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You know what’s scary? Mismatched trash and recycling cans at Busch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream event! UnMagical Halloween cans are terrifying! // Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Tampa, FL), Howl-O-Scream, 2021 [Source: Jeremiah Good. Used by Permission.]

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Abandoned theme park - Nara, Japan

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Tried to see the summer nights fireworks show at Busch Gardens and in rapid succession the following happened:

-A song from Greatest Showman started playing

-I turned and asked "is this the Greatest Showman?"

-Something caught on fire

-The music shut off and everyone was asked to leave

10/10 good times

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me when i get off a rollercoaster

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I'm house sitting in Tampa this weekend and want to go to Busch gardens but it's 4th of July weekend and I don't want to die halp

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Busch Gardens Tampa part 5: miscellaneous!

On my most recent visit to BG, I did not ride any rides. I just used the opportunity to enjoy the Florida air, and experience a lot of what BG has to offer besides thrills. I will make a separate post about all the animals. This post will be dedicated to all the random other stuff that doesn't fit neatly another category, as well as some other thoughts I had on this recent trip.

Currently Busch Gardens has three performances throughout the day. I have only had the chance to experience one, Cirque Electric. This dance/stunt show is in the Stanleyville theater over by Tigris and runs every couple hours starting at 3.

The first thing I noticed about the show was it's unique aesthetic. The stage is decorated with gears and other items to build a fun neon steampunk look to the show. The costumes also carry this feel, somewhere between burlesque and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. Be aware, there is use of intense lighting effects as well as smoke machines. All the technical aspects of the show, lighting, costuming, sound, etc, are really fun. Arguably it doesn't go with the aesthetic of the park itself, but works as a change of pace from the sometimes generic ruins and buildings of the rest of the park.

The performance itself is a series of circus type stunt acts with dances in between as the transitions. The dances were quick routines, never more than 1 or 2 minutes, but nevertheless had unique costumes for each one, as well as the occasional extra showpiece. The dancers kept the energy going while the stunt performers were setting up for their next thing. You have roller skating, intense balancing, some chair based acrobatics, and a couple other surprises. Sometimes it felt like a mid-tier circus, other times I felt like I was at a particularly nice Ren faire. The final stunt act in particular. Anyone who has been to the Bay Area Ren Fair will likely know what I mean. The performers themselves were all great at managing the crowd and getting well earned applause. It really felt like they were having a lot of fun, even though a couple of the stunts felt just a tad under rehearsed. Possibly part of the showmanship. Still, Cirque Electric is a lot of fun, and a great excuse to get out of the sun for half an hour. If you're wandering Busch Gardens after lunch and need time to digest before your next thrill, check them out. Cirque Electric gets 4/5.

One major aspect of the park that I had not experienced until this most recent trip is the train ride, the Serengeti Express. Currently they only have two of the four train stations open, and since the Skyride is closed, the train is your only way to get around the park while resting your feet. Quick tip, pay attention to the signs that tell you when the next train is arriving. It can hold quite a few passengers, so you don't need to worry about getting there particularly early to ensure a spot on the next train.

The two stations currently operating are Stanleyville, right beside SheiKra, and Nairobi, near the Myobi Reserve and the penguins. Both trips take out around the inside of the park as well as out into the Serengeti area. If you want to spend a but more time out with the animals, I suggest taking the Nairobi station train. However, at least for the time being, you can always get on at one station and ride it until you get back to where you started if you want to see everything.

I'm not gonna lie, the train is kinda magical. The stations themselves have plenty of decorations to evoke an early 20th century adventure, and the train itself is outfitted with old fashioned lanterns. When you're far into the Serengeti, for a moment you can easily forget Tampa, Florida and experience the Safari for what it is. I'm not sure if it's the real train whistle and railroad crossing signs or the fact that that the employees have to wave you off as you embark, but the Stanleyville express is just wonderful. Seeing the rides and everything from a different angle really helps me appreciate all the effort that goes into designing a park like this. Trying to maintain a single theme throughout an entire park is difficult, and the train ride is the perfect way to experience some of the little touches. I'll touch more on the animals themselves in my next post but rest assured, seeing the antelopes and giraffes from the train is one of the best experiences in the park that comes with the price of admission. The Serengeti Express gets a 5/5. I guess I just like trains

