We arrived shortly before 9am and there were cars already waiting in line. The park opens at 10am, however, they opened the lines for parking at 930am. You can either walk to the gates or take the tram. If you have purchased tickets online, you can go directly to the self-ticketing kiosk, and scan your printout and you will receive your tickets. The park is nice, loved being able to see the animals. It was cold, so going on the roller coasters was interesting ? the best ride for me was Cobra's Curse. Loved going backwards and spinning in the coater cart ? but it was a short ride! The longest waiting ride, is Cheetah Hunt. You will want to ride this one as soon as you get in! Definitely lots to see and do. I suggest more spots for purchasing coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Too cold for ice cold beer! LOL!
C Rod
We arrived shortly before 9am and there were cars already waiting in line. The park opens at 10am, however, they opened the lines for parking at 930am. You can either walk to the gates or take the tram. If you have purchased tickets online, you can go directly to the self-ticketing kiosk, and scan your printout and you will receive your tickets. The park is nice, loved being able to see the animals. It was cold, so going on the roller coasters was interesting the best ride for me was Cobra's Curse. Loved going backwards and spinning in the coater cart ? but it was a short ride! Definitely lots to see and do. I suggest more spots for purchasing coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Too cold for ice cold beer! LOL!
E W
Great park.Awesome rides, Christmas decor was beautiful. Great food options. Friendly staff. They just need to work on the existing plans from the parking lot. That’s always a disaster. Other than that, great experience.
Rich Petrelli
We enjoyed the park but as previous reviews state, if you don’t ride rides there’s not too much to do. We did the Serengeti adventure and that was awesome. You get to feed the giraffes and our guide for the 10:45 am was awesome. She was very knowledgeable about the various animals and very personable.The “zoo burgers” are ok, pretty typical frozen patties and over cooked fries but that’s to be expected. Overall a fun visit.
Ben Spader
Not impressed in any way. The lines were ridiculous and the estimate in the app would say 10 minutes but when you get to the line it says over 80 minutes typically... Huge technology fail. We were there on a Wednesday.We were there from open to close and I felt like I spent 99 percent of the time sitting in lines. The kids rides we're riddled with massive amounts of inefficiencies which allowed the parents to sit around rethinking their life choices and how they got here.One ride got stuck at the very top (Sheikera) and they had to evacuate them from the top which took hours. And 2 other big rides were down. And I felt like I was barraged with ads to buy the quick pass which was way more per person than the entry fee which is really disappointing.
Louis L
I visited Busch Gardens Tampa recently and had a fantastic experience. Unlike some of the busier Orlando parks, Busch Gardens had a more relaxed atmosphere, which I really appreciated. It allowed me to enjoy the attractions without feeling overwhelmed by crowds. The park offers a great mix of thrilling rides and entertaining shows, making it a fun day out for all ages. I especially loved the animal encounters and beautifully landscaped areas. Busch Gardens Tampa is a must-visit if you're looking for a less hectic but still exciting theme park experience.
c brooksdrones
We have eaten at a lot of L&Ls outside of the Hawaiian Islands and this by far have been the best and tastiest Hawaiian food so far. The texture was perfect and as close to Hawaii as being there. We went back the next day for seconds but they were closed for Jan 1st. The next time we are in Tampa this will be our first eating choice. I had the BBQ Mix place and my wife had the Loco Moco. They both were great.
Josh
Don't go any day near Christmas. It's just not worth it. We went just before new years. There were way too many people at this park. It was almost impossible to try and walk through. They should seriously cap the number of people. All Rides had 3 hour lines. Purchased all day dining but could hardly use it. Waited 45 minutes for lunch, lines formed before the restaurant even opened. For dinner we spent over an hour in the food line at one restaurant at which point the line completely stopped moving. Stood still for a half hour before deciding to leave then waited another hour at the pizza place. The shows were okay but not nearly as good as the ones at sea world.
Alex Guzman
Seems like a nice enough place to visit. The crazy prices, and multiple hour wait for most rides is understandable.A multiple hour WAIT, standing in line for the food you ALREADY paid for is NOT understandable. Especially if that food is just fried chicken and potatoes. (SheiKra Eats, I'm looking at you guys here.)You guys can do better for the prices you're charging.The only reasons you got any stars would be the place had nice lighting (what I could see of it from the food line was mostly purple but there was some reds and some yellow as well... I'll add pictures), some less popular attractions didn't have much of a wait, and the bathrooms weren't totally disgusting. ?
Shanique Lanier
The park was busy per usual but apparently during Christmas time there are special shows and other holiday things going on. We were glad to get information upon arrival to enjoy particular events. This is our second time visiting and we truly enjoyed ourselves. The attendant with the toddler ride was very safe and we appreciate that. The Safari scene with the train ride is my favorite. The playground is my son’s favorite. It was also my mother’s 65th birthday and her first time in Florida. The children went to sleep in the car afterwards which makes the experience PRICELESS.
