Is Busch Gardens Williamsburg Now America's Best Park? My Experience, July 2024

[@MidcourseDiscourse]

Airtime Thrills fans eating GOOD with back to back vids 🍽️

[@jordancaleb3419]

My same thought

[@Daniel_Coasters]

Real

[@Le_JYT]

Facts

[@blipblap614]

We better be, cause the food at BG Williamsburg now is traaaaaaaaaaaash 😅

[@TheBolligerMabillardLover]

​@@blipblap614Preach, corporate trash, unlike Knoebels, Europa Park, and Silver Dollar City, which have great reasonably priced food.

[@guggggggggggggggggg]

This is my home park, and I’m so glad it is. It has an amazing coaster lineup and good views

[@coolanimalgaming]

Same

[@plighting_engineerd]

I don't know why, but this is suddenly my favorite park vlog ever. Between the good luck charm, 15:01"Keeping your hands on the lap bar with your arms against the headrest", and the amazing ending... exactly what I needed right now

[@Artbyhurricanyounot]

My forever home park! 🥰 Sophie has good taste 🔥 she’s an honorary Virginian now we’re claiming her. Also NOTHING can prepare me for the Verbolten drop. I’ll hear the hissing of the mechanics releasing and know it’s coming and it still gets me EVERY time.

[@DanCrowleyNYC]

I do love this park, having visited there in 1991, 2000, 2006 and 2021. I loved the moment where both you and Sophie realized that there's no bad coasters in this park. I had that same moment when we were there in 2021, literally saying "well other parks may have MORE coaters or more intense coasters, but everything here slaps in some way." This video put a smile on our faces.

[@joels1986]

Alpengeist FRONT Seat is A Must!! Both Day & Night

[@brentgoeller8257]

O ya, 100%. The whip doesn't change depending on the seat, but those near miss elements are SO much better in the front row.

[@gtonyxkid2012]

Sophie just living her absolute best life in that splash zone 🤣🤣

[@timothywait9457]

gotonyxkid it should be playd to Enigmas Fata Mongra

[@ashleighelizabeth5916]

Disagree on seat choice for Alpengeist. Best sit on the train is front row far right side. When you drop into the first drop you have an unobstructed view of the dive and it feels like you are sitting in the cockpit of a fighter jet going in for a strafing run. I imagine Sophie wanted to be in the splash zone because she was wearing a sweatshirt in the middle of July... Love BGW, not quite sure if I think it's the best park I've ever been to but it's really good.

[@joels1986]

Was just there this past Sunday ... Great day, great weather, little to no waits. Ran into fellow KZbinr 'Jacob the Carpetbagger' there. Have to bump into Y'all next!!!

[@OklahomaCoasterFan]

It's among my favorite parks, especially now with Pantheon. It also has my favorite theme park attraction anywhere, the Celtic Fyre show, which I have ranked above all roller coasters & Forbidden Journey (my favorite non-coaster ride). You got very lucky with crowds. I've had some short waits there, but Darkoaster was still 2 hours. I rope-dropped it for my only rides.

[@CoasterParadise12323]

WOOHOOOOOOO! AIRITME THRILLS ON A TUESDAY AND BACK TO BACK! I LOVE THIS! Keep up the awesome work!

[@X_Canine]

going there next year for a band field trip! so excited!

[@Barry_MC]

Back when I was in high school we’d have field trips there every year, they host a choir and band competition at their amphitheater

[@BluestormShre]

do you guys also go to KD

[@X_Canine]

@@BluestormShre no

[@peterroberts4415]

​@@Barry_MCyup that was middle school for us

[@Barry_MC]

@@peterroberts4415 oh you’re totally right it was middle school god I’m old

[@michael7054]

Great video! The eagle part was funny 😅 Its great to see you all had a good time! I enjoyed watching this!

[@sajk1082]

Going there for first time in 30 years in a few months and I can’t wait .

[@stephanievitale-ur1vo]

I wish I had a coaster enthusiast as a parent. I did ride Nitro at SFGA with my dad and grandma. I have a picture from it. It is priceless now that my dad passed and grandma is in a nursing home nostalgia 2003.

[@ariw9405]

Sophie you are an absolute doll! I say this a lot but I’m so jealous of your courage!

