Thinking of a trip to the Orlando area to visit a friend this spring. We did Universal and Disney in May and September, so we're looking to try something new. We would like to spend a day at Sea World for Mako and they have the 2 park deals where you can also go to Busch Gardens in Tampa. But it looks as though the roller coasters at Busch Garden are a little lackluster so it may not be worth the drive when we'd rather relax by the pool or drive to the beach.
So is Busch Gardens worth it? Are there any truly mind-blowing rides or experiences there?
I realize this is an old thread, but
absolutely, especially for coaster buffs.
Not all of Busch Garden Tampa's stuff is brand new, but Kumba and Montu are among the best work B&M has ever done- even compared to taller/faster machines. Montu especially has a really nice themed queue and surrounding area, and the new Cobra's Curse has an even better one.
Cheetah Hunt and Scorpion are also great but the real star, as far as I'm concerned, and hands-down the most thrilling coaster in Florida is Sheik-Ra. Not even Mako or Hulk can come close to the pure rush of riding in the front of that thing.
As a wildlife park, Busch Gardens is pretty great too, even compared to Animal Kingdom. The cheetah and tiger exhibits are especially good, and if you can, try to be there for one of the cheetah feeding/run demonstrations.
Chow is good there too- try the Zambia Smokehouse.
I am a lover of all amusement parks, so Busch Gardens is great...but if you're looking for something new -have you done Kennedy Space Center? It's incredible.
Yep, can't go wrong there either. I'm not even into space travel and I was blown away by both the Apollo and Atlantis exhibits. Definitely a full-day experience, and I didn't even have time to go to the Astronaut Hall of Fame down the road (which is usually included in your admission).