Advice for my first trip to Busch Gardens Tampa

Hey Coaster Buzz! So, I'm incredibly stressed out from work, so I decided to leave cold, gray Ohio to visit Busch Gardens Tampa for the first time. I'll be venturing down January 30-3rd and the trip will be solo. I plan on visiting the park on Wednesday and Thursday.

For folks who have visited the park, I'd love your advice on things I shouldn't miss out on, both in and out of the park. What are your top tips and tricks? What are your favorite park hidden gems? What about the best food in the park? What's the best hotel that balances cost and niceness? What are your favorite non-park things to do in Tampa/St. Pete (I'm renting a car)? Big or small, what do you think I should know?

Also, I was planning on buying a skip-the-line pass for at least one of the days to ensure I can ride everything, but given the park is only open from 10am-6pm and the pass is only $30, I'm wondering if I even need it. Seems like the park doesn't plan on it being busy during the weekday. Any guidance here?

...let's hope for at least 1 hour of clear skies...

The only two times I've been were mid-week days in November and the place was pretty empty with almost no lines. I wouldn't imagine that a late January mid-week would be much different. Both trips were with groups from work and I was limited on time and what I could actually do. Cheetah Hunt was lot of fun and I wouldn't miss out on that. My last trip was pre-Iron Gwazi and I didn't get to Sheikra. The only other thing I've done in the area is the Florida Aquarium and I wouldn't necessarily recommend that. The great thing about Tampa is that it's not a terrible drive from Orlando and you could always do something there. I know that's very "as long as you're in the area, you should stop at Knoebels" of me, but it's still a reasonable option.

Obviously the coasters, but besides that walk around the park, see the animals, much more animal focus than BGW for obvious weather reasons. Ride the train or skyride, or both. Feed the Loris, get pooped on by those same Loris. Falcons fury is very cool, and they do have an old Anton which is always worth a lap or two. Not much in the way of flats, bumper cars are whatever, and I don’t think their carousel is in any way historic or unique, so your call on those. They did just install a screamin swing, and I always enjoy those. Log flume is always worth a lap, but maybe that’s cause I’m a log flume person. You can also hit the rapids ride if it is running, but could possibly be closed due to temps.

I can’t think of any in park food that is a spiritual revelation, but the food is gourmet compared to a six flags.

If you are looking for good off site food and have some extra cash check out Bern’s steakhouse, but make a reservation there sooner than later if you plan to go.

Doubt you will need a skip pass, as the place will probably be relatively dead. But if they are one training Sheikra that could be 45+ minutes of tedium. But you can determine that when you get there as they will not sell out of them on a weekday. Friday will be a bit busier and Saturday could very well be packed. So try for the other days.

That is all.

Advice? Ride rides. Eat food. Enjoy a show. See some animals. Buy a tshirt. Leave happy. :)

I really doubt you'll need the skip the line pass. I think the only decent food there is the BBQ place kinda by Sheikra... can't remember the name. I actually think two days is too many. I'd head over to Clearwater Beach or something for the second day.

If you're there on a January weekday you absolutely will not need quick queue. The rides are amazing and the park is beautiful. Everything will likely run one train, and the park closes super early on January weekdays, so you likely won't get any night rides even with early sunset.

Find somewhere good outside the park to have a nice dinner. The food has gone from some of the best park food in the industry to some of the worst.

edit: I also agree that one day is more than enough for this park. If efficiency improved I would even argue it could be a half day park.

The Lorikeets are fun but the last time I was there they were missing. I took it to be a post-pandemic kind of thing. I also noticed a big change in the wallaby walk-about thing- you can see them but they don’t walk all about any more. The food for them and the Loris is expensive.
I agree that pay to cut should not be necessary. I always go this time of year and it’s pretty dead, the short hours are every indication. A circle tour of the park gets you to every coaster. Don’t fail to walk all around and check out the animals. I’m not a fan of zoos, especially, but BGT does a great job. You might look into what rides are up for refurb right now. And absolutely expect that ops will be slow. The park has sloths that are faster. If you are there for opening hit Iron Gwazi first.
Expect the beautiful gardens to be at a minimum or perhaps in transition. The last time I visited in the winter many beds were empty and some were just being planted with new annuals.
The area around BGT can be sketch. I really like Chaindog’s idea of Clearwater Beach. It’s beautiful there and there’s fried grouper. Ybor is fun but may be more of a nighttime thing. You’ll be too early for the Florida State Fair, which is a shame if you like the idea of more carnival rides than you’ve ever seen before.
Have fun, I’m jealous, good luck with the weather.

Loris are back, wallaby way was closed in December for refurb, entire area walled off, probably won’t be done by EOM.

