Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida

We spent Monday and Tuesday this week at Busch Gardens in Tampa. The combination ticket package (with SeaWorld in Orlando) the kids researched brought our daily cost below $20 per person, significantly cheaper than any of the Disney options. In the spirit of true roller coaster enthusiasts, we made the hour drive from our KOA campground in St. Petersburg to arrive just as the park opened each day. The weather was great except for one downpour early in the morning on the second day.

The park has a good combination of shows and rides, so there was something for each member of the family. Here is a quick summary of everyone’s favorite activities, in their own words:

Teressa – “For all those non-coaster people who fear amusement parks due to the shear fact that you will be the holder of backpacks, hats, coats, souveniers, sunglasses, cell phones, and loose change PLUS will be the designated picture-taker, there is hope. Busch Gardens has some wonderful animal exhibits and professional entertainment. One of the most enjoyable was the Christmas ice skating show which featured a US gold medalist and several pros from Russia and the Ukraine. It was an exhilarating half hour of dazzling costumes, exceptional skating and amazing acrobatics on ice. Oh, to be young again!”

Brian – “I find it rather amusing that one of my favorite coasters at Busch Gardens was everyone else's least favorite! Named "Gwazi" after a 2-headed African lion spirit, this roller coaster was composed of two separate tracks that ran at the same time; the construction was entirely wood. Wooden roller coasters have a reputation for being rickety, rough, and out of control (in contrast to the new steel ones today), so my sister and dad got jerked around quite a bit, but being the coaster enthusiast that I am, I've learned how to sit back and enjoy it without getting too shook-up. The seats were soft leather cushioned, probably some of the comfiest seats I've ever seen on a Roller Coaster! Had a good steep drop and wild twists and turns. Unfortunately my sister scratched herself on a seam in the leather as the coaster was storming through a part of the track, but I'm proud to say I got off happy and unharmed. The smoother and faster steel coasters are fun, but I love the rough and wild nature of a good wooden coaster.”

Laura – “The Roller Coaster rose up towards the sky until we were 200 feet in the air. We slowly turned right and started to go down. Once we were staring at the ground, the coaster stopped. We were looking down 200 feet below us at the tracks that dropped at a 90 degree slant. Then, suddenly, the ride shoots downwards leaving us breathless. At Busch Gardens, my favorite roller coaster in the park was SheiKra. The thrill that it gives you is unbelievable, and you feel as if you are free falling (well, with a little bit of a pull to get you started!) It shoots you down, loops you around and drops you again until you come to a stop. It had to be my 2nd favorite roller coaster ever (Millenium Force at Cedar Point being the first)! Busch Gardens had so many rides, like a wooden roller coaster, a smooth one, and a regular thrilling coaster, however SheiKra was the best in the park.”

I enjoyed SeaWorld in Orlando more than Busch Gardens – the marine animal shows and exhibits were outstanding there, although the African animals at Busch Gardens were impressive as well. Busch Gardens was more crowded, due to Thanksgiving week vacationers, but the lines were still manageable. Like Laura, my favorite ride was SheiKra – nothing like a 200 foot free fall to get your heart pounding! I feel extremely fortunate to have this quality family time, and that our children are developing such adventuresome spirits!