[@OfficialMxMusic]

Airtime thrills spoling us with the quantity AND quality of posts! I love what you do man!

[@seriomarkj]

Man your humor just hits with me.... the ending tag of " sorry for wasting your time" not sure why but made me chuckle!

[@jzckvsn]

Back to back! You’re cooking this week

[@ThemeParkMotivationContent-y6z]

Sophie is 💯 correct BGW is the best all around park and my favorite too

[@ophiolatrix]

Busch Gardens Williamsburg is my favorite park too! I haven't been since before Pantheon and Darkoaster opened, I should really go back so I can ride those!

[@notkaywhy]

It's so weird but also hilarious knowing you came on one of my days off and that I could've bumped into you in Festa Italia.

[@kylepatterson3484]

These vlogs are so good man, left a comment years ago thanking you for making these for those who will never have families. Havent given up yet.

[@mitchellries256]

For me, it's the second best. I prefer the original Busch Gardens in Tamps because of the animal exhibits and the two rides they have that are better than anything they have at this park, which are Cheetah Hunt and Iron Gwazi. Although I should be careful when I say that as I haven't ridden Pantheon yet.

[@TheBolligerMabillardLover]

Plus Montu which I think is their best coaster and my favorite B&M invert along with Raptor, just above Alpengeist and Banshee

[@mitchellries256]

@TheBolligerMabillardLover For me, Alpengeist is the best B&M invert with Montu at second place, Banshee at third place, and Raptor at third place.

[@craigsmallegan5993]

4:38 Facts. Went in June. Got 8 straight rides on this without having to get in line. Was always in row 7 or 8. Yeah, this thing is wild and fun back there. Second best invert out there (only to Montu), IMO.

[@ItsSiebay]

Busch Gardens Williamsburg may not be the best park in the world, but it is easily the best park I’ve ever been to, and that’s not even talking about the coasters. It’s been 10 years since I’ve been there, and that was before I became an enthusiast. Also, Sophie rocking the sick Six Flags America merch!

[@nolweezdubs1300]

100% agree with you about pantheon. Such an underrated ride! It’s in my top 5 currently

[@animepsyclone]

I was there a few months ago and will be returning on Friday. Amazing park

[@vespinonl]

Sophie’s remarks, always on point 😂👌🏻

[@timothywait9457]

Vespinonl Sophie has an ice cream at the parks 🍦i have beer 🍻

[@TheThirdRailDC]

Love for my home park, ❤ BGW

[@MatthewLavan]

ahh this is one of my home parks 🥰 you guys had a nice day for lines! 😮‍💨 woulda been cool to see you guys there lol; maybe someday!

[@Thefury325]

This week is crazy for theme parks, first mindbender at over Georgia is flooded, hyperia has rolled back again, and so much more it’s crazy.

[@BruhBama]

with BGW being one of my home parks, sophies energy is literally me when i was a kid with this park

[@aw7870]

Gotta go here sometime

[@C3T1C]

Kings island has been my home park since 2010, and I enjoy being there all the time. Im going to BGW later this month and Im excited to see how this park does, and IF its better than KI

[@gtonyxkid2012]

I’d have to agree that Busch Gardens Williamsburg is the best park. It may not have the absolute best coaster line up. But this was my first year ever visiting. And out of all the parks I’ve been to, it definitely has a good coaster collection, but the over all atmosphere, design, buildings, cleanliness absolutely makes up for the coaster line up and it’s my over all favorite park and possibly the best over all park!

[@Kerosenas]

Man, BGW was the first non-six flags park I went to and I was so blown away by how high quality and pretty it is. For some reason I really really loved Apollo's Chariot (this was over a decade ago).. I think because it's so mild but pleasant that I just looped it repeatedly without feeling awful. I love Diamondback but I think I'd struggle to even ride it twice in a row without getting sick. I plan on going back to BGW next year so I guess I'll see how it holds up now. Glad to know Pantheon is as awesome as it looks though!

[@brentgoeller8257]

I'm with Sophie. BG is my home park. And I think it's the best because while you 2 were gallivanting around, Your wife still had plenty to do. They have a decent balance of shows and entertainment besides just coasters.

