Tips, advice for Busch Gardens Tampa

[zippehsmom]

We are going to go to Busch Gardens next summer, and we are thinking of spending 4 days in Tampa.

Does anyone have any experience touring Busch Gardens in the Summer? I've read about the Adventurers Tour, but I'm not sure I want to pay $75 (x6) to do this.

Also, where is a good place to stay? We will have a rental car and would like to spend one day visiting the Gulf coast.

Any advice or tips would be well appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Viking]

Take some clothes to change and towels with you. They got three or four not-to-miss waterrides where you will get soaked. We usually put those clothes in a locker for later use. When we need a refreshing waterrid we change into those clothes, do all waterrides in a row, go back to our locker, to the next restrooms to change into our dry clothes, and then continue through the park.

 

[zippehsmom]

Thanks Viking that is a good idea. I hate being in wet clothing in the parks.

Any other tips or advice?

 

[jlovesee]

Hey there,
I can never stop extolling the virtues of Busch parks, especially Busch Gardens Tampa, as it is an extremely well run park. In the two times I have been to Busch Tampa I have never went on an excursion as I have always never had time and never felt it was worth the money.

There are many, many ways of seeing the animals I recommend riding the train and/or the sky ride, that picks up in both Crown Colony and the Congo and goes directly over the animal safari area, the sky ride is like what Magic Kingdom used to have.

I have never really noticed a paticular path to take when it comes to riding the rides at Busch except like every other park ride at night, the lines are always the shortest in the evening. Plus on SheiKra take advantage of the single rider line they have.

Also be sure to ride Rhino Rally, this is similar to Kilimijaro Safaris, I kind of like this one better though. They have what they call Quick Queue Ticket which is kind of like fast pass but they have an employee handing them out near the entrance to Rhino Rally and its free.

As far as food I would eat at Zambia Smokehouse near SheiKra which has the best BBQ I have ever eaten and I am from Kansas City. (we ate there twice)

We actually stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa - North which has very good rates, is a nice, clean hotel and is fairly close to the park.

Have a fun time

Jennifer