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CoasterAuditor

Theme parks are cool
Jul 5, 2017
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Richmond, VA
Hey all, I just figured as an item of discussion we could all discuss like what our typical routines at KD and BGW are or things we just definitely like to make sure we do when we go, talk about some sleeper rides in the park, talk about your favorite foods to get, when you like to go based off of crowds/weather. I feel like there's never been a discussion on here where we just talk about how we approach a visit to our home parks typically in detail and I feel like we can learn even more about the parks this way and maximize our enjoyment of them even more.

I'd say for Kings Dominion I usually always try to:
-Hit Twisted Timbers for 1-5 laps
-Hit Intimidator 305 for 1-5 laps
-Hit Dominator for 1-2 laps
-Hit Tumbili for 1-2 laps
-Hit FOF for 1 lap
-Hit Backlot for 1 lap
-Drink a beer from the parched pig
-Eat at Country Kitchen/try a restaurant on my meal plan I haven't had.
-Ride something I haven't ridden in a while for fun.
-I really like going on Fridays and Sundays being a local they don't seem to get TOO bad but Twisted Timbers can definitely get a healthy queue on Sundays and that can be a PAINFULLY slow line sometimes.

BGW:
-Hit Pantheon for 2-5 laps
-Hit Apollo's Chariot for 2-5 laps
-Hit Verbolten at least once
-Hit Griffon at least once
-Hit Finnegan's Flyer
-Eat at Trappers or the Pretzel Shop
-If I have a group with me, watch Celtic Fyre
-Mix in rides like Alp, InvadR, Tempesto, Nessie, Pompeii, or Le Scoot based on mood by visit/crowd level.
-Same with KD with Fridays or Sundays being my days to go. I feel like most lines in the past have been Bolt and InvadR, Tempesto if the queue is anywhere near the switch backs it's a pass for me, InvadR if it's back around the corner pass. Bolt I am usually willing to be patient especially if they have both loading platforms going. Sometimes Griffon has a line, sometimes I don't care for the "big boy seat stress" I have to deal with at Griffon. I suspect Pantheon will routinely have a decent queue at least in 2022. If Finnegan is running one swing and there is a line of any length it's a hard pass for how slow it takes.

What do you guys like to always try to accomplish when you go to the VA parks?
 
Typically when I go to bgw, if I’m rope dropping, prior to pantheon I would go to Finnegan’s, ride that a couple times, head over to Griffon, ride that a couple times, then head to InvadR, ride a couple times, then head to Alpie, ride a few times, then head over to bolt and Mach, ride those a couple times, then head over to Italy gardens and hop on da Vinci, flying machine, and battering ram, go over to Festa and then head to Apollo, then tempesto, then tradewind. Now, with pantheon, reverse that order and start with Pantheon.

As for KD, I have yet to go enough times to have a routine there (it’s about an hour away, versus 10-15 for bgw).
 
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BGW

1. Stop for lunch somewhere in Williamsburg since park food operations are a crap shoot
2. Wait anywhere from 2-30 minutes to get through the parking gate
3. Wait 30+ minutes at understaffed guest services for an accessibility pass for my kid
4. Do the rides and shows we are interested in for the day
5. Try to find someplace that doesn’t have a crazy food line and is actually open, else stop somewhere on the drive home for food

KD or HP
1. Drive in and park - under 5 minutes
2. Accessibility pass for my kid - 5 minutes
3. Get lunch at our choice of eatery for that day
4. Do the rides and shows we are interested in for the day
5. Get dinner at another eatery in the park
6. Head home
 
So for BGW:
My day revolves around the shows. Right after leaving England I bust my way back to the Scotland bridge. If I can see the line on LNM from the path, I skip it; if I can, I ride it. Then I head back to Oktoberfest. Catch a ride on VBolt, MT. By then it’s time to cross the bridge, grab some food, and hang out in Marco Polo for the show. Then into Festa Italia to grab a ride on Apollo, then just wander a big before grabbing a ride on a flat, then back onto Apollo. Start making my way back up front, usually catch a ride on EfP if the line isn’t bad. Then keep circling for LNM again. By then I get to FF to hitch a ride if the line is light. If not I hang outside Abbey Stone (crap cell service) until the show is ready to start then go in. I continue into France to ride Griffin then grab a meal at trappers. Then I’ll bounce between Invader and Griffin for a few loops. Swing through to get on Alpie, back into Oktoberfest for a show in Festhaus, back onto VBolt, usually end my day up in Festa as the good night shows are in France/Germany areas so Festa stays quieter.

