Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[Tomes1225]

Hey guys.

 

I'm heading to the park tomorrow. I'm planning on hitting Cheetah Hunt first as it's the only credit I don't have so far. How bad do you think the lines will be? Is the fast queue (or whatever BGT is calling it) worth it? It's only $20, but I'm not sure if my dad and I are going to get it.

[SharkTums]

If it's only $20 for the Quick Queue I would for sure grab it! It's summer, hot, stormy, and the park could be filled with Brazilians!

[jray21]

Only $20? I would absolutely get it!

[B&MBoy1982]

If you go right to Cheetah Hunt at opening, the line will probably be 30 minutes or so.

 

I usually grab my All Day Dining wrist band first, then head over to CH.

 

I have gotten in line with a 30 minute posted wait time, got off, looked at the wait time and it was over an hour.

 

Check the website for the annual maintenance schedule.

 

Get the All Day Dining Deal.

 

This is what I suggest to anyone visiting BGT for the first time:

Redeem All Day Dining wristband, then head to Cheetah Hunt. Afterwards, hit Montu in the front. Then take a short cut through Edge Of Africa, and head up to Congo. After Kumba, head over to SheiKra. After about 2pm go BACK to Montu, and get the last row left hand side!

[jjune4991]

Where did you see $20? The kiosk outside of Montu shows the single use per ride as $32 for adults. Do you think you saw the child price?

[azza29]

^Looks like the price varies seasonally, according to this page it can be anywhere from $20-40 for single use and $35-60 for unlimited.

[cfc]

^Yes, I imagine it all has to do with "peak" days and the size of the expected crowd.

[King]

I stopped by Busch Gardens Tampa Sunday and snapped a couple of construction pictures...literally a couple. I had to stand on a bench and extend my arm to get a snap shot over the wall. I'll periodically go by for pics updates. Enjoy these two.

[jray21]

Wow, it's already going vertical. Oh yeah, it's not SF, that's why.

[cfc]

^Nor is it Moser, thank god.

[DougMJr]

Well, I have an excuse to get back to Tampa next year!

[DJeXeL]

^^Can you imagine SF and Moser working together.............it would NEVER open.

[megametal]

So Screamscape reported that 2 of the big restaurants will be closed the rest of the summer. I'm wondering how the next few years will go with attraction closures. I'm hoping that both the Busch parks decide how to keep costs down AND keep their rides/attractions open before next year starts.

[SoCalCoasters]

Closing the Crown Colony would be an absolute shame! That has to be my absolute favorite place in that entire park, and it had some of the best theme park food and ambiance!

 

If this is true I am VERY saