Busch Gardens Williamsburg Review | Amusement Park in Virginia

It’s no surprise this park has been voted the most beautiful theme park 32 years in a row. Above a creek through the lush forest of Eastern Virginia lies the refreshing sight of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. This is the sister to the African-focused Tampa-based theme park, with this one being themed around Europe. The entanglement of twisted metal roller coaster tracks compliments the natural scenery and complex foliage, leading to a park that pleasantly surprised us and one that we can safely say is superior to its Florida based sister. How does the park do it?
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0:00 Introduction
5:04 EXPERIENCES SEVEN OUT OF TEN
8:01 OPERATIONS EIGHT
11:37 MERCHANDISE EIGHT OUT
13:52 ATMOSPHERE EIGHT OUT OF TEN
15:15 SERVICES SIX OUT OF TEN

[@Rvger1]

As someone who regularly visits busch gardens Williamsburg this review is very accurate. What I can say about the operations it can sometimes be absolute horrible but most of the time operations are usually quick.

[@jakes658]

What's horrible about it?

[@djs2356]

come to six flags great America for horrible operations defined

[@zoso481]

@@jakes658 I went for 3 days in mid July a few summers ago and every coaster except for Verbolten and Alpengeist had one train operations for all 3 days. absolutely horrible experience. Lochness monster was a 2 hour wait and the line wasn't even that long. still my favorite park but that really lowered my opinion on them. hopefully when I go back again it's better

[@StrawberryChaiLatte]

I love having BG Williamsburg as my home park ☺️ I’m actually going this week for the member preview of Dark Koaster. Watching my kids graduate to the bigger rides has really been something to witness too. Also they have wolves lol

[@benrothman2055]

I worked at BG in the 90s. Back when it was owned by Anheuser-Busch. The food used to be not just good, but amazing. The hamburger buns were fresh baked every day and made for a glorious sandwich. The Italian food, too, was way up there. You were lucky that the rain cleared the park out. I’ve found that the last few years, Operations has been quite poor when dealing with crowds.

[@skyedream75]

I miss when our food was good 😭 i used to tell everyone how good it was

[@m.hreels9822]

I live 30 minutes away from Busch Gardens Williamsburg. It has been my home park for years and I absolutely love it!❤🎢🙏🏻

[@coreymason7017]

I grew up and live also about 30 minutes away and it’s filled with so much nostalgia and love for me.

[@ashleyaguilar5577]

Same ❤

[@R.E.X.T]

Same

[@user-bq2zf5zr9n]

Will you marry me 😂

[@dreams2reality410]

Live in Florida and visit BG Tampa 1-2 times every yr. It is my favorite park in Florida. Although Universal Studios, I.O.A., and Sea World are incredible parks there is just something special about B.G. in Tampa. They have the best coaster collection in Florida period. Will be visiting BG Williamsburg late this summer omw to Cedar Point to get a taste of TT2. Looking forward to getting a European twist on BG Florida. Have seen countless videos that do the park tons of justice. Looks like such a beautiful plot of land along with a nice collection of coasters. Would be proud to call Williamsburg my home park.

[@MattMcIrvin]

This was my home park when I was in college. Before that, it was a favorite visit for my family, along with Kings Dominion and Hersheypark. I haven't been back in a very long time, and most of the park's current big rides were built after then. But I do miss the place and would love to go back sometime. Loch Ness Monster was my first looper; the departed Big Bad Wolf (the predecessor of Verbolten) was the first coaster I really loved.

[@yikesvikes]

The Loch Ness Monster is the first roller coaster I ever rode (At age 26), and I'm now a huge coaster fan!

[@davidchuong714]

This park is honestly amazing. It’s very beautiful and has some great rides. I will be visiting again soon for the opening of DarKoaster, can’t wait.

[@emilypeduto981]

i've only been to this park twice in my life, but it's amazing how strong the memories were watching this. they used to have this stupid animatronic rat named esmeralda that sang brittney spears parodies. seven-year-old me was absolutely obsessed with it. now i work under a premier puppet builder, and the other day she was talking about a rat she once built for a theme park...turns out i work for esmeralda's mom.

