Meal tickets
Busch Gardens Williamsburg: Worth the price?
We'll be going to BG in June. I am wondering if the meal tickets are worth the price. I didn't see any pricing for the meals at the restaurants so I wasn't able to tell if getting a meal ticket would save me money. Also, I've read that 2 adults could share one meal. Is that accurate? What about my kids? I have a 5, 4 and almost 3 year old. Do they need one meal per child (they eat quite a bit normally) or could 2 of them share?
The souvenier cups...I was reading that you can get water for free in them. Is it good water or is it just plain tap water? My kids and I will drink mostly water but I don't want to get the cups if it's nasty water.
Thank you!
If you get one of the larger samplers you may be able to share with two adults, but ya never know. The sampler platter in San Marco or New France(smokehouse) may be the best if you're trying to share a meal. and It does seem to be worth it to get the meal tickets. They have a new all day dining pass, where you can go through the line as much as you want and get an entree and a drink, but that' like $30 for adults and $19 for kids. Sounds like quite a bit for a family of 5.
As for the water, the souvenir cups are about $7, with a soda/lemonade, but you get $1 refills. or $2 refills on ice slushy kind of drinks. You can get as many cups of ice water as you want. They don't give you a bottle, but they do give you ice and water out of a faucet. I wouldn't call it nasty water. The water in williamsburg is perfectly fine to drink. I get the "free" water all the time and never had a problem (tastewise or healthwise). Have a great time!
The meal tickets can be a deal depending on which meals you are eating there and what you normally eat. When I go with my husband, we have to get separate meals, because he can eat a sampler platter all by himself. But for lunch, we can get a sampler, plus salad and desert, and the 2 of us are full. We have the refill mugs too, with the pass discount we spend about $1.09 for each refill. The only annoying thing is storing the mugs when we ride.
We visit BGW probably 25 times a season, so trust me, finding new things to eat for us is our challenge!
From Pyra Dong
Posted April 6, 2010 at 12:16 PM
everything I'm about to say is based on my time working at Busch Gardens Tampa (Not williamsburg)-- but the meal plan works the same way.
I say don't get the meal plan UNLESS you're planning on eating three or more times during your visit-- that's about the breaking even point. Last I checked, BGT's meal plan was a main course and a drink and doesn't cover the service restaurants (sit-down service) or the snack kiosks. Getting the kids meal plan limits you to only the kid meals like hot dogs, chicken nuggets, etc. and NO SHARING
Personally, I would NEVER go for the meal plan, even if I would be in a park for 12 hours because when I'm constantly moving, I tend to eat less amount but more times. And yes, often I share my meal with someone. I think a main course and a side could easily be shared by two adults. And don't forget to factor in that even with meal plans you STILL have to stand in food lines which can get pretty long. (I'd rather just get some pretzels and a drink at a snack kiosk and I'm good to go!)
You don't need a souvenir cup if you get the meal plan, but if you do, the water is free-- and it's the water that comes through the soda fountain machines. Souvenir cups are about 7.99 and refills are around $2.
In the end it depends on what you're planning on eating. The tickets will pretty much force you to want to get the most expensive items on the menu, not necessarily the items that you would normally choose. I would suggest just waiting until you get to the park and deciding what you want when you're in line.
BGW is starting a new all-you-care-to-eat option, which could be a good option for those guests planning on spending an entire day at the park.
Your choices are limited to the amount of food you can get during the day. I do not find this to be a great deal. My husband and I share a meal, the best deal being in France at the Smokehouse. FYI - If you are thirsty and want water, you can avoid the bottled water fee and ask for a cup of ice water ITS FREE and you don't have to carry around a bottle everywhere you go.
Thanks for all the responses!! I think I'm leaning toward not getting the meal plan. We just found out that my husband's Family Day at BG is the same day that we had planned to go, so one of our meals is already paid for. I think I would end up doing like someone suggested, and trying to find the most expensive thing on the menu even if I didn't want it. So, I think we'll just buy when we get there:)
Thanks again!!
^Okay. Though if the plans are like those from Busch Gardens Tampa and you plan on going to one of the two parks again, choose the meal deal, as it offers 1 entrée, 1 side, 1 dessert, and 1 beverage every time you entire a line at a restaurant in their park the entire day!
From Joel M
Posted May 22, 2011 at 12:11 PM
So I know we're not supposed to share... but theoretically... if someone were to want to try to share... do they keep a real close eye out?
^i was thinking the same thing last time i went to OU. i was with my dad and was thinking about just getting a meal deal for one of us which would then go to a fast food place and order food, then run to another fast food place and get food for the other person. technically stealing but pretty sneaky xD
We got the meal deal for each of us. It worked well. We had lunch at Das Festaus, and dinner at Trappers. We went 2 different days, and got one of our souvenir cups one day, and the other cup the next day. We will be doing this again next time!
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