mouse knocks over beer
You may remember when Busch Gardens was called Busch Gardens: The Dark Continent. Well they are changing the name again, this time to “Busch Gardens Africa.” I guess it is some sort of fervent attempt to counter the growing success of Disney’s Animal Kingdom further on up I-4.
Maybe they should call it “Busch Gardens: We Give Up.”
It’s one thing to surrender at the feet of Mickey Mouse in the constant battle for the minds, hearts and money of tourists. Yes there is a savanna with real jungle animals and that Egypt area is pretty cool, but re-stamping Africa on a longtime theme park runs the risk of pigeonholing its broader appeal.
But what may be worse is the one in Williamsburg is being renamed “Busch Gardens Europe.” I always thought one of the most appealing things there was its connection to Colonial America. With that name it looks like we’re giving it back to King George III.
Maybe it’ll work out fine and I’m fretting over nothing. But if they ever start messing with the beer samples there’s gonna be trouble!
Tags: names, tampa, tourism
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April 12th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
The new name does nothing for me. Now if the park folks could shorten the wait time for SheiKra … now we’re talking! FastPass anyone? Don’t tell the mouse!
April 12th, 2006 at 5:25 pm
My parents live not far from “Busch Gardens Europe” which used to be “Busch Gardens: The Old Country,” a name probably dropped at the same time as “The Dark Continent.” It’s always been seen, at least by locals, as being a European themed park with little to associate it with the surrounding American history. I suppose for Americana you could count the log flume ride and the sepia toned photography you can dress up for in wild west outfits but otherwise it’s just another amusement park. At the same exit on I-64 though you can go to a privately developed park with huge concrete busts of the presidents. This newly constructed park, which will suffer from a distinct lack of shade until the landscaping matures, restores my faith in America. Mt. Rushmore it’s not, but by gosh this one has ALL the presidents. Just when you thought roadside attractions were dead…
April 12th, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Who needs a fastpass? Us locals can always go on a Thursday in February, or some afternoon after the rainshowers pass (assuming it ever rains here again, which it may not).
Frankly, the beer samples are something Busch Gardens will always have over Disney. Busch Gardens just isn’t so… disneyfied. Us single types appreciate that.
April 12th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
I guess by Disney you mean the Magic Kingdom because if it’s beer sampling you need, try drinking your way around the world at Epcot. I mean, really, it’s a lot more fun than reading about all these CONDO’S going up.
April 13th, 2006 at 5:33 am
Two things, first of all Sandy rocks
second I have lived here 30 years and never knew it was called anything other than Busch Gardens. Is my span of attention so short that I got bored halfway through the sign and stopped reading. The only thing I am unhappy with in the last few years is that premium parking bs. I love the funpass idea, it is great for locals but it suck sif I just want to go for 2 hours I have to park across the street and tram it in or walk and waste 20 minutes that I could be waiting in the Montu line.
April 13th, 2006 at 10:11 am
It’s just a marketing thing. They could call it “Rollercoasters and Animals R Fun!”, and it would still be the same place, albeit a really badly named one.
And oh, the around the world beer tours at Epcot…such fond memories (like the time a couple friends and I got kicked out for deciding to reorganize the rock garden in Japan. Hey, I thought the pile of rocks I was working on looked very professional.)
Oh, and SheiKra is the biggest disappointment in BG history. Such a build up for…eh. The first five seconds is great, the rest is just an excuse to call it a coaster.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:40 pm
Tampa’s Busch Gardens has always been Africa-themed, from the animals to the Swahili names of the rides. Same thing with the Williamsburg B.G., although they don’t have nearly as many animals (if they have any at all; I can’t remember).
To them, the Tampa and Williamsburg parks are as different as the Magic Kingdom and Epcot are to Disney. They don’t want people thinking they’re the one and the same and therefore miss out on any potential income. It’s all about the money…