Winter Weekends 2022
- Thread starter Zachary
- Start date
I attended the 'brunch with animals' event this morning and I felt I got my money's worth of entertainment. The food was filling, but IMO, average as expected. I believe the menu is included in the description of the function so I won't rehash that except to say that the hot chocolate is the same as at ChristmasTown. BTW, one of the cast members told me that combining the hot chocolate with coffee cuts down on the sweetness and is delicious. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I wanted to drop this info for those of you who are. You can go back through line as many times as you wish and the food and drink stations stayed open from the commence at 10:30 until noon.
The presenters are from an animal rescue facility in California which has had a relationship with Busch for over 30 years. They were very engaging and informative. We saw and learned about a kookaburra, a harris hawk (I think Busch has/had one but I learned a lot more about them,) great horned owl, alligator, lemur, and kinkajou. They also had a capuchin monkey confiscated from a very famous musician (I'm guessing Chris Brown.) You got to pose with and touch the alligator with a Busch photokey photographer taking pictures. This alligator was 110 pounds, so rather substantial. I thought it was a rubber toy when the handler first carried it out because it was so sedate. My daughter volunteered to go up to pose as a tree and have a lemur draped around her arm. He ended up sending her a mating call. Adults also were able to put on a falconry glove for holding, and if wanted, pictures with the owl. I don't want to ruin the show for those that may go by posting more factual details, but I thought it was great.
It was really cold this morning and the tram ride from France parking to the Festhaus was bracing. Although I wanted to stay and see some of the animal shows at the Globe Theatre since they said there would be other animals mixed in with some of the same, we decided to walk out and leave. Well done, Busch...at least in regards to the "Brunch With Animals.'
The presenters are from an animal rescue facility in California which has had a relationship with Busch for over 30 years. They were very engaging and informative. We saw and learned about a kookaburra, a harris hawk (I think Busch has/had one but I learned a lot more about them,) great horned owl, alligator, lemur, and kinkajou. They also had a capuchin monkey confiscated from a very famous musician (I'm guessing Chris Brown.) You got to pose with and touch the alligator with a Busch photokey photographer taking pictures. This alligator was 110 pounds, so rather substantial. I thought it was a rubber toy when the handler first carried it out because it was so sedate. My daughter volunteered to go up to pose as a tree and have a lemur draped around her arm. He ended up sending her a mating call. Adults also were able to put on a falconry glove for holding, and if wanted, pictures with the owl. I don't want to ruin the show for those that may go by posting more factual details, but I thought it was great.
It was really cold this morning and the tram ride from France parking to the Festhaus was bracing. Although I wanted to stay and see some of the animal shows at the Globe Theatre since they said there would be other animals mixed in with some of the same, we decided to walk out and leave. Well done, Busch...at least in regards to the "Brunch With Animals.'
Yeah Saturdays early are out for me because of work I was very disappointed that they didn't offer brunch on Sundays this year.
Yes! It has been available for purchase since New Year’s Day back in the Brauhaus.
Wonder if this is gonna end up a more laidback event. Hell if I were BGW I would do that and really lower prices to like $25 with few rides running, a few more animal things, and go more “edumentainment”.
In case you needed more proof the railway is closed during winter weekends...
They prob tryna stop the drunk people
Winter Weekends is destined to be a financial failure. There is not much to do, and virtually nothing to do if the weather is too cold or wet. This event was designed with SEAS penny-pinching philosphy, and it will backfire. Mardi Gras may be just as much of a failure if they follow the same formula.
It is basically a few coasters, thrill rides, kiddie rides and the skyway (all subject to close on a bad weather day). the meager lights from Christmas Town without nighttime hours to enjoy them, and some sideshows. Nothing against the performers, they just aren't the kind of productions one expects at BG.
Winter events need indoor attractions and shows to be successful BG has 1 indoor attraction and it isn't open. Even when they had 2, they didn't run either for Christmas Town. The train can be ridden in any weather and takes up a fair amount of time to experience it. Closed for this event. Hardly anything to do, especially for non-thrill riders.
