Current State of Busch Gardens

[Capacity]

When I went to Busch Gardens this month, it really felt like they were hurting. We all know Gwazi Tiger has been down but it almost seems like it will never return. They built a bridge over the track in the station. I think there's a picture up somewhere. The Timbuktu theatre was closed and all signage has been taken down around the building.

Now, I went on a pretty slow day but the park itself just felt really sad.. Maybe it was their miserable employees.


What do you guys think?

 

[knokout1]

When I went to Busch Gardens this month, it really felt like they were hurting. We all know Gwazi Tiger has been down but it almost seems like it will never return. They built a bridge over the track in the station. I think there's a picture up somewhere. The Timbuktu theatre was closed and all signage has been taken down around the building.

Now, I went on a pretty slow day but the park itself just felt really sad.. Maybe it was their miserable employees.


What do you guys think?

Gwazi tiger was closed because the ride wasn't bringing in enough pull to warrant how much money has to be spent to work on it. Timbuktu theatre I'm not really sure on. And miserable employees, I know there are a few bad eggs but a huge chunk of my friends work there and they love their job a lot and are generally treated very well. But I also haven't talked to everyone. But Busch Gardens is always in a beautiful state in my opinion, I rarely see trash, every pathway is beautifully decorated, the park is full of little hidden treasure areas that no one notices, and there is a lot of work put into changing the look of the park. Busch Gardens is gaining a lot of popularity, it's just mostly known by Florida residents, kind of like "Universal Escape".

 

[USO92]

Agreed on everything Knokout said. BG is an absolutely beautiful hidden gem that just fits so naturally together. Ive never had a bad experience with the employees and the only bad thing about the park are those dang smelly flamingoes! haha but really its a fantastic theme park

 

[Capacity]

Busch Parks are the most beautiful parks I can think of. They keep things very well maintained. But having two pretty big attractions quietly closed made it feel a little sad to me.

I don't know where your friends work but almost every front line team member at Busch and SeaWorld hate their jobs. They're clearly miserable, unhappy, unhelpful and unmotivated. It takes them 4 minutes to get a coaster train turned around. They don't acknowledge guests when coming into the park or into queues. And they don't know how to handle issues when they arise.

 

[USO92]

Sure its no Universal or Disney but on slow days...Im sure they hate their jobs just like any other person on a slow day.

 

[Capacity]

Sure its no Universal or Disney but on slow days...Im sure they hate their jobs just like any other person on a slow day.

I go to SeaWorld at least once a month. They are always slow and they always hate their jobs. They definitely aren't Universal or Disney.

 

[USO92]

And I highly doubt they have the same standards as Universal or Disney. I know the time I went to Six Flags it was terrible service. But all in all BG is not falling apart. In fact its kicking into gear. I dont pay much attention to employees when it comes to the rides. Food service and interactions in the park are what I notice and everytime Ive gone (Ive gone quite a bit during slow and busy seasons) those have always been fantastic. Sometimes even better than Disney and Universal.

 

[Capacity]

And I highly doubt they have the same standards as Universal or Disney. I know the time I went to Six Flags it was terrible service. But all in all BG is not falling apart. In fact its kicking into gear. I dont pay much attention to employees when it comes to the rides. Food service and interactions in the park are what I notice and everytime Ive gone (Ive gone quite a bit during slow and busy seasons) those have always been fantastic. Sometimes even better than Disney and Universal.

Well a majority of guests are in the parks for the attractions. And the employees working the attractions and at the entrance offer terrible service.

 

[USO92]

And can I tell you every persons experience is different? Would you believe me if I said Ive come across people at Disney and Universal who hate their jobs and have not treated guests in the ideal perfect way? It may come as a shock, but regardless the company's standards...people are people and they're not perfect. Im in the park for attractions but the people who work the attractions are there to get me buckled in...not make my day. THats for the streetmosphere people.

 

[Clive]

Busch Parks are the most beautiful parks I can think of. They keep things very well maintained. But having two pretty big attractions quietly closed made it feel a little sad to me.

I don't know where your friends work but almost every front line team member at Busch and SeaWorld hate their jobs. They're clearly miserable, unhappy, unhelpful and unmotivated. It takes them 4 minutes to get a coaster train turned around. They don't acknowledge guests when coming into the park or into queues. And they don't know how to handle issues when they arise.

I'll bite and back you up - I had a season pass to Busch Gardens the year before Cheetah Hunt opened, and I have to say, I was often shocked at how unpleasant a majority of the employees running the attractions were. Slow, inefficient, borderline rude... it shouldn't take three minutes to launch a train on a basic coaster. It definitely contributed to my not renewing my pass (which is definitely a great deal for FL residents), and I visited five or six times.

 

[Cliff]

BGT is a really well maintained park. But smack in the projects is the only downside.

 

[sierrak5]

I think the Busch parks are the best looking and cleanest in the area, but have to agree that ride operations are always lackluster.

 

[Hockeyman55]

We went to Busch Gardens last week while it was super slow and thought the park was in very good shape and looked a well maintained as I have ever seen it (besides the Gwazi situation) and didn't come across any miserable employees. We had plenty of interaction with ride ops and not one came across as slow or having terrible service. Only coaster I rode this visit was Cheetah and the ops working that shift were hustling getting people pumped thru the ride.And no matter where you go there will always been someone who doesn't like where they work at, that is just human nature.

 

[Cliff]

I always seem to cross grumpy employees at Disney but hardly any at SW, Uni even BGT.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

I always seem to cross grumpy employees at Disney but hardly any at SW, Uni even BGT.

Universal and Disney are the only place I see grumpy employees, but it's pretty rare.

 

[USO92]

Like Hockeyman said you'll find grumpy people all the time. Its true...there are days when I cant stand my job but Im still there and I still have to do it. We would get the same way somedays if we worked a theme park.

Especially with those tour groups....

 

[Bryan]

The Timbuktu Theater is being enclosed and will be where Madagascar live is going

 

[knokout1]

The Timbuktu Theater is being enclosed and will be where Madagascar live is going

Nah, it's going to Stanleyville Theater. I don't think Timbuktu could have a stage show without some serious renovation.

And BGT standards for how safe a coaster ride is are pretty strict, and they have to wait for the next car to get to a good point in the track before they can get it going. Not giving people an excuse, just saying it may or may not be a factor. I haven't met many ride ops except for a few, that were ok about it, but they run into a lot of guest problems when they refuse to do something simple like take off a hat which causes the whole process to slow.

 

[Octobers Fade]

Nah, it's going to Stanleyville Theater. I don't think Timbuktu could have a stage show without some serious renovation.

But wouldn't that hinder all the Real Music, and other, shows they have there?

 

[Nitro_230]

But wouldn't that hinder all the Real Music, and other, shows they have there?

Like how last HOS they moved Fiends out of there? :look: