Busch gardens or Disney - The Hull Truth

baitkiller · 08-04-2007, 10:22 AM

I'm taking the family plus a visiting niece for a Sunday / Monday park trip.

We just did Disney last spring and I like BG. Lost more fun for me and free beer

The wife is lobbying for taking the niece for her first magic Kingdom trip. She is 12. My kids are 6,3 and 2.

Disney is 90 minutes further and is gonna cost me $$$$$$$$

But......Epcot is fun.

What do you think?

evernic · 08-04-2007, 10:43 AM

why would DW cost more than BG???...I haven't been to BG in 'bout 25 yrs...

Ludicrous · 08-04-2007, 10:59 AM

12, 6, 3, and 2, sounds like Disney to me. Coasters and free beer is hard to pass up though. Idea: send my wife (hates coasters) with your clan to Disney and we can hit Busch Gardens! My mother works for Disney...might be able to swing some free park passes.

baitkiller · 08-04-2007, 11:46 AM

Sure Lude, I'll try to push that one through Congress

"Ok Honey, here's the plan: You go deal with three hot, tired and sugared up kids who are going to want everything they see for two days. I'm going to go get beered up and cruise co-eds with a buddy." Great have fun.

How comfortable is your couch?

Ill take some park passes though, that would certainly make the decision easy!

BTW my construction project is swiftly eating up my paint job money. But we will see.

I'm going to Google ticket deals now. Ill be back.

baitkiller · 08-04-2007, 12:17 PM

Ok here is the drill, considering FL resident discounts et-all;

BMG whole crew one day: $307.13
BG and sea world whole crew all year: $487.46

DW one day whole crew: $319.37
DW two day whole crew: $679.00

The Admiral is considering the options.

rkatz · 08-04-2007, 12:58 PM

Check the rates for Fl resident seasonal passes at DW. I know they're pricey, but compared to the one or two day deals, they're not all that much more. Plus, it makes it plenty easy to go "the next time"

Also, consider Universal Studios. I don't know if they still have it, but about one month ago, I got a special deal on annual passes. 2 years for the price of 1, with a coupon from Walgreens and Diet Coke. The two years for my clan cost less than one day at DW or one year at BG/SW. Plus Universal has plenty of Class A coasters and a bit for the kids to do.

Although, since you have a 2 year old, I gotta say, there's nothing like DW. My kids l-o-v-e that place, and I just suck it up and take them with the seasonal passes. The way I have it worked with the Universal and DW seasonals is pretty good. We can go to Universal any time we want (no blackout dates) and on days when we can't go to DW b/c of blackout dates. Other times, we hit DW. Note: Do not spend one dollar or minute at MGM. You will regret it. That park is weak, weak, weak, weak...

baitkiller · 08-04-2007, 01:19 PM

Yeah 10-4 on MGM. We went two years ago, spent 1/2 hour and walked out. We got the gate to refresh our passes for a different park. I usually get the BG sea word annual passes. The Tampa Aquarium pass has great recripricals for zoos etc. I dont know, still chewing on it.

DW is in the lead though.

787337 · 08-04-2007, 07:30 PM

The 6, 3, & 2 year old are not going to get much out of Busch Gardens. But I like that park better than the rat in Orlando.

29 NORTH · 08-04-2007, 07:57 PM

Magic kingom only for the 6-3-2, or maybe animal kingdom for a while, I do not understand why people bring there kids into Epcot when they are that young.
Some one is right above you might get a good deal on some multi day passes, that can be used in a year or more in the future. If you belong to AAA you might check with them on ticket deals. Also I'm a 4 season pass holder and get some deal, well once in a while. I just got a notice of a 25% on Circ De Sole on Cat 2 tickets.

