Is Busch Gardens (Local) Trip Worth It for Spring Break? ($4,626) or Universal Trip for ($7,874/$6,074 w/ Points)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these prices for real??

For Universal, yes.

For Busch Gardens, no. They are massively overpaying for add ons most people would never consider.

And apparently booking 3 hotel rooms for a family of 4.

[Anonymous]

If you're insist upon an incredibly tacky vacation like that, it's a reasonable price.

[Anonymous]

*insisting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these prices for real??

For Universal, yes.

For Busch Gardens, no. They are massively overpaying for add ons most people would never consider.

Op here the tickets for bush gardens for 2 days with unlimited express. Some people claim you won't need it but spring break will be busy.

Busch Gardens & Water Country USA Two-Day Ticket
$671.96 4 × Ticket + All-Day Dining (ages 3+) 167.99

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Quick Queue Unlimited Plus
$1,439.92 8 × Guest 179.99

Total before taxes without addon or hotel : $2,111.88

[Anonymous]

You're thinking that BG is a Disney-level Big Deal Amusement Park. It's not -- it's a local/regional fun day out. I have done the 3-day option, but only because we wanted to break up our park time with other activities. We'd go in the morning, ride until lunch when it got crowded, then leave for the afternoon. Dinner elsewhere, then back in the evening. Even so, our last day was maybe 2 hours at the park. No possible way there is enough there to keep you entertained for three full days. (And there is no way I'd want to eat park food every 90 minutes for three days.)

[Anonymous]

OP, is this a situation where you and your spouse are arguing about where to go for spring break? And is it that you really want to go to Universal so you are trying to prove that it’s really not all that much more and a much better value to go there rather than Busch Gardens, so you are padding the cost of a BG trip?

And you are crowd-sourcing here to really have a even more of an argument to go to your preferred destination?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm trying to decide between a local trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg for Spring Break or heading down to Universal Orlando. Here's a breakdown of the costs for both options:

Option 1: Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Total: $4,626.30 for 4 People)
This total includes everything: 3-day park admission, hotel stay, all-day dining plan, reserved seating, and special experiences like animal encounters and behind-the-scenes tours.
The dining plan is all-you-can-eat every 90 minutes on one day, and 3 meals per person on another day.
The only additional cost was $1,439 for the Unlimited Express Pass for 2 days, bringing the total to $4,626.30.

Option 2: Universal Orlando (Total: $7,874.00 / $6,074.00 with Points for Flights for 4 People)
2-Day Universal Orlando Park Tickets (with Express Pass): $3,300.00
Airbnb Stay (3 nights): $1,100.00
Flights for 4 People: $1,800.00 ($0 if using points)
Estimated Food Costs:
Per Meal: Approximately $35.00 per person
Total for 3 Meals/Day for 3 Days: $1,260.00
Uber Transportation:
Washington, DC to Dulles Airport (Round Trip): Approximately $134.00
Orlando Airport (MCO) to Airbnb (Round Trip): Approximately $140.00
Airbnb to Universal Studios (4 Round Trips): Approximately $140.00

Universal costs $3,247.70 more than Busch Gardens Williamsburg with flights included.
Universal costs $1,447.70 more than Busch Gardens if flights are covered with points.

Which option do you think offers better value? Is Universal worth the extra cost, or is Busch Gardens a solid alternative for Spring Break?

I wouldn't do either of these places for spring break. Go to Universal in the winter. If you just want to do Busch Gardens go to the one in VA.

[Anonymous]

I think the BG prices are too high. If you felt like it, maybe get a nice hotel in Williamsburg or Richmond and then take day trips to BG and Kings Dominion.

Or pay me that crazy price and you can stay at my place and I’ll chauffeur you that week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're thinking that BG is a Disney-level Big Deal Amusement Park. It's not -- it's a local/regional fun day out. I have done the 3-day option, but only because we wanted to break up our park time with other activities. We'd go in the morning, ride until lunch when it got crowded, then leave for the afternoon. Dinner elsewhere, then back in the evening. Even so, our last day was maybe 2 hours at the park. No possible way there is enough there to keep you entertained for three full days. (And there is no way I'd want to eat park food every 90 minutes for three days.)

This. Going this aggressively all in at BG is not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Three days at Busch Gardens is too long.

[Anonymous]

you're valuing your flight points at zero...you should include the value of those flights to make it a fair comparison. (I get that points are zero cost to you, but unless you fly like a maniac, there's an opportunity costs to using the points now.)

Your BG trip costs a fortune--are you really going to spend a full 3 days at the park alone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these prices for real??

For Universal, yes.

For Busch Gardens, no. They are massively overpaying for add ons most people would never consider.

Op here the tickets for bush gardens for 2 days with unlimited express. Some people claim you won't need it but spring break will be busy.

Busch Gardens & Water Country USA Two-Day Ticket
$671.96 4 × Ticket + All-Day Dining (ages 3+) 167.99

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Quick Queue Unlimited Plus
$1,439.92 8 × Guest 179.99

Total before taxes without addon or hotel : $2,111.88

Are we still talking spring break? You don’t go to Water Country in April. Is it even open then?

[Anonymous]

Op, B&G is a one day park. You do not need any extras except maybe a fast pass if the lines are super long. You do not need a dining plan every 90 minutes. Your kids will be throwing up 🤮 their food on the rides. It’s an amusement park. Just grab some interesting food when the hunger sets in.

Universal is expensive now. That is the deal. Two years ago we discovered that Universal can surpass Disney prices now which was never how it was 20 years ago. However, a third Universal park will open up later this year. You might want to go after that is available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these prices for real??

For Universal, yes.

For Busch Gardens, no. They are massively overpaying for add ons most people would never consider.

Op here the tickets for bush gardens for 2 days with unlimited express. Some people claim you won't need it but spring break will be busy.

Busch Gardens & Water Country USA Two-Day Ticket
$671.96 4 × Ticket + All-Day Dining (ages 3+) 167.99

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Quick Queue Unlimited Plus
$1,439.92 8 × Guest 179.99

Total before taxes without addon or hotel : $2,111.88

You don't want Water Country in April. Too cold.

Don't do package park/hotel deals. Price it out separately, one day at BG, maybe two if you want shorter days, buy parking pass or price if one annual pass is worth discounts it may offer. No meal plan, maybe buy the refillable cup if still a thing. find a local hotel.

[Anonymous]

Your pricing is insane, OP. But if you wanted to spend 2 days in the area, why would you not do BG one day and Williamsburg/Yorktown the other? There are sights RIGHT THERE besides a park you will be sick of after a full day.