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Name changes at Busch Gardens parks?

2006-03-17

By Jason Jackson: So Busch Gardens Williamsburg is now Busch Gardens Europe and Busch Gardens Tampa is now Busch Gardens Africa. What goes around comes around? Some of us remember when Busch Gardens Williamsburg was The Old Country-Busch Gardens and Busch Gardens Tampa was The Dark Continent-Busch Gardens. Perhaps Busch is going back to its roots? Not that they strayed too far, but I still miss the double decker buses that use to serve as transportation from the parking lots in Williamsburg. Not very efficient, but very classy and elegant.

[I've heard this rumor now from several sources. But the official Busch Gardens website still features the old names. And the domain names buschgardenseurope.com and buschgardensafrica.com are unregistered and available, according to Network Solutions. See below. -- Editor]

Readers' Opinions

From Pete Brecht on March 17, 2006 at 7:16 PM
As a Busch Gardens season passholder, I just received a newsletter the other day that repeatedly refers to Busch Gardens Europe, but it doesn't make a point that it's a different name than before. I guess they'd feel kind of sheepish about making a grand announcement about the name change when nothing of substance is actually changing, especially when the names are now so similar to the original ones from 30+ years ago.
From Robert OGrosky on March 17, 2006 at 10:47 PM
I think these names changes make no sense, unless they are going to build theme parks in Europe and Africa.
Constant name changes just Adds confusion but does nothing to strength the product.
From Anthony Murphy on March 18, 2006 at 10:07 AM
This makes no sense whatsoever! How is calling Busch Gardens Tampa Busch Gardens Africa make it any better? I thought you tack on a place it is located!

Honestly, can anybody make an arguement of why they would change their names to something that is just going to confuse the heck out of everybody? What are they going to call Busch Gardens if they open one in Europe? Busch Gardens Williamsburg?

From Robert Niles on March 18, 2006 at 7:19 PM
This opens a whole new range of naming opportunities: Busch Gardens Europe in Virginia, Busch Gardens Florida in the U.K., Busch Gardens Africa in Florida, and maybe we can get back Busch Gardens Los Angeles... but this time in Tokyo.

By the way, a cybersquatter now has buschgardenseurope.com (expect the cease-and-desist in the mail any day now DomainsByProxy.com, 15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260!), but buschgardensafrica.com is still available.

Really, more people from Busch *need* to start reading this site....

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