[@mrWendybird]

Busch Gardens Williamsburg really is a beautiful-looking park. Next to Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood, it's an American theme park I hope to visit someday

[@Marylandbrony]

Yeah, the Mid-Atlantic states are probably the most underrated in terms of natural beauty in the United States. There is a reason why John Denver made a song about West Virginia. Hope you come back soon.

[@coasterviking305]

Been one of my home parks my whole life (I’m 19) and I absolutely love it. its coasters, shows, and beauty, are so amazing it’s easy for me to think about those. I don’t think Tampa is a bad park but I definitely prefer Williamsburg. Of course this park has definitely changed over the years, however it’s always a fun time here 💚

[@WhywouldIshower]

I used to work for the park. Loch Ness Monster was one of my attractions. I’m glad to see the entire park experience get the love it deserves.

[@alexnoyle]

I love this park. Amazing coasters, great nature, The food in the German section is some of the best - period. Not just in a theme park.

[@RM-jo8gy]

This has been my home park my whole life (I'm 36) and I am a passholder year over year. Next month I plan on visiting Tampa for the first time during a trip to Orlando. I am excited to see the other Busch Gardens finally.

[@hihi-jn3gw]

I love Busch gardens Williamsburg❤

[@xavierdomenico]

From VA, we love BGW with out whole hearts!!!

[@DemC92]

So cool to see you guys do my home park, just spent today their enjoying the food and wine festival offerings. Definitely has some room for serious improvement but overall a great park to visit and spend the day at. Glad you guys enjoyed yourselves.

[@Phantom0507]

I visited this park recently on a band trip, I honestly loved it (being a coaster enthusiast that has very little credits), the operations were quite good. and luckily most lines were station waits if not walk on's (besides Verbolten, which tends to have a 15-25 minute wait if not less) the worst experience I had regarding operations were on my back row night ride on Apollos chariot. dispatches were horrid (around 3-5 minutes ) but it still wasn't bad due to nobody being there since the park was about to close. it was our last ride of the night and it was absolutely outstanding. I loved every coaster I went on and I 100% recommend going if you have the chance.

[@MG-qt4im]

Nice thorough review!

[@GrampsWizarding]

New fan/sub here love this video

[@floridamaddogg]

I enjoyed your review and I'm a big fan of Sea World Entertainment parks. Some of my all time favorite parks (and rides) are within this chain. Sea World Orlando is my homepark and I go there and BGT, the most, but I do go to BGW somewhat often. I was last there in July 2022 to ride Pantheon. It depends on what aspect of the parks you look for as to rank which park is the better one. I think BGW is very beautiful. Lots of scenery, natural beauty, trees, shade, and I like the different countries the park is themed too. Both BGW and BGT are ahead of just about every other park except the theming at Disney and universal parks. SDC and Dollywood are closest comparisons. With that said, BGT is the better park overall and for me personally, has the better rides. When I leave BGT, I just want to go back as soon as I could. When I left BGW, I wanted to go back, but not the same type of feeling. While theming is nice, it's not what I prioritize. Rides are my priority and I love animals, so BGT with it's elite level of animal exhibits, experiences, and Serengeti plains, already puts BGT ahead of BGW. When it comes to rides, BGT has a much better collection. Montu>alpengeist, Shiekra>Griffon, Iron Gwazi >>Pantheon. It's not to say those rides are bad at BGW. They are quite awesome, but overall, BGT>>>>BGW.

[@theheardtheorem]

I 100% agree with your comment! BGT is my #2 park and my wife’s #1 park. She ranks it above Cedar Point because of the animal exhibits. There really are experiences there you don’t get at other parks. We also both enjoyed our time at Sea World Orlando more than we did at the Universal Parks

[@morguac]

One thing that Busch Gardens does really well is their Halloween and holiday theming. If you ever have a chance to do that, it's worth the trip. Honestly, it's worth a whole weekend, because Colonial Williamsburg is right down the road and you can spend an entire day there too.

[@Ratty183]

Love your reviews! If you ever plan a trip through Europe, especially Germany, I’d be happy to share some tips and tricks.