[@jonathanwoods3136]

I guess I’ve been super fortunate growing up. Grew up an hour from BGW 2 hours from KD. Then in 2016 I moved to Cincinnati with KI. I’ve been able to go to both parks every year since 2015 with family visits to BGW. Kinda miss old bgw with big bad wolf as a headliner though

[@zacg_]

It's not my overall number one but I rank it above every park in the new combined Six Flags chain. It's absolutely elite. It's in the same echelon as SDC and Islands of Adventure.

[@daniel8421]

Man I'm so jealous. My kids are across the country, so I only get to take them to parks during the summer 😢, and I have to trick my daughter into getting on rides lol

[@yosoyastroo]

Hello Airtime Thrills! I have an idea for you, you should add a top 10 bucketlist launches all around the world. (Nice vlog!)

[@jurassicstaff8639]

Went on dark coaster and pantheon summer 2023 ! I'm from Toronto and was visiting family friends in Virginia and I STILL KZbin pov of dark coaster and pantheon everyday since LOL also Apolo chariot was my first roller coaster since 2016 and I remembered that's the coaster Fabio got hit in the face by a bird 🐦 🫣😬😱 we did Apolo chariot then tempesto..pantheon verbolten and dark coaster..waited over an hour for dark coaster ..so worth it tho..the queue for verbolten was my fav..also I got the red car on verbolten and sat in the front lol

[@J_yancey_]

My home park I wouldn’t trade it 🤟🏾

[@christiwright3604]

Invadr was running very fast in June when I went! I loved the hang time I got on both loops of Lochness Monster!

[@SlimFury]

I visited on my way to Virginia Beach. Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a great chill park.

[@DaanBruins]

DarKoaster has a switch track that takes you on a separate piece of track that takes you from the last part of the ride, to the first launch while skipping the station. So yes, you essentially go around twice.

[@pipepicasso8112]

I actually laughed out loud when Sophie got hit with the second “Splash Zone”😂 Plus, Amy’s train ride looks pretty cool. Didn’t know Busch Gardens has such a nice train ride. One thing Kings Island has is, it’s seems consistent every year overall. But, Busch Gardens has a great lineup of coaster.

[@stephenhumes8548]

Haven't been since 2019, definitely might hit up the new attractions and grab a pint at the bier hall now because of this video.

[@jonathanwelch8406]

I agree Busch Gardens Williamsburg is one of the best parks in America outside of Disney and Universal especially with all the theming

[@christianortiz-v1l]

BGW is my personal favorite park in the SeaWorld chain. It's an amazing place to spend a day at.

[@MattMcIrvin]

I really need to get back here sometime--I go back to Virginia a lot to visit my folks. My sister lives a lot closer to Kings Dominion but I think they like BGW more. BGW was actually my home park back in the days when Loch Ness Monster and BBW were the main major coasters there, but I haven't been back since Drachen Fire was running. None of the current non-Loch-Ness coasters existed yet. It seems like enthusiast consensus has moved against Pantheon a bit (maybe they're comparing it to Velocicoaster and Toutatis?) and it's interesting to see you raving about it. I'd like to see for myself.

[@murph120779]

Burgermeister’s Hideaway is amazing at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. A must do!

[@gametime2473]

Apollo's Chariot has its days when it runs so fast. Many days it runs sluggish. It's strange.

[@user-pl5ds8iz6q]

Same as i305...Some days it rips you apart other days it's incredibly close to valleying hence the polarizing opinions

[@gametime2473]

@@user-pl5ds8iz6q I'm assuming this is sarcasm? I haven't ever had a ride on i305 when it was "close to valleying" no matter how hard that trim brake hits lol

[@cheapthusiast1146]

It's sick because I go back and forth between KI and BGW being my favorite park.

[@beardedswordsman2901]

It's my favorite park and I've rode 70% of the rides. I've considered moving to the area from the Midwest.

[@jamie-dempsey]

15:11. I'm quite impressed that pantheon is the best park in the ride.

[@philipnauman838]

So love the vintage Amy video

[@alex33952]

Bgw is so good. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit three years in a row. Comparing to bgt, it’s also so close. If they had an rmc or a giga it could be in the discussion for best in USA. I’ll say that my 8 year old loves bgw the most with the possible exception of Hershey park. The new family invert will take pressure off dark coaster, invadr and verbolten which can be crazy lines. Great, beautiful park with lots of hotels nearby. Without going to kings island before it’s probably better but bgw right there. Also having water country 3 miles away which I believe is the best waterpark we have attended makes the bgw case stronger

[@charleybartelmay5469]

I miss this being my home park

[@matthewcole4753]

It's getting to be one of the top. Two more unique ones and it can compete with SFGA and Hershey Park.

