Busch Gardens Europe
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| Location | Williamsburg, Virginia |
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| Website | [1] |
| Owner | Anheuser Busch |
| Opened | May 16, 1975 |
| Previous names | Busch Gardens: The Old Country - 1974 to 1992 Busch Gardens Williamsburg - 1993 to 2005 |
| Operating season | March - October |
| Area | 250 acres |
| Rides | 25 total
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| Slogan | “World’s Most Beautiful Theme Park” |
Busch Gardens Europe is a theme park located in James City County, Virginia, about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Williamsburg. It opened on May 5, 1975, adjacent to the local Anheuser-Busch brewery. The park is themed around the history and culture of old world Europe.
The park was originally called Busch Gardens: The Old Country, reflecting the European theme. In the early 1990s the park was renamed Busch Gardens Williamsburg. In 2006, the name was changed to Busch Gardens Europe, to once again reflect the European theme. Similarly, Busch Gardens Tampa was renamed to Busch Gardens Africa at the start of the 2006 season.
Busch Gardens Europe attracts nearly 2.5 million guests annually. The park operates from mid-March until the end of October.
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[edit] Overview
Busch Gardens Europe opened on May 5, 1975. The park features a combination of world class roller coasters and Broadway style shows for all ages.
[edit] Awards
Busch Gardens Europe has been voted the world's Most Beautiful Theme Park for sixteen consecutive years and named the world's Favorite Theme Park for the fourth year in a row by the National Amusement Park Historical Association.
Also the park received high accolades in the international Golden Ticket Award, hosted by Amusement Today, in Best Food, Best Shows and Cleanest Park. It also took the top place in the categories, Best Landscaping and Most Beautiful Park.
In 2003 Busch Gardens was awarded the Applause Award in honor of the park's "management, operations and creative accomplishments that have inspired the industry with foresight, originality and sound business development."
Busch Gardens Europe was voted as the "World's Best Theme Park" in the 2006 Theme Park Insider Awards. The ride Curse of DarKastle won the 2005 Theme Park Insider Award for "World's Best New Theme Park Attraction."
[edit] Conservation
Busch Gardens is dedicated to wildlife conservation and animal care. Jack Hanna's Wildlife Reserve houses a variety of wild species including grey wolves. The Eagle Ridge is a sanctuary for injured bald eagles that are rehabilitated until they recover.
The Rhine River Cruise's Boats are battery powered versus the usual fuel burning motors to cut back on power generation and prevent water pollution. In addition Busch Gardens and Water Country USA both use insects rather than pestcides in the park's commitment to organic gardening.
Busch Gardens Recycles 500 tons of materials annually. All brochures, maps, show guides, and all paper products in the restrooms are made from recycled material.
Material Recycled Breakdown:
- Batteries - 2 tons
- Cardboard - 225 tons
- Drink containers (Aluminum, glass, plastic) - 12 tons
- Light bulbs - 1.5 tons
- Miscellaneous material - 40 tons
[edit] Countries
Shows, restaurants, shops, and roller coasters are divided throughout the park into organized "hamlets" themed after promiment European countries. The skyride transports guests between Banbury Cross, Rhinefeld, and Aquitaine. Replica steam trains transport guests between Heatherdowns, Festa Italia, and New France. Currently, Busch Gardens Europe is divided into nine hamlets representing six different countries.
[edit] Banbury Cross (England)
Upon entering Banbury Cross, guests are transported into England, complete with stereotypical red telephone booths and common English architecture. A variety of shops await guests in this small hamlet, as well as most park guest services areas. The clocktower Big Ben is the central element of this area. Banbury Cross also includes The Squire's Galley, serving breakfast and lunch, as well as a funnel cake shop, ice cream shop, and candy store. The Globe theater is the most prominent attraction in the area, currently featuring Pirates 4-D.
[edit] Heatherdowns (Scotland)
Heatherdowns, Scotland is a quaint hamlet in the park, usually the second section visited after Banbury Cross. The central attraction in this area is the Loch Ness Monster, Busch Gardens' oldest roller coaster. Tweedside Train Station offers a 20 minute ride through the park with additional stops in Festa Italia and at the central train station, Caribou, in New France. Heatherdowns is also the home to the world famous Clydesdale horses. Other points of interest Pigs in a Kilt, a counter service walk-up and additional shopping.
