Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Busch Gardens Williamsburg (formerly Busch Gardens Europe and Busch Gardens: The Old Country) is a 422-acre (1.71 km2) amusement park in James City County near Williamsburg, Virginia, United States, located approximately 60 miles (100 km) northwest of Virginia Beach. The park was developed by Anheuser-Busch (A-B) and is owned by United Parks & Resorts. The park opened on May 16, 1975, adjacent to Anheuser-Busch's brewery and near its other developments, including the Kingsmill Resort complex.
| Previously known as Busch Gardens: The Old Country (1975–1992) Busch Gardens Williamsburg (1993–2005, 2008–present) Busch Gardens Europe (2006–2008) | |
| Location | James City County, Virginia, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°14′5″N 76°38′40″W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | May 16, 1975 (as Busch Gardens: The Old Country) |
| Owner | United Parks & Resorts |
| Theme | Europe |
| Slogan | "Celebrate, Connect, and Care for the natural world through the power of entertainment." |
| Operating season | Year round |
| Area | 422 acres (1.71 km2) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 53 |
| Roller coasters | 10 |
| Water rides | 3 |
| Website | Busch Gardens Williamsburg Home Page |
The park, originally named 'Busch Gardens: The Old Country', is themed to various European countries. In 1993, the park was renamed to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and briefly named Busch Gardens Europe from 2006 to 2008. In 2015, an estimated 2.78 million people attended the park, ranking 20th in overall attendance among amusement parks in North America. The park also features notable roller coasters, including Griffon, Verbolten, Pantheon, Alpengeist, and Apollo's Chariot (ranked as the fourth-best steel coaster in the annual Golden Ticket Awards publication from Amusement Today in 2012.)