so I can’t really speak to any of this.

I don’t know how true this is, and if it is it’s a problem, but last time I needed GS help the person was struggling a bit, so I calmly explained what I needed. The long story short was my pass got wet, wouldn’t scan, so I had to pay for my meal (back when plans were a thing). They told me hit up GS on my way out to get some Busch Bucks and signed the receipt. Well the poor person working didn’t know how to just create them onto my account. They said their training was just basically trying to memorize a script of the most basic things people come to them for and after a day or two they were on their own.

Sadly I can easily envision SEAS not giving two shits about training and having a video and a script be handed over and that’s it.

Anyways. An antidotal way of saying that SEAS has really struggled to have all employees give the same standards.

 

[dawno]

The only time I recall having an issue with GS was in 2016 at F&WF. It was our first time going, so I purchased the sampler ahead of time and had a printout. When we arrived, I saw people had the laminated cards on lanyards, so I asked at GS if they could transfer my sampler credits onto one and was told flat out that was impossible. We went to the Hawaii stand and a worker there offered (without me even asking) to give me a card instead of having to use the printout.

 

[Nibbins]

Found this half-assed mark-up at the park yesterday.

I'm sure it's the inflation forcing them to sell these already made and paid for shirts at 50% more.
They could at least try to hide that they are doing it.

 

[warfelg]

Found this half-assed mark-up at the park yesterday.

I'm sure it's the inflation forcing them to sell these already made and paid for shirts at 50% more.
They could at least try to hide that they are doing it.

View attachment 27430

Out of curiosity were more marked similarly?

 

[Nibbins]

Out of curiosity were more marked similarly?

All the other design shirts around it were labeled around $30 with regular printed tags.

The tags on the Apollo's shirts behind this one on the same hanger did not have the handwriting on them and still seemed to be $19.99, but they were the same shirt, so either the handwritten tag was wrong or they changed it in the system and didn't bother to mark all the shirts with the new price.
The shirt in the front had the tag I took the picture of.