The final thing I'm going to touch on here is the Giraffe Bar. Located right beside Cheetah Hunt, and up a whole lotta stairs, you will find, for the time being, the classiest eatery in Busch Gardens. In the same lobby as the Giraffe Bar is the Oasis Pizza, which looks decent, though I haven’t been hungry enough to try it yet. Coming soon they also have the Treetop Kitchen The ambiance of this area is a welcome change of pace. Even the long line felt surprisingly calm.

The Giraffe Bar was quite a few specialty alcohol options. Three frozen cocktails, three on tap, and two curated beer flights. Prices are what you would expect from amusement park alcohol, but on a hot day, a frozen cocktail is more than welcome. I personally tried to Serengeti Sunrise, a fruity rum drink with a orange wedge and strawberry for garnish. As far as ten dollar cocktails go, I've had worse. It was certainly refreshing. Next time I visit I am tempted to try the Thorn & Berry, a whiskey cocktail on tap. A couple of the spirits they use here are from conservation efforts, and presumably these drinks help support those funds. They all sound pretty tasty as well, and a step above the frozen strawberry daiquiri and margaritas you can find at other locations in the park. Bonus note: in order to cut down on single use plastics, the straws for the frozen cocktails are edible. Imagine sucking down rum with a long hollowed Smartie. Pretty dang tasty if you have a sweet tooth like me.

The Giraffe Bar also has three food options meant as small snacks, and not a meal. These were the Giraffe shaped pretzel with beer cheese, a brisket truffle Mac and cheese, and hummus with pita. I tried to pretzel. It's not much to write home about. I was especially disappointed with the beer cheese. Like, you're owned by Budweiser, Busch Gardens. Up your beer game. If you need some carbs, go for it. As expected, a bit pricey but if you're sharing (and have that sweet pass holders discount) not a bad option for an afternoon munch.

The outdoor seating is nice. The Serengeti isnt quite as visible as I would like, but maybe I was just at a bad table. I'll have to go back some time and try different drinks. Oh no, what a travesty. Giraffe Bar gets a 3.5/5. That extra half point was because some birds were chilling on the terrace looking for food and one of them almost went inside. What a cutie. I love birds.

Side note mini review: as part of the Summer Nights event, some of the vendors have new desserts and drink specials. I tried to beignets, nice and soft, and am dying to try the “Churro Explosion” that comes with a bunch of different flavored sauces. Fried pastry gets a 5/5 any day of the week.

Just in 2021, I have already visited Busch Gardens Tampa 4 times. I am still finding new things to experience and enjoy, all included with the price of my annual pass (except for food, obvi). It seems to me that they are always trying to shake things up, especially with drinks and snacks. I just think it’s a really nice park. Later this week I will have my review of the various animal enclosures and experiences. Happy Summer!

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parades at disney: here’s a 40 foot tall mechanical dragon that actually breaths fire

parades at universal: y’all remember Hop(2011)?

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Thinking about my review posts, I know I tend to give everything pretty high scores lol. I just like theme parks! And as long as I walk away having a generally positive experience, it's gonna get at least 3 out of 5. Is it a nice color? That'll probably get bumped up to at least 3.5. I'm making effort to be more positive in my daily life. If that starts with my ratings of Busch Gardens dining options, so be it.

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turns out michael eisner’s mother was pushed off a cliff by the concepts of good ideas and theme park safety

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are you ok

disney built the biggest and most expensive animatronic ever in their history and then built a mountain around it and it BROKE a couple of months after the ride opened and it’s impossible to fix it without dismantling the entire mountain structure and that’s honestly the most hilarious verified disney fact™ ever

the second most hilarious being that the chum animatronic on the finding nemo ride at epcot used to pop out of the barrel to scare guests but one time a cast member was walking past it during an opening/closing procedure and it popped out and smacked them clean in the face so now it’s turned off permanently

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What if we kissed at the Busch Gardens Tampa Giraffe Bar while sharing a giraffe shaped pretzel and beer cheese for 10 dollars 😳😳😳 jk jk... Unless

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Busch Gardens Part 4: Stanleyville and Jungala

For this review I will be combining a couple locations. In all I will be talking about Tigris, Sheikra, Stanley Falls Flume, and the Zambia Smokehouse. I am visiting this weekend where I will spend more time with the animals, performances, and the train, so I will have a separate post dedicated to those things.

