ABR
Posts: 277
Registered: 3/22/2003
Rank: Silver Critic
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 5/20/2007 11:32:36 PM
Upon browsing wikipedia today, I saw that Busch Gardens has 3 parks that have closed, they are (years open)
Pasadena, California (1905-1937)
Van Nuys, California (1964-1979)
Houston, Texas (1971-1972)
What prompted the closure of these parks? (particularily Houston after one year)
Were they even parks at all? rcdb has no mention of any of these, so they must not have had any roller coasters. Were they more like a scenic picnic park type place? I'm looking at some of the opening dates for the rides, the Tampa park had been opened since 1959, but didn't get a roller coaster until 1976. Did Busch Gardens change their focus from scenery to thrills?
What's the land being used for now? It doesn't appear that the two CA cites have any parks, and I the years don't match up for Astroworld opening.
From pictures, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg was not always the park we know and love. Prior to Lochness, the roller coasters it had were "off the shelf" and easily transportable (one of which recently reopened at a small amusement park in MD, about an hour from my house), so perhaps the Houston and Van Nuys parks were given the boot so they could upgrade Tampa and Williamsburg. Look at the pictures of "Die Wildkatz" at BGW, simply one ride operator at an uncovered (and uncrowded) station. Nothing like we're used to.
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Got_it
Posts: 818
Registered: 11/1/2006
Rank: Gold Critic
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5/21/2007 10:05:59 PM
That is very interesting.
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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5/22/2007 3:39:31 PM
For starters the Busch Gardens we Know and the Busch gardens you see that were closed are too different things. The original Busch gardens were just that Large Gardens. no rides a few shows. They didn't fly. They started heavily investing in the too most popular properties and and turning them into theme parks.
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ABR
Posts: 277
Registered: 3/22/2003
Rank: Silver Critic
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5/23/2007 11:22:08 PM
Yeah that's what I figured, since these weren't listed on rcdb, and the difference of the opening dates of Tampa and their first roller coaster, I figured Busch Gardens wasn't always a thrill seekers park chain. You'd think they could have done something with those though, whether it be another sesame place (which was essentially NO RIDES up until a few years ago), or, start adding off the shelf rides like at BGW, look what happened to them! Then again, in California under the shadow of Disney, Knott's, Magic Mountain, Universal Studios, maybe Van Nuys wouldn't have done well. Ah well, thanks for clarifying that.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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5/24/2007 12:36:13 PM
Busch Gardens Pasadena
Busch Gardens were started as gardens, somewhere to get away and enjoy the tranquil beauty of nature on weekends.
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Message updated 5/28/2007 7:25:27 PM by larrygator
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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5/27/2007 8:48:50 PM
Not on the list but also operated by Busch for some time was Cypress Gardens.
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Falcon 8
Posts: 24
Registered: 9/4/2006
Rank: Coaster Critic
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5/28/2007 2:29:15 PM
Yeah but would Cypress Gardens be aloud to be on this list?? The park only closed for a year.
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primogen18
Posts: 2983
Registered: 2/19/2001
Rank: Mansion Welcomer
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5/28/2007 2:31:55 PM
I've heard of these before, and they were just garden parks. There was one also near St Louis too wasn't there? I know there was at least one more...
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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5/31/2007 12:55:05 AM
Quote:
Falcon 8 said:
Yeah but would Cypress Gardens be aloud to be on this list?? The park only closed for a year. |
It was sold to new Owners. Much like a couple Sea world properties and Port Adventure They owned part of. Busch seems to not wan to hold onto too many parks. even good ones.
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