I recently had the opportunity to take my eldest daughter to Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida. My 7-year-old daughter is a roller coaster enthusiast and was so excited to experience all that Busch Gardens had to offer. I, on the other hand, turn green at the sight of coasters and have a huge fear of loops and drops and all things that make my stomach turn upside down, so I was very nervous about experiencing this with her. In order to understand my review, you will need to know that my daughter, Lola, is very petite for her age and is only 44” tall. This is important because of the height requirements of the rides. Below is my take on Busch Gardens for kids. Hopefully this will help you prepare for your next trip!
What I Love:
Busch Gardens, Tampa, is a fabulous park that really does have something for everyone. Going with the family is much simpler than going to Disney or Universal. There is one parking lot, one tram, and one entrance to the park and you can stay at a number of hotels nearby and not worry about lines getting out of control. In my opinion, this park is best for families with small children under the age of 6 , animal lovers and roller coaster enthusiasts. Read more below for my explanations.
Our Experience:
My daughter was at a tough age and stage for this park, and many rides were geared for riders who were 46 inches and taller, so we headed over to the kid zone! Sesame Street Safari of Fun is FANTASTIC for young children up to 42 inches or so. There are several rides geared for tiny tots under 38 inches. Children can actually ride these rides without parents! They have a wonderful treehouse for climbing and Cookie Monster’s Cloud Bounce provides a place to get energy out as well. Elmo’s Safari offers a great carousel option for little ones with mom and dad, too. My daughter’s favorite ride was the Air Grover roller coaster. This small coaster packs some speed with one big drop at the beginning and another moderate drop mid-way. I must admit, my stomach dropped, too! The ride is short, so it is a great introduction into thrill rides for littles. The gem of Sesame Street Safari of Fun, however, is the awesome splash zone. Kids of all ages will enjoy cooling off and running around in the wet zone. Just don’t forget to bring a towel and a change of clothes! You can easily eat up half a day here.
While Sesame Street was an awesome space for little ones, my 7-year-old was simply growing out of the magic of Sesame Street and the “baby rides.” At the park, there were only a few other roller coasters that she could experience without being 46 inches tall, including the Wild Surge and Congo River Rapids, which were closed. We explored Cobra’s Curse and Scorpion but quickly decided against them because they were a little too scary. Scorpion is a thrilling ride that pulls you through a 360-degree loop and speeds of 50 miles per hour! Needless to say, mommy couldn’t handle either one of those, so we spent most of our time outside of Sesame Street at the Bumper Cars, Serengeti Express and in Africa, where we explored the sights of the animals.
The highlight of my park experience was the “Add On” Serengeti Safari Tour which allowed us to take an open-air safari truck through Africa. This experience is a 30 minute off road safari tour, where you get to see and learn about incredible animals. I have to say it felt so much more intimate and exciting than the covered vans at Animal Kingdom if you have ever done the safari there. We actually had the opportunity to feed giraffes lettuce. Being so close to the majestic creatures and feeling the roughness of their tongues was an experience I will never forget. We were able to spend at least 10 minutes talking to the giraffes and feeding them. It was absolutely amazing. The ride does require you to stand and be able to hold on while they drive through some rough and bumpy areas, so make sure you are physically able to do this experience. The price ranges vary depending on time and date, but we spent about $52 per person extra. If you have the extra money and you love animals, I would highly recommend this experience.
BOTTOM LINE:
It is worth the money for a ticket ($90+) if you love animals will enjoy the exhibits, love roller coasters, or have little ones that will have the best day of their lives in Sesame Street Safari of Fun!
What They Do Well:
- Ride wait times are moderate compared to Disney and Universal.
- There are less people in the park compared with Disney and Universal so it is a much more enjoyable experience.
- There are a lot of shady spots to enjoy strolling through.
- There are multiple water rides and mist stations to cool off in.
- They have a fabulous enclosed kids’ area which feels safe for parents to allow their children to play an explore in Sesame Street Safari of Fun.
- There are incredible animal exhibits which combine education with fun.
- You can do the whole park in one day.
- It seemed quite accessible for those with disabilities.
- There is an app that helps you navigate your way around the park (you will need this).
- Photo opportunities with Sesame Street characters on the weekends for kids.
- The park combines the zoo experience with a theme park so it is great for animal lovers.
- They are a part of the Sea World parks group, so animal care, conservation and research is funded through ticket sales.
Where they can improve:
- Staff did not have the Disney “sparkle.” Most employees looked miserable at their job and were not very helpful when approached
- The park can be difficult to navigate and is spread out, so the app is needed.
- There were some mildew smells coming from the roped fences outside of certain attractions. It didn’t seem very clean in certain spots.
- Many food concession stands were boarded up and weren’t open, which meant you had to walk farther to get good food
- They didn’t have any ice cream other then Dippin’ Dots.
- No outside food or drinks is allowed
- Most entertainment was canceled, so there wasn’t a whole lot for people that don’t love rides. (The park says this is coming back Summer 2022).
- I think they can improve on cleaning rides between riders, especially since COVID
What to Bring
- Backpack that can fit your personal items
- Sunscreen
- Refillable Water Bottle
- Personal Fan for hot summer months
- Extra pair of socks for water rides
- Bathing suits and towels for kids going to splash zone
- Sneakers- this park has a lot of hills and you will need comfortable shoes
- Wallet or Money. They do not have a magic band, so you will need a form of payment.
These opinions are my own. I was not paid for this review. Contact Busch Gardens Customer Service to confirm details in this article. Rules and regulations may change.