[edit] Killarney (Ireland)
Formerly known as Hastings, England, this section of the park was rethemed in 2001 as Ireland, the newest country in over 20 years. The most promiment attraction in this section of the park is the 4-D simulator Corkscrew Hill, in which riders are shrunken into miniature size to travel through old magical Ireland. This area also prominently features shows including the Irish dancing show Emerald Beat and the thrilling family show Secrets of Castle O'Sullivan. Grogan's Grill offers realistic Irish cuisine in this area.
[edit] San Marco (Italy)
| Image:THUMB82.JPG Escape from Pompeii |
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This section is based upon Renaissance era Italy. The first attraction in San Marco is the thrilling Escape from Pompeii, a boat ride transporting guests into a 1920s dig into the ruins of Pompeii. Pompeii also features prominent fire effects and a fifty-foot plunge. A prominent feature within San Marco is Da Vinci's Garden of Inventions. This garden features Italian statues and flowers set amid picture-perfect Renaissance-style rides. The Flying Machine, Da Vinci's Cradle, and The Battering Ram all utilize the forces of gravity and laws of motion to send riders on a variety of thrills. They are also based on Da Vinci's sketches. The Little Balloons and the Little Gliders are children's attractions based in Da Vinci's Garden. Also in the area is Restorante Della Piazza, featuring Italian cuisine and allowing guests to watch the long-running Holiday in Roma show or listen to a Starlight Orchestra performance while enjoying their meal.
[edit] Festa Italia (Italy)
Festa Italia is themed around a fair celebrating Marco Polo's return to Italy from his famous visit to China. The most prominently featured ride in this section is Apollo's Chariot, a Bolliger and Mabillard Hypercoaster with a 210-foot drop. Also in the area is Roman Rapids, a river rapids raft ride which uses ancient Roman architecture and sculpture to drench riders. Turkish Delight, a teacup ride, Tradewinds, a spinning ride, and Elephant Run, a children's ride, also feature prominently in the section. A train station also exists here, along with various food shops and carnival-style games.
[edit] Rhinefeld (Germany)
This section is based upon Germany. The largest attraction here is Alpengeist, one of the tallest inverted coasters in the world, built by Bolliger & Mabillard. It sits in a remote ski resort-themed area. Also in Rhinefeld is Land of the Dragons, a large children's play area featuring a playground, five rides, and seasonal shows.
[edit] Oktoberfest (Germany)
| Image:Thumb9.jpg Swing in Oktoberfest |
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Along with Rhinefeld, this section is also based on Germany. Oktoberfest celebrates the German festival of the same name. The roller coaster in this section is the Big Bad Wolf, one of the first suspended roller coasters. Another prominent attraction in Oktoberfest is Curse of DarKastle, a motion-based dark ride themed around Ludwig II of Bavaria. It debuted in 2006 with enhanced animation and a new ride experience. It features shattering ice, hot/cold transitions, a simulated freefall, and the juxtaposition of real and 3D sets. Oktoberfest also features a variety of flat rides including bumper cars, the katapult (a spider-style flat ride), and the waveswinger, along with kiddie rides. Oktoberfest is also home to a large assortment of carnival-style games and to Das Festhaus, the largest eating facility in North America, where guests can enjoy authentic German food or American classics. While eating in Das Festhaus, guests can also experience This is Oktoberfest, an upbeat show featuring German singing and dancing.
[edit] France
Centering around the quaint French village of Aquitaine, this section is based upon France. France is home to many quaint French shops and one of the park's skyride stations. The Royale Palace Theatre in France hosts numerous shows throughout the season with a main "feature" during the summer months, summer concert series in the late summer, and themed show for Howl O' Scream in September and October. With the removal of the Le Mans Raceway family car ride, the new roller coaster "Griffon" is being built. Bolliger and Mabillard have been contracted to constuct this new roller coaster which has a 205-foot tall 90-degree drop. Griffon has been rumored to open on or before Memorial Day, 2007.
[edit] New France (French Canada)
This is the only non-European themed region. It is based on French colonial Canada. It consists of a hub of Canadian-themed shops with a colonial tone throughout the area. Rides in New France include the Busch Gardens Railway departing from Caribou Station and Le Scoot Log Flume, featuring a 50-foot drop. New France also features the Canadian Paladdium Theater. This theater housed American Jukebox in 2006.