[@ChuckE.CheesesIllinois]

Great America? Probably

[@claytonwrinkle9526]

The family park visits are my fav videos! Which sea world park did you pick as home park, I’m thinking San Antonio will be cheapest option?

[@AirtimeThrills]

For me, san antonio. The girls went to san diego though and wanted the extra perks like friend passes so their passes are for there

[@alexmills9223]

There's only one way to prove which Park is better, and that's with a Park Battle.

[@bigc1280]

Bush Gardens Williamsburg is missing 3 things that would make it elite. One, it needs a good tower ride. Like a drop tower. And/or a tall swing ride like a sky screamer. 2. Now that it has Darkoaster, it needs a good dark Ride again. 3. It just needs a few more flat rides. A good pendulum ride, and some other flat rides sprinkled around the park would be nice. The Ireland section would be good to have more flat rides and the dak ride too to spread the crowds around better.

[@CarolinaCycloneJames]

Went in the middle of may. No crowds. Almost everything was a walk-on besides verbolten. Even the revamped Loch Ness that just reopened a few weeks prior had no wait

[@notscaredboochie]

My home park getting some lovr’

[@Wozniak13]

I dragged Julie there for the first time this year first week of June (Before school lets out). I will say, Darkoaster is high on her greatest rides list, but she is more of a laterals person than me. Although, I agree with Sophie, that park is at least in my top 5 of parks in the world (my personal opinion of course)

[@Bbabybear02]

My home park.

[@BluestormShre]

17:36 i demand a refund. 17 minutes of my time for no reason? 🤬🤬😤😤. Payment accepted by uploading video of Six flags America

[@calvinpetty343]

The day Sophie became 54” was the best day of Chris’s life

[@AirtimeThrills]

Every milestone was equally awesome. 36, 42, 48, 54, but i think 48 takes the cake

[@jaya1000]

Just some more GOAT dad stuff. Taking his daughter to her favorite park on the other side of the country. Helping pay for it by blogging.

[@CedarThrills]

Apollo‘s chariot was broken when I was there😢😢😢

[@fo-ef8qo]

Watching Sophie get destroyed by Escape from Pompeii made me literally lol. it's hard for me to rank bgw fairly because it's my home park and I worked there and had a great time doing so, but I've also seen it deteriorate slowly but steadily since before the InBev buyout to this year, but despite the deterioration it is still better than parks such as kennywood, Sagam, New England, and America, Kentucky Kingdom, Dorney Park, Possibly carowinds and KD. it's definitely an upper-half park at least though.

[@petersoncooper7292]

Can you do a video where you speculate the next B&M hyper will go? We also ways speculate on the next giga or RMC but never hypers.

[@Howlingburd19]

I personally like Busch Gardens Tampa more

[@thisoldcub100]

Gotta go with Sophie, BGW is so immersive and well themed it kinda blows KI away.

[@static_gmedina]

Ahh...that bridge at 5:30 is the bridge I stayed on while waiting for my family to get off the ride. And I was too short.

[@cre8tive320]

Did you not buy platinum through SW San Antonio? Only $220ish there and gets access to everything

[@Cheezbat]

I’m with Sophie on this one Busch Gardens superior to Kings Island, even though Kings Island has more coasters

[@Cyberstar_Entertainment]

Huh. Another CEC fan that’s also a Coaster Enthusiast 😂

[@Sonic-gy7kq]

We need to petition to b&m to stop using vest restraints

[@ItsAllGood_]

I respect Beast #1, Pantheon #2 so much Sophie. I got Beast #3, Pantheon #5 on my list.

[@jasonyau326]

But why does Sophie even have Six Flags America Merchandise?? 🤔🤨

[@Zepp914]

I'm guessing she got cold marathoning Superman and Chris had to use his Diamond VIP discount before Selim Bassoul takes it away.