If they intend on year-round operations, they need to be constructing some indoor attractions. Not closing them for a Santa meet-and-greet.
For this part of the discussion, put the covid outbreak in the entertainment dept aside. They had 0 live shows planned for Winter Weekends before that happened. There should be a couple of live indoor shows for this event. None. It would be easy to retain some of the talent from Christmas Town to do this. What a great time this would be to actually premier a new Irish dance show and keep that cast employed year-round.
Having a couple of night time hours to enjoy the lights would also benefit this event. The event closes at 6 PM. Its ridiculous they they are even advertising lights when it doesn't get dark until around 30 mins before closing. The park is rather ugly this time of year with the leaves off the trees, and lights help disguise that.
I attended Carowinds Winterfest Sat Jan 8 and it was packed. It was 35-40 degrees and the park was as crowded as I have seen it. That's because there was plenty to do. I was surprised. I expected a low crowd with the low temps and the fact the holidays are over and school is back. It was the opposite. I knew when i traveled there, that there was the possibility of ride closures due to temps, but I also knew that there would be enough to do if that happened. With Winter Weekends there is almost zilch if weather doesn't cooperate
They may get a few freak weather warm days when people will come out to ride coasters, but if winter weather stays normal this isn't going to work at all.
It is basically a few coasters, thrill rides, kiddie rides and the skyway (all subject to close on a bad weather day). the meager lights from Christmas Town without nighttime hours to enjoy them, and some sideshows. Nothing against the performers, they just aren't the kind of productions one expects at BG.
Winter events need indoor attractions and shows to be successful BG has 1 indoor attraction and it isn't open. Even when they had 2, they didn't run either for Christmas Town. The train can be ridden in any weather and takes up a fair amount of time to experience it. Closed for this event. Hardly anything to do, especially for non-thrill riders.
If they intend on year-round operations, they need to be constructing some indoor attractions. Not closing them for a Santa meet-and-greet.
For this part of the discussion, put the covid outbreak in the entertainment dept aside. They had 0 live shows planned for Winter Weekends before that happened. There should be a couple of live indoor shows for this event. None. It would be easy to retain some of the talent from Christmas Town to do this. What a great time this would be to actually premier a new Irish dance show and keep that cast employed year-round.
Having a couple of night time hours to enjoy the lights would also benefit this event. The event closes at 6 PM. Its ridiculous they they are even advertising lights when it doesn't get dark until around 30 mins before closing. The park is rather ugly this time of year with the leaves off the trees, and lights help disguise that.
I attended Carowinds Winterfest Sat Jan 8 and it was packed. It was 35-40 degrees and the park was as crowded as I have seen it. That's because there was plenty to do. I was surprised. I expected a low crowd with the low temps and the fact the holidays are over and school is back. It was the opposite. I knew when i traveled there, that there was the possibility of ride closures due to temps, but I also knew that there would be enough to do if that happened. With Winter Weekends there is almost zilch if weather doesn't cooperate
They may get a few freak weather warm days when people will come out to ride coasters, but if winter weather stays normal this isn't going to work at all.
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Definitely agree with them needing to open later. Part of the advertising for Winter Weekends is come out and see the lights, but being open 12-6 doesn’t let you do that. Last year it worked because we were still on the timed sessions and Winter Weekends was 6-10pm, so you could actually see the lights.
Winter weekends was better last year imo, because of the already limited attractions. I liked seeing all the Animals in various spots throughout the park, as well as seeing the show in the Festhaus.
They should really open their indoor ride, even if it's not great and they also honestly need to get better about running their coasters in colder temperatures. If someone goes to Winter Weekends and pays for admission on a 39 degree day and the coasters are all closed, they're probably never going to go back.
