Opinions on Busch Gardens....
 

Coming to Florida with husband, two teenagers and a four year old would everyone enjoy Busch Gardens?? <BR>Sandi

There are so many amusement parks in Florida, I would pass Busch in favor of a better one. It is on a limited plot of land and they have not had room to expand. <BR> Several of the rides are good, but some of the coasters have a number of jerks in their operation. The animal area is nice, but the mono-rail thru it leaves you wanting more. <BR> Busch Garden in Williamsburg is EXCELLENT. So much nicer than it's tawdry competition, King's Dominion. And other Busch parks thoughout the country and very nice. But the Florida operation suffers from too little space, perhaps that is why the curves are sharper and the overall feeling is rougher. <BR> Sea World, in Orlando, is an example of what they can do given room - another well run operation. <BR> There is a jungle park with parrots in Tampa that is nicely done and a good value for the money, in case you are limited to the Tampa area. But for rides, shows, and general ambience, I would head for the Orlando area. Universal's two offerings, the Disney Parks and Sea World are all a better choice. <BR> Enjoy your trip.

Sandi, <BR> <BR>I would have to disagree with Sammie. I live in Orlando and have always thought that Busch Gardens was one of the best parks. We always enjoy going there whenever we are in the Tampa area. The roller coasters are awesome and the animal exhibits are better than anything you will find in orlando. There is an area called land of the dragons that your 4 year old would just love. A lot of the rides are water ride so you would want to go when it is warm because you WILL get wet.

Have not done BG Tampa myself, but know there is a discounted combo ticket you can get for BG & Sea World, Busch owns both parks. Also if you have season pass to a Busch park you can get into BG-Tampa & Sea world on that pass (at least that was last year's policy). You can get discounted tickets through many credit unions or AAA. We have a timeshare in Orlando & have done the Orlando attractions 3 times in last 5 years (vary which ones each year). My 5 year old still talks about her Sea World visit every week! THAT was much more impressive to her memory than anything at WDW or Universal, so don't miss it! PS Universal's Islands of Adventure has some FANTASTIC roller coasters that your teens will love! Also, as a coaster enthusiast who has visited Virginia's Kings Dominion and BG-Williamsburg many times - both parks have their charms, but BG Williamsburg has to be one of the most beautifully landscaped parks in the country. They both have truly outstanding coasters, as well as attractions that little kids love.

We went to BG in Tampa a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Unless it has deteriorated in the last few years, I think that you will enjoy it. We were living in Florida at the time and have been to every attraction that Florida has to offer. Busch Gardens was one of the more enjoyable ones.

I think Bush Gardens is a wonderful spot for both the teens and the 4yr old. The 4yr old has so many rides geared toward that height and there are really scary coasters for the teens. It was well kept up last year when we visited. I highly recommend the water parks at Disney and Bush Gardens if you are visiting when it is hot. Fun for the whole family.

i would take BG over disney anytime. disney rides are just to tame for anyone over 8 years old......at BG you can do the whole park in 1 day. the 4 yr old will like the animal stuff and theres a large "playground" for the kids also. <BR>

Sandi, If you are coming to Florida for the first time then give Busch Gardens a miss. We travel from the UK, and the first time we went there was too much to see in Orlando, and we just didn't have time to travel across to Tampa and that area. Even so when we did go BG is a bit of a mix. Roller coasters and rides are generally better than at Disney, but the other things are a bit lacking. The animal area I thought was poor. The animals did not have enough space and it just wasn't done very well. I would go for the Animal Kingdom any time over BG. The whole park has a different feel to Disney and it just depends what your after. If you like the cute cartoon feel, go for Disney. If you like pure adrenalin and you aren't to bothered about atmosphere go to BG. <BR> <BR>PS: Have you considered Islands of Adventure in Orlando? Haven't been myself but I have heard it is very good. <BR>

Was at Busch Gardens in Feb. and loved it!!! Have been to several large amusement parks, so I think I can make a fair comparison. The inverted rollercoaster ("Montu") is great, as are the other coasters (even the smaller, older ones). <BR> <BR>One of the biggest surprises was lunch -- some of the best food I had the entire vacation -- piled high shaved meat on rye bread (German place). Even liked the show. <BR> <BR>One thing about BG Tampa is that is the only attraction right there, unlike Orlando where there's Disney/Universal/Sea World. <BR>

I disagree wholeheartedly about Animal Kingdom being better than BG. I found exactly the opposite to be true. <BR> <BR>We needed a full day to do BG (and even then didn't do all the rides, mostly zoo) but in half a day were ready to leave Animal Kingdom. We were sorely disappointed in that park and surprised, as it's opening had been hyped so and we'd heard so much about the crowds. Aside from the tiger and bat exhibits, it was very hohum. Others in our group (at a conference there) felt much the same. <BR> One factor against BG, if you are going to Disney anyway, it's an hour drive over here (I live in Tampa) then back, so it'll make for a long day on an interstate that is undergoing major upgrading. It'll be great eventually but right now it can be a headache. There's more to see and do in Orlando than can be accomplished easily in the average vacation. If you want to come over here anyway for the beach though, then give BG a shot.

I was in Tampa visiting relatives in Sept and we went to BG on the spur of the moment one weekend. We got there as soon as it opened and had a great time. We found the size to be quite manageable , and since it was a Monday during the school year the crowds were practically nonexistent. We rarley waited on line more than 5-10 minutes, even for the coasters, and did all we wanted by lunch time. While there were no small children with us, we did pass through the area that is specifically for the little ones, and it seemed great. All in all, it was an extremely pleasant experience (not something I can say about many other trips to big parks.)