Photo courtesy of Busch Gardens Tampa

If you are a regular listener to the podcast, you will know that I like to occasionally venture out of the “Disney Bubble” to experience the other fine attractions that Florida has to offer. During a WDW trip in 2008, I had the opportunity to visit Busch Gardens at Tampa with my family and had a fantastic day.

 

The following guide has been prepared by the PR people at Busch, and it will give you a great insight into this amazing park. Give Busch Gardens a try during your next visit, you may be pleasantly surprised. 

 

Enjoy Aj

 

PS/ When you drive to Tampa make sure that you call into Mels Hot Dogs.

Dont be fooled by it less than auspicious exterior, this small hot dog joint offers some of the best fast food that you will experience in Florida. So call into Mels on the way back to WDW, order a famous Chicago Style Mighty Mel and tell them that Aj sent ya…..

 

 

BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY GUIDE 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Overview: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is the ultimate family adventure park offering an array

of fascinating attractions based on exotic encounters with the African continent.

A unique blend of thrilling rides, one of the country’s premier zoos featuring more

than 2,000 animals, live shows, restaurants, shops and games, Busch Gardens

Tampa Bay provides unrivaled excitement for guests of every age.

 

WHAT’S NEW

Jungala: Discover a colorful village, nestled among towering trees, flowing

waterways and elaborate stone structures. Explore a 3-story play land of climbing

nets, mazes and exploration tunnels, soar above the treetops on a zip line

adventure or launch into the sky from inside a 35-foot waterfall. Then, connect

up close with exotic jungle animals. Come face-to-face with orangutans and test

your strength in a tug of war with a Bengal tiger. It’s an unforgettable adventure

and an extraordinary mix of discovery and fun in the only jungle in the world that

plays with you.

 

Serengeti Night Safari: Start your nighttime safari in the Edge of Africa

witnessing feedings and the active nocturnal behaviors of hippos, lions and hyenas

lit only by moonlight and lanterns. Then, on the Serengeti Plain, use night-vision

monoculars and special filtered lighting to view free-roaming herds of giraffes,

zebra, rhinos and other intriguing African animals. The tour begins and ends in

the exclusive Safari Club, with savory appetizers and beverages and a night cap

complete with coffee and desserts. The Serengeti Night Safari begins after sunset

on select Friday and Saturday nights and costs $59.99 per person, plus tax. Guests

must be 21 years of age or older to participate.

 

LOGISTICS

Location: - Corner of Busch Boulevard and 40th Street

- Two miles east of Interstate 275 at the Busch Boulevard exit

- Two miles west of Interstate 75 at exit 54

- One hour from Orlando via Interstate 4 West

- Thirty minutes east of area beaches and Tampa International Airport

 

Park Hours: Normal park hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. within a 365-day operating schedule.

Hours are extended during select weekend, summer and holiday periods.

 

Admission: Adult admission is $69.95 plus tax. Children ages 3 to 9 are $59.95 plus tax.

Children 2 and younger are admitted for free. A variety of combination tickets

and Passport Memberships are available. Prices are subject to change without

notice. Discounts available for guests with disabilities, senior citizens, military

personnel and AAA members.

 

Parking: Spaces are available to cars for $11, motorcycles for $11 and trucks and campers

for $13. Tour buses are free. Preferred parking convenient to the front gate is

also available to day guests for $16 and annual passport members for $8. Valet

parking at the front gate is $20, or $18 for passport members. Annual passport

members park free in standard lots.

 

Information: For general park information, call 1-888-800-5447, or visit the interactive Web site

at www.buschgardens.com

For our Animal Information Database, visit www.buschgardens.org

 

Services: Strollers, wheelchairs, lockers and pet kennels are available for rental. Wheelchair

seating is available at all facilities, and assisted listening devices are offered at

several attractions. Diaper-changing and baby-nursing areas, first aid, automated

teller machine, and taxi and bus parking may be found on-site.

 

Tickets:

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay offers print-at-home tickets that allow guests to

directly enter the park without waiting in line. Go to www.buschgardens.com to

purchase tickets.

 

Terrific Tuesdays: On Tuesdays, AARP members receive an $8 discount off admission to Busch

Gardens Tampa Bay. Every other day of the week, AARP members receive $3 off

park admission with membership card.

 

Private Events: As one of the world’s largest and most popular adventure parks, Busch Gardens

offers the best in hospitality, as well as a unique environment for any event. We

have a wide variety of venues, entertainment options and appetizing catering

selections. Our professional staff will accommodate all your needs, whether it’s a

breakfast for 100 or a private night function for 10,000. We can also create

memorable wedding receptions, corporate retreats and upscale banquets.

