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Despite the ridiculous heat, we went to Busch Gardens last week.
We hadn’t been since last at Christmas, and I was in the mood to check out its newest ride: Verbolten. Since there’s only a 48″ height requirement, my youngest could ride, which is perfect given that she’s the thrill-seeker in the family. My youngest & I loved the sudden drop, the speed makes for a fun ride, and my oldest insisted we go again once she got over the initial ‘that scared me half to death’ reaction.
Another perk of our trip: As we were finishing up lunch in Das Festhaus, the new show Entwined started. Since both of my girls love fairy tales & musicals, we stuck around, giving us all an extra break from the heat.
Planning to head out to Busch Gardens during the 2012 season? You don’t have to pay full price. Here are a few ways to get in on the cheap:
- If you opt for the Twilight Ticket, $50 buys you admission to Busch Gardens after 3:00 p.m. + dinner (entree & nonalcoholic beverage).
- Members of the military (active duty, activated or drilling reservist, or National Guardsman) + three direct dependents can get free admission during the 2012 season with the Here’s to the Heroes program (register online). Limit one complimentary single-day admission per person per year.
- You can buy discount tickets to Busch Gardens at the Henrico County Recreation and Parks Administrative Offices, located in the Human Services building. Tickets for Discount Days (through September 3) are $49 for those ages 10+ & $39 for those ages 3-9. If you purchase by August 15, you can get a Fun Card for $64.50 each. After August 1, you can buy a Good Any Day ticket $57 for those ages 10+ & $47 for those ages 3-9. To get the deal, you’ll need to buy the tickets in person & pay with cash (bring exact change) or a debit card.
- Through September 3, 2012, promo code “BGWBK” will save you $20 on one-day tickets to Busch Gardens Williamsburg or Water Country USA.
- If you buy an annual pass ($119.99), you’ll get free parking, unlimited admission for a year, 50% savings on Christmas Town tickets, discounts on single-day tickets for friends, & more. Bonus: For a limited time, use code “BGW1YR12″ to save $20 on a Busch Gardens-Williamsburg annual pass or $30 off a two-year pass. FYI–Add the promo code in the navigation bar on Busch Gardens’ site before you shop. If you get an error message, the deal is over.
- Depending on your plans, your best bet may be to have one family member buy an annual pass & then combine that with other deals to get the rest in free or on the cheap. A Busch Gardens Fun Card is $66.99 (you can save a couple bucks with the Henrico Parks & Rec deal), and it’s valid for unlimited admission through September 3, 2012. If you are a Virginia resident and you have a child age 3-5, sign them up for a free Sesame Street Forest of Fun Preschool Pass, valid for unlimited admission though October 28, 2012.
- Busch Gardens has an online offer good for 20% off a Bounce Ticket. For $103.60 for adults or $86.80 for kids (reg. $129.50 & $108.50), you can get unlimited admission to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Water Country USA, & Colonial Williamsburg for seven consecutive days, and it includes parking.
- Keep an eye on Busch Gardens’ Facebook page or Twitter feed for deals, too.
–Jennifer Maciejewski