Just FYI be aware of the current closures from https://buschgardens.com/ta...-schedule/

Kangaloom

Cheetah Run

SheiKra

Gwazi Gliders

That time of year I don't imagine you'll need a fastpass, but I would get there early if you plan on seeing shows or animal exhibits, as there is a lot to do at that park and they'll probably be closing early in late January.

My suggestion for best food is at the bbq/smokehouse place over by Shakira.

I suggest the Embassy Suites Tampa/USF. It's only about a mile or so from the park, they have a free breakfast (a good one with cooked to order omelettes) and a couple hour manager's reception with free booze and snacks every night. They also have a free shuttle to the park, so you can skip the parking fees and be dropped off right at the gate.

I would go left when you enter the park, the crowd seems to go to the Cheetah Hunt area first. YMMV now that Iron Gwazi is open, though.

metallik:

Just FYI be aware of the current closures

They used to have date ranges and future date ranges for the prescheduled refurbishment closures. Now they just put a ride on the list the day it closes and remove it when it reopens, which makes it tougher to plan a trip around a potential closure. Heck, I won't even deal with Champions Gate if Kumba is closed.

This is so great, y'all. Thank you so much for the helpful responses!

I really appreciate the advice on the skip-the-line pass. I'll save myself $30. It is a bit of a bummer not to get a night ride, but luckily, Tampa is a direct flight from Columbus, OH where I live, so if this goes well, I'll return closer to spring/summer in the future.

I'm making a list of all of your recommendations. My first day in the park will mostly focus on riding the coasters. I wanted to go a second day to get re-rides, but focus on other nice things to do in the park. A few folks commented that two days are likely too much and I was wondering about that. I remember last year's trip to Carowinds, I rode almost everything in the last three hours of the parking being open thanks to FastLane+. My second day in the park was only a few hours, partially because of rain, but partially because I rode everything I wanted to ride.

And yeah...the hotels are a bit scary. Initially, I looked around the park because I wasn't sure if I wanted to rent a car, but now that I am, I'm going to open my search.

Again, thank y'all. Keep recommendations coming if you have them!

Jephry:

Initially, I looked around the park because I wasn't sure if I wanted to rent a car, but now that I am, I'm going to open my search.

Rent the car and stay somewhere on the coast in the Clearwater/Indian Rocks/Madeira/Treasure Island/St Pete area. It's one of the nicer beach areas and the rental car cost + drive time from the airport/BGT area to the beaches is 100% worth it if it means your hotel is nowhere near Busch Blvd.

If you have extra time don't forget that it's manatee watching season!

If you can, rope drop and hit Cheetah Hunt first thing. For some reason the kids love this ride and it will have the longest lines all day. Also Busch Gardens' shows are TOP NOTCH. Check out Turn it up in the Moroccan Theater. Lastly, I know Florida 3pm thunderstorms are ~ normal, albeit tamer this time of year. If you can, check out the weather forecast and choose the clearest day. Busch Gardens is notorious for closing down rides at the sight of a cloud :)

But for this last week, afternoon storms are actually incredibly rare for us this time of year. Until we had our weird storm the other night that actually closed work at 3pm, I can't even remember the last thunderstorm we had.

However, the BGT rain/storm closure policy is even worse than Cedar Point. I would never even bother going on a day when rain was even a possibility.

I've always noticed that Cheetah Hunt has the longest lines. Although, as noted before, Montu seems to only have one train in existence. They do sell individual single use FL's should you just decide to avoid the headache on Cheetah. But seriously, if you're gonna spend $10 for 1, just do $30 for unlimited and ride Cheetah 3x, right?

Also, look into purchasing a Funcard. They're currently $140, (I almost got one last week, but didn't go,) and if you're visiting 2x already and thinking of coming back, it's a good deal.

Tommytheduck:

Also, look into purchasing a Funcard. They're currently $140, (I almost got one last week, but didn't go,) and if you're visiting 2x already and thinking of coming back, it's a good deal.

Thank you so much for bringing this up. I was looking at another deal where you get two park tickets and I can eat for free. But given the negative reviews of the food, maybe that's not the best deal in the world. I'll grab the Funcard. I can go twice and I think my buds want to come back for Iron Gwazi at some point this year. Thanks so much man!

1. Ride Iron Gwazi.
2. Ride Montu.
3. If you like animals, pay for the safari. You get to feed the giraffes.
4. Ride Iron Gwazi again.
5. Go to a better park.

The flats are almost nonexistent and the food stinks. The surrounding area isn't great either.

For non roller coaster related stuff, the museum of science and indusrty is pretty neat and not far from the park. If you're headed over to St. Pete, I recommend the glass museum.

I've been there a few times a LONG time ago, but one thing I really liked about BGT that was very different from other parks is that visiting the animal exhibits for a breather between thrill rides was very refreshing.