[@JBguitar-cj8pc]

I’ve been going to this park since I was about 6 or 7 years old and I’m 32 now haha it will never stop being amazing.

[@marty_nz]

Nice one Dom. My first visit was also last year and I loved this park. Pantheon is awesome, I even made it my KZbin profile pic.

[@skyedream75]

A very fair and accurate review!! The Italy bridge is now back open so no worries about it being a horseshoe shape! Never take that hill down unless you really want a picture of the coasters from down below or to ride the river cruise. It has the nickname “heart attack hill” for a reason! Alpengeist has such great theming probably because it was a coaster from the Anheuser Busch era of the park. When it was built I remember me and my family being amazed it went under the bridge that had always been there between New France and Germany. I feel Sea World (current owners) don’t care as much about theming, hence the lack for Pantheon. 😢 (Side note: the grassy field Pantheon is on was originally where we had additional stables for our Clydesdales, sheep, and Highland cattle) Advice for newcomers: you can get free ice water at any place with a fountain drink dispenser-just ask for a water cup. Only downside is needing to wait in line, which could be long depending on when you go. Recommendations: don’t go on Saturdays-they’re usually crowded and we frequently have things like Music in the Parks where band students come for a day of fun. Try going on a weekday instead and you’re less likely to have a problem with crowds.

[@FanThemePark]

I've been to this park 3 times in my life so far and it is a top 3 park I've been to. I love it here!

[@alanrocks1234]

Great value for sure! they offer so many rewards each month for annual membership such as it free bring a friend tickets ,food an drink vouchers, souvenirs aswell

[@mcrclaire]

We didn't expect to fall in love with this park as much as we did, it's just so charming! Hard agree about Festa Italia though.

[@sassycharles]

They just reopened the bridge as of Thursday. Which makes going around the park better!

[@matthewblack263]

I wish I had known y’all were in town! Played myself!

[@MissMyMusicAddiction]

9/10 on thrill rides? i've never thought of BGW as super-thrilly. it does have the most visual-appealing versions of the various rides that i've seen, though.

[@audiovideophile5317]

I love you guys. You were even at Disneyland when I was. BUT I would have loved to have seen more here. There were several times you mentioned the parts of rides you loved but there was no video of those moments. Also I would have like to have heard a quick summary of the park history.

[@imaginationstationyt6948]

Only been there once. The year Big Bad Wolf closed and I regret not getting to ride it more. I think I only got to ride it twice. But it was a solid theme park back in the day and I am willing to bet it is still great today. Can't wait for Darkoaster and hope I can see it one day :D

[@Mylotan]

Going there later this month and this pops up in my recommended lol 👍

[@ksyph1]

Great review! One thing people have to remember most of the coasters were the 1st or one of the 1st of it types. So there are better ones out there

[@vrextar]

BGW is my home park and this was a very fair review IMO. As other have said, they've re-opened the Italy bridge now (albeit only partially). Also, the parking trams are not always available. It just depends on the staffing that day I guess. I went a couple of weeks ago on a Friday evening and they weren't running despite having the first 3 parking lots (England, France, and Germany) almost completely full. So anyone coming to the park for the first time should be aware of that. Also, I agree that drizzly days can be the best to go or even overcast ones with a slight chance of rain if your goal is to ride as much as possible. It keeps the crowds down. Platinum members can get 1 free Quick Queue per visit by visiting the kiosks near the entrance and scanning their card, but otherwise I personally don't think Quick Queue (or other similar things at other parks) is worth it. It's too expensive for what you get IMO. Finally, the worst times to come to the park if you're looking to avoid crowds? July 4th weekend, Summer Saturdays in general, and Howl-o-Scream weekends. The park reaches capacity many times during those times and parking across the street in Scotland/Bavaria (across from the brewery) is not unheard of. Fortunately for those situations they usually do run the trams AFAIK.

[@khoribarnes-hogan1068]

busch gardens has my fav coaster collection

[@bpar73]

I grew up and still live close to BG and I just assumed all theme parks were that nice and clean and lush with near perfect landscaping. Then I went to King's Dominion.

[@Dmetz414]

We are visiting from Ohio in two weeks I can’t wait.

