Busch Gardens Williamsburg VA - Your 2024 Insider’s Guide

Stunning architecture, spellbinding nature, and European charm intersect seamlessly at one of America’s most beloved and beautiful theme parks: Busch Gardens® Williamsburg. Consistently voted the ‘world’s most beautiful theme park’ since 1990, a vacation here means top-notch rides, exciting live entertainment, and exotic animal encounters.

Explore 383 acres of family-friendly paradise, as you meander through nine villages centered around six European countries. Whether you are searching for the adrenaline rush of Apollo’s Chariot®, hankering for some schnitzel at Das Festhaus, or entertaining little ones in the Sesame Street® Forest, there is truly something for everyone at Williamsburg Busch Gardens, one of the best amusement parks in USA.

To make sure you don’t miss a moment of family fun, keep this official Insider’s Guide to Busch Gardens® Williamsburg handy and get ready to plan your trip!

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Tickets

Now that you’ve picked the perfect day to visit, it’s time to buy your Busch Gardens® Williamsburg tickets. 

We offer a variety of ticket options ranging from one-day park passes to two park three-day passes that include sister park, Water Country USA. If you’re planning a trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and on a more extended stay in historic Williamsburg, try bundling your activities and accommodations together with one of our Williamsburg vacation packages. 

Who says family fun can’t be educational? Take a deep dive into America’s colonial history during your stay in Williamsburg, VA. Save money and seek out some of their very best attractions and entertainment, including Colonial Williamsburg and America’s Historic Triangle Pass. 

When to Go

Unlike many other theme parks, Busch Gardens® Williamsburg operates seasonally. This means that they are only open specific months of the year:

• March – September
• October – special hours for Howl O Scream 
• November & December – for Christmas Town events

As always, we suggest double-checking the official Busch Gardens® Williamsburg calendar before you visit the park. This way, you can keep up with any last-minute schedule changes or event updates. But if you happen to be in town and the theme park is closed for the season, you can always explore things to do near Busch Gardens VA!

Generally, if you want to experience the best day to visit Busch Gardens Williamsburg and avoid heavy crowds and long lines, we advise:

• Visiting later in the season
• Avoiding holidays, summer masses, and weekends
• Arriving early, when the park first opens and the parking lot is still empty
• Picking a cool(er) day to visit – dipping temperatures mean fewer crowds!

Park Strategy

While Busch Garden Williamsburg may not be as massive as some other theme parks (we’re looking at you, Mickey), it still pays to strategize your park visit. There is no Busch Gardens Williamsburg tours, but your own unique ‘park plan’ will vary depending on if your group is more into spending time with Elmo in the Sesame Street® Forest of Fun or flying high in the sky with Finnegan’s Flyer!

Our go to park strategy for Busch Gardens in Williamsburg Virginia consists of:

• Arrive early, at least 15 minutes before the park opens
• Hit the ‘big rides’ first, when the lines are shortest (there isn’t a super reliable Busch Gardens crowd calendar Williamsburg)
• Take an early lunch as soon as restaurant dining opens
• When the crowds thin in the late afternoon, hit any remaining rides or attractions you missed!

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Quick Queue

If you’re anticipating your Busch Gardens® Williamsburg visit coinciding with heavy crowds and long wait times, it could be helpful to invest in a Quick Queue pass. Quick Queue allows you to get to the thrill rides faster by allowing you one-day, single priority access to Busch Gardens’ most popular rides. No need to worry about Busch Gardens Williamsburg queue times and you can just focus on experiencing the best things to do at Busch Gardens Williamsburg! This is also the best option for saving time!

For a whole day of nonstop riding fun, you can even purchase an unlimited Quick Queue pass, which affords guests an entire day of unlimited priority access.

Popular Add ons

Want to take your Busch Gardens experience to the next level? Customize your very own theme park escapade with some of the most popular Busch Garden® Williamsburg add-ons and upgrades. 

Foodies and beer aficionados will flip for the All-Day Dining deal and Bier Fest Sampler. At the same time, animal lovers will appreciate getting up close and personal with their favorite critters on the Clydes & Collies Animal Tour.