 

DINING HIGHLIGHTS

Crown Colony House Restaurant: Relax in air-conditioned comfort and take in a panoramic view of the

Serengeti Plain while you enjoy courteous full table service, authentic African roadhouse ambiance and a

diverse menu that includes delicious upscale entrees, refreshing salads and hearty sandwiches all house-made

with the freshest ingredients by our culinary team.

 

Bengal Bistro: Sit back, relax and enjoy a delicious lunch as your young adventurers explore Jungala. Bengal

Bistro—the newly remodeled Vivi Restaurant—is the perfect place to view Jungala’s village. At this cafeteriastyle

bistro, the Busch Gardens’ culinary staff prepares your lunch fresh, offering Catch of the Jungle fish, wraps

and sandwiches, salads and vegetarian options.

 

Orang Café: Watch endangered Bornean orangutans swing across their habitat from the patio of Orang Café.

Whether it is snack items or entrees, Orang Café’s menu is designed to be “kid-siderate.” Children will

appreciate the family-friendly menu items like “dirt sundaes,” chicken “stripes” and bug candy. The menu also

includes assorted fresh fruit, wraps and other entrees.

 

Zambia Smokehouse: Witness the power of SheiKra —America’s first dive coaster—as you dine on delicious

barbeque. The new 500-seat indoor/outdoor Zambia Smokehouse makes guests part of the action, as diners sit

directly beneath the wings of the new roller coaster. Entrees include chicken, beef brisket and the park’s

famous ribs, all slow-smoked for hours over real hickory and oak.

 

Desert Grill: Palatial architecture, exotic entertainment and air-conditioned comfort come together to make

your meal at the Desert Grill truly unforgettable. Watch a live performance while you dine on outstanding

entrees like Baby Back Ribs or Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo — all served fast and fresh. You’ll also find specialty

salads, hot and hearty sandwiches, delectable desserts and a complete kid’s menu.

 

Sultan’s Sweets: Start your day at Busch Gardens with a steaming cup of gourmet coffee and muffins,

cinnamon buns and pastries made fresh daily in the park. Stroll through the shop and feast your eyes on an

incredible array of sweet treats including hand-made candies, cakes and the deliciously decadent Wild

Indulgence Fudge.

 

RIDES

SheiKra: North America’s first dive coaster sends riders through a breathtaking three-minute journey 200

feet up, then 90 degrees straight down — and that’s just the beginning. “Floorless” cars give riders an

unobstructed view of the 70 mph rush, and SheiKra was the first dive coaster to incorporate an Immelmann

loop (a simultaneous loop and roll), a second, 138-foot vertical drop into an underground tunnel and a water

feature finale, all packed into a half-mile of steel track.

 

Kumba: After the blood-curdling thrill of an initial 135 foot drop, you will plunge from 110 feet into a diving

loop, feel a full 3 seconds of absolute weightlessness while spiraling 360 degrees, and tear through one of the

world’s largest vertical loops.

 

Montu: Feel the ultimate rush on one of the tallest and longest inverted roller coasters in the world! Experience

the thrill of an inverse diving loop and a 60-foot vertical loop while you endure speeds of more than 60 miles per

hour and a G-force of 3.85.

 

Gwazi: Challenge the dueling forces of Gwazi: two wooden tracks intertwined into the Southeast’s largest and

fastest double wooden roller coaster. Boasting more than 1.25 million board feet of lumber, Gwazi’s Lion and

Tiger tracks offer two distinct ride experiences.

 

Cheetah Chase: Families will love the curves, drops and corkscrews of Cheetah Chase, a five-story “wild mouse”

style coaster in Timbuktu. With its top speed of 22 mph and 46” height requirement, Cheetah Chase is the

perfect ride for a child’s first coaster experience.

 

Scorpion: Feel the “sting” of Scorpion’s terrifying 60-foot drop and 360-degree loop at incredible speeds.

The Wild Surge: Launch out of a 35-foot mountain crater up above a towering waterfall for a thrilling view of

Jungala’s village below.

 

Jungle Flyers: Young adventurers choose from three different flight patterns to soar 50 feet above Jungala’s

village.

 

Rhino Rally: This wild jeep tour transports guests aboard an off-road adventure through the wilds of Africa,

blending up-close animal encounters with an unpredictable safari competition.

 

Congo River Rapids: Encounter the swift-flowing white water of the Congo River Rapids. Spin through a geyser

and face an ominous waterfall and other thrilling obstacles in a 12-person raft.

 

Stanley Falls: Our Log Flume whisks your whole family through a splashing trip ending in a 40-foot drop that’s

sure to get you soaked!

 

Tanganyika Tidal Wave: Watch out when your seemingly tranquil jungle journey aboard a 20-passenger boat ends

with a sudden plunge down a 55-foot drop, creating a tidal wave that gets everyone sopping wet.