[@michaeltaylor1603]

They went for a different look, feel, and theme for this one. They succeed! Two other parks that were slated was 3rd Marriott Great America DC area. Six Flags America, also DC area.

[@superd4611]

What an excellent, fair review! You pointed out the great parts and the serious current flaws. Almost all of the original park is still intact. They have changed rides but the original areas and buildings are still there. With the exception of the improvement of Ireland. I think the transportation rides are a strong point of this park. I’m glad you pointed that out. They are becoming more rare at theme parks, especially a great cable skyway. It is a very scenic park. But did you notice the hideous barren right of way running down the center of the park? There is an underground gas line running straight through the middle of the park, and they had to cut down all the trees over it! Appx ten years ago this park was a shining example of how to run a theme park. SEAS has whittled and chipped away at the overall quality with constant budget cuts. Live entertainment has suffered, they open the park in phases, attraction closures without replacement. The food service used to be excellent and now it’s atrocious. I’m afraid it’s the Busch parks are becoming less rounded and mostly a rollercoaster park like Paramount and Six Flags in the 90s.

[@KingCringeson]

It's a nice park in a nice area. There are problems, like every park but it's a good park.

[@car_tar3882]

Other than Hershey o have never been to an American regional park in the last few years with any groupers usually large groups just count the parties ahead of them in their rows and the ones with fewer will offer for people behind them to skip them

[@Apollosdemise]

15:57 the bridge actually opened up just yesterday to let you know

[@matthewblack263]

My wife will love this news. Was a real bummer during St Pats weekend this year.

[@Apollosdemise]

@@matthewblack263 yeah, it made getting around the park a pain

[@MrAsianPie]

Its sad in recent that the park has been in a backslide (2022 in particular being a harsh year) though hopefully it will one day rebound.

[@coasterviking305]

Right now from my eyes the park feels and looks a lot better compared to this time last year 👍🏻

[@grandjohn]

Does anyone know how much the nanocoasters are in the park? The website shows them being 50 dollars, but are they cheaper in the park?

[@matthewblack263]

I swear I think closer to $30.

[@cgimovieman]

I really don’t like that parks don’t provide physical maps anymore. When I go places like a theme or amusement park, I’m there to relax and have fun. I don’t bring my cell phone with me because I don’t want to be disturbed or have one more thing in my pocket. But if I’m in a new park or one I don’t know as well, how do I even navigate without a map? It’s really unfair. Or some people like my grandma don’t even have a cell phone at all. You’re basically telling me that if I want to know how to get around the park, in addition to my ticket I also have to buy a phone that costs hundreds of dollars, and subscribe to a service plan with a monthly bill. Just to know how to get around your park. Really bothers me. That $50-$75 ticket just became maybe $2,000 or more. I also kind of liked saving maps too. They’re interesting to look back on.

[@jandrew1994]

Silver Dollar City still does, March 16th, 2023

[@mitchellries256]

This is my second favorite theme park ever, just behind the other Busch Gardens in Tampa. It's a very close call because I love the theming here is much better it has the better overall ride lineup, in my opinion. I just love the animals in Tampa more, and Cheetah Hunt and Iron Gwazi are both better than anything here.

[@Emily-jp2wd]

Pantheon looks like a carbon copy of Icebreaker at Seaworld Orlando, which make me pretty sick when I rode it.

[@sterospa]

I wonder if pantheon was affect by covid. It was built in 2019. We were there during construction but I bet they cut the budget to just get it open.

[@matthewblack263]

It took close to 2 years to finish. It’s been open for over a year and I still haven’t ridden it. 💀

[@Suchatool98]

As someone who grew up in Williamsburg, Busch has changed a lot, and not for the better. When it was still owned by Anheuser-Busch it was a park that rivaled Disney or Universal. Celtic Fire is a remnant of that time. Following the Blackfish documentary and AB selling the park, the quality dropped, but steadily over time. Now, based on accounts of KZbinrs who've been going there since the AB days, and my last visit over five years ago, it's changed. To a point where it's an in-between Cedar Fair Park and Herschand Park. But nowhere near the quality, it was during the AB days as a regional version of a Disney or Univeral. I want to go back, but I'm hesitant to be disappointed because of the quality standards I grew up with. The ride selection is still one of the best for a regional theme park and one of the best-themed parks outside of SoCal or Orlando. I hope one day, soon, I'll go there and my opinion will change. But love your content and how you've described it is accurate to describe the feeling of being there.

