Which one should you visit, Busch Gardens or King’s Dominion? Here, we’ll delve into their unique offerings to help you choose your next adventure.
While both parks aim to create unforgettable experiences, they differ in themes, rides, entertainment, dining, and overall ambiance.
I’ll compare and contrast these two destinations, enabling you to make an informed decision based on your preferences and interests.
Theming
Busch Gardens or King’s Dominion Theming
Busch Gardens is an amusement park that makes the guest feel like they have arrived in Europe. The countries represented are England, Ireland, New France, Italy, and Germany.
These lands all have distinctive feel to their country represented and have rides and foods that are themed to match. There is nothing like enjoying a big pretzel in Germany or riding a coaster themed for a god in Italy.
King’s Dominion, however, is less about theming and more about rides. When you walk into King’s Dominion, you are greeted by a faux Eifel Tower and there are several different sections of the park. The theming is not as elaborate or immersive as Busch Gardens but you can feel the change as you move through the park.
Theming Edge:
Busch Garden’s theming is head and shoulders much better than King’s Dominion. If you want a park where you feel like you are transported to a different place and you could believe you are actually there, go to Busch Gardens. King’s Dominion’s theming has gotten better over the past few years, but overall, it’s not even close to the level of Busch Gardens.
Thrill Rides
Busch Gardens or King’s Dominion Thrill Rides
There are 10 roller coasters at Busch Gardens and each one is a different style. There are launching coasters, suspended coasters, indoor coasters and wooden coasters. Over the past few years, Busch Gardens has expanded their selection of rollercoasters and seems to want to continue the trend.
However, if you are going to a park mainly for thrill rides, King’s Dominion is a great choice. There are 13 roller coasters here, a drop ride and several other thrill rides. This park is a great place to feed your inner thrill seeker.
Thrill ride edge:
While Busch Gardens has many great thrill rides, King’s Dominion edges them out on the sheer volume of rides they have. Either park is a great place for a thrill seeker.
Best for kids
Busch Gardens or King’s Dominion kids
Busch Gardens has many different rides for kids spaced out throughout the entire park. There is the Sesame Street Forest of Fun that has several rides, a splash pad and meet and greets with their favorite Sesame Street Characters.
There are a couple roller coasters, such as the Grover Coaster, that would be great for kids trying out thrill rides.
Also, I can’t forget the Land of the Dragons as it has a massive ropes play area, several rides, a splash pad and fantastic fantasy theming.
King’s Dominion’s kids attractions can mainly be found in Planet Snoopy. This area is themed with Peanuts characters and all the rides are kid friendly. There are a few other rides throughout the park but this is the main area for kids.
Best for kids edge:
If you are looking for all the kids rides to be close together, King’s Dominion will be your winner. However, if you are looking for a place where kids can go to several different areas for rides and fun with different themes, Busch Gardens is the clear winner. I highly recommend this wagon if you are bringing kids.
Water Parks
Busch Gardens or King’s Dominion Water Park
There is not a Water Park located inside of Busch Gardens, however, Water Country USA is a couple miles down the road. But, this sister park has a separate fee. Touted as the largest water park in Virginia, Water Country USA is a great park for the family. There are many family friendly attractions and rides for thrill seekers.
Inside King’s Dominion, you will find Soak City, the in house water park. There you can find many slides, water play areas, a wave pool and more. This is great for guests who want an all in one experience where they can ride coasters and water rides in the same day.
Water Park Edge:
This depends on what you are looking for. Because King’s Dominion has a water park in the park itself, a guest can do both in the same day. However, if a guest wants to take their time, Water Country USA is a great option as it is a large park and has more attractions.
Food
Busch Gardens or King’s Dominion Food
One of the fun parts about Busch Garden’s theming is the variety of foods you can find in the park. There is a little bit of standard fair, but they also have food themed to the are you are in of the park.
We love to get a large German pretzel in Germany or have a big plate of barbeque in New France. Also, Busch Gardens has a Food and Wine festival in the Spring where they offer small tastings of many different countries that aren’t represented in the park.
Typically, the food at King’s Dominion is basic burgers, pizza and fried chicken. Over the years, they have expanded their offerings to include more healthy options such as bowls, barbeque, burritos and Southern Style cooking.
Food Edge:
As far as variety is concerned, Busch Gardens is the winner, however, it is just amusement park food. Please temper your expectations and realize both parks have mass produced food that is overpriced. There are a few gems at both parks, but this will be far from the highlight of your visit to either park.
Entertainment
Busch Garden’s or King’s Dominion Entertainment
When you visit Busch Gardens, you will find outdoor and indoor entertainment throughout the park. One of the highlights is Celtic Fyre where award winning dancers perform Irish dance and tap. There are singers, musicians and dancers throughout the park.
In the summer, Busch has the Summer Nights Concert Series where guests get free admission to live music concerts with current artists. Also, there is special entertainment in the evenings throughout the summer.
King’s Dominion does not focus on entertainment as much as Busch Gardens. They offer three shows and I know personally that these are great on a hot day because one of the shows is inside in an air conditioned venue.
Entertainment Edge:
Busch Gardens has the edge in this category by far. Because King’s Dominion focuses more on the thrill rides, they put less energy into the entertainment. The talent at Busch Gardens for the shows is rare and a great break from walking around the park.
Ticket Prices
Busch Gardens or King’s Dominion Tickets
The gate price for general admission is $109, however, if you buy ahead of time it is always cheaper, around $80.
The gate price for general admission is $75, however, if you get tickets ahead of time the are $44.99.
Tickets Edge:
King’s Dominion is the cheaper choice here, but, it will depend on what you are looking for. As the summer goes on, Busch Gardens gets much cheaper. The season passes are cheaper for King’s Dominion as well but he Busch Gardens membership is resonable.
Final Busch Gardens or King’s Dominion Thoughts
I feel that it is hard to compare these two parks fairly as they both offer such a different experience. While Busch Gardens is the more expensive option, a guest will get more out of their ticket as far as their experience and overall day. However, King’s Dominion is a great place to go for someone who just wants to ride thrill rides and doesn’t care about any of the other “extras” a person can get at a Theme Park.
I personally prefer Busch Gardens now as an adult as I can appreciate all the work that goes into the theming and all the extras that come with my day. However, as a kid, I didn’t appreciate it and I just wanted to go to King’s Dominion and ride the rides all day and never slow down.
Both parks will give you a fun day of thrills and an escape from your everyday life, however, they both offer a completely different experience to the guest.
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King’s Dominion Review and Tips