Expanded operation with enhanced health and safety measures and limited capacity now includes big thrills,
new events, and great deals on admission tickets
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Williamsburg, Virginia (Jan. 5, 2021) – Busch Gardens® Williamsburg announces exciting news today that will give guests more opportunity to safely visit the Williamsburg theme park in 2021. For the first time ever, Busch Gardens will open in January, February and early March for three ALL-NEW limited capacity outdoor special events, Winter Weekends, Mardi Gras & St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. And with the highly anticipated opening of the NEW Pantheon®, the world’s fastest multi-launch coaster, and a packed 2021 event line-up, Busch Gardens will be the place for all things fun, new, and safe in 2021.
In compliance with Virginia’s phase 3 safety guidelines for reopening businesses, Busch Gardens operates with enhanced health and safety protocols for cleaning and sanitizing, physical distancing, face covering requirements and temperature screenings. Special event capacity will be extremely limited to create ample space for guests to enjoy their experience, while maintaining physical distancing in a safe environment..
Busch Gardens Winter Weekends (Jan 15 - 24) will offer guests a brand new, limited capacity special event featuring dazzling lights, thrilling rides, and inspiring wildlife experiences. Park-goers can celebrate the New Year in a winter wonderland of fun by strolling through villages filled with beautiful lights at night, braving the thrills of thirteen rides including three roller coasters and Sesame Street® Forest of Fun™, encountering unique animals not normally featured at the park, participating in special kid activities, and viewing a spectacular fireworks finale on Saturday evenings. Winter Weekends will be offered Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Jan. 15 – 24, with day and evening sessions available. Reservations are required and admission is included for Membership, Annual Pass and Fun Card holders. For a complete list of featured animals, rides and activities, consumers can visit https://buschgardens.com/williamsburg/events/winter-weekends/.
Winter Weekends Highlights:
FAN FAVORITE! Stunning Lights at Night – Saturday night skies ignite with a stunning firework display to cap off evening
festivities.
NEW! Fireworks at Night – guests can indulge in all things that sparkle with lights adorning eight charming villages. This is the perfect setting to soak in the crisp winter air and all the amazing attractions and entertainment throughout the park’s spacious grounds.
NEW! Animal Experiences – guests will be able to experience up-close encounters with physical distancing
measures in place to learn about amazing animals like a capuchin monkey, baby kangaroo, gray fox, lemur,
serval, crested porcupine, alligator, and much more. With dozens of different species, guests can connect
with their wild side in a whole new way.
NEW! Musical Entertainment – guests will be serenaded by contemporary and interactive musical
performances from an a cappella group and Killarney trio.
NEW! Culinary and Beverages – guests can embark on a flavor-filled journey to enjoy animal inspired sweet
treats like zebra chocolate drizzled kettle corn, fun cocktails like a Moscow Mule and Salty Dog, a wide
variety of specialty brews like Snakebite Stout, and delicious entrée favorites from Das Festhaus.
NEW! For the Kids – a park-wide fur and feathers scavenger hunt will inspire kids to learn about animals
and the impact they have on the environment. Kids can also play in Sesame Street® Forest of Fun™ and
learn how to build a birdhouse. (Nominal fee)
Busch Gardens Mardi Gras (Jan 29 - Feb 28) will have guests indulging in the New Orleans spirit as Busch Gardens lets the good
times roll with this ALL-NEW limited capacity special event. Visitors will be transported to where the “Big Easy”
meets big thrills as they explore eight decorated villages filled with mouthwatering Cajun food, cocktails, and
immersive live entertainment and music. Thirteen roller coasters and attractions, including Sesame Street® Forest of
Fun™ will also be available for guests to enjoy. Mardi Gras will be offered Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Jan. 29 –
Feb. 28. Reservations are required and will be available soon, and admission is included for Membership, Annual
Pass and Fun Card holders.
Mardi Gras Highlights:
NEW! Entertainment – Mardi Gras entertainment is always colorful and dazzling, and the park will capture
that carnival atmosphere with street entertainment including a New Orleans Jazz Band, interactive drum
band, stilt walkers, comedic jugglers and more.
NEW! Culinary and Beverages – a traditional carnival celebration is not complete without good eats and
libations. Guests can start the party with classic NOLA fare, like Cajun sausage and grits and Gumbo, then
unwind with a Hurricane cocktail or specialty beer from one of the park’s winter kegs. And no Mardi Gras
party would be complete without a taste of popular sweet treats like hot and fresh beignets or the park’s
unique take on the traditional king cake.
NEW! Kid Activities – a park-wide masquerade scavenger hunt, activities where kids can decorate their own
mask to take home and more surprises just for the little ones.
“Adding January, February and early March to our schedule is an exciting operational change for us and we couldn’t
be more thrilled to kick off a new year with new special events for our guests,” said Kevin Lembke, president of
Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA®. “While we continue to operate safely with limited capacity,
our guests now have the opportunity to experience even more events with a great line up happening almost every
weekend of the year.”
Best Way to Play: (Reservations for Winter Weekends will be available beginning Tuesday, Jan. 5)
NEW YEARS SALE - now through Jan. 14, guests can save up to 30 percent on all Busch Gardens and Water Country
USA 2021 spring and summer tickets including single, two and three-day tickets.
Busch Gardens Winter Weekends and Mardi Gras limited capacity events admission starts at only $34.99.
Consumers can bundle Winter Weekends admission and a meal for only $54.99 and bundle Mardi Gras admission
with a tasting card starting at only $59.99. For the best admission option, guests can lock in an entire year of fun
with a new 2021 Membership for as low as $11.25 per month with no down payment. Members receive 12 months
of unlimited visitation and amazing park benefits and rewards such as FREE parking, up to 50 percent discount on inpark
merchandise, up to 20 percent discount on dining, FREE guest tickets, and so much more. Admission to the
new January, February and March special events is included for active Members, Annual Pass and Fun Card holders.
For a complete list of limited capacity event activities, operating schedules and to make reservations, visit
www.buschgardens.com/williamsburg/tickets/reservations/.
Safety:
Busch Gardens Williamsburg is committed to the health and safety of our guests, employees, and the animals in our
care. The park has worked diligently with state and local health officials, outside consultants and attraction industry
leaders to enhance our already strict health, safety and cleanliness standards. These protocols and guidelines will be
modified based on evolving industry standards and methodologies, public health, and governmental directives, and
advancing scientific knowledge on the transmissibility of COVID-19. For detailed information about the measures that guests can expect when visiting the resort, including key operational changes, visit Buschgardens.com/williamsburg/park-info/park-safety/.
Guests can receive the latest information on hours of operation for Busch Gardens Williamsburg by visiting, BuschGardensWilliamsburg.com or Facebook.com/BuschGardensVA
About Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Busch Gardens® Williamsburg is an action-packed European-themed adventure park with 17th-century charm and 21st-century technology,
boasting more than 130 acres of family fun. Home to top-rated roller coasters including the all-new Pantheon®, the world’s fastest multilaunch
coaster coming in 2021, more than 50 rides and attractions, live stage shows, monthly special events and delicious culinary
experiences. Busch Gardens has been voted the “World’s Most Beautiful Amusement Park” every year since 1990. For more information, visit
BuschGardens.com/williamsburg. Busch Gardens is owned by SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS), a leading theme park and
entertainment company providing experiences that matter and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world.
Copies of this and other news releases as well as additional information about SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. can be obtained online at www.seaworldentertainment.com. Shareholders and prospective investors can also register to automatically receive the Company’s press releases, SEC filings and other notices by e-mail by registering at that website.
