Busch Gardens Tampa - dilemma. Please advise!

[riu girl]

I called Busch Gardens earlier in the fall to confirm that I would still be able to purchase the 2005 fun cards at the gate mid Decmber (we are hoping to visit 3-4 times during the last two weeks of December).
On the phone I was told that I would still be able to purchase them mid December at the gate.

I just checked on their web site and they are NO LONGER selling the 2005 fun cards but only 2006 fun cards.

I am so upset. I really want to spend 3-4 days there and don't want to have to pay for 3-4 single day tickets (for a family of 4).

Does anybody who is familiar with Busch gardens know whether or not I can still purchase the 2005 fun cards anywhere (at Busch or elsewhere) mid-December.

Any info. would be greatly appreciated. The kids are so looking forward to spending several days at this park.
On the web site their 1-800 is not valid as well I can't find a regular long distance number for them so I can't even call them.
Thank you
Suzy V
I am also going to post this on the orlando board in case anybody over there might know about this situation.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Not sure--but perhaps the web-site was adjusted b/c people typically wouldn't order that way.

Your best bet is to call guest relations at the park.

1-888-800-5447 was the only phone number I saw (not an 800 #). This is also listed at yellow pages.com as the only toll free #.

(813) 987-5524
(813) 987-5307 are the two toll numbers.

I would imagine that you can still purchase when you arrive. But for business purposes, they dropped the option on the web-site.

 

[WDWNewbie]

For Busch Williamsburg, I seem to recall once they started selling the 06 cards, they were cards that were valid not only for 06, but the remainder of 05.

I wonder if this is the case for Tampa too?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Looks like the site says that aren't good until January 1st....but I think you would be eligible for the silver passport if all else fails. (doesn't list any residency requirements). It is $50 more..but parking is free and you won't have to get 4-5 days worth of single tickets.

 

[riu girl]

I just called and was told that I had better order them pronto since they are still showing up in their system, but they don't know for how long since they are no longer available on their web site. THe woman I spoke to didn't seem very interested in my situation.

But I am worried that I wouldn't get them in time. They said their shipping in the US is 6-8 days (but we are in Canada) and we leave Ontario early am Dec 16.

Yikes I'm not sure what to do?????

Any thoughts?
Suzy

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Check costs for expedited delivery--or the silver passport is the next best bet. You won't save as much money as planned, but you will still save more than half the costs instead of buying individual tickets.

ETA: Or see if they will just hold them at will call. Have them e-mail you a receipt for purchase.

 

[riu girl]

will call - I never thought ot that.
Does anyone know if Busch Gardens Tampa has will call????

Wow, just when I thought I had all of the details of this trip worked out, now this!!!
If I have to buy the silver passports I will not be pleased.
I do have an email printed out from Busch Gardens dated May 10/2005 stating that I will still be able to buy the 2005 fun cards at the gate Dec 19.
I wonder if I took this letter to guest relations with me, they would have to sell me the 2005 fun cards???

Any thoughts???

Thank you
Suzy V

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Most places (concert venues, Disney) do. I imagine they would. Probably at guest relations. I've picked up tickets at Disney before (though it was a comp ticket anyway).

I would just call and find out. An e-mail probably won't do you any good b/c it isn't a contract and they won't be able to find the item in the system anyway.


The other suggestion would be to get an Orlando/Tampa area DISer to help you out--have the tickets sent to them and arrange a meet when you arrive. Or they can just go to your hotel for you and drop them off so that they will be there when you check in.

I would offer--but we live on the coast....and the logistics are too tight with our own travel plans and schedule conflicts.

ETA: I understand this requires a great amount of trust--just offering it up as a last resort suggestion.

 

[agnes!]

The "Will Call" window sounds like your best option. But I would phone them up and ask to speak to a supervisor in Guest Services/Relations, then get that person's name if they promise you anything specific.

good luck,
agnes!

 

[riu girl]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am going to call Busch Gardens and see if they have a will call window.


If not, anybody know of how to purchase 3-4 days of inexpensive Busch Gardens tickets??? The other day I was on a web site and it listed 5 days for the price of one. But of course for the life of me, I can't remember which web site it was on. Probably too late to get any tickets mailed to me anyway since I am in Canada.

