More Help, Please - Busch Gardens/Water CountryUSA (Williamsburg)

[jen3kids]

Is it worth it to get the meal deal that is offered online - 2 meals and 2 drinks for $22?

 

I've looked at reviews and some folks say it is a rip-off and others say it is awesome.

 

The kids are ages 17, 15, 15, 13, and 11. The 17 year old is a vegetarian.

 

Second question...

 

I don't go on rides, so I was thinking of just dropping the kids off and saving myself park admission and parking costs (over $100). I would spend my time at the condo by the pool reading a book. Would you feel comfortable doing that? The kids all get along great and would stick together. The hotel is 15 minutes from the parks.

 

Any other tips for going - must sees or avoids?

 

Thanks

[momofkhm]

The difference between me and my parents. At those ages, my folks were fine with me and brother going off by ourselves. We had similar tastes in rides and such. We'd be fine without them. We were fine without them. Eventually, both bro and I worked at Busch.

 

But I like experiencing things with my kids. I would want to be there even if I couldn't partake of the rides. Last year I had a pinched nerve in my neck and couldn't ride a thing. I still went to King's Dominion with the family. Of course tickets were already paid for so I wasn't saving anything. And since you are asking about Busch, I would want the food aspect of it - the London Dairy for ice cream and the Smokehouse for lunch or dinner. :drool5:

 

The dining thing - I really think it depends on where you eat. And on what you get. If your kids will be getting pizza and spaghetti, then no, I don't think it's worth it.

 

Oh - drop off. There is no place you can really drop them off unless you pay for parking. The end of the lot is way out there.

[NotSoObvious]

I would totally drop them off.

[bettyandbob]

I am sure there is a drop off spot. I think it's in the lot that has the kennel to leave your dog. That may be the rv lot. The kennel is right next to an entrance.

 

I would be comfortable leaving most kids those ages. If you decide to go to the park, Busch has many shows that are entertaining, my youngest has disabilities and that what we did last time I went. Water Country has a wave pool and a couple of gentle things.

 

You can contact the parks directly about food offerings. I think vegetarian would be limited.

[Amira]

There is a drop off spot (at least for Busch Gardens). When you get to where you pay for parking, tell them you're dropping off and they'll give you a tag, then follow the signs/people. It's not hard at all.

 

I'd drop them off and spend the day in CW.

[jen3kids]

The difference between me and my parents. At those ages, my folks were fine with me and brother going off by ourselves. We had similar tastes in rides and such. We'd be fine without them. We were fine without them. Eventually, both bro and I worked at Busch.

 

But I like experiencing things with my kids. I would want to be there even if I couldn't partake of the rides. Last year I had a pinched nerve in my neck and couldn't ride a thing. I still went to King's Dominion with the family. Of course tickets were already paid for so I wasn't saving anything. And since you are asking about Busch, I would want the food aspect of it - the London Dairy for ice cream and the Smokehouse for lunch or dinner. :drool5:

 

The dining thing - I really think it depends on where you eat. And on what you get. If your kids will be getting pizza and spaghetti, then no, I don't think it's worth it.

 

Oh - drop off. There is no place you can really drop them off unless you pay for parking. The end of the lot is way out there.

 

The 3 boys are the biggest eaters, but one is a vegetarian and it doesn't look like they offer much in the way of 'big meals' for vegetarians - more like a la carte soups, sandwiches and salads at Festhaus Kaffee. So, maybe I'll get one or 2 meal tickets for the 5 of them to share and also have a cooler with more food in it. So many decisions. Good think I can wait until the day before we go to purchase!

 

As for experiencing it with the kids, normally I love to do that and since this is probably the only time we'll go there, I am torn about going or not.

 

 

 

 

 

I would totally drop them off.

 

So tempted!

 

I am sure there is a drop off spot. I think it's in the lot that has the kennel to leave your dog. That may be the rv lot. The kennel is right next to an entrance.

 

I would be comfortable leaving most kids those ages. If you decide to go to the park, Busch has many shows that are entertaining, my youngest has disabilities and that what we did last time I went. Water Country has a wave pool and a couple of gentle things.

 

You can contact the parks directly about food offerings. I think vegetarian would be limited.

 

From looking at the online menus (which don't list prices - aargh!) it looks like the vegetarian selection is limited. I just checked with the mom of 2 of the kids and she is fine with them going in without me. They often do it now that the kids are old enough.

[Dahliarw]

You might want to check, but I don't think they allow you to bring coolers and such into Busch. You can get away with things like granola bars, though.

 

We didn't do the meal plan, it would have been a waste for us. But we don't usually buy drinks, we just get water. We loved the german area for the food (forget what it was callled offhand). I don't remember there being much aside from snack stuff and salads for vegetarians.

 

They do have some fantastic shows if you don't do rides. And if you go and park you can leave a cooler with food in it in the car and come out to eat lunch if you want to save money that way.

 

Another word of warning, if there is even a hint of a thunderstorm in the area, they will close all the rides....

[bettyandbob]

You might want to check, but I don't think they allow you to bring coolers and such into Busch. You can get away with things like granola bars, though.

 

no, they haven't let people bring them in in the past, but many people keep a cooler in the car and go out to the parking lot for lunch.

[jen3kids]

You might want to check, but I don't think they allow you to bring coolers and such into Busch. You can get away with things like granola bars, though.

 

We didn't do the meal plan, it would have been a waste for us. But we don't usually buy drinks, we just get water. We loved the german area for the food (forget what it was callled offhand). I don't remember there being much aside from snack stuff and salads for vegetarians.

 

They do have some fantastic shows if you don't do rides. And if you go and park you can leave a cooler with food in it in the car and come out to eat lunch if you want to save money that way.

 

Another word of warning, if there is even a hint of a thunderstorm in the area, they will close all the rides....

 

no, they haven't let people bring them in in the past, but many people keep a cooler in the car and go out to the parking lot for lunch.

 

Their website says only bottled water is allowed, and that's fine. None of them would want to pull around a cooler anyway. If I go with them, we'll pack lunch in the cooler and come out to eat at one of the picnic tables.

 

As for the weather, we're prepared for possible closings. It's just part of the area. Hopefully we'll get good weather. Although, the best trip was last year's day at Six Flags when it stormed in the early morning and sprinkled the rest of the day. There was no one at the park and the kids rode the rides dozens of times. The only drawback was that it was so 'not busy' that they spent too long on those rides and missed the water park rides!