First up, Tigris. Full disclosure, I love tigers. They are my favorite big cat and easily one of my favorite animals, so this might cloud my judgement of the ride slightly.

The queue before the ride is pretty simple with some atmospheric music, jungle plants, and fun facts about the ride itself and tigers in general. Even though I know this is impossible, I always get the feeling that there could be tigers lurking in the forest around the line. I’m sure some younger park goers have a similar experience. Up at the front of the line, the tv screens, in addition to showing normal safety information, have footage of tigers swimming and playing along with multiple choice trivia questions. Plenty to keep you interested for about 25 minutes. Luckily I have never seen the line for Tigris longer than 20.

Tigris is a roller coaster with two main special features. For one, the ride starts with a launch forward followed by an ascent backwards before the main portion of the ride begins. The second unique feature is what they call the "heartline roll," where the track spirals centered around your heart. Combined with the theming, I enjoy the feeling the coaster gives of being a tiger on the prowl, able to both stalk slowly and pounce at a moments notice. Tigris is contained basically on a single vertical plane, so rather than being jerked side to side, the thrills of Tigris come the changes in speed and the couple loops. Busch Gardens calls Tigris the “Tallest Launch Coaster,” at 150 feet, and I make sure to ride it every time I visit.

I love Tigris. It is something unique, always with a decently short wait, and a fun theme that, in my opinion, ties into the design of the ride itself, much like another one of my favorites, Cheetah Hunt. Tigris gets a 4.7/5.

The next ride in Stanleyville is the mighty SheiKra, the largest coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa. The queue takes riders through some stone ruins and up quite a few stairs on your way to the ride. Before entering the queue, you pass by where SheiKra drags through a pool of water, drenching all passers-by. A great way to help build anticipation for the ride. You really feel SheiKra’s power as it screams past. 

The biggest draw to SheiKra is the initial 200 foot drop at a steep angle, past 90 degrees. SheiKra, full of twists, and turns, and tunnels and splashes, is... fine. It’s fine. 

Yes that first big drop is incredible, but SheiKra’s massive size might actually work against it in the exhilaration department. Each of the three rows carries 8 riders, which makes the cars the widest in the park. When a ride like Kumba dives into a tunnel, it feel pretty tight, like a bat flying through a narrow opening. The width of SheiKra requires the tunnels and turns to be more open than the tight turns and gaps of the other rides at BG. 

SheiKra’s height and might make it very enticing, which also can make the line VERY long. Since every run can accommodate 24 riders, the wait is usually better than Cheetah Hunt or Cobra’s Curse. I would just advise riders to temper expectations just a little. Like I said, it’s fine. Just not my personal favorite. SheiKra gets 3.5/5.

Just a few steps from SheiKra is Busch Garden’s log flume, Stanley Falls. Quick story: when I visited last weekend and decided to ride the flume for the first time, it promptly broke down. We continued to move up in line as other patrons gave up on the ride. Once the ride got working again, about half an hour later, we witnessed an argument between a patron and one of the ride operators. There was a lot going on that day. It was hot, and a lot of people wanted to cool off by getting wet. So I will say the experience was memorable. The flume itself was... not.

If you’ve ever ridden a log flume ride at a smaller local amusement park, you’ve likely ridden one just like Stanley Falls. I wasn’t expecting the Mona Lisa of water rides, but I still feel like it was missing a little something extra. As far as log flumes go, Stanley Falls is decent. In the category of water rides at Busch Gardens Tampa, Stanley gets 4/5. But as a theme park attraction in general, Stanley falls a little flat: 2.5/5

Stanleyville is home to one of the major eateries at Busch Gardens, the Zambia Smokehouse. When I visited recently, I believe this was actually the longest line I waited in, and you know what? Actually worth it. I was pleasantly surprised. 

