I do NOT do roller coasters.
That surge of adrenaline that comes from moving faster than your human body should be capable of, and feeling like you could possibly die at any point has never really done it for me.
I mean, sure, it does things to me. Just not anything I like. Or anything the people around me really appreciate. Mostly crazy things that make other amusement park patrons laugh and point and stare at me. But, not good things that make me want to duplicate the experience.
Only, I do. For the sake of my children.
Which is why I found myself strapped into the Verbolten at Busch Gardens Williamsburg when we visited earlier this summer. Literally it was one of the scariest roller coastering experiences I have ever had. I wanted to cry. Okay, whatever, I did cry. Right in front of the lady and her daughter who were sitting in front of me as they turned back to ask me if I was okay, while laughing through their hands, as the car pulled back into the loading station.
I was not okay.
My legs shook for 20 minutes straight while I stood under the shade of a nearby tree waiting for my entire family, including my six year old, to ride it again.
Anyway, as I compile this list of things families will full on love about Busch’s Gardens, Williamsburg, it’s important to note that the Verbolten is on it, but only because The Dudes said it was their favorite part.
10 Things Families Love About Busch Gardens in Williamsburg
1. The food. Seriously, there are certain places on this planet I go to primarily to enjoy the food: stadiums and amusement parks being two of those places. I’m never going to be won over by an amusement park’s rides (see above), but if they make an effort with the food I will pay the $50 entrance fee just to gorge myself on the awesome they’re serving. We filled our bellies on brats and fries in Das Festhaus.
2. The European theme. The park is broken into different sections by nation; it includes six countries and nine villages. The décor and food options in each one is set to match the country it represents and, as someone who has actually visited all of the nations represented, they do a pretty good job emulating the real deal. Really cool idea and so much to see.
3. The amount of shade. It was super easy to find a tree to wait under while my family enjoyed the roller coasters without me.
4. Photo ops. Because the park looks so cool there are a ton of fun places to grab memorable photos. In fact, they’ve been voted the world’s most beautiful theme park for 23 years! You know we got on that…
5. The shows. My Dudes loved This is Oktoberfest. Dancing with the performers put smiles on their faces for hours.
6. Low crowds. I’m sure there are days when you’re waiting in line for ages to board one of the five major roller coasters in the park. The day we went (a Thursday at the end of June), we never waited more than 15 minutes! If you are free to visit during non-peak hours ( I think it makes a huge difference in your ability to enjoy everything.
7. Plenty of action rides. The Dudes ranked the Verbolten, The Battering Ram, and Da Vinci’s Cradle as their top three. I stopped riding after the Verbolten so I can’t weigh in.
8. Water Country USA. A water park right there alongside the amusement park (actually it’s three miles away, but you can combine your ticket prices for a discount). We actually didn’t get to do the water park when we went down this time (we had to leave because of a massive storm that rolled in), but it’s on the agenda as our starting place when we visit again at the end of the summer.
9. Special events. The park hosts a number of special events, including concerts and seasonal events. We visited during the Food & Wine Fest and are super excited to go back during the Christmastown celebration.
10. Kids dig it. And, it’s perfect for people, like me, who have a range of kid ages in the family. There were a few rides my shortest member couldn’t hit, but while the big kids and DudeDad went off to enjoy those, we found plenty of things to fill our time. They even have Sesame Street Forest of Fun for the smallest visitors. I may have spent part of the day crying like a baby, but there wasn’t a single tear in sight on the faces of The Dudes. They had so, so much fun and I am super excited to take them back for a day at Water Country USA!
Disclaimer: We are part of the Busch Gardens blogging program and receive complimentary tickets when we visit. All opinions are our own and clearly free tickets can’t make me like roller coasters.
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