[@zacg_]

This is definitely the best SeaWorld park. Tampa is very good and has great coasters and animal exhibits though I don't think the execution is quite as good as Williamsburg. Orlando is a well rounded experience with a great layout and lots to do, especially the entertainment and exhibits. San Diego and San Antonio are good for what they are but certainly inferior to Orlando. But Williamsburg is just the better package. It feels magical like Disney or Universal. The coasters are cool but they aren't the only draw or even the main reason the park is so great. It feels cohesive and most of the lands are well done. The dinning is pretty good and the shopping is exceptional. You always feel like you're exploring and can sometimes feel like you're in a hidden corner. And of course, it's beautiful.

[@VortexCreations.]

BGW sucks nowadays...Due to Kevin being park president and Seaworld just yk...BEING SEAWORLD...the park is really moving closer and closer to being a park that would be owned by the Six Flags chain. Ever since late 2017-Current day, the park just hasn't been the same and it is continuing to move down hill. The park's scenery is beginning to become scarce and this is because they are mainly focusing on adding coasters practically every single year now (it really should be 4-5 years before they add to the collection but they do not care). Now you may be wondering...why exactly does adding more and more roller coasters to please the general public create a problem to the scenery? The answer is because this is a scenery based park and not a coaster based park (similar to a Six Flags park), and the more coasters they slap down without extremely theming them (they used to put full effort into old European theming) the more scenery there will be taken out and the more staff they will need to operate the new coasters (they are really short staffed). Another problem is that they lack flat rides and dark rides. Darkoaster does not count as a dark ride considering it is just an indoor coaster (they currently have an abandoned 4d simulator ride vacant that def needs to be used). The other issue is that the food is absolutely terrible (It used to be authentic homemade European Country foods whereas nowadays it is just straight from a frozen food aisle). Ngl...ever since Kevin has been president and Seaworld has stepped in even more than they use to after purchasing the BG parks, the park quality and theming is just declining. I still have hope in them and I hope that they will bring in that old European theming again sometime soon (maybe for the 50th) but as of rn, the park needs help. (Darkoaster has absolutely nothing to do with the old European theming besides the story of Ludwig...this whole ghost hunter thing they have for it is wayy too modern)

[@UglyFleabag]

this is p accurate!

[@SpezyCoasters]

Uhm....alpengeist the best themed invert? As a phantasialand local I have to disagree xD.....I mean.....black mamba anyone?

[@jabarijones8091]

Montu is better themed

[@shardaycc553]

As a local I can say that this park has really fallen off food and operations wise. I often went just for the food. Now the food is terrible and overpriced

[@zacharygambler9306]

Lot of fancy words to be so wrong about Disneyland. Bgardens is gorgeous. Disneyland is too with lots of natural beauty despite being very landlocked.

[@joshuaalbert9092]

As someone who has been to both at least 4 times each. Pretty tough to say Williamsburg is better than Tampa. My reasons. Iron Gwazi much better than Pantheon, Tampas theming is way more exciting than dumb europe theme that really just feels meh, Tampas food may be worse but the uniqueness of the food is a big win for me. Williamsburg has some good rides that tampa does not but the quality of the tampas thrill rides is just a hard win. Operations? I dunno, maybe that is a win for WIlliamsburg, tampas can be bad. Animals? I MEAN INSTANT WIN for TAMPA. Flat Rides is a huge win for Tampa as well, they have variety and thrill. Weather? Im sorry but a huge win for Tampa, half the year you cant do Williamsburg, when it rains it is awful when it snows it is awful when its HOT it IS FUCKING Hot because they dont have the blasting A/C that Tampa does.

[@zach1810]

Having been to both Bush Gardens parks during the Covid Era. I can attest that this is a beautiful park. Well worth a trip.