Busch Gardens 8/19/03 Part One
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We decided to wait till the next day, and enjoy the hotel. On August, 19.2003 we woke up a little late, and arrived at the park to find a line all the way down the road along the side of the park all the way into the parking lot, and the parking lot filling up with people by the hundreds! Tram after tram where packed with people. After realizing the walk or tram ride we would have to take we paid the extra $4 to get a better parking spot in the France section of the lot.
We arrived at the ticket both to find a huge queue line filled with guest waiting to purchase tickets. We waited about 10mins, and have all questions answered by very nice employees of the park who have come from different parts of the world. I liked the idea of one large line for tickets organized by park employees telling guest which ticket booth to enter because in the long run the line was less of a wait to enter the park. A wonderful idea, I knew I had only good things to expect from the park by this point.
I also saw a lady dressed up in an old Victorian dress on stilts! She looked so funny, and it made my family laugh. That is a very good thing. We entered the park after a very short wait to enter. We found a very cramped crowded main midway. Very theme which was nice, but much too narrow. We took some pictures at the entrance, and my sister, and I headed to Loch Ness Monster while my father waited for my mother who was shopping around for collectibles etc.
We entered Loch Ness Monsters line where we had to walk around the little house they have set up in its theme with the beds in it etc. We waited from that point, then trough about 3 zig zags in the queue area then straight to the station. The line was no longer then 10mins. They had all three trains running, but they had dispatching them so fast they did not meet up in the loops, but rather while one train went trough one loop the other came down the first drop. we sat in the seats before the front in the front car.
We had a very fun ride, and my sister enjoyed the drop, and tunnel, and we couldn't stop laughing at the sound effects they had going off. I give the ride a 8 out of 10 (10 being the highest). Had the trains interlocked, and the trims fully off a 10? Then again for its age it runs very well. We laughed at our on ride picture, and headed off to explore the park some more.
We ended up down a very long flight of stair way, and along the Rhine River watching Loch Ness Monster go through the loops, and Aplenghist go through the cobra roll. We then walked pass Big Bad Wolf, and to meet our parents in Italy. We met them, and then they wanted to ride a train ride so we went to ride Apollo's Chariot.
We waited in line for what should have been a 20min wait, but waited 45mins because the ride operator stopped the ride on the lift for 15mins because someone was holding a purse. Then three trains had to go without our row because of people in wheel chairs. Finally we boarded the ride, and had a good ride. I enjoyed the ride better then I have enjoyed rides on Nitro, and the reason I enjoyed AC better was because the turns, the drops, and dips where so much more intense. I had to hold on because I was getting tossed around in the back seat like a rag doll. A very good ride 8 out of 10.
My mother then called me to say she had some pains, and couldn't walk. I went to get a her a wheel chair, and on the way to her got on the sky way without waiting in line because I put my sister in it because she had foot pains from her surgery last summer plus a combination of the heat I was doing everything to keep her in the park. She has a history of making it 3 coasters, and she is done.
We then found my mother, but she did not want to ride in the chair. So I checked out Alpengeist, and rode that with my sister, and mother who was feeling better after sitting down for an hour or so. We waited about 15mins, but the line had gone pass 45 after us. We boarded the back car of the train. After pulling my restraint I noticed it wouldn't come down no more then about 10inches off my stomach. I thought all I had to do was pull it down a little, and it would be fine, but I was wrong.
As we headed up the lift I gave it a good tug down, and it locked snugly on my body, as we headed down the largest drop I have ever seen on an inverted coaster it opened back up, but this time scary me, then as we headed into the half loop I felt my body slam into it, then I tugged again, and this time it locked into place. Before I knew it the train was heading into the sky which was the huge loop then into the cobra roll which was a little rough, but nothing major. Before I knew it the ride was over. IM going to be honest I don't think one ride on this coaster did any justice. I did not enjoy my ride, and I will not give up hope. As for now it gets a 7 out of 10. IM sure it is 10 worthy, but that ride gets a 7.
My sister, and father then wanted to leave, and I did not so they went to the car, and my mother stood with me. After a walk around some of the park we both decided sitting in the pool at the hotel would be 100 X's better then walking around the park in the heat, and not riding anything because it was too crowded, and not even walking was easy because the midways are so narrow yet they where full of people.
We headed to the exit to see that the Haunted Lighthouse attraction in 4D had no line, and we headed in. After being chased around from seat to seat by the old cranky attendants we found a seat in the very front row. We had no idea what this movie was or what it was about, and they did not even give a description. The only they told us was to move over to the center of the rows to fill in more seats. My mother stopped an attendant, and asked if we would get wet because the floor was wet, and she said some heavy misting. I will leave it at that. I could say more, but I don't want to ruin the attraction for anyone who has not taken a visit to it. The movie itself was kinda boring, but the effects where fun. I give it a 6 out of 10.
We then left for the hotel. We also visited the park the following day as well as Water Country USA. However IM still a little dizzy from the sun during my vacation, and IM going to relax a little, so I will write the second half of my vacation on another post later today. Please do stayed tuned, as my trip did get a lot better on the second day. In conclusion for day one. The park was very crowded. To the point where the reserve parking across the highway in front of the park was full to capacity, and they where filling in cars in spots people left when they went home for the day in both lots.
I never knew the park could get so crowded. The park is a very nice park. However they do need to expand their selection of flat rides, and add at least one more coaster. Also expand the sizes of their midways. With the amount of guest on a normal day they midways where crowded. However they where very elegantly themed.
i cant belive you liked ac more than nitro, i thought ac was incredibly boreing and slow with no real thrills anywhere. nitro is one of my favs while ac is no where near the top of the list. oh well, different tastes.
i was amazed though with the level of customer service there. your right, from the second you come into the parking lot your treated with respect and shown a great time. no confusion anywhere, everyone is helpfull and their coasters have great capacity. my first trip was this year and i wont hesitate to go back if im in the area again.
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http://www.eightdotthree.net
Alpengeist has never been one of my favorites. It just doesn't do anything for me, but give me a slight headache and stomach ache. I haven't been this year yet, so maybe that will change when I go :::shrugs::: I agree that the first half kicks ass though!
And yes, they need more thrill rides and rollercoasters. It's my homepark, but yet I find myself getting a season pass to PKD every year. I never owned a season pass to BGW and I live right near it.
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