Busch Gardens is located in Tampa, Florida which is about an hour south of the other major theme parks in Orlando, Florida. Busch Gardens has some of the best roller-coasters in Florida and also differentiates itself from the many other amusement parks with the beautiful setting and many animal shows. The entire experience is a lot different than Disney, where characters roam the streets and the ambiance is the experience.
For Busch Gardens, the gardens and shady lined walk-ways are a comfortable addition to the theme park, but the experience is really about the animal shows and major roller-coasters.
How to Plan Your Busch Gardens Vacation?
What are the Busch Garden Family of Theme Parks?
Busch Gardens is an Anheuser-Busch park and therefore related to the other Anheuser-Busch parks. The top-level company is Anheuser-Busch, but the SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment division actually runs the parks now. In addition to Busch Gardens, you can visit these sister parks for discounted rates when you visit more than one!
- Sea World Orlando: Sea World is a lot of fun for the animal lovers in the family and the park rates high on my list of favorites. Part water park, one great roller coaster and several truly amazing animal water shows and you will have a wonderful day at this park.
- Adventure Island: Also located in Tampa, Adventure island is a water park and a lot of fun! This is not like the major, huge, touristy water parks affiliated with Disney World in Orlando, but instead a fun day of picnic table eating areas and family-friendly water slides.
Where Should You Eat?
Theme park food is expensive and Busch Gardens is no exception. That being said, the Crown Colony House is a great family option because children eat free with a paid adult entree. Also, there are several fast food restaurants just outside the park, across the street on Busch Blvd, that are your usual cheap fast-food fare–it may behoove you to hit one of these just before entering the park or time it so you get hungry right when it’s time to leave!
Where Should You Stay?
Staying near Busch Gardens is definitely affordable because the park is located right in Tampa. That means the hotel options run the gamut between the cheap motels and upscale inclusive hotels with pools and higher-end options.
Can Someone Plan This For You?
Absolutely! There are reputable full-service organizations willing to cater to every minor and major travel planning detail. With a full service catering package all you have to do is pack up, and get the whole family to Florida! In fact, if you want to visit several of the Orlando area theme parks, in addition to Busch Gardens in nearby Tampa, consider a travel agent your best option for special rates and discount combination theme park packages.
Insider Tips You May Not Know About?
You bet! Disney is a conquerable beast and if you know some of the extra services and insider tips it has a huge impact on your enjoyment levels in the park.
- You can print tickets online: Consider purchasing your ticket online, print out the paper and scan the barcode once you arrive at the park at one of the many automated ticket machines.
- Child Swap: Rides with height restrictions offer a child swap for the adults. To do this, the whole family stands in line, then when you get to the front, one adult goes on the ride (with any eager, tall-enough, children). Then, when the ride is over the adults “swap” the child not tall enough for the ride and the other adult can now ride!
- Food and drink are allowed in the parks! You can bring snacks and drinks into the park. Food can get expensive, not to mention the debilitating heat if you don’t stay hydrated. Bring a small backpack of snacks, drinks, and treats so everyone in the family keeps a smile on their face in the long lines for rides.
- A Pet Kennel is offered by Busch Gardens for families traveling with the family pet. At a mere $7, this is a fantastic option that is, surprisingly, not offered by all of the Florida amusement parks.
My Favorite Rides and Shows at Busch Gardens!
Busch Gardens is a mere 25 minute drive from the home I grew up in…that means I have visited this park countless times and watched new coasters added, refreshments and other fun features. This is such a well-sized and family friendly park that it tops my list. The Little Dragons play area will absolutely delight your toddlers and teens and adults will love the super-speedy roller-coasters. The shows are a great way to cool down and I recommend hitting the shows right in the mid-day heat so you’re sitting in the shade and cooling off when the Florida sun is at its strongest!
My Favorite Roller Coasters:
- Montu: One of the best coasters at Busch Gardens, this is the one you’ll want to ride several times before the day is over. It lasts for a decent amount of time, has all of the twists, turns, and unexpected drops you’d expect from an excellent coaster!
- SheiKra: As the only dive roller-coaster in Florida, this one is terrifying and awesome all rolled into one. It’s a floorless coaster that tops-out at 70 mph and the coaster drops you at a sharp and unexpected 90-degree angle.
- Kumba: This ride is smooth and pleasant, which doesn’t mean slow, but the tracks are designed to glide effortless and you sail through Kumba without the jarring and bumps of many coasters.
- Gwazi: The exact opposite of Kumba, Gwazi is a large wooden roller-coaster that hits right in the middle of average coaster speeds. I’m not a huge fan of wooden coasters because of how many bumps you feel along the way, but it’s worth riding at least once on your visit!
My Favorite Rides:
- Congo River Rapids: The best family-fun ride in the park. But you will get very, very wet so make sure you’re ready to spend a hour or so drying out in the Florida sun once this ride ends.
My Favorite Shows:
- KaTonga: The best of the Busch Gardens shows and so much fun I highly recommend you squeeze it into your day. The singing in the show is stellar, and the acrobatics are a lot of fun.
- Pirates 4-D: A bit campy which means everyone of all ages will find a place to chuckle here and there.
- Animal Encounters: These vary depending on the day but check out the local times to find the animal encounter spots and times so your children can enjoy petting huge (but safe) snakes and exotic animals.