Last month I went to Busch Gardens (in Tampa) for the first time and I must say, it’s now one of my favorite theme parks. I always thought Busch Gardens was like Six Flags with just roller coasters so it came as a surprise when I saw they had animals throughout the park. It’s like a zoo with roller coasters – I LOVED IT!
You’re probably thinking, ‘Big deal, Animal Kingdom is like that too’ and, you’re right… But, Busch Gardens definitely has a ton more rides, and the animals are more visible. I think Disney ‘hides’ their animals more – meaning, unless you went on a ride, you don’t see too many.
Busch Gardens is definitely more for thrill seekers. If you’re not a roller coaster fan, yea…you can observe the animals and see some of the shows but bear in mind that this park doesn’t have a strong theme like any Disney or Universal park. Do not expect the shows to tell much of a ‘story’ like the other shows you’ve seen at the other parks. If you’re in a crunch to get in as much of the park as possible, I suggest skipping any shows that do not have animals in the description.
Thankfully, the lines for the rides weren’t very long – apart from the 50 min wait for Cheetah Hunt. Some of my favorite rides were Montu (I screamed so much my throat hurt) and Scorpion – this ride definitely looks deceiving, I thought it looked kiddie but it went super-fast and 360° a few times. My least favorite was Kumba, I got a headache after it, mostly because I kept knocking my head against the safety bars.
If you’re tired of the Disney scene and you want to try a park that’s more focused on roller coasters, Busch Gardens is the place to go.
Have you been to Busch Gardens before? What was your favorite ride? Do you like it better that Animal Kingdom?
Stephanie's Travel Insights 