How To Make The Most of Busch Gardens Hours
Busch Gardens never seems to be open long enough- always so much to do and so many shows to see. Busch Gardens Hours vary according to time of year and event. You can click here to check for your individual days.
Once you know how many hours you have you need to maximize them. Here are some ideas of how to make the most of Busch Gardens Hours.
How To Make The Most of Busch Gardens Hours
Choose a less crowded day to go
The day you choose to go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg can greatly affect how much you can accomplish. Fortunately Busch Gardens ticketing system can let you see exactly how full they predict the park will be. In fact the less people in the park the cheaper the tickets (see below). The highest the price can go is $90 so you can use that to gauge things.
Buy and print tickets ahead of time.
One thing is constant when I get to Busch Gardens Williamsburg on a busy day- long lines at the kiosks. They are full of people who bought tickets online and didn’t print them. You could spend as long as 30 minutes in line waiting. The trick is to buy your tickets ahead of time (check out Busch Gardens Williamsburg Coupons) and print them before you get to the park. If you have them printed you can proceed directly to the entrance and skip the line!
Download The App
The Busch Gardens Williamsburg App is a great tool to use while you are in the park. You can drop a pin where your car is parked. It shows you all the show times updated throughout your visit. There is an interactive map so you can figure out the shortest distances between attractions (I do wish it showed wait times).
Hit The Parking Lot As Soon As It Opens
No matter what time the park closes it typically opens at 10 a.m. during the regular season. That means the parking lot will open at 9:30. If at all possible try to be there at 9:30. Once you park your car you will still have to ride the tram to the entrance and that can take 15 minutes or so depending on the wait. Just march up with your ticket in hand, get your bags checked and you can get inside at 10 a.m. on the dot!
If You Have the Money Get a Quick Queue
If you manage to get a killer deal on your tickets you might consider grabbing a Quick Queue. A Quick Queue® pass provides single-time priority access for the following select thrill rides: Alpengeist®, Apollo’s Chariot®, Escape from Pompeii®, Griffon®, Le Scoot Log Flume, Roman Rapids, Verbolten® and others. PLUS receive one BONUS option good at any of the attractions listed above. This means you can skip all the long lines and jump on the rides in a fraction of the time. You can read about my experience here.
Bring a Water Bottle
You can bring an outside water bottle to the park. Instead of waiting in line for drinks you can fill up at the water fountains! There are fountains located in Italy, Scotland and New France where you can fill up. Also if the machines for the fountain drinks aren’t busy you can grab some ice and water in one of those for free (I do that often in Festa Italia). Particularly when the weather is very hot the park is not stingy with water. They will often call out and ask if everyone is staying hydrated!
Eat Portable Foods Or While You Watch The Shows
Busch Gardens Williamsburg has incredible food. While some isn’t fantastic most is top notch (I especially recommend the Trapper’s Smokehouse and their Fried Pickles). Every show in the park allows you to take in food. Grab your food and head in to see a show while you eat. Or if you eat at the Festhaus you can get a table and watch a show at the same time!
If you don’t want to sit for a show grab some portable food around the park. By Pompeii there are actually pizza cones! It looks like an ice cream cone except it has everything you love about pizza.
Push It Right Up To Closing
I have been in the park many times after it “closed.” Coasters are still running until the lines die down. So if the park closes at 10 get in line for that one last ride at 9:55- the employees will be there! They have it built into their schedules.
