BGE Anncounces Sesame Street

“M” STANDS FOR MAJOR NEW BUSCH GARDENS ATTRACTION New Sesame Street Area Debuts in 2009, Expands Park’s Boundaries and Kid Offerings WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (Aug. 8, 2008) – “Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?” Just follow the signs to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va., as the park expands its children’s offerings with a new home for Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby and Big Bird. The new Sesame Street attraction opens spring 2009, adding an all-new village adjacent to the England section of the park. Four new anchor rides offer kid-size versions of popular attractions, including a junior roller coaster and log flume themed after Sesame’s beloved characters and designed for parents and children to share together. This new European-themed Sesame Street village will feature wet and dry play areas with net-and-rope climbs, retail and food outlets, including character dining, a 4-D movie, several stage performances by some of Sesame Street’s most beloved characters, and a “1, 2, 3 Smile With Me” photo studio so families can capture memorable moments of their children interacting with Sesame Street’s characters. England’s 900-seat Globe Theatre will be taken over by Sesame Street’s biggest stars in a new 4-D movie that is as fun as it is imaginative. “Sesame Street presents Lights, Camera, Imagination!” features Elmo, Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Big Bird and others trying to save the Sesame Street Film Festival. Guests will not only see and hear the action — they will be immersed in it through state-of-the art visual effects and sensory surprises. Families that want even more Sesame Street interaction can dine with Elmo and mingle with the cast of characters over breakfast or lunch at a Sesame Street-themed, indoor dining facility. Parents and children can pose for pictures with the furry red monster and his Sesame Street friends, creating memories that will last a lifetime.“Sesame Street and Busch Gardens are both brands known for their unwavering commitment to quality. Combining the familiarity of Sesame Street’s characters and Busch Gardens’ family-friendly atmosphere makes for a natural partnership between these two iconic brands,” said John Reilly, general manager and executive vice president of Busch Gardens. “The new Sesame Street attraction provides our youngest guests with kid-size versions of our grown-up rides, offering them an introduction to the park that only Busch Gardens and Sesame Workshop can offer.”The Sesame Street-themed area expands Busch Gardens’ kid-focused attractions. The park’s current lineup of kid friendly rides and attractions will remain, including the popular Land of the Dragons play area and junior rides throughout the park.For nearly 40 years, Sesame Street has been engaging audiences around the world. The creation of Sesame Street-themed attractions is part of a long-term relationship announced in 2006 between the non-profit educational organization Sesame Workshop, and the Worlds of Discovery® parks.Busch Gardens is a Worlds of Discovery park. Other Worlds of Discovery parks include Water Country USA in Williamsburg; Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fl.; the SeaWorld parks in San Diego, San Antonio and Orlando, Fl.; Sesame Place near Philadelphia; Discovery Cove in Orlando; Adventure Island in Tampa; and Aquatica, SeaWorld’s water park, in Orlando.Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that changed television forever with the legendary Sesame Street. As the single largest informal educator of young children, local Sesame Street programs produced in countries as diverse as South Africa, Bangladesh and India are making a difference in over 120 nations. Using proprietary research to create engaging and enriching content, Sesame Workshop produces programs such as Dragon Tales and Pinky Dinky Doo. In addition, multimedia needs-driven initiatives provide families tools for addressing such issues as children’s health, military deployment and emergency preparedness. As a nonprofit, product proceeds and philanthropic donations support Sesame Workshop’s educational research and creative content for children around the world. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org. # # #Visit http://www.buschgardensnews.com/page/pressannouncement for broadcast-quality video, high-resolution images and additional information about the new attraction.

I'm guessing the junior coaster will be along the lines of Vapor Trail? As for the flume, I'm guessing the one at the park will be re-themed? Or was it already removed? I can't recall.

Sounds great. BGE is one of those parks that could use a dedicated "kids" area, and it sounds as if it's getting a fantastic one. I wonder if other Busch parks will follow this lead?

Anyone have a link to the real press release so I can read it?

The existing flume is too far away from where this will be, sounds like its a new ride to me. *** Edited 8/8/2008 4:14:48 PM UTC by eightdotthree***

Here.

It's on the Busch Gardens site.

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Rob Ascough said:
I'm guessing the junior coaster will be along the lines of Vapor Trail? As for the flume, I'm guessing the one at the park will be re-themed? Or was it already removed? I can't recall.

Sounds great. BGE is one of those parks that could use a dedicated "kids" area, and it sounds as if it's getting a fantastic one. I wonder if other Busch parks will follow this lead?

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No, the current flume is still there in New France.

I believe this will be a new kiddie flume.

The release says that this will be near the England area of the park. Is Sesame Street the new construction that's reported at the old petting farm site, or is it going to be nestled over by the Clydesdales? Just wondering where they're squeezing this in at?

I am surprised they are expanding with all this new stuff when the future of the park is uncertain.