Ups and downs when it came to our time. Many rides broke down or had "unexpected delays." Had another issue when trying g to get a themed cup to get refills but the staff simply said they were out. This was at the start of the day. This also happened with a popcorn bucket. Seems strange they wouldn't stock up or have someone get more. It wasn't the fact that they were out as much as it was the attitudes from the staff.There were many good things.Rides we did go on were extremely fun. We had two day pass. One day was extremely busy on a Saturday, and the other was easy to get on rides. Great place for young kids with an entire section for them.We also had a food pass which I strongly recommend. Great deal if you are planning to be at the park all day. Lines for food can be long.
Wes Woot
Great rides, good food, wife enjoyed the shows. Long lines for the rides during one of their busiest times of the year, even with quick access pass we couldn't ride everything we wanted. Staff was attentive and there was a lot of stuff for the kids to enjoy. The food was expected price for a theme park (read high) but the quality was good and if you come hungry the unlimited dining pass makes it more reasonable. Everything we rode was fun, our favorites were Sheikra, Montu, Cheetah and Tigris.
OvEr MrO
It's fun for the whole family and you can and should spend the whole day there to also the night lights.We were able to catch 2 shows: the ice skating and the magic one. There are several showtimes, but you should still check the schedules and arrive a little early to make sure you get places.We enjoyed seeing the animals. It's best to come early to be able to see them all during the daytime.I recommend bringing an empty water bottle so that you can fill it in the few available water fountains.They are now going cashless.Parking isn't free, unfortunately (about 35$). Some might find the whole experience expensive for what it is, so best to get tickets when they have discounts.
Matt Tumey
Upgraded parking was a waste. Employees in general 5☆. Guest services?-Cassie from the California desert in guest services(hope I remembered name correctly) great help. Cheetah tour(5☆?), Serengeti Safari(5☆?). Animal Interactions ❤️?. Brittany, Alexis, Benedict, Megan, Chris, Ben ❤️ ?. More names I can't remember. Alexis- great tour?, fun personality, cute girl...woman(anyone under about 23-24 years is a kid/girl to me). Animals tours etc... worth it! Saved a couple bucks with all day dining. The smokehouse brisket was EXCELLENT. I also appreciated the food service staff there. ??
Tony Puglisi
My hometown theme park, it definitely has the best selection of rollercoasters of any park I've been too. The animals you can see there are just a bonus. On weekdays it's not busy at all so it's actually a great value to get the annual pass, because you don't have to wait at all if you go during the week.
We arrived shortly before 9am and there were cars already waiting in line. The park opens at 10am, however, they opened the lines for parking at 930am. You can either walk to the gates or take the tram. If you have purchased tickets online, you can go directly to the self-ticketing kiosk, and scan your printout and you will receive your tickets. The park is nice, loved being able to see the animals. It was cold, so going on the roller coasters was interesting ? the best ride for me was Cobra's Curse. Loved going backwards and spinning in the coater cart ? but it was a short ride! The longest waiting ride, is Cheetah Hunt. You will want to ride this one as soon as you get in! Definitely lots to see and do. I suggest more spots for purchasing coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Too cold for ice cold beer! LOL!
We arrived shortly before 9am and there were cars already waiting in line. The park opens at 10am, however, they opened the lines for parking at 930am. You can either walk to the gates or take the tram. If you have purchased tickets online, you can go directly to the self-ticketing kiosk, and scan your printout and you will receive your tickets. The park is nice, loved being able to see the animals. It was cold, so going on the roller coasters was interesting the best ride for me was Cobra's Curse. Loved going backwards and spinning in the coater cart ? but it was a short ride! Definitely lots to see and do. I suggest more spots for purchasing coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Too cold for ice cold beer! LOL!
Great park.Awesome rides, Christmas decor was beautiful. Great food options. Friendly staff. They just need to work on the existing plans from the parking lot. That’s always a disaster. Other than that, great experience.
We enjoyed the park but as previous reviews state, if you don’t ride rides there’s not too much to do. We did the Serengeti adventure and that was awesome. You get to feed the giraffes and our guide for the 10:45 am was awesome. She was very knowledgeable about the various animals and very personable.The “zoo burgers” are ok, pretty typical frozen patties and over cooked fries but that’s to be expected. Overall a fun visit.
Not impressed in any way. The lines were ridiculous and the estimate in the app would say 10 minutes but when you get to the line it says over 80 minutes typically... Huge technology fail. We were there on a Wednesday.We were there from open to close and I felt like I spent 99 percent of the time sitting in lines. The kids rides we're riddled with massive amounts of inefficiencies which allowed the parents to sit around rethinking their life choices and how they got here.One ride got stuck at the very top (Sheikera) and they had to evacuate them from the top which took hours. And 2 other big rides were down. And I felt like I was barraged with ads to buy the quick pass which was way more per person than the entry fee which is really disappointing.