On the menu for main courses, the Smokehouse offers pork ribs, smoked chicken, brisket, and a pulled pork sandwich. We shared the ribs and the pulled pork and I thoroughly enjoyed them both. The sides are to be expected: fries, coleslaw, green beans, carrots. All the standard cookout fixings. I cannot stress enough how good the meat was. Easily the best theme park food I’ve had in years, and even some of the better ribs I’ve had recently. Around the Smokehouse there are signs talking about their cooking process and how they start firing the wood “before sunrise” and I appreciate having a food option that goes that extra step.

My only issue with the Smokehouse is that when you call an eatery “Zambia,” you might expect more than just american southern faire, but once you know what they’re serving, enjoy some old fashioned messy barbeque. They even give you wet wipes. Zambia Smokehouse gets a 5/5.

This whole section of the park is worth spending some time in. Come for the thrills, stay for the pork.

Splashes: 3.5/5

Wet wipes: 5/5

Launches: 4/5

Stanleyville (plus Tigris) gets a 4.2/5

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Busch Gardens Tampa part 3: Congo

Continuing past Pantopia brings you to the Congo area. This review will be a bit shorter, as Congo only has a couple rides and nothing else major to report on. 

The whole area is fairly easy to miss, as the entrances to both rides are found across one of two bridges. First up, the Kumba!

Kumba is a really great coaster. Partially because of its location in the back of the park, I often forget it’s there, as do other patrons, given its short wait times. Arguably the most extreme coaster in the park across its whole run, Kumba has multiple loops and spirals to really wake you up if you ride it during a midday slump. 

I have two minor gripes with Kumba, which might not matter to anyone but me. First, it lacks any notable theming, a problem that the whole Congo area shares. I haven’t spent much time in the queue for Kumba, so I may be wrong here, but I don’t remember anything tying the ride to the location. Like I said, this probably doesn’t bother anyone but me. The other gripe is a bit more important to the average park-goer. The restraints for Kumba, an over the shoulder design like you would have on a hybrid coaster, as opposed to a lap bar, gives your ears quite the beating. Given the options between comfort and safety, I’m glad they tend toward safety. Just be aware that if you are prone to headaches, maybe skip the Kumba. This ride still walks away with a 4/5, which should tell you how much I like the ride itself, in spite of its couple issues.

The other ride in Congo is the thematically relevant Congo River Rapids. CRR is a water ride, as the multiple signs and announcements make sure to remind you. As the name suggests, it is a rapids style water ride with the riders seated on a round raft, as opposed to a log flume style ride like Splash Mountain or the Dudley Do Right ride at Universal. The queue takes place in a straw hut looking building, as part of the Congo location. Most notably, there is an animal enclosure that you can only see while in like for the Rapids, a komodo dragon. Its enclosure seemed fairly large with plenty of places for it to hide if guests were being annoying. When I visited, the dragon was walking around, chilling. What a good boy. 

Likely on account of the longer load and unload times, the queue splits into separate lines for two loading and unloading docks. Guests may be waiting for a while after the ride finishes, sitting in a puddle.

The river ride itself is fairly standard fare, a few bumps, cave area, a handful of rapids, what you’d expect. As the rafts float past of the bridges to access the area, other guests can pay to activate jets to spray other patrons directly. My biggest issue with the ride is a kind of false advertising. As you see guests arrive back at the loading dock, or watch them walk past on your way to the queue, you get the impression that the rapids must be pretty extreme, given the completely soakage of their clothes. There are rapids. And you will get soaked. But these things are pretty separate. After the majority of the waves and rapids are over, the ride just... dumps a bunch of water on you. To me this is the equivalent of sitting in the splash zone at a dolphin show, and once the performance is over one of the trainers just comes and spits on you. Sure you got wet, but not in the way you expected. I’m sure I would enjoy it fine, now that my expectations are tempered. And on a hot day, any kind of water is nice. Congo River Rapids gets a 3/5.

