Butchart Gardens expected traffic to return to normal Thursday after dealing with a flood of visitors on Wednesday night, which snarled traffic leading to the attraction.
In a statement to the Times Colonist, a spokesperson for Butchart Gardens noted Christmas visitation to date has been on par with previous COVID-19 years, but on Wednesday visitor numbers spiked.
“Last week’s extraordinary weather and closure on [Dec. 20] pushed many visits to this week and, as anticipated, the first clear evening was busy,” the statement said.
With cars lined up along Wallace Drive Wednesday evening, the Gardens sent messages out on social media warning would-be visitors the admission line was at least 45 minutes long, while those just arriving around 7 p.m. were told to expect at least an hour wait in their cars before they could reach the admission gate.
The Gardens said those in the queue were very co-operative and patient.
“Now that the bulk of delayed visits have come in, we anticipate average Christmas visitation levels as we move into the New Year,” the statement said.
The Butchart Gardens Christmas display runs until Jan. 6.
Because of the popularity of the event, it has implemented timed ticketing for the Christmas season, selling tickets for entry at 15-minute intervals. Visitors are encouraged to book ahead.
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