I just find it odd that the 2005 fun cards have been pulled from their web site but as of right now you can still call Busch Gardens and order them. We are staying at a privately owned condo in Siesta Key so I can't even have them mailed there.

Any other tips, anyone???

Thank you
Suzy V

 

[riu girl]

bumping to page one

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Logistically I don't think there is much else you can do. I do believe you can do will-call. speak to a manager if necessary. Groups do will-call type pickup all the time at theme parks (much easier than say, mailing 50 tickets. The group leader just gets them when they arrive!). It shouldn't be a new concept and they should be able to work with you. I would call first thing tomorrow.

 

[reddixie]

PM me if you can't get your tickets. I will be in Orlando on the 16th and will be glad to help if at all possible. I live in Fl. and would like to say that they are always offering a deal at the end of the year. Just let me know if you need anything.

 

[riu girl]

To all of those who have responded to this thread:
THANK YOU!!!

reddixie: you are so kind, but I am still working on the situation:
Here is where things stand right now:

Well I called Busch Gardens and as of right now, I CAN no longer buy the fun card through the web site OR through their ticket agents!!!!! So therefore, will call is not an option for me.

BUT they told me that as of today they are still selling them at the gate (but have no idea how long that will last). The supervisor thought maybe until the last week of Decmber (if so we will be ok) but was not sure. Every time I talk to Busch they never seem to be able to give me a definate answer about anything.


So I am just going to keep calling Busch (daily) and confirm that they are still selling the fun cards at the gate.
Unless someone can think of any opther otions of how to get the 2005 fun cards ($63/adults, $52 kids)?????????????

I really don't want to have to pay more then what I had originally planned (about $250).

If things don't work out, I have formulated a back up plan
Cypress Gardens ($32 each for two full days).
only $128 for 4 people.

Any thoughts anyone????????????

Suzy

 

[WDWNewbie]

Here's a link to special tickets for Canadians only.

5 day, 2 park (Busch & Sea World), all 5 days must be used within a 7 day period.

It's a little more than the one you were going to buy, but you'd get a second park (Seaworld) out of it.

Hope this helps.

http://www.atpar.ca

(click on BUY TICKETS, $CDN at par)

They are e-tickets so you can print them out at home.

 

[riu girl]

Thanks agian everyone for the info. I really like hte at-par tickets, but talked to DH and h said it might be a bit too much to expect from the kids (5 park days in a week).

I called Busch Tampa a couple fo times this week (thank goodness for toll free numbers and have been told that we WILL be able to ge them at the gate next weekend).

hopefully this is the case since the first person I talked to at Busch last weekend thought otherwise.

Suzy V

 

[riu girl]

Well things worked out very well. Using the 1-800 # I had been calling Busch Gardens every few days and was told that YES we could buy the fun cards at the gate.
BUT once at the gate Dec 19, I was told NO that they are no longer selling the 2005 fun cards!!!!! I quoted people I talked to (names and dates) and was getting no where. I then pulled out an email from Busch (dated back in May) that said YES the fun cards would still be available for purchase at the gate Dec 19. All of a sudden, things changed and Busch still couldn't sell me a 2005 fun card since they were no longer in the computer BUT they sold me 2006 fun cards (which for some reason were cheaper thent he 2005 cards by several dollars) and activated them early. Therefore, we had 3 visits in December 2005 and will be able to go back in 2006 since the card doesn't expire until 12/31/2006.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, I am very happy.
btw, I LOVED Busch Gardens!!!!

 

[debm]

Where did you stay? Around Tampa? We are headed to WDW in May but I am actually thinking of cutting our trip a day short to head over to the Gulf and do the beach and Busch Gardens. We've never done that before! I saw some cool resorts on the internet and I would love to try one of them. Just curious if you had any suggestions. Also how many days do you think we need to do BG comfortably and do everything? Would 2 be enough or I'm thinking 3 would be better.

 

[riu girl]

IMHO, if you get there at opening, two days wold definately be enough time. It is a great park. We stayed about 1.5 hours south in Siesta Key so that might be out of the way for you. There looks like some nice hotels in the St. Petes/Clearwater area that you might want to consider. They were a little less expensive then Siesta Key overall also.