 

SHOWS

“KaTonga: Musical Tales From the Jungle” takes you on a journey to the heart of Africa in a 35-minute

musical celebration of animal folklore. The show follows a day in the lives of aspiring storytellers, called

Griots, as they strive to become masters of their craft. To accomplish this rite of passage, the performers

evoke traditional African stories that mesmerize and entertain! Masterful puppet design, magical folklore,

energetic original music and spectacular African-inspired dance combine to create the first theme park show

of Broadway-production caliber.

 

Rock A Doo Wop: This all-new show at the Marrakesh Theater features the greatest hits of the ’50s and ’60s,

performed by eight talented singers and dancers. Guests will enjoy favorite songs like “This Magic Moment”

and “Sherry” as they travel back in time to the doo-wop era.

 

Pirates 4-D: A swashbuckling 4-D comedy for the entire family, the Caribbean caper combines the latest 4-D

special-effects technology with multi-sensory theater effects to thrill guests of all ages. The 750-seat Timbuktu

Theater features four digital projectors that run simultaneously, and guests wear 3-D glasses to view the visual

effects that allow the film action to vault off the screen. Surround-sound speakers built into the seats and special

effects, including wind and sprays of water, further immerse the audience in this treasure-hunt adventure.

 

Mystic Sheiks of Morocco: Snap your fingers and move your feet to the music of this high-energy brass and

percussion marching band.

 

ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS

Serengeti Plain: This habitat features hundreds of exotic African animals that can be seen from the Serengeti

Express Railway, Skyride, Serengeti Safari and various walkways. The 65-acre environment includes expansive

berms, the largest of which is four acres; tiered and open landscapes covered with native and African

grasses, scrub trees and shrubs; rock outcroppings and bluffs replicating natural formations; and naturalistic

creek beds and mud banks.

 

Myombe Reserve: Enter the lush forest where gorillas and chimpanzees can be viewed in this naturalistic

rainforest habitat. Tour the Great Ape Domain amid waterfalls and through shrouds of mist and fog to get an

up-close look at these majestic primates.

 

Edge of Africa: This habitat offers an intense walking safari where guests can experience hippopotamus,

lions, lemurs, meerkats, crocodiles and lappet-faced vultures in natural habitats themed around an

abandoned African fishing village.

 

Jambo Junction: The former Busch Gardens’ Nairobi Field Station now allows greater interaction between

guests and the park’s animal ambassadors. The new area is called Jambo Junction, a name inspired by a

Swahili greeting. At Jambo Junction, you can participate in animal feedings, lessons in husbandry and

behavior training. Featured animals include Caribbean flamingos, lemurs, cuscuses, sloths and opossums.

 

Bird Gardens: Soar over to our Bird Gardens area to check out almost 500 tropical birds from around the

globe. You can enjoy the Wild Wings of Africa show, see our feather-filled aviary, and experience the

powerful presence of bald and golden eagles in Eagle Canyon. After the show you can talk to conservation

educators about how to attract birds to your own backyard.

 

Lory Landing: The domed habitat showcases a variety of brilliantly colored birds including several species of

parrots, including lorikeets, as well as hornbills and pheasants in both free flight and observational

environments.

 

Clydesdale Hamlet: Guests can pose for a picture with one of the World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales during

daily photo and petting sessions.

 

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

Tree Top Trails: With climbing nets, bridges, crawl tubes and a multi-level maze for bigger kids, plus a waterplay

area for younger children, this 3-story family play area allows visitors to explore the different levels of

jungle life.

 

Land of the Dragons: Includes our three-story-tall tree house, an enchanted forest, one-of-a-kind slides, a

gentle waterfall, wonderful rides and, of course, friendly dragons! The Land of the Dragons’ stage features a

family-friendly show staring Dumphrey the dragon and friends.

 

Serengeti Express Train: See the beauty of the Serengeti Plains as you make a round-trip journey from our

Nairobi train station on the Serengeti Express Train.

 

King Tut’s Tomb: Travel back in time to the mysteries of King Tut’s Tomb. You’ll get to visit a realistic

replication of King Tut’s burial site as it was being excavated in the 1920s. The park’s Egypt area also includes

an area for kids to do their own digging.

 

Skyride: View the spectacular scenery as you fly through the air in a cable car that runs between the Crown

Colony area and the Congo on the opposite side of the park.

 

EDUCATIONAL TOURS AND PROGRAMS

Serengeti Safari: For animal enthusiasts, we offer half hour Serengeti Safari tours daily. This open truck tour

offers guests a unique look at our Serengeti Plain habitat and the opportunity to feed giraffes, antelopes and

birds by hand! Encounter African wildlife up close with a Busch Gardens education specialist as your guide.

Cost of the tour is $33.99 per person plus tax in addition to park admission.

