Busch Gardens - is it worth it?

[pigsy]

We are thinking about going to Busch Gardens next August and have never been there before.

We will not have a car so will be using the BG Shuttle.

We have always been firm believers in arriving at the park gates before opening time to get all of the big rides cracked before the parks fill up.

I assume (don't know if I'm correct :shrug: ) that if we use the shuttle we will not be at the park for opening.

We will be there the 3rd week in August and my main concern is that we will get there late, have to queue for ages to get on the big coasters and 'headliners', and be disappointed.

Has anybody been at this time in August? Will it be worth it for us (Me, DH, DD13, DS11) or should we skip it?

Thanks!

Niki

[babybelle]

with kids the age of yours I would defo go. My lot love BG (age 11, 8, 6) as do DH and I.

[pigsy]

Thanks Babybelle! Yes, we are really tempted, just not sure about the queues in August........

[babybelle]

I think American schools go back mid August, we were defo there on August and when the schools go back it got really 'quiet' compared to other times.

[OKWTink]

Only some schools return in August. Many are still on summer recess, so you can expect August to be a bit busy.

I think I'm the only person in the world that doesn't like BG, so I'll stop there, eh? :D

[Isafari]

I know nothing about the crowds in August.......but both DH and I love BG.
We always make sure we get over to Tampa to visit at least once during our holiday.

[benjones70]

We are thinking about going to Busch Gardens next August and have never been there before.

We will not have a car so will be using the BG Shuttle.

We have always been firm believers in arriving at the park gates before opening time to get all of the big rides cracked before the parks fill up.

I assume (don't know if I'm correct :shrug: ) that if we use the shuttle we will not be at the park for opening.

We will be there the 3rd week in August and my main concern is that we will get there late, have to queue for ages to get on the big coasters and 'headliners', and be disappointed.

Has anybody been at this time in August? Will it be worth it for us (Me, DH, DD13, DS11) or should we skip it?

Thanks!

Niki

I can sort of confirm your fears. We used the shuttle and arrived at 11:30 to find it was packed. Went straight to Rhino Rally as we were advised to and queued for over an hour. Then had lunch and after another hour long queue for one of the Coasters it was virtually time to come back. Oh yeah, forgot, you have to get a pass to get back on the bus for some reason, this took another half an hour of queueing.

[tnpoohbear]

We have visited Busch Gardens several times and to us it was just OK. We do not go there anymore as we prefer WDW and Sea World much better. It is about an hour drive from WDW. Other posters are correct, schools in the south do start back around the 2nd or 3rd week of August - we live in Tennessee and my kids go back I think around the 18th. However, I am originally from up north and schools there do not start back until the day after labor day.

There are lots of animals to see (which we did love) and it you love coasters they have them! The shows we did not care for - it just seemed too long a drive for us to be worth it, but my brother lives in Tampa so it made it easier for us and he had gotten us free tickets. Personally, I would prefer SeaWworld which is also owned by Busch corporation.

[ukwdwnut]

when we went in 00 i didnt think much of it apart from the coasters etc, but since then there has been loads of additions i hear, so we are planning to go next august too :)

[minnie17_6]

defo go .we went last year in july which is a busy season and our longest queue was maybe half and hour to 45 min which isn't long i suggest go first to rino rally.we got on all the rollercoasters it is defo worth the vist :)

[minnie17_6]

also we left at we left at 8 o clock or half 8 and arrived there bout 10 ten i think or maybe sooner not sure but it is worth the vist . we also used the bus provided

[Wendy L]

Only some schools return in August. Many are still on summer recess, so you can expect August to be a bit busy.

I think I'm the only person in the world that doesn't like BG, so I'll stop there, eh? :D

No your not Tink, Chris and I went on May 5th and we didn't like it :( We got there for when they opened but we drove and it was very busy. It was full of school children who were screaming and shouting and very unruly. I can't even begin to imagine how bad it would be in the summer.

If you love roller coasters then give it a go. If you are going just for the animals you only really need half a day.

[OKWTink]

Thanks Wendy L! :hug: I didn't remember that you had gone this time. Lousy memory I have, eh?

I was very disappointed in the way the animals were kept when I was there. I hope things have improved, but just can't bring myself to return.

I know many folks really enjoy themselves there though. Lots of coasters and that can be fun if you like them!

[benjones70]

Also I think if you are used to the organisation of Disney and even Universal,you will find Busch to be run extremely amateurishly.

[pigsy]

We do love coasters which was the main reason we wanted to go. We are staying at AKL so we will see plenty of animals there (I hope! :unsure: ). The main reason we were going was for the coasters but if we have to queue an hour for each one and be hurried to get back on the bus maybe we'll give it a miss. :(

[greentop]

I don't disagree with any of the posts .... but we visited for the first time this trip & really enjoyed it. Not as many animals as I had thought & certainly not as well organised as WDW, but the atmosphere was so laid back it was almost restful. It was busy & we did encounter queues, but there are so many coasters that it all seems manageable. DH signed up for the beer tasting & really enjoyed that. For DD & myself Sheikra is simply the best :D . Managed to ride 3 times :D . Watch the raft rides though - you get soaked. Defo worth the trip.

[minnie17_6]

as i said before we didn't wait that long in queues but it does depend on what time of year you go :shrug:
i totally agree with you greentop about the water rides we went on one that went round dead slow and once it droped we ended up drenched :rain:

[benjones70]

as i said before we didn't wait that long in queues but it does depend on what time of year you go :shrug:
i totally agree with you greentop about the water rides we went on one that went round dead slow and once it droped we ended up drenched :rain:

Sounds like Tanganyika Tidal Wave to me. A great ride, pure genius.:D

[pigsy]

For DD & myself Sheikra is simply the best :D . Managed to ride 3 times :D .

Sheikra was one of the main reasons for us wanting to go! I think we'll go for it. If we each choose one ride that we REALLY want to do (4 of us) and get those cracked, anything else will be a bonus! :D

Thanks for all the advice! :)

[minnie17_6]

yes ben that sounds about right .....i was drenched head to toe i am just glad it was a warm day with no rain and dried of quickly :lol:

[benjones70]

yes ben that sounds about right .....i was drenched head to toe i am just glad it was a warm day with no rain and dried of quickly :lol:

We came off then walked over the bridge, not realising this was part of the ride.:eek:

[greentop]

We came off then walked over the bridge, not realising this was part of the ride.:eek:

Personally I chose not to ride Tanganyika - underwear was still drying out from a previous soaking :D . So I watched & saw people getting soaked on the bridge ... then waited till the family came off the ride ... DH & DD walked to the side & thought they were clear ... DS chose to stand in the middle of the bridge ... Guess what :confused: ... DS didn't get wet but DH & DD got completely drenched again :D :D .

[pigsy]

:whistle: I won't tell my kids about the bridge bit. I'd love to see their faces!
:lol:

[ukwdwnut]

:whistle: I won't tell my kids about the bridge bit. I'd love to see their faces!
:lol:


:yes: :evil: :evil:

[babybelle]

LOL - good way to cool off in the summer. I am such a big kid that I always stand on the bridge :rotfl:

[minnie17_6]

:whistle: I won't tell my kids about the bridge bit. I'd love to see their faces!
:lol:

:lol: :rotfl: :lol:


i tried to stay well clear of the bridge i dont think i will ride it this year might jsut stick to the log flume were i wont get as wet or maybe not ride it at all lol

[Midnight Storm]

We were there last year Mid July, 10 min wait for most things, except Rhino Rally - it was about an hour DS and DW waited DD and I went and did 3 coasters in the time.

Nice place more Alton Towers than Disney but the rides are great

Colin