Busch Gardens is one Florida residents favorite places to go. It has everything to make for a fun family day, no matter what each person enjoys. There are exotic animals that will amaze you. Roller coasters that will wow you. Live theatrical and street shows that will astound you. Carnival style rides, water rapids, and safaris are all here waiting for you. This theme park is located only 1 hour from your villa in Orlando. There are free shuttles from convenient Orlando area locations to make getting there and back a breeze – be sure to ask your concierge representative for more details.
View the map of Busch Gardens, Tampa, see whats on offer and where to go
Famous for its coasters!
Busch Gardens stays at the forefront of coaster technology; they work with the world’s most innovative coaster designers to bring you the most exciting rides possible. Busch Gardens has coasters to thrill you and even some suited for little tikes.
Cobra’s Curse
NEW! Just opened in July of 2016. This coaster twists and turns while it twists and turns – Its unbelievable! Just as you are getting wound up in the cobra’s tail, your cart breaks free and spins as you make your way on this crazy ride. You won’t know which way is right by the time this one ends, but you will surely ride it again and again.
SheiKra
Can you handle a 90 degree drop straight into the abyss? If not, you better get in line for this mind-blowing coaster. This coaster doesn’t mess around; you go 200 feet in the air and then plunge at speeds up to 70 mph! This ride will take you to great heights and also, give you great views of the Tampa Bay area. A nighttime ride will not soon be forgotten as the views are just stunning; maybe even worth a terrifying journey on SheiKra.
The other big coasters include: Montu; Falcon’s Fury; Kumba; and the oldie but goodie, Scorpion. These coasters would be top dog at any other theme park, but Busch Gardens has thrills and chills in spades. The park features some excellent Family Friendly Coasters, like Cheetah Hunt, The Wild Surge, Air Grover, and the Sand Serpent. Fly through the air on the Jungle Flyers and check out views from above. These rides are great for the whole family and will have you all laughing so hard, your tummies will hurt!
Trains, Jeeps, and African Fun!
Busch Gardens has an African theme and each area is a different country or region in Africa. You will also find some areas named just for fun. There are (counter-clockwise circle) Morocco, Bird Gardens, Sesame Street Safari of Fun, Jungala, Congo, Pantopia, Nairobi, Cheetah Hunt and Egypt.
Morocco
Start the day off with some fun and games in a replica of a Moroccan square. Here you will find authentic Moroccan goods in the shops and charming outdoor cafes that will make you feel like you are right there. Get close encounters with gorillas and chimpanzees in the Myombe Reserve and see exciting shows inside the Moroccan Theater.
Bird Gardens
This area of the park is where you will find a tropical bird aviary, Lory Landing. You and your family will have the birds eating nectar and fruits right from your hands. Experience the fine feathered friends and other animals from the land down under, Australia. You’ll find kangaroos here and sometimes you can be chosen to feed a baby kangaroo! Great indoor dining and Aussie souvenirs can be found here.
Sesame Street Safari of Fun
What a place for a kid to be a kid and an adult to be a kid, too. This fun filled themed area is full of play areas for all ages- mostly young! Experience carnival style rides, log flumes, and Air Grover’s wild kids coaster. Enjoy some water fun in Bert & Ernie’s Watering Hole. (Don’t forget to bring a change of clothes for the little ones to avoid cranky wet children later.) Step into the Sunny Day Theater for an African tale as told by the Sesame Street gang.
Stanleyville
Home to SheiKra! This is a popular place for guests to congregate and watch the brave riders of SheiKra. Stanley River Falls can, also, be found here; you will get wet! See Motor City Groove, “The Detroit Sound”, at The Stanleyville Theater; be sure to check your park guide for show times! This area is also a hub of sorts with access to the Skyride to Congo and Cheetah’s Hunt/Egypt and the train station to Congo and Nairobi. These will transport you to other areas of the park with picturesque views of the park. Plus, you don’t have to walk!
Jungala
Launch from a crater as though you were a geyser in the Wild Surge. Feel the rush as you are catapulted into the air for a series of quick assents and drops in this tummy twister ride. Then move atop the trees in Treetop Trails, your very own obstacle course in the trees. And for some animal excitement, head over to the Tiger and Orangutan habitats where you will be entertained by the playful antics of these animals.
Congo
The Congo is home to the Congo River Rapids where you and your family can take a wild ride on rapids – chances are you will get wet! You can dry off and crash into some fun with the Ubanga Banga Bumper Cars and then take a ride on Kumba. This thrilling coaster winds you through all of the Congo and sends you rolling upside down on consecutive loop-to-loops.
Pantopia
Find lots of fun in this central part of Busch Gardens. Its packed full of rides and games and feels like a county fair. Catch a live animal show in the Pantopia Theater. These exotic and domestic animals will amaze and delight you with their ability to perform tasks beyond expectation. Thrill rides here are Falcon’s Fury, The Scorpion and The Phoenix. Carousels and other carnival delights will keep the fun going for hours!
Nairobi
Here you will find the Serengeti Plain with vast grasslands and watering holes for all its free roaming inhabitants. You can expect to see giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, ostrich’s. We suggest that you take both the Skyride and train, so you can see the beautiful area from both perspectives. Nairobi has several animal exhibits and an animal care center to keep the park’s residents healthy. Jambo Junction is where you can see some of these animals as they get their treatments. Curiosity Caverns holds the creatures that like cave-like places like bats and snakes and lizards…at least the lemurs are cute! Elephant interactions will make your day and there are 2 chances in Nairobi: “Meet the Keeper” and the Elephant Interaction Wall.
Egypt
Egypt will be the most popular area of the park for awhile due to the recent opening of Cobra’s Curse. This one-of-a-kind ride will have you getting back in line time and again. When you need a break from the wicked twists and turns of Cobra’s Curse, you can make your way over Montu for a whole new coaster experience. This one doesn’t spin on its own but it drops and spins at super fast speeds- trust us, your knees will tremble by rides end! Egypt rounds out the fun with more carnival style games and Edge of Africa. This walking safari will give you glimpses of hippos, lions, hyenas, lemurs, meerkats, and crocodiles.
Cheetah Hunt
The family fun coaster, Cheetah Hunt, is center stage in this area of Busch Gardens. The lower height requirement of 48″ means that even smaller members of your family get to have some high speed fun in the sun. The animal exhibit is called Cheetah Run; you, of course, will see cheetahs here but will also witness a dog and cheetah friendship that will warm your heart. Catch the Skyride over to Stanleyville and start again!