 

Heart of Jungala Tour: Go deep into the heart of Jungala with this 30-minute behind-the-scenes tour. With a

knowledgeable zoo educator as your tour guide, you will quickly become an animal expert as you go face-to

face with endangered Bengal tigers and Bornean orangutans. On this walking tour, you will also witness

behavior training and interactions led by the keepers. Cost of the tour is $33.99 per person, and a portion of

the proceeds will benefit the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

 

Family-Friendly Safari: This half hour open truck tour is geared for families with small children. It offers

guests an opportunity to meet an animal ambassador, as well as a unique look at our Serengeti Plain habitat

hosted by a Busch Gardens’ tour guide. Encounter African wildlife up close and hand-feed giraffes! Cost of

the tour is $33.99 per person plus tax in addition to park admission.

 

Sundowner Safari: As the sun sets over the Serengeti Plain and the day’s adventure draws to a close, experience an

animal encounter unlike any Busch Gardens has ever offered. It begins in the Crown Colony’s Brew Master’s Club,

where guests can sample premium lagers. Then, the journey continues on the park’s 65-acre Serengeti Plain, where

participants will hand-feed giraffes and encounter other African wildlife while indulging in Anheuser-Busch’s worldclass

beers. This 45-minute tour is offered daily for $39.99 per person, plus tax, for ages 21 and older with proper

identification.

 

Animal Adventure Tours: Experience the ultimate adventure during our two-hour behind-the-scenes Animal

Adventure Tour, featuring some of the park’s most famous animals. The tour combines a walking safari with

an off-road truck tour, hosted by a Busch Gardens education specialist and animal care staff. Cost of the tour

is $119.99 per person plus tax in addition to park admission.

 

Saving a Species: During this 45-minute safari, guests can meet giraffes up close, observe some truly wild

behavior from our white rhinos, and then meet our famous black rhinos. Talk to zookeepers who are working

to save these endangered species, and learn about the different conservation efforts that Busch Gardens and

the World Wildlife Fund are making to protect wild places. Cost of the tour is $44.99 per person plus tax in

addition to park admission, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit World Wildlife Fund conservation

projects.

 

Keeper For A Day: Go behind-the-scenes and get a crash course in Zoo Keeping 101! This program gives you

the opportunity to experience one of the coolest careers in the world — be a zookeeper at Busch Gardens

Tampa Bay. Your adventure begins early in the morning by assisting zookeepers feed, train and care for the

animals that inhabit the Serengeti Plain; including birds, antelope and giraffes. Cost of the tour is $350.00

each, tax included in addition to park admission.

 

Busch Gardens Adventure Camps: Busch Gardens’ education department also offers many summer classes,

sleepover opportunities, residential programs and adventure camps for kids of all ages, as well as the whole

family. For information, call (877)-BGT-CAMP or e-mail education@buschgardens.org.

 

GUIDED TOURS

Animal Adventure: Are you up to the next challenge? Can you handle the extreme? This tour combines a walking

safari with an off-road truck tour right to the heart of Busch Gardens. Cost for both adults and children are

$119.99 each plus tax.

 

Guided Adventure: Love animals? Can’t get enough coasters? Trek through Busch Gardens with an expert guide.

The cost for adults is $149.95 each plus tax, and for children the cost is $119.95 plus tax.

 

Thrill-Seekers: Thrill-Seekers Tours are semi-private 3-hour guided tours that include front of the line access to

all major rides and attractions, including Gwazi, Montu, Kumba, SheiKra, Congo River Rapids and Tanganyika

Tidal Wave. The cost for adults is $99.95 plus tax, and for children the cost is $79.95 each plus tax.

 

Elite Adventure Tour: This unique, 8-hour private tour begins with you and your private tour guide creating your

day’s adventure. Then, you are off to experience it VIP style with front-of-the-line access to most major rides,

reserved seating to the world-class Katonga show, lunch at the upper-level Crown Colony Restaurant and a oneof-

a-kind experience hand-feeding a giraffe on our Serengeti Safari tour.

 

Tour components and prices are subject to change without notice. Tours must be canceled a minimum of 48

hours in advance or total payment is forfeited and a tour voucher will be issued. Park admission is required, but

not included. For reservations, call (813) 984-4043 or (813) 984-4073, or e-mail Bgt.viptours@buschgardens.com

 

Busch Entertainment Corporation (BEC) operates 10 Worlds of Discovery, including SeaWorld parks in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio; Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island in Tampa Bay and Busch Gardens Europe and Water Country USA in Williamsburg, Va.; Discovery Cove and Aquatica in Orlando; and Sesame Place near Philadelphia. BEC, the  family entertainment division of Anheuser-Busch InBev, plays host to 25 million guests each year and employs 26,000 people nationwide. To learn more about the Worlds of Discovery, visit www.4adventure.com or call toll-free (800)4ADVENTURE. Additionally, the BEC created the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, a non-profit, private charitable foundation committed to supporting wildlife and habitat conservation, research, education and animal rescue programs worldwide.