Are Busch Garden Williamsburg Hotel Packages Really Worth It?

Busch Gardens Williamburg's Curse of DarKastle.

So you want discount tickets. A Busch Garden Williamsburg hotel package could be just the ticket to significant savings. But beware of the catch...

Like...a timeshare sales pitch. Yeah, one of those.

We scoured the internet investigating Busch Garden Williamsburg hotel package deals, and found one fact: the better the deal, the more likely that you'll have to sit through a timeshare sales pitch to get it.

Not that all of these hotel packages are fronts for timeshare presentations. But if it sounds too good to be true (for example, two night's stay for two for $10), then they're probably able to offer the deal in exchange for you sitting through a timeshare pitch.

If you're considering it, keep in mind that some of these pitches can last up to two hours, although they'll probably tell you it'll be less. So you will have to give up some of your valuable vacation time.

For some of you iron-clad deal chasers, that's no problem. If you see resisting timeshare pitches as a challenge, be our guest and take the deals! For the rest of you, here are some of the facts.


Know What You're In For...

I have no problem with groups that are offering an even, open exchange-- "You give us two hours for a timeshare pitch, we'll give you this deal." I take exception to groups that try to trick you into deal.

For example, I found a package advertised on "discountthemeparkvacations.com." It looks just like the official Busch Garden Williamsburg website and offers TWO Busch Gardens 1-day Passes for only $25. Sounds great! So I called to check it out.

You can buy these beautiful masks in the Italy section.

In talking to them, I found out that "all" you have to do to get the Busch Garden Williamsburg deal is spend at least one night at the Williamsburg Westgate Resort (includes a "free VIP buffet breakfast") and pick up your discount tickets. The Williamsburg Westgate Resort was booked up on the night I requested (June 1), but they offered me a night at the Days Hotel for $88, or the Howard Johnson for $84. Both included the VIP buffet breakfast. That's what immediately flagged me...

So I went back to the website and clicked on "terms and conditions." After slogging through quite a bit of legalize, I saw what I was looking for:

It's coaster central, with Griffon in the middle.

"Reservations based upon availability and good to 2 adults and up to 2 children. Offer limited to individuals between the ages of 30-68 with an annual household income of at least $50,000, and must attend a 90-minute sales presentation...Failure to qualify and attend the sales presentation will result in a penalty equal to the retail cost of your vacation package..."

So should you avoid all Busch Garden Williamsburg hotel packages? Absolutely not. My parents went to Kawaii, stoically sat through a 90-minute timeshare pitch, bought nothing, and were rewarded with a free helicopter ride over Waimea Canyon (well over a $100 savings). It CAN be done (it depends on your will power!). Just be aware of what you're getting yourself into.

No-Strings-Attached Busch Garden Williamsburg Hotel Deals

So is that a good deal? Well, if you go directly to the Days Inn website (http://www.daysinn.com), you'll see that the price for those two nights is about $154. Two one-day adult passes to Water Country USA are about $80, while two one-day adult passes to Busch Gardens Williamsburg are $114. So, you're saving about $2 over buying the hotel and tickets a la carte.

Not as amazing a deal as it seemed, is it?

Not to mention the fact that there are many different places you can get Busch Gardens Williamsburg discount tickets. Our Busch Gardens Discount Ticket Page will show you how to save anywhere from $5 to $14 per single-day ticket.

If you live in Virginia, your best deal by far is a Fun Card, which allows you to pay once and get unlimited visits for no extra charge. If you're from out of state, buying a "Busch Gardens Europe and Water Country USA Discovery Ticket" ticket is your best deal, giving you unlimited visits for 7 days. For details on Fun Cards and the Discovery Ticket, go to our "Deals & Admission Fact" Page.

Want a deal on season passes or a combo ticket that will get you into Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, and Colonial Williamsburg for one great price? Click here for details on the Williamsburg "Bounce" Ticket.

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