Is there really a reason why Hersheypark can run Candymonium at 34 but if it's 39 with no wind, they won't run Apollo? There's no way they can add some wheel heaters to a few rides or turn up the heat in the transfer buildings like Great Adventure does and bump that down even a few degrees? I don't expect them to totally follow Great Adventure's lead and eliminate temperature limits entirely on almost all coasters but they can probably learn a few things about how they pull off opening Nitro when it's 18 degrees. Almost every Dollywood coaster dropped it's limit below 40 too, same with SDC. I can go on...
Maybe a few of BGW's coasters legitimately can't run below 40 degrees even though their counterparts of the same ride type at other parks do it routinely but find a few that can and run those during the winter.
Is there really a reason why Hersheypark can run Candymonium at 34 but if it's 39 with no wind, they won't run Apollo? There's no way they can add some wheel heaters to a few rides or turn up the heat in the transfer buildings like Great Adventure does and bump that down even a few degrees? I don't expect them to totally follow Great Adventure's lead and eliminate temperature limits entirely on almost all coasters but they can probably learn a few things about how they pull off opening Nitro when it's 18 degrees. Almost every Dollywood coaster dropped it's limit below 40 too, same with SDC. I can go on...
Maybe a few of BGW's coasters legitimately can't run below 40 degrees even though their counterparts of the same ride type at other parks do it routinely but find a few that can and run those during the winter.
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I dunno, are there actual limitations (physical, warranty, or otherwise) on rides where some were built over 20 years ago (or in Nessie's case far longer), and are not necessarily as advanced as future iterations of the ride models?
If I didn't know better, those conditions may be mutually agreed upon to baby the rides a bit?
If I didn't know better, those conditions may be mutually agreed upon to baby the rides a bit?
Manufacturer operating temperature and wind limitations are still set at the park and are used. Busch Gardens closes all operating rides at the park that day at 40 degrees. 40 has become the standard for the park even if operating the rides below that temperature is fully safe and possible.
This is in place because guests do not understand why they can board one ride but not another. For example, it's 34 degrees. Apollo's Chariot can run according to manufacturer's specs, and Finnegan's Flyer cannot. It is not worth it and might even be unprofessional according to the park to describe to a guest how grease functions and how InvadR can valley on the final helix if it's too cold out...
Way more professional to just have everything be uniform to avoid trouble, despite the inconvenience to us.
It's easier to say all major rides shut down at 40 than have all different temperatures. To the GP, verbolten = Apollo mechanically. One thing to keep in mind is that 40 in the swamps of SE VA /= 40 in Central PA. I know part of the 40 for BGW is "guest comfort"
I'm sure if you polled people and asked "Would you rather have just Finnegan's Flyer closed or would you rather have Finnegan's Flyer, Verbolten and Apollo's Chariot closed", zero people would pick the latter.
Universal sometimes closes Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit when it's like 55 degrees. Is it unprofessional that they don't close Hagrid's, Velocicoaster, Hipogriff, Woody Woodpecker and the Incredible Hulk then too?
Come on... maybe that is the park's reasoning but it's nonsensical reasoning.
Fun fact Verboltan operated as low as 30 the first few years it was open for Christmas Town. They raised the limit to 40 to bring it even with the B&Ms so that they could have just one closed temp. They made this call in part because ridership was terrible on those cold nights.
As disappointed as I was in what I saw Saturday I am honestly at a loss as to what you think they could have opened in the weather that would have been a better draw? I am hopeful that maybe with Curse of Dark Coaster in 2023 that they will be able to enlarge the event a tiny bit but I think that with the current footprint the event is going to be vastly limited. I would love to see them try to offer a more robust show line up for the event but I honestly think that given the problems the last week of CT that this year that would have been a failure.
You are right about shows this year. They probably wouldn’t have happened given what happened at the end of CT. BUT they never planned shows for this event, well before the post holiday outbreak among casts.
It’s not good business plan to plan an event in the coldest weather that doesn’t have attractions if it’s below 40. That guarantees no attendance if it’s cold. This makes the success of the event totally controlled by the temperature, which cannot he controlled.
Christmas Town has enough to do if the thrill rides close. Any winter event should use a similar formula.