As a complete “area” the Congo doesn’t have much going on, but if you’re working your way around the park, definitely take the time to check it out and decide for yourself.

Theming: 2/5

Loopy loops: 4/5

DRAGON FRIEND: 5/5

Overall Score: 3.7/5

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Busch Gardens Tampa part 2: Pantopia

Continuing counterclockwise from Egypt, the next major area of Busch Gardens is Pantopia! A very fun area with a few winning rides and attractions, Pantopia is always worth a visit.

The area as a whole is themed on an African marketplace, with colorful shops and food options surrounding a couple winners of rides.

I'll start with the three rides in this area before moving on to the other attractions.

The most notable ride in Pantopia is the Falcon's Fury, visible from anywhere in the park. FF is a freefall ride, and probably the best one I've ever ridden. In addition to it's sheer height, the Falcon's Fury has a trick up it's sleeve that definitely took me by surprise the first time I rode it. Once you reach the top, the seats tip forward until you are facing the ground, with your entire weight being held by the restraints. They hold you in this position for about 10 seconds, but it feels like minutes. On the drop, you fly straight down until your seats pull back to the starting position, helping to add some extra slow down to the fall. For fans of freefall rides, this is a must see. Obviously the ride time is going to be less than the roller coasters, so if the line is too long, I understand giving this one the pass over. Falcon's Fury gets a 4/5.

The next ride is pretty hidden, eclipsed by it's tall big brother. But if you know where to look, the Scorpion is a nice ride to help fill out your day at BG. The Scorpion is a smaller coaster that reminds me of something I would have ridden at a state fair much smaller park. For younger riders, I can see it being a nice intermediate ride before they attempt the more extreme Sheikra or even Kumba. However, it's semi hidden location is actually a major bonus. I have ridden the Scorpion during peak park hours... With zero wait. I once was the only rider. And it's a really good time! While everyone else is waiting an hour for Cheetah Hunt or Cobras curse, take a walk down to Pantopia and pass some time on the Scorpion. For what it is, I give it a 3.5/5

The final ride in Pantopia is the Sandserpent, a genre of coaster I refer to as a Mousetrap. The Mousetrap was a coaster back at the amusement park I went to as a child, and is still the best name for this kind of coaster. A small, four person car, on a track mostly full of quick turns, the occasional hump. I find the Mousetrap name particularly accurate because of the real possibility for some neck pain. Whiplash and such. Like the Cobras Curse, the Sandserpent has an artificially long line due to its small cars and emphasis on family rides. If you can catch it when it's a quick wait, I won't say skip it. But otherwise, the Sandserpent still gets a 2.5/5.

Besides the rides, what else is there to do in Pantopia? Well besides the small gift shops and pretzel stops, the main draw to the area is the Dragon Fire Grill. I know this sounds excited, but lower your expectations. Unlike the Zambia Smokehouse which actually IS a smokehouse, this Grill is a little misleading. Inside the pastel castle, past the Starbucks and Bar, you find a food court. It's just a food court. Cafeteria style seating with a variety of cuisines on rotation. Now that you're recalibrated to what it actually offers, some positives. When visiting in groups, this is the best choice for food. By far the most variety of any Busch Gardens eating spots, in addition to your staples of burgers, pizza, and chicken, they also have "Asian Wok," and in the past have had Mexican as well. Because of the different mini restaurants each having their own line, the wait is usually much shorter than the Zambia Smokehouse. The decorations are fun, with a random assortment of lighting fixtures in the dim dining room. A nice place to get away from the hot sun. Occasionally the dining room also doubles as a performance space. During the Christmas season in 2019, there was a show with different holiday songs including a live band.

So now some negatives. The food is... Not great. I cannot recommend the orange chicken, as it tasted a little less panda express, a little more orange cough syrup. But if you avoid that, my experiences haven't been the worst. It's what you'd expect from amusement park food. So if you need a place to grab a bite and get out of the sun, sure, head over to the Dragon Fire Grill, 3/5.

