I have fond memories of visiting Busch Gardens Tampa Bay when I was a kid, so on our recent family vacation to Tampa, I knew I had to take my kids there. Busch Gardens kindly provided us with two tickets to review the park, and we purchased an additional two.
During our visit, we learned quite a few about how to maximize our visit, so here are Busch Gardens tips, including what to do at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
Disclosure: We received two complimentary park tickets and purchased two tickets. This post contains affiliate links. A purchase/clickthrough made through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us. All opinions are our own.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Making the Most of Your Day
Arriving at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Before planning your trip to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, I definitely recommend checking out park hours. On the Saturday that we visited, the hours were 10 am-7 pm. To optimize your day, you’ll definitely want to arrive close to opening. Like other theme parks, earlier is often best for waiting in lines.
We had planned to arrive around 9:30 am. Unlike its sister park, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the Tampa Bay location is open year-round.
After being in line to pay for parking (parking can now be purchased in advance), being led to a parking spot, and waiting for the tram to the park, we got to the front gate right around opening time. Premium parking is also available at a higher parking fee.
After going through a bag check and metal detector, we were in the park right when it opened.
Tickets for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Looking for Busch Gardens Tampa discount tickets?
The Tampa Bay CityPASS can be a great option for saving money, especially if your plans include the Clearwater Marine Aquarium or any of the other popular Tampa attractions. You can purchase the CityPASS and also get admission to other attractions, like the Florida Aquarium and the Lowry Park Zoo.
Or, you can purchase tickets for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Florida, as well as parking, directly online. Annual pass holders can visit the parks all year for one fee. There are also two-park tickets that include a visit to two parks from the following choices: SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, and Adventure Island.
Are you wondering if you can do Busch Gardens Tampa in one day, the answer is absolutely yes. I always recommend arriving early to maximize your time so you can get lots done before the lines get longer. You can definitely spend the entire day there.
Add-ons at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
In addition to regular tickets to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, you’ll find a number of add-ons.
Quick Queue – By purchasing the Quick Queue ticket, you’ll get “front of the line” privileges for the following rides (one per ride). Some of these have pretty high height requirements (my small 10-year-old son couldn’t ride them), so check those before purchasing: Iron Gwazi, Tigris, Cobra’s Curse, Falcon’s Fury, Cheetah Hunt, SheiKra, Scorpion, Montu, Kumba, Stanley Falls Flume, and Congo River Ride. This list is subject to change.
Be sure to check the fine print associated with the quick queue purchase. During our visit, we definitely didn’t need quick queue, but I would definitely consider it if it were peak season.
All-Day Dining – With all-day dining, you’ll get up to one entree planner, one side item/dessert, and one drink (either a Coca-Cola® fountain drink, iced tea or 20 oz. Dasani® bottled water). Every 90 minutes, you can go through the line. We didn’t eat much during our day, so it wasn’t worth it for us. All-day dining is offered at Serengeti Overlook, Dragon Fire Grill, Zambia Smokehouse and Chick-fil-A.
Other add-ons include PhotoKey, where you’ll get access to the photos taken throughout the day, the Serengeti Safari, and the Elephant Insider Tour.
Does Busch Gardens Have Lockers?
If you carry a bag when visiting theme parks (and most people do!), you’ll need to put your bag in a locker when going on many of the rides (unless someone doesn’t ride). You can purchase a transferrable rental of lockers at Busch Gardens for the day (the locker price was $10), and transfer the locker rental to the various locations near each ride. It was easy to do, and it was nice not to have to worry about our belongings.
All-day lockers are also available. These are located in the Morocco section, and there are three sizes available.
Busch Gardens Tampa Rides
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay offers fantastic thrill rides, like its sister park, SeaWorld Orlando. My kids, especially my daughter, love rides, and they absolutely loved the rides (especially the roller coasters) at Busch Gardens. They include big drops, upside-down loops, and big thrills.
Their favorites were Falcon’s Fury, which includes a 300+ foot drop, Cheetah’s Hunt, which reaches speeds of 60 MPH and is a triple-launch roller coaster, and the Scorpion, which is a more traditional roller coaster with a big upside-down loop. Visiting on a hot day? The Congo River Rapids is a fun rapids ride where you will definitely get wet.
The park also includes a few fun rides for young children, including the Air Grover featuring Grover from Sesame Street in the Sesame Street Safari of Fun. There’s also a sky ride that goes across the park and a train ride.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Touring Plan
The lines did seem to get longer as the day went on, so I definitely recommend making a touring plan for the day. Prioritize the attractions, and then go to them in order. Keep in mind that the sections at the back of the park may open later in the day.
We went on Cheetah Hunt first, and the line grew quickly after that. The line for Cobra’s Curse also got long early in the day. In general, I’d recommend starting with the most popular rides and then going from there. Keep in mind that you probably won’t want to go on some of the rides right after eating.
Animals at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
My kids also love animals, and they really enjoyed seeing the animal exhibits throughout the park. It was a nice way to rest up between rides. The animals are something the whole family can enjoy, including young kids who may not be able to go on the roller coasters.
Their favorites were the meerkats, the giraffes, and elephants, the flamingoes, and the huge hippo. If we had more time, I definitely would have booked the safari, because it looked like a great way to get up close to the animals.
Food at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
We had lunch at the park and found it to be pretty good. We had breakfast before arriving and were definitely hungry by lunchtime. The lines weren’t too long, and there were a good number of food locations throughout the park.
Most of the food is offered at quick-service locations, so you can get right back to the park. During busy times, I’d definitely recommend getting in line early.
If you are visiting during the Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival
Special Events at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Throughout the year, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay offers a number of special events. While we were there, the Real Music Series was just wrapping up, and the Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival was just going to start. Other popular events include the Howl-O-Scream festival, the Sesame Street Kids’ Weekends, and Christmas Town. These festivals are all different, and include things like live entertainment, food, and more.
Hotels Near Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
If you are traveling to the Tampa Bay area, you’ll want to choose a family-friendly hotel. The Hyatt Place Busch Gardens is nearby and highly rated. We stayed at the Westin Tampa Bay, which was a short drive away. You could also stay in Clearwater, and easily drive to Busch Gardens.
Look at this map below to see both hotels and vacation homes in the area.
Have you been to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay?
Additional Resources: Want to read more Gulf Coast travel tips and reviews? Click to read our post with destination recommendations, ideas on what things to do, hotel reviews, and more.