For KD:
Who knows. They don’t have any shows or things to really have to plan your day around. I tend to hit up the Tower a few times a day to do some line spotting to decide where the crowds are so I can avoid them. Typically I feel if I can’t hit up FoF, BLSC, and TT really early I won’t ride them that day as those lines more really slow for me. I always pack a lunch here as I never have been a fan of their foods (this is for CF as a whole). Typically I go to water rides at this time, getting in the lazy River then getting yelled at on lap two to get out, then to the wave pool and usually give up because people take more seats than they need. Then I’ll change, swing on one last coaster with a short line and head home early.

I’m much much more likely to do an open to close at BGW than KD because at KD I just tend to give up on getting on rides much easier.
 
Maybe I'm the most simplistic, but for either park I just follow the circle one direction or the other for the most part - BGW usually headed for Festa though sometimes mix it up and go towards Killarney (not particularly consistent with riding Nessie); KD usually headed towards Old Virginia unless visiting Soak City.
 
BGW
Get there at rope drop
Finnegan's Flyer - one ride
Griffon - until I start to black out on the Immelmann loop. At least once in the front and multiple times in the back.
Maybe Invadr
Alpengeist - One ride in the front
Apollo - Multiple times
Get a beer in Ireland
Head back to Griffon

KD
Get the first available beer
Head to TT
Whatever I'm in the mood for
 
Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Main Season):
  • Eat on the way (BGW food is expensive and often frustrating and mediocre right now)
  • Endure rage over randomly removed member benefits as I wait—possibly ages—at the parking booths
  • Park in England and go through security without issue (BGW bag check folks are always so friendly)
  • Cross fingers in hopes that the kiosk next to the turnstiles is working (50/50). Check for pass perks and redeem Platinum QuickQueue if it is—walk away frustrated and empty-handed if it's not
  • Enter the park, decline a photo from the photographers, and feel the instinctual urge to grab a paper map despite them not existing for years now
  • Check the Emporium for new merch and the Confectionary for new/seasonal donuts
  • Board the train at Tweedside and ride the loop to check visible backstage areas for progress on Spire/Ent space/DarKoaster/special events/whatever else
  • Assuming all needed photos were successfully obtained on the first pass, get off at Tweedside and walk the loop Killarney -> Festa
  • While walking the loop, check for any new developments throughout the park, any new mech in the shops, and ride anything I feel like as long as it's no more than a station wait
  • Consider walking down to the Rhine River Cruise or seeing any shows
  • If crowds are low, consider dinner at the park and/or another lap around the park for rides—leave and eat on the way home if crowds exist
  • Once home (assuming the kiosk was working), throw away the single-use Platinum QuickQueue in my pocket which I conveniently forgot about when I sorta wanted to ride Verbolten but it had a 20 minute wait so I skipped it
 
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BGW:

  • Enter
  • Walk to Ireland and get an early morning Guinness
  • Drink my sorrows away as I look at the sim building entrance and wish it was still CSH
  • Walk to France
  • Consider getting on Griffon but eventually walk past it anyways
  • Walk through New France and make a mental note to return later for Trapper's due to awesome smells (though I often never do, depends if I stay for a late dinner)
  • Don't even consider getting on InvadR cuz the line is already an hour long at this point
  • Walk to Germany
  • Go into the shop, get a Spaten from the (usually) nice old lady or man behind the counter
  • Walk to Oktoberfest, repeat drinking sorrows away as I stand outside of DK
  • Get lunch at Festhaus and enjoy what else but a nice Spaten Oktoberfest that they usually have on tap
  • Walk away disgruntled after a shitty show
  • Walk towards Verbolten and get annoyed that the line is insanely long already due to them stacking trains
  • Walk to Italy
  • Hopefully time it to see the show that usually starts some length after the Festhaus one
  • Go to Festa
  • Ride Apollo's
  • Get on the train and take it to Scotland for scenic viewz
  • Watch whatever show is in England or Celtic Fyre, whichever lines up
  • Commence wander around mode
 