Jordeez98 · 08-06-2007, 10:01 AM

At those ages i'd say Disney....BG is for the obvious reasons more enjoyable for the adults. Yea and Epcot also not as fun for the young ones. My 9yr old has always had a great time at Disney. and now he's at a height, where he can ride a few of the more grown up roller coaster, which is awesome. There's also Sea World, which isn't bad...until the kids wanna ge wet by Shamu and then they realize that its saltwater and they're sticky the rest of the day..lol

Then the complaining starts

signmansez · 08-07-2007, 12:00 PM

Maybe this will help make the decision, there is NO beer in the Magic Kingdom! That is why all the parents are miserable. It is by far the Un-Happiest Place on Earth!

The local paper here did a poll last summer of the kids leaving the parks and asked what thier favorite part of the vacation was. Overwhelming response was the pool at the hotel! How's that for your $8000 week of dragging the hot, sweaty screaming young uns around an amusement park on 100 degree days?

baitkiller · 08-07-2007, 02:23 PM

Im toast. compelety fubar

We saw the rat in orlando....WEEEEEEE $$$$$$$$$

At what point do they shut the friggn gate? The place was wall to wall packed. and HOT.

We headed for the gate at 9:00 pm. made it to the car at 11:00 pm

I was sucking down red bulls and coffe all the way home. Plulled in the drive at 3:40am

First kid up and rocking at 0630

I hope everybody had fun.

WDW aint gonna see me for a LOOOOOOONG time.

Jordeez98 · 08-07-2007, 04:27 PM

Typical Disney trip w/the kids...lol

signmansez - Afraid you should've posted that just a few days earlier

I'm sorry its not funny..Ive just been there myself. Even so 4 kids are well over my limit.

billinstuart · 08-07-2007, 10:02 PM

Holy poot! $679.00?? I live here, had no idea.

billinstuart · 08-07-2007, 10:05 PM

Hey wait! If one day is $320, two days should be $640 or less. HEEEYYY! Something stinks here.

baitkiller · 08-07-2007, 10:30 PM

Quote:

billinstuart - 8/7/2007 9:05 PM

Hey wait! If one day is $320, two days should be $640 or less. HEEEYYY! Something stinks here.

Two day is automatic park hopper. IE: spend more time on trrams and busses then waiting in line for a 45 year old ride.

CaptKennyW · 08-16-2007, 04:28 PM

I love BG When I worked for TECO Ocean Shipping and stayed with my cousin I got a 2 year pass and I learned how to work the hosbitality house to a science Its always sweet to get drunk of off FREE BEER

Her fiance and I would get hammered and ride the coasters. Ahh I want to move back to Tampa now...

Seaworld never gets old either.

Lazy_Iguana · 08-18-2007, 05:17 AM

My advice is to PUT OFF THE TRIP! In the summer both parks will be full of people, and very hot.

You want to go to Disney in October or November. Much cooler, and less people. Pick the right days and you get the park to yourself. 0 wait times. The trade off is that some attractions may be closed for maintenance / renovation.

The best days are of course school days. But even if you just pick a random non holiday weekend, and pull the kids out of school Friday you can make a nice two or three day mini vacation out of it. They will not miss anything important skipping one day. Of course if you can swing a Wednesday Thursday trip that is even better. Or a Monday Tuesday trip.

Remember - and this is very important - three day weekends are OUT! Everyone goes on long weekends.

By the way, there are always unadvertised "Florida resident" discounts for Disney. You can get rooms in the resort for only a little more than you can get them out of the resort. The Disney free transportation is excellent. There are also annual FL resident admission passes. You get these from the Guest Relations booth located at the entrance of every park. The annual passes come in different levels. I like the one that does not include the water parks, and have blockout dates. The dates blocked out include all summer (WORST time to go there. Never do this. You will have a horrible time) and busy holidays (horrible time to go as well, just not as horrible as the summer because it is not as hot).

You have to ask for the discounts when you book the hotel, and when buying the passes. Non residents are not supposed to know all they need is a FL DRIVERS LICENSE and a FAKE ADDRESS to get the same discounts. Got that non FL people? Do not get a FL resident ID by using the address of someone you know very well who lives here. And no, for $50 you can not use my address