![]() ![]() It’s Florida’s tallest launch coaster, and goes more than 60 miles per hour. Tigris looks like such a fun ride, however. Unfortunately, we missed it by a few days. When we saw that Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s newest ride, Tigris, was opening in spring 2019, we really hoped our trip would be after the opening. There’s also a water play area, shops, shows, and character greetings. Rides include the Air Grover kids’ roller coaster, Elmo’s Safari, Rosita’s Djembe Fly Away, Count’s Zambezi Rally, Big Bird’s Whirly Birdie, and Zoe-Patra and the Hippos of the Nile. This area of the park features rides and activities that are perfect for little ones. Traveling with little ones? Then you’ll definitely want to spend some time in the Sesame Street Safari of Fun. Since we went on Falcon’s Fury, we didn’t try this one, but it definitely looks like it’s more appropriate for families with slightly younger kids to ride. It goes up 35 feet, and gives you a nice view of the park without the crazy thrills of Falcon’s Fury. It’s only a one-way ride, so if you want to go back from where you started, you’ll need to get back in line to go on the ride again. It’s also a great way to get from one part of the park to the other. This traditional skyride goes over the park, so you’ll be able to see animals and rides. It goes through the Congo, Nairobi, and Stanleyville areas, and during the full ride you’ll be able to see animals. If you are traveling with younger kids, or want to explore everything that Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has to offer, you’ll want to take the Serengeti Express train ride. It’s a traditional flume ride, so it isn’t too scary although it does have a drop. This traditional flume ride is a little more mild than some of the other Busch Gardens Tampa rides. Unfortunately on this trip, we didn’t get the chance to ride Kumba. This extreme coaster lets you experience a moment of weightlessness as it goes upside down. It’s still so much fun, however, and has a 360 degree loop. It’s definitely an older-school ride, and isn’t quite as smooth as the newer rides. The ride that started it all for me is Scorpion. Definitely store your belongings in a locker if you don’t want them to get wet. It is a simulated white water raft ride, and you will get wet. This is another ride that I have fond memories of riding as a child. ![]() Visiting on a hot day? Then you’ll definitely want to ride Congo River Rapids. The ride vehicle spins around and the ride goes backwards and forwards. This ride, which looks like lots of fun for those who do like to spin, offers a 70-foot vertical lift and 2,100 feet of track. Cobra’s CurseĪdmittedly, I didn’t go on Cobra’s Curse because I can’t handle spinning. Once you get to the front, there’s also a separate line for the front of the ride if you’d prefer that. So I’d definitely recommend getting in line early. When we got there, the line for the ride was about 25 minutes but it was 80 minutes when we exited the ride. I was so impressed at how smooth the ride is, even though this is definitely a thrill ride. It offers a triple launch and high speeds. This is the first ride that we went on, right when the park opened. Lockers are also available to store your belongings if you don’t have a family member who will hold them while you ride. You’ll be able to store your shoes before riding, but it may be easier to wear closed-toe shoes. Some of the rides don’t allow open shoes that can fall off. You’ll also want to consider your footwear when packing for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Pricing for Quick Queue is variable depending on the season and the type of pass you choose. This optional ticket add-on lets you get front of the line access on the some of the most popular rides (for Tigris, the newest ride, you’ll get one front of the line access, even with the unlimited option). There are some options to skip the lines by purchasing Quick Queue. We did that for our visit, and immediately went to the rides that the kids most wanted to experience. I’d recommend looking at the park hours for the day of your visit, and arrive right when it opens. You can book here.ĭepending on when you visit, there may be long lines for some of the most popular rides. A complimentary shuttle from many Orlando area hotels is offered with a paid ticket to Busch Gardens. While Busch Gardens Tampa Bay isn’t exactly in Orlando, it’s definitely one of the Orlando theme parks that you may want to include on your Florida vacation. It’s definitely a place I’d recommend for any family with tweens and teens. The theme park has grown over the years to include lots of fun, world class thrill rides in addition to the animal exhibits located throughout the park. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, which opened in 1959, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. ![]()
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