Both Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Kings Dominion have released their operating schedules for this upcoming season! We’ve merged all of the monthly calendars for each park into a single image for easier viewing, and we’ve provided a thorough analysis of what to expect from the coming season.

Kings Dominion’s 2016 Operating Schedule

Kings Dominion officially begins its 2016 season on Friday, March 25! However, Passholders can get an exclusive sneak peak on Passholder Preview Day which will be held on Sunday, March 20th.

Very few alterations have been made to the operating schedule between this upcoming season and the last. The only difference we’ve noticed is that a few of the park’s springtime hours have been extended slightly.

Note that Kings Dominion has not yet released their fall operating schedule. Additionally, Soak City operating hours have not been released at this time either. We’ll be sure to let you know when that information becomes available.

Between opening day and the end of August, Kings Dominion will be open 125 days this year versus 127 days last year.

Busch Gardens’ 2016 Operating Schedule

Busch Gardens will open its gates to the public on Sunday, March 20! Although it has not yet been officially announced by the park, we have strong evidence that Pass Member Preview Day will be on Saturday, March 19.

For the first time in recent history, Busch Gardens will be open for three consecutive weeks (March 20-April 10) for Spring Break. During the summer season, Busch Gardens will continue last year’s trend by once again closing at 9 PM on weekdays. The fall calendar is essentially unchanged from last year, with Howl-O-Scream scheduled to run from September 23rd to October 30th.

Christmas Town will see one major change to its schedule this season. Instead of having varied 9 PM and 10 PM closings, Christmas Town will close everyday at 10 PM this year. This means guests won’t be confused or concerned about leaving earlier on certain days anymore!

In total, the upcoming season will have 196 operational days, compared to 192 days in 2015.

Note that although Busch Gardens has technically released their schedule publicly, they have not yet officially announced that they have done so.

So, when are you planning to visit Virginia’s theme parks this season? If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about the parks’ schedules please let us know! Leave us a comment below, or visit us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, and be sure to stay tuned for future posts and developments!

We are looking forward to an exciting season at the parks this year!