The State of the Park: Busch Gardens Williamsburg

[warfelg]

I was in the park briefly yesterday and, for some reason, it struck me just how incredibly filthy the place was. Like yeah, we know the bathrooms, on all but the least busy days, are a shitshow and yeah, the dining areas have consistently been pig-stys. ENORMOUSLY cutting custodial staff and nuking overnight cleaning entirely will do that to a place. But what really struck me yesterday was just the disgusting state of the paths, buildings, walls, railings, etc. Yeah, I know the park doesn't wash the paths every day before opening like they did pre-COVID, but it honestly felt like it hadn't been done in weeks now. There was just a layer of dirt, grime, and debris everywhere I looked.

I was at KD on a Friday this week so it's not a fair comparison, but KD was certainly cleaner on Friday than BGW was on Sunday—and a claim like that just a couple years ago would have been downright unimaginable.

It reeks of someone not in the park day to day controlling what happens with that.

It’s frustrating because I’m dealing with it at work right now too. We have something that affects our ability to make money, but they look at the bottom line of the metric they want better is better. I wish there’s certain things of local operations (in BGW’s case the custodial operations) that corporate offices should (to a degree) turn a blind eye to.

 

[RKRCC]

I was in the park briefly yesterday and, for some reason, it struck me just how incredibly filthy the place was. Like yeah, we know the bathrooms, on all but the least busy days, are a shitshow and yeah, the dining areas have consistently been pig-stys. ENORMOUSLY cutting custodial staff and nuking overnight cleaning entirely will do that to a place. But what really struck me yesterday was just the disgusting state of the paths, buildings, walls, railings, etc. Yeah, I know the park doesn't wash the paths every day before opening like they did pre-COVID, but it honestly felt like it hadn't been done in weeks now. There was just a layer of dirt, grime, and debris everywhere I looked.

I was at KD on a Friday this week so it's not a fair comparison, but KD was certainly cleaner on Friday than BGW was on Sunday—and a claim like that just a couple years ago would have been downright unimaginable.

My husband and I were talking about this very same thing yesterday! We went yesterday for the last day of Food and Wine because we had some samples cards left over from a previous visit and there were still a few dishes we wanted to try. When we visit the park, we always go early and get there for rope drop. At 10am, we were walking towards Finnegan's Flyer and noticed several of the trash cans were half full still from the day before, smelled horribly, and had flies all around them. When the park opened France and New France at 10:30, we saw a few more half full trash cans, tables that still had sauce and food stains on them, and napkins and plasticware on the ground under tables and in the bushes.

When I was a kid growing up visiting BGW, there used to be staff in all the areas sweeping up after people, cleaning tables, and just keeping the park clean and nice in general. I remember seeing one person drop food off their plate onto the ground and within a minute or two someone was there to sweep it up. Sadly those days seem long gone. I won't even sit at a table to eat anymore because they are so unsanitary looking. I try to walk on the other side of the paths from trash cans because most of them stink so bad. All the railings are sticky and unclean, the paths have stains and sticky spots too, and there are only a few bathrooms I will go in....

 

[sotomexx]

When I was a kid growing up visiting BGW, there used to be staff in all the areas sweeping up after people, cleaning tables, and just keeping the park clean and nice in general.

(Forgive my poor attempt at editing and please do no not take any offense OP or Kevin)

 

[bradd1319]

I was in the park briefly yesterday and, for some reason, it struck me just how incredibly filthy the place was. Like yeah, we know the bathrooms, on all but the least busy days, are a shitshow and yeah, the dining areas have consistently been pig-stys. ENORMOUSLY cutting custodial staff and nuking overnight cleaning entirely will do that to a place. But what really struck me yesterday was just the disgusting state of the paths, buildings, walls, railings, etc. Yeah, I know the park doesn't wash the paths every day before opening like they did pre-COVID, but it honestly felt like it hadn't been done in weeks now. There was just a layer of dirt, grime, and debris everywhere I looked.

I was at KD on a Friday this week so it's not a fair comparison, but KD was certainly cleaner on Friday than BGW was on Sunday—and a claim like that just a couple years ago would have been downright unimaginable.

I was their Monday and I don't think it's fair to say the place looked disgusting as described.

 

[Thriller]

KD and BGW have flipped. KD used to be the dirty park with bad food…….

It’s absolutely pitiful that BGW now closes at 8 on summer weekdays. More penny pinching cost cutting that reduces the guest experience.

VA is blazing hot in the summer and the evening hours were the best times to enjoy the park.