Pantopia is... Fun. The theming of the buildings and decorations are more focused than most of the areas in Busch Gardens, the Falcon's Fury is obviously the best ride in the area but the Scorpion is also worth a visit. It is a great middle area, somewhere to hit between the larger attractions, to grab a bite or just sit.

Pastels: 4/5

Vertigo: 4/5

Authentic cuisine: 1/5

Overall score: 3/5

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Parachute Jump, Luna Park, Coney Island, June 1947. Two passengers rode at the same time, to a height of 250 feet. It ascended into the air before being released at the top, floating to the ground.

The ride was created by James Strong of the U.S. Navy for the Chicago’s World Fair in 1936. That one rose 200 feet and had six arms to carry passengers. Strong was asked to reproduce it for the 1939-40 New York World’s Fair, and this version rose 250 feet and had 12 arms. It was such a success that the owners of Luna Park bought it for Coney Island. During World War II, the Parachute Jump served as a beacon of light for American planes and ships.

It is no longer in operation, but in 1980 it was admitted into to the collection of National Register of Historic Places. Nine years later it was finally recognized as a New York City Landmark. Now the Parachute Jump is like the Times Square of Brooklyn for New Year’s Eve. It counts down the seconds and illuminates the space at midnight.

Photo source: Daily Mail Info source: CUNY

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Concept art for Disney’s Jungle Cruise attraction by Harper Goff and Marc Davis.

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Busch Gardens Tampa Part 1: Egypt

For my posts about Busch Gardens Tampa, I will do one post for each major section of the park, and talk about the area in general as well as the main rides and attractions found there. First up, Egypt!

Located directly counterclockwise from the park’s entrance, the Egypt section is fairly light on theming, but is home to a couple of the better rides in the park.

My favorite ride in the Egypt area is Cheetah Hunt. CH is also notable for usually having the longest line, which is due to its quality as well as its long duration, being the longest in the park. Cheetah Hunt pairs very well with the existence of Busch Gardens as both a theme park and zoo. While not part of the queue proper, when walking to the entrance, you pass by the cheetah enclosure. Additionally, Cheetah Hunt’s track runs parallel to areas where grazers like antelope wander, giving the ride the feeling of being a cheetah on a hunt. Definitely worth hitting up early in the day when the line is short, so that you can then take your time walking past the grassy areas you flew past a minute ago. Cheetah Hunt gets a 5/5.

The next ride you encounter is the Cobra’s Curse, the only ride that consistently has a longer line than CH. This is most likely not due to its inherent quality, but rather the low number of riders per run, as well as the lower height requirement, making Cobra’s Curse popular for younger riders. Luckily this long wait time comes with everyone’s favorite pass time: plot! For a roller coaster! Riders find themselves in a dig site, uncovering ancient Egyptian artifacts. Most notable, the archeologists have uncovered a new deity, the Snake King. Spooky. Along the way you also pass by a live snake in a tank that, when I went the first time, looked very very sad. In one room, there is a projection based animation that brings hieroglyphics on the wall to life. Impressive technology? Yes. Worth watching five times because the line moves so slow? Not really.

The ride itself is... fine. Notable features include a giant snake statue that stares you down before the initial drop. There are sections of the ride where your cars are able to rotate freely based on your party’s weight distribution. In theory, a lot of fun. But definitely not worth the, occasional, 2 hour wait. I wasn’t able to ride this one on my most recent trip, as it was not functioning for most of the day. Not the biggest loss. Cobra’s Curse gets a 2/5.

Finally, nestled in the corner of Egypt past a wall of hieroglyphics and bird statues is Montu. Montu is an inverted coaster full of loops and inversions. During certain parts of the day, when its neighbors are drawing most of the attention, you can get on Montu with less than a five minute wait, which is baffling to me. Montu is a great coaster. Arguably on par with Sheikra and Cheetah Hunt. I give the slight edge to CH because of its theming within the greater park. Montu gets 4.5/5.

This has been my review of the Egypt area of Busch Gardens Tampa. Some of the other areas have more going on apart from just the rides, so I will touch on that when I get there.

Rides: 4/5

Bird statues: 3/5

Colonist vibes; 2/5

Overall score: 3/5