Disney to Busch Gardens for a day?

GantuStitch

New Member
Original Poster
Hi everyone,

We're a family of four (2 adults and 2 adult daughters) staying at AKL for the last two weeks of August. We've been to WDW numerous times, but this trip will include a couple days at SeaWorld and Discovery Cove. Our Discovery Cove package includes park admission to Busch Gardens.

Any suggestions on the easiest /most efficient way to get to Busch Gardens from WDW?

One option we've found is this shuttle: https://www.orlandoescape.com/shuttletransportation-htm/

Our main concern is the travel time. Relying on the bus seems to potentially cut short valuable park time, as we'd likely only visit Tampa for the one day.

Perhaps a car rental is easier, but worried that the hassle of organizing it for just one day might be more trouble than it's worth.

Would love some feedback from anyone who has incorporated Busch Gardens into a Disney trip and their overall experience? Worth it? How did you do it?

Thanks in advance!
 

some other guy

Well-Known Member
Yeah that's a bit of a challenge to hustle over to Busch Gardens like that. I live in the Orlando sprawl, and there's been a few times where I'll hear about Cool Thing and then lose all excitement hearing it requires I drive over to Tampa and back.
I'd look carefully at what's at Busch Gardens and if it's relevant to your interests. To be fair I don't really know what's there these days, nor what you're into, so it may very well be that you'll have a blast, but the logistics of getting there and back are worth consideration to say the least.
 

RustySpork

Oscar Mayer Memer
Hi everyone,

We're a family of four (2 adults and 2 adult daughters) staying at AKL for the last two weeks of August. We've been to WDW numerous times, but this trip will include a couple days at SeaWorld and Discovery Cove. Our Discovery Cove package includes park admission to Busch Gardens.

Any suggestions on the easiest /most efficient way to get to Busch Gardens from WDW?

One option we've found is this shuttle: https://www.orlandoescape.com/shuttletransportation-htm/

Our main concern is the travel time. Relying on the bus seems to potentially cut short valuable park time, as we'd likely only visit Tampa for the one day.

Perhaps a car rental is easier, but worried that the hassle of organizing it for just one day might be more trouble than it's worth.

Would love some feedback from anyone who has incorporated Busch Gardens into a Disney trip and their overall experience? Worth it? How did you do it?

Thanks in advance!

If you have a ticket to Bush Gardens, you can schedule to ride the free shuttle from Orlando. You'll just have to provide transportation to and from SeaWorld or one of the pickup locations and get there before it departs.

 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
I would look at renting a car for the few days you are spending off property. It will be considerably easier and well worth the extra expense to be able to come and go on your schedule and not that of a shuttle.
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
We rented a car and collected from the Disney car hire centre near Magic Kingdom just for a few days to get us to Universal, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Busch Gardens, this also meant we could go to Premium Outlets or Florida Mall in the evening after visiting these parks.

But you could also use Uber, taxi or Mears shuttle to the SeaWorld parks and then use the Busch Gardens bus.
 

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
I Ubered to the shuttle pick-up point. Which was just a supermarket parking lot without any indication, except for a few fellow confused tourists standing around. The whole process was slightly time consuming. But ultimately worth it, Busch was so good I returned a few days later for a second day. Basically if you like animals or coasters check it out.
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone. Lots of helpful responses here. Much appreciated to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts!
You are correct that the bus will eat up park time. For the most flexiable times you should rent a vehicle and rope drop BG. If it rains you can leave or stay for summer nights. Have no choice with the bus.
 

Frankenstein79

Well-Known Member
Busch Gardens is way too far away to put in a vacation plan. I think it's an hour and a half away from Orlando. I'd rather go to Disney or Universal another couple of days and save on gas money and tolls.
 

JenniferS

Time To Be Movin’ Along
Premium Member
Busch Gardens is way too far away to put in a vacation plan. I think it's an hour and a half away from Orlando. I'd rather go to Disney or Universal another couple of days and save on gas money and tolls.
To each his own. More than once, we’ve taken a day off in the middle of a Disney trip to go to Sand Key, which is even further.
 

RustySpork

Oscar Mayer Memer
Busch Gardens is way too far away to put in a vacation plan. I think it's an hour and a half away from Orlando. I'd rather go to Disney or Universal another couple of days and save on gas money and tolls.

It's about 60 minutes from Riverside by car. If you're a coaster fan, you're doing yourself a serious disservice by not going a little out of your way after traveling however many miles to the bubble. From many parts of the US it's only a few minutes difference between I75 to I4 (stopping at BG on the way or on the way home) and I75 to the turnpike.
 

Frankenstein79

Well-Known Member
Have you ever opened Google Maps? Busch Gardens is only about an hour and ten minutes away, less if traffic is good. Actually, it is clear you don't know what you're talking about because if you're traveling from WDW to BGT there are no tolls. You use I4. I agree with others that your making a MAJOR mistake by not including a day on the Gulf Coast in your WDW visits, there's nothing like it.

Geez, take it easy. I've been to Google Maps quite often. I have to find your mother's house after all (just kidding). It varies depending what route you take. If you are coming from the airport it can be over an hour and a half away.
 

RustySpork

Oscar Mayer Memer
Geez, take it easy. I've been to Google Maps quite often. I have to find your mother's house after all (just kidding). It varies depending what route you take. If you are coming from the airport it can be over an hour and a half away.

Why would anyone on vacation at WDW drive from WDW to the Airport and then back past WDW to get to Busch Gardens?
 

Rob562

Well-Known Member
What am I dealing with here? I'm saying if you go to Busch Gardens first.

Except the OP clearly mentioned they were staying at AKL for two weeks and looking to go to BGT from there.

As for my own thoughts (knowing that the OP has already taken their trip), I highly suggest a day at BGT. We went in 2017 as part of our "everything but Disney" Orlando trip. We focused mainly on Universal, but spent a day each at Sea World and BGT. (We'd rented a car the entire week, since we were staying in an area timeshare) We had a lot of fun at BGT, and declared Cheetah Hunt the "most fun coaster" of the trip. While we won't be going to BGT on every trip, we'll definitely be back.

-Rob
 

jeanericuser001

Well-Known Member
This is really late but here is some tips for first time busch gardens visitors from orlando. Here is how I suggest doing busch gardens from orlando. Head out at least 2 hours before sunrise. The earlier you head out the less chance you will encounter rush hour traffic heading into tampa. The rush hour traffic is notorious for being extremely bad the later you head out. Now as you get first into tampa you will see a sign for busch gardens. Now I recommend if you have a gps to use that pathway but only if you have a gps. It is very easy to get lost that way and its not a straight path. That is why you need the gps. If you do not have a gps then keep on the highway and as soon as it forks to go left or right you choose the right. Just keep down that way until you get to Busch Blvd. From there you just follow to your left and eventually you will reach busch gardens. Now if you have not yet eaten your alternative is Fowler which is just past Busch. There are plenty of restaurants down that way. Now once you get the BG I suggest you consider 2 possible options on how long you will be in the park. You can either be at the park until 2pm or you can stay until after dark. Why you need to make this choice is largely because tampa traffic can be particularly brutal during rush hour from 4pm to 8pm. If you leave early enough you can avoid the craziness of rush hour or you can wait until rush hour has passed then head out.
 

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