This was actually the final straw and I ended my membership because of the shortening of these hours.

 

[warfelg]

For context I found a listing of hours back from 2019:

Busch Gardens Hours & 2019 Operating Schedule

Busch Gardens Hours & 2019 Operating Schedule & Discount Ticket Secrets, Coupon Codes, Howl-O-Scream, Water Country USA & Christmas Town

www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com

Most weekdays they were open until 9pm. Found an old post dated 2007 on a defunct forum saying 9pm.

As a counter point to KD keeping the hour: BGW went full week two weeks earlier, was 4 days a week operation while KD was 3 days a week, and BGW is “year round” while KD isn’t.

Sure that loss of an hour sucks but you still get more operating hours through the season at BGW compared to KD.

 

[Bring Back Questor 87]

I'm sorry, but ever since my Summer 2023 viist to KD - I am spoiled by the attention that park is getting, and even more disgusted by trip reports like these.

I used to look forward to the glistening stone paths that led us around the park at 11AM on (Sunny) Saturday Mornings from 1997-2019. It gave me a sense that the park cared, and gave us a "fresh" experience each time we visited. Nowadays, its as if they take your money and laugh in your face in far too many ways here.

Someone from BGW's ranks ought to secret shop KD once as a guest and get a clue.

 

[tursiops]

Maybe all the parks could take 1 year off from building a coaster and put that budget towards cleaning and maintaining what they have. Don't see that happening though!

 

[Thriller]

For context I found a listing of hours back from 2019:

Busch Gardens Hours & 2019 Operating Schedule

Busch Gardens Hours & 2019 Operating Schedule & Discount Ticket Secrets, Coupon Codes, Howl-O-Scream, Water Country USA & Christmas Town

www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com

Most weekdays they were open until 9pm. Found an old post dated 2007 on a defunct forum saying 9pm.

As a counter point to KD keeping the hour: BGW went full week two weeks earlier, was 4 days a week operation while KD was 3 days a week, and BGW is “year round” while KD isn’t.

Sure that loss of an hour sucks but you still get more operating hours through the season at BGW compared to KD.

There’s such a thing as the last straw. They used to be open till 10 PM years ago. Then they cut back to nine then they cut back to eight etc.+ all the other cutbacks in live entertainment, ride operations, food service etc. Then there’s the sleazy upcharge and the exorbitant food prices. there’s a point when enough is enough.

Plus, as I said, Virginia is miserably hot in the summertime. The early closures on the weekdays virtually gives no time to enjoy the park when the temperature is the most pleasant..

It’s true they have more operating days, but there are season pass price is higher than Kings Dominion.

Not that I’m defending Kings Dominion inability to operate more than summer days and weekends. They used to be open until 10 PM as well, and they seem to follow whatever cutbacks Busch Gardens gets away with. So it wouldn’t surprise me if they end up closing at eight sometime in the future. And that will be the last straw to visit there as well.

But the sad truth is when these parks do these things and lose attendance, instead of correcting them, they just do more of these cutbacks and it’s a downward spiral

 

[Zachary]

Kids today don't know what they're missin'. Back in my day, BGW had regularly scheduled MIDNIGHT closings in the summer. I remember attending nighttime Royal Palace Theatre shows scheduled for 10PM.

Like @Blauer said, given that our summers keep getting hotter and hotter, the loss of these late nights is even more brutal. I get that the park doesn't want to staff multiple shifts wherever possible, but honestly, even if the hours stay reduced, I would MUCH rather the opening time in the summer be pushed back to accommodate much later closing times.

 

[warfelg]

That’s fine that you have a straw that broke the camels back so to speak. Happens to many people.

However hitting more of the shoulder season (spring/fall) they are giving more potentially better weather days (which is outside everyone’s control).

Personally when I lived that way, I didn’t find the 8-9pm hour to be enough to change the weather enough to make that be of a difference for me. And the few times I felt myself at the park in that hour I found it less busy, more members I got to know, and people kinda hanging in line for the “one last ride”.

If I still lived there, honestly, this wouldn’t even register for me on why I would have dropped my pass by now.

I would MUCH rather the opening time in the summer be pushed back to accommodate much later closing times.

This is the right decision IMO. Open noon to 10pm.

Just a FWIW: Hershey has only been open til 7 on weeknights and changes next week. They used to be open til midnight all the time too.

I guess personally I just don’t see weekday hours shorter as a super big deal. But again that’s just my opinion. Especially since the “trade off” is more time available in the spring and fall.

given that our summers keep getting hotter and hotter, the loss of these late nights is even more brutal.