Can’t Miss Experiences

Honestly, there is not much that can be missed at Busch Gardens® Williamsburg! This humble park strikes the perfect balance of culture and family fun with its amazingly lush gardens, picturesque European villages, and exhilarating roller coasters. 

However, if we had to whittle down our Busch Gardens® Williamsburg greatest hits, we can never skip the best rides in Busch Gardens Williamsburg:

• Loch Ness Monster (ride)
• InvadR (ride)
• Apollo’s Chariot (ride)
• Griffon (ride)
• Finnegan’s Flyer (ride)
• Verbolten (ride)
• Food & Show at Das Festhaus 
• Animal Encounters – the grey wolves by Ireland and the Clydesdales by Scotland

Busch Gardens New Ride Williamsburg

Whether this is your first or your fiftieth time visiting Busch Gardens® Williamsburg, there is always a new ride, attraction, or show to enjoy. Even if you’ve already visited Busch Gardens Williamsburg, create new memories on your next trip with the newest additions to this esteemed park:

• Tempesto (ride)
• Battle of Aire (Virtual Reality ride)
• Pantheon (ride) – 

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Restaurants

A day of traveling and trekking all over ‘Europe’ will undoubtedly build up a hearty appetite. Although you are allowed to enter the park with unopened snacks and water bottles, you would be remiss in bypassing some of the incredible dining provided by Busch Gardens® Williamsburg.

So let us introduce you to our four-star foodie recommendations, aka Busch Gardens Williamsburg tips for foodies:

• Quick bite – Beste Brezeln und Bier
• Festive German fare & entertainment – Das Festhaus
• Finger-licking-good BBQ – Trapper’s Smokehouse 

What to Bring to Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Preparation is the key to a successful theme park day. To make the most out of your Busch Gardens® Williamsburg vacation, it pays to pack a fully stocked day pack. Essential items that always save the day include:

• Portable phone charger
• Water bottle & snacks
• Hand sanitizer
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Comfortable shoes
• Poncho, raincoat, or jacket (weather dependent)
• Bandaids
• Stroller (if required)

Pro Tip: Don’t fret if you forget your portable charger! Busch Gardens® now provides a reusable, portable charging system called Fuel Rod, available for purchase at specific locations parkwide.

If you forget anything, drop by the gift shop for extra shirts, hats, and sunglasses!

Williamsburg, VA

Stately Williamsburg, VA was once the capital of the original Virginia colony and is over three hundred years old. So if you’re not a Virginia local, do yourself a favor and spend a few nights appreciating the historical preservation and unique appeal of the ‘Colonial Capital.’ 

No matter your vacation lodging preference, there is a medley of options for Williamsburg hotels and resorts. In fact, recommending some of the best hotels is part of our Busch Gardens Williamsburg guide!

You can opt to stay close to Busch Gardens® or Colonial Williamsburg and cut down on your theme park commute. Or choose one of many hotels near Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and delight in first-class dining, shopping, and gallery viewing, all within walking distance.

About the Park

At nearly fifty years old, Busch Gardens® Williamsburg is an iconic east coast theme park with a fascinating history. When the park first opened in 1975, it was owned by beer giant Anheuser-Busch, who owned a beer plant facility next door. 

Today the park offers over fifty rides, including nine roller coasters and three water rides. The parks nine European-themed villages are:

• Oktoberfest
• Germany
• New France
• France
• Ireland
• Scotland
• England
• Italy
• Festa Italia

Virginia may be for lovers, but theme park lovers will find all they desire and more at Busch Gardens® Williamsburg. 

This idyllic park is packed with 17th-century charm, state-of-the-art rides, and unparalleled animal encounters. 

Regardless if you are experiencing a multi-sensory dash through the Black Forest on Verbolten, or making friends with the gentle giant Clydesdales, a Busch Gardens® Williamsburg trip simply can’t be beaten.

Now that you are armed with our best tips for visiting Busch Gardens Williamsburg, tricks, and insider knowledge, it’s time to reserve your own Busch Gardens® Williamsburg vacation. Now is the best time to visit Busch Gardens Williamsburg!

Have You Been to Busch Gardens Williamsburg?

What was your favorite experience? Leave us a comment below!