I visited Busch Gardens Tampa recently and had a fantastic experience. Unlike some of the busier Orlando parks, Busch Gardens had a more relaxed atmosphere, which I really appreciated. It allowed me to enjoy the attractions without feeling overwhelmed by crowds. The park offers a great mix of thrilling rides and entertaining shows, making it a fun day out for all ages. I especially loved the animal encounters and beautifully landscaped areas. Busch Gardens Tampa is a must-visit if you're looking for a less hectic but still exciting theme park experience.
We have eaten at a lot of L&Ls outside of the Hawaiian Islands and this by far have been the best and tastiest Hawaiian food so far. The texture was perfect and as close to Hawaii as being there. We went back the next day for seconds but they were closed for Jan 1st. The next time we are in Tampa this will be our first eating choice. I had the BBQ Mix place and my wife had the Loco Moco. They both were great.
Don't go any day near Christmas. It's just not worth it. We went just before new years. There were way too many people at this park. It was almost impossible to try and walk through. They should seriously cap the number of people. All Rides had 3 hour lines. Purchased all day dining but could hardly use it. Waited 45 minutes for lunch, lines formed before the restaurant even opened. For dinner we spent over an hour in the food line at one restaurant at which point the line completely stopped moving. Stood still for a half hour before deciding to leave then waited another hour at the pizza place. The shows were okay but not nearly as good as the ones at sea world.
Seems like a nice enough place to visit. The crazy prices, and multiple hour wait for most rides is understandable.A multiple hour WAIT, standing in line for the food you ALREADY paid for is NOT understandable. Especially if that food is just fried chicken and potatoes. (SheiKra Eats, I'm looking at you guys here.)You guys can do better for the prices you're charging.The only reasons you got any stars would be the place had nice lighting (what I could see of it from the food line was mostly purple but there was some reds and some yellow as well... I'll add pictures), some less popular attractions didn't have much of a wait, and the bathrooms weren't totally disgusting. ?
The park was busy per usual but apparently during Christmas time there are special shows and other holiday things going on. We were glad to get information upon arrival to enjoy particular events. This is our second time visiting and we truly enjoyed ourselves. The attendant with the toddler ride was very safe and we appreciate that. The Safari scene with the train ride is my favorite. The playground is my son’s favorite. It was also my mother’s 65th birthday and her first time in Florida. The children went to sleep in the car afterwards which makes the experience PRICELESS.
Restaurantji Recommends
Ups and downs when it came to our time. Many rides broke down or had "unexpected delays." Had another issue when trying g to get a themed cup to get refills but the staff simply said they were out. This was at the start of the day. This also happened with a popcorn bucket. Seems strange they wouldn't stock up or have someone get more. It wasn't the fact that they were out as much as it was the attitudes from the staff.There were many good things.Rides we did go on were extremely fun. We had two day pass. One day was extremely busy on a Saturday, and the other was easy to get on rides. Great place for young kids with an entire section for them.We also had a food pass which I strongly recommend. Great deal if you are planning to be at the park all day. Lines for food can be long.
Great rides, good food, wife enjoyed the shows. Long lines for the rides during one of their busiest times of the year, even with quick access pass we couldn't ride everything we wanted. Staff was attentive and there was a lot of stuff for the kids to enjoy. The food was expected price for a theme park (read high) but the quality was good and if you come hungry the unlimited dining pass makes it more reasonable. Everything we rode was fun, our favorites were Sheikra, Montu, Cheetah and Tigris.
It's fun for the whole family and you can and should spend the whole day there to also the night lights.We were able to catch 2 shows: the ice skating and the magic one. There are several showtimes, but you should still check the schedules and arrive a little early to make sure you get places.We enjoyed seeing the animals. It's best to come early to be able to see them all during the daytime.I recommend bringing an empty water bottle so that you can fill it in the few available water fountains.They are now going cashless.Parking isn't free, unfortunately (about 35$). Some might find the whole experience expensive for what it is, so best to get tickets when they have discounts.
Upgraded parking was a waste. Employees in general 5☆. Guest services?-Cassie from the California desert in guest services(hope I remembered name correctly) great help. Cheetah tour(5☆?), Serengeti Safari(5☆?). Animal Interactions ❤️?. Brittany, Alexis, Benedict, Megan, Chris, Ben ❤️ ?. More names I can't remember. Alexis- great tour?, fun personality, cute girl...woman(anyone under about 23-24 years is a kid/girl to me). Animals tours etc... worth it! Saved a couple bucks with all day dining. The smokehouse brisket was EXCELLENT. I also appreciated the food service staff there. ??
My hometown theme park, it definitely has the best selection of rollercoasters of any park I've been too. The animals you can see there are just a bonus. On weekdays it's not busy at all so it's actually a great value to get the annual pass, because you don't have to wait at all if you go during the week.