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ShiveringTim said:
The release says that this will be near the England area of the park. Is Sesame Street the new construction that's reported at the old petting farm site, or is it going to be nestled over by the Clydesdales? Just wondering where they're squeezing this in at?

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No, that is going to be Wicked Woods for the Halloween event.

Sesame Street will be where Wicked Woods has been for the past few years. It is where the former petting zoo was. Its near the England skyride station, and exits near Escape from Pompeii.

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Danny Biggerstaff CoAsTeRDaN said:

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ShiveringTim said:
The release says that this will be near the England area of the park. Is Sesame Street the new construction that's reported at the old petting farm site, or is it going to be nestled over by the Clydesdales? Just wondering where they're squeezing this in at?

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No, that is going to be Wicked Woods for the Halloween event.

Sesame Street will be where Wicked Woods has been for the past few years. It is where the former petting zoo was. Its near the England skyride station, and exits near Escape from Pompeii.

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opps, sorry I misread, I just saw where you asked if it was going to be near the clydesdales near the train...

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bunky666 said:
I am surprised they are expanding with all this new stuff when the future of the park is uncertain.

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I imagine these plans were in place long before InBev announced its takeover of A-B.

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Rob Ascough said:

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bunky666 said:
I am surprised they are expanding with all this new stuff when the future of the park is uncertain.

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I imagine these plans were in place long before InBev announced its takeover of A-B.

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You are correct, they were. We heard rumors of this about a year and a half ago. BEC said they are going to keep operating as they have and keep going with their plans.

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bunky666 said:
I am surprised they are expanding with all this new stuff when the future of the park is uncertain.

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You mentioned in another topic that you thought these parks might go the way of the dinosaur.

These parks aren't going to close up shop so it's business as usual. Whether InBev keeps them, the Busch family spawns them off as a separate entity, or an outside company buys them, they will stay operational. *** Edited 8/8/2008 7:04:27 PM UTC by Chitown***

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Rob Ascough said:I'm guessing the junior coaster will be along the lines of Vapor Trail?

BGE is one of those parks that could use a dedicated "kids" area, and it sounds as if it's getting a fantastic one. I wonder if other Busch parks will follow this lead?

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I think you're looking in the wrong direction, Rob. Look to SWF and SWT for the model I think *I* would pick. Shamu's Happy Harbors are fantabulous kids' areas.

...and the Shamu Express rides are Zierers...with uber-expensive braking systems, LOL.

Since the post above mine came in, I wanted to add this: ROI-wise, the BEC parks are doing as well or better than anyone else in the industry. To say they're not going anywhere is FACT....the only place the BEC chain MIGHT be heading is up! ;)

*** Edited 8/8/2008 7:17:53 PM UTC by rollergator***

A few photos are up on the site now:

The Log Flume (if I'm reading it correctly, looks like it's called "Look Lock"): https://images.buschgardensnews.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/BuschGardens.woa/1/wo/j2Ud4YqLYR8wSI3bNE2UUw/0.0.31.1.13.2.17.0.5

An Elmo Kid's Play area:

https://images.buschgardensnews.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/BuschGardens.woa/1/wo/MHiA22gkuaAtPykpMibd9g/0.0.31.1.13.2.17.1.5

The coaster (Grover's Alpine Tour):

https://images.buschgardensnews.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/BuschGardens.woa/1/wo/q6nxrrc9DDsCVC6sAAdgcM/0.0.31.1.13.2.17.4.5

I like how they're keeping it as a European version of Sesame St, I think it helps it fit into BGE great!

That's true, I forgot about the Happy Harbors. But would BGA add something along those lines when Orlando is a short drive up I-4? That's the park I'm thinking of right now, although I guess Jungala sort of fills the same void?

Doesn't Busch in Tampa have a "land of the Dragons" with a kiddie flume? In that case, does Wiliamsburg have the same kiddie flume? I know i saw it somewhere.

^^I was referring to the *coaster* from Shamu's Happy Harbor. Seems like Shamu is a good theming idea for an entire kids area only in the SeaWorld parks... ;)

...but yes, BGA needs one of those Zierers too. Note that I'd never spend that kind of money on a braking system for a coaster that only HAS one train. But right now, there are no coasters for the kiddies in the park, unless you count the mouse...which runs more like an "adult" mouse, with little or no braking up top.

gator, hasn't been thru Land of the Dragons at BGA, can't say whether or not there's a kiddie flume, only that I haven't seen it...sorry john p.

Yes, they have a kiddie flume in the Dragon's kids area at BGA.

That is if you want to call it a flume. It's basically a circular water route like other kids boat rides with a hill that is probably like 5ft tall if that.

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Chitown said:
Yes, they have a kiddie flume in the Dragon's kids area at BGA.

That is if you want to call it a flume. It's basically a circular water route like other kids boat rides with a hill that is probably like 5ft tall if that.

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BGE has a kiddie flume in the Land of Dragons, and after seeing the sketch of the new one for BGE, it looks to be the same???