[@jasonyau326]

@@Zepp914 The CEO of the New Six Flags is Richard Zimmerman from Cedar Fair, he was President of Kings Dominion Selim Bassoul is now Executive CHairman

[@Zepp914]

​@@jasonyau326 100%, but for whatever reason Selim Bassoul screwing things up seems more par for the course. I mean he did have to tank SIX enough to allow for FUN to merge with it.

[@jasonyau326]

@@Zepp914 He wanted to attract less rowdy teenagers make it more family friendly but he raised prices first before adding new things. Nonetheless both Six Flags and Cedar Fair took on a lot of debt to remain afloat during the pandemic so both sides realized that it would be in their interests to merge and service the combined debt of 8 billion together 🤔🤭

[@MarsJenkar]

"Sorry, Griffon." Yeah, Griffon taking a Dive off of the top 100 last year was pretty shocking. I remember going through the first half of that list and thinking, "Wait, there's 50 coasters left to go but there should be 51 by my count. What am I missing?" And it turns out that Chris had dropped Griffon off his list entirely. Oops.

[@corkscrewfoley]

Choosing Pantheon over SteVe. Chris, Sophie's got her priorities straight.

[@stormchaser419]

😂😂 Sheer blasphemy!

[@corkscrewfoley]

@@stormchaser419 Not at all!!

[@KingAriston]

I grew up going to King's Island. I love King's Island. But it's no contest, BGW is a much better park, and since the addition of Pantheon, it even has a better top ride.

[@ChuckE.CheesesIllinois]

I eannaa go here some day

[@PiplupJames]

BGW-My favorite park🐧

[@NoahRhodes-wb1hb]

cant wait for big bad wolf remake

[@NoahRhodes-wb1hb]

Also no way you didn’t tell her about the drop track

[@daniellemarcantel2487]

Probably my second favorite park on the southern east coast! 😄 Just rode Darkcoaster this year and it's better than what you think it's gonna be when you first see it. Verbolten was better than when I rode it new 12 years ago. That drop track is intense. I knew it was there and it still caught me off guard. 😂 Alpengeist is one of my favorite inverts! Gotta ride it front though. 😄 Tempesto is the worst coaster in the park. InvadR is not my favorite either, but it's not terrible. Griffon is my second favorite coaster at BGW. Still my fave dive coaster, again front row for the win! Nessie has always been great, but the restoration made it so much better! Probably my fave arrowlooper of all and I've ridden quite a few of them. Pantheon is by far my favorite coaster at BGW and Apollo's Chariot is probably my favorite hyper coaster.

[@chrisk.6246]

Yes. It’s Tempesto.

[@soggygremlin572]

I went last week, and I found Alpengheist quite rough.

[@AirtimeThrills]

May depend what row you're in

[@BluestormShre]

its just how it is in spring for field trip I got the smoothest coaster ever except for the drop off the mcbr

[@topgunjoeicdbko]

I think maybe dive coasters are perfect for dark ride sections. Thinking of unversal making a dark ride dive coasters in place of rip ride. The whole ride is indoors maybe except the drop and they could even tunnel the drop. The mummy has a part 1 part 2 kinda thinking like that part 1 dark ride part 2 make it intense part 3 dark ride mega drop outside to breaks.

[@Jeremy-jx4kq]

Don’t mess with the King (‘s Island)!

[@topgunjoeicdbko]

I had sea tickets this year had plans to go here this oct for their Halloween event and coasters. Decided not to do it due to money I live in CT. I guess it's still possible but I have a feeling we are about to get hit with the port strike at the pump. I always do flordia new years so ima have to just save for the main trip I think

[@BigDCoasterFam]

Has Amy ridden any new trains? I haven’t seen a train counters lately

[@inlinechris]

BGW is my favorite park just above BGT and Dollywood

[@philipnauman838]

Yes! Train Ride.

[@reedspace8267]

Were you charged tree fiddy to ride the Loch Ness Monster?

[@Philip-d1x]

Sophie so right, Beast #1 coaster ever!!!! Verbolten--junk--but will admit this opinion is somewhat influenced by the fact that I loved the Big Bad Wolf so much.

[@Peachie10120]

My favorite park too! My favorite coaster and also my all time favorite is Verbolten. It just really clicked with me, but Pantheon is good just overrated. Ok I’m going to get jumped at night for this😭 …. But this frickin car ride clicked with me so much that I’ll take it over Pantheon and Velocicoaster.