[edit] Roller coasters
[edit] Existing
- Griffon Under Construction
Griffon will be Busch Gardens Europe's third roller coaster in ten years once it is constructed in late spring of 2007. It currently has a tentative opening date of Memorial Day next year. Griffon will be a floorless dive machine constructed by Bolliger & Mabillard. It will stand 205 feet tall with a 90o first drop. It will feature two Immelman loops, two vertical drops, a splash zone, and an airtime hill. Griffon will be the second dive coaster in America (the first being Sheikra at Busch Gardens Africa), the first floorless dive coaster in the world, the tallest dive coaster in the world, and the only dive coaster in the world with two inversions.
Apollo's Chariot is a Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoaster
[edit] Defunct
- Drachen Fire
- Glissade
- Wild Maus: Has since been relocated to Busch Gardens Africa as Cheetah Chase
- Die Wildkatze
- Das Kätzchen
[edit] Animal Attractions
[edit] Jack Hanna's Wild Reserve
There are various kinds of birds that inhabit Jack Hanna’s Wild Reserve. A big attraction here are the Bald Eagles and Wolves.
[edit] Eagle Ridge
Eagle Ridge houses injured and rehabilitating bald eagles and provides education to visitors.
[edit] Wolf Valley
In order to provide more room for Busch Garden's Grey Wolves a new habitat called Wolf Valley has been constructed in front of Jack Hanna's Wild Reserve. Wolf Valley is where the bald eagles were kept on display until 2005.
[edit] Clydesdales
Busch Gardens Williamsburg is home to the famous Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales. These magnificent horses are located at the stables between Barnbury Cross and Heatherdowns.
[edit] Howl-O-Scream
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It’s that time of year again. The mums are blooming. Cooler temperatures are in the forecast. And, a howling good time awaits guests as Busch Gardens Europe presents its highly-anticipated Howl-O-Scream, the park’s Halloween-themed festival. Beginning Sept. 15 and continuing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 29, the world’s “Most Beautiful Theme Park” transforms into the world’s “Most Boo-ti-full Scream Park” filled with monstrous mayhem and high-tech haunts after dark. The Williamsburg adventure park will remain open on Fridays and Sundays until 10 p.m. On Saturdays, the park will be open until 11 p.m. allowing visitors more time to experience world-class thrills. Howl-O-Scream is filled with ghastly adventures and spooky encounters for all ages. New tricks and treats for 2006 include Wicked Woods, a maze shrouded in gory history and mystery. This portal-in-time transports visitors to a remote English village where gruesome scenes of history such as the Great Fire of London, the rampage of Jack the Ripper and the bubonic plague are played out. Some call it a myth or even local folklore, but one thing is for sure: there will be more than autumn leaves falling out of the trees in Wicked Woods. Also debuting this fall is Rockin' Eve's Countdown to Midnight at the Royal Palace Theatre. Hosted by Hallow Eve and featuring the magic of Aaron Radatz, this spellbinding, half-hour production combines music, magic, and monsters at varied showtimes. This is one rock ‘n roll party that will wake the dead. Back by popular demand, guests may purchase Busch Gardens Europe’s Front-of-the-Line pass that allows head-of-the-line privileges to seven great Howl-O-Scream attractions: TheBig Bad Wolf, Corkscrew Hill, Sleepless Hollow Manor, Curse of Pompeii, Last Laugh Industries, Jack’s Nightmare Express, and Curse of DarKastle.
[edit] External links
- Busch Gardens Europe web site
- BGExcitement- a fan site for Busch Gardens Europe
- Roller Coaster Database entries for Busch Gardens Europe
- Busch Adventure Zone (unofficial fansite) < Covering BGE's new coaster!
- Review of Busch Gardens Europe from ThrillNetwork.com
- Busch Gardens Escape- an unofficial fansite specifically devoted to Busch Gardens Europe
- Busch Gardens Europe Howl-o-Scream official website.
| Roller coasters at Busch Gardens Europe |
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Alpengeist - Apollo's Chariot - Big Bad Wolf - Griffon - Loch Ness Monster |