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First choice is to plan around opening or closing time, and how long. Prior to 2020, opening was often disappointing, and Sunday mornings I enjoy not having to go anywhere, although getting up from a afternoon nap could be a problem. But with KD closing early much of last year, exception was made; Carnivale hours were enough to swap that, although I avoided the event itself.

With KD being close by, I've enjoyed as little as an hour in the park before close, and might even find time for Dining Plan with another 15 minutes, but can eat at home not ride coasters. I've only once spent long enough in the park and eaten early enough to be able to use Dining twice in one day. In the case of shorter trips, I usually decide right or left park after hitting Dominator, although I cross over a lot more often now with TT existing, quite a hike. In the older days, on a light night the goal was to end up on Volcano last, maybe even scoring a reride.
For the case of rope drop, either get Dominator before the rest of the park opens or check it on the way out. Then go to TT but then power walk to FoF before noon or forget it, but I've rope dropped it sometimes too. Lunch after the crowds really hit and leave after a couple more rides usually, maybe WWC if the line isn't awful.

For BGW, really should have at least 3 hours with the distance and time taken to do much, but sometimes plans slip. Strategies vary greatly from rope dropping or closing time-ing InvadR and VB to trying to use to transpo systems. Sometimes run out of time. Used to find myself eating there more often than planned, until long lines and poorer choices. With the price increase, eating may require wanting to give them money.

SFA has a big problem in that I prefer to go later -- definitely don't want all day there -- but they aren't open late a lot of the year and traffic becomes terrible. Many times have arrived with a hour less than planned. Did go early it quite a few times in 2020 due to the lack of alternatives, but another method is to travel to MD or the 301 corridor Sunday morning for other activities. Also you may find quite a crowd if you swing back out to Superman just before the 7 PM closings.
 
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For me I like to get there sort of early. Sometimes rope drop sometimes a while later.
Walk a lap around the park. Decide whether to go left or right when I hit the split exiting England. Unless I want to go take pictures of something new right away is the only time I decide which way I'll go beforehand.
Take any pictures of new stuff, especially wide shots while the park isn't that full so that I can hopefully get a clean (no people) in the shot.
After the lap ride the train for one lap to see what's going on behind the scenes and take pics. Ride it other times later when I get tired.
Decide which shows, if any, I want to go see. Now with no paper maps (boo!) I take a picture of the show times board so I can see/remember when the show times are.
Wander around after this as I'm not a coaster person. If I do ride one it is only invadR or VB.
Try to remember to rest periodically as now that I'm getting older I get tired faster especially if I walk too much.
Grab something to eat preferably at Marco Polo's as I've found the last two times eating at Trappers the brisket was too salty for me. But there are other things around the park I like so it will depend on what I feel like and how hungry I am.
Wander around some more.
Grab a donut before I leave and a bottle of water to drink on the drive home.
 
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I don't exactly have a pattern, but for SFA:
Make a bee line to Batwing, but when it turns out to be opening later, as is often the case, Superman since it's right there. Then off to Wild One, Roar, Joker's Jinx and even, dare I say it, the much maligned but really not that bad Mind Eraser. And of course mixed in is going back to Batwing as soon as we find out its open and rerides on everything. Lastly, avoid even looking at Firebird for fear of PTSD. Also it's complicated by my son and nephew who inexplicably hate Wild One (and like Firebird, which is equally perplexing). So rides on Wild One happen when we split up.
 
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