But again here - isn’t that where the gain of the weeks in spring and late winter when it’s 50-70 out helps?

 

[Zachary]

But again here - isn’t that where the gain of the weeks in spring and late winter when it’s 50-70 out helps?

Definitely. But by shifting the midpoint of the operating day dramatically earlier during the summer, they are still making summer visitation notably less hospitable—and that is compounded by our warming summers.

I wouldn't trade away the calendar expansion for the much longer daily schedules we had previously—I just think the midpoint of the day needs to shift throughout the year based on weather and the types of guests attending the park. It sounds like we agree there though.

 

[warfelg]

Definitely. But by shifting the midpoint of the operating day dramatically earlier during the summer, they are still making summer visitation notably less hospitable—and that is compounded by our warming summers.

I wouldn't trade away the calendar expansion for the much longer daily schedules we had previously—I just think the midpoint of the day needs to shift throughout the year based on weather and the types of guests attending the park. It sounds like we agree there though.

Yea for sure I’m in agreement there. I guess my initial phrasing wasn’t the best. By my end though it there’s still more time with BGW available with hour cutting, the hours available is definitely up for debate though.

 

[GAcoaster]

Between staffing the “problems” that tend to happen the later the park is open, I understand why they would cut back on late nights.

 

[bradd1319]

Between staffing the “problems” that tend to happen the later the park is open, I understand why they would cut back on late nights.

The park closed at 7 on Monday and their was still people everywhere at that time. I get the staffing piece but it seems your losing on Revenue especially when the sun is setting later each day right now.

 

[AIR]

On Monday (weekday), the park was open from 11am - 7pm. That creates the need for one long (9-10hr.) shift for most departments. Staying open 1 or 2 additional hours creates the need for additional shifts to close the park in those departments. That's likely not worth what guests would fork over in that time to pay 100+ employees a full days wages unfortunately.

 

[tursiops]

On Monday (weekday), the park was open from 11am - 7pm. That creates the need for one long (9-10hr.) shift for most departments. Staying open 1 or 2 additional hours creates the need for additional shifts to close the park in those departments. That's likely not worth what guests would fork over in that time to pay 100+ employees a full days wages unfortunately.

I get that, but that's the price of doing business. For what they charge (close to Disney and Universal) they need to provide a better experience. As a pass member I get my value, but if I bought a 1 day ticket I'd feel ripped off.

If you want to run a legitimate business you have to maintain practices even when it's not the best financially. There should be an obligation to the paying customer, but that seems to be past.

 

[mikes]

I get that, but that's the price of doing business. For what they charge (close to Disney and Universal) they need to provide a better experience. As a pass member I get my value, but if I bought a 1 day ticket I'd feel ripped off.

If you want to run a legitimate business you have to maintain practices even when it's not the best financially. There should be an obligation to the paying customer, but that seems to be past.

Exactly this. I'm doing a day trip on the 19th and l am already regretting it with the heat

 

[Thriller]

Kids today don't know what they're missin'. Back in my day, BGW had regularly scheduled MIDNIGHT closings in the summer. I remember attending nighttime Royal Palace Theatre shows scheduled for 10PM.

Like @Blauer said, given that our summers keep getting hotter and hotter, the loss of these late nights is even more brutal. I get that the park doesn't want to staff multiple shifts wherever possible, but honestly, even if the hours stay reduced, I would MUCH rather the opening time in the summer be pushed back to accommodate much later closing times.

Exactly. If they are shortening hours, it would make much more business sense to shorten the morning hours and be opened later at night when the heat is so brutal. It’s miserable walking around the park in 90+ degree weather but once the sun goes down, it’s super pleasant.

Another additional benefit of having late hours is they could attract customers coming after work hours. Spending money on meals etc. But when a park closes at eight and people get off work at five it’s not worth the effort to go there for an evening after work.

Plus, these parks are transformed into different, exciting places at night.

 

[b.mac]

My mom wanted to do a trip down to Williamsburg like we used to when I was younger and when I told her about the shortened operating hours she completely 180'd on the thought of going.

When we used to visit BGW beginning, middle, end of every summer we'd spend the day at WCUSA resting and relaxing while it was hottest and then once the sun started setting around 7pm we'd go get showered, get dinner, drive through the town a bit, and then head into the park at like 8:30-9pm until the park closed usually at 11pm or midnight depending on the day of week.

It was quite wild one year I went when they had a passholder event and my family was walking out of the park at 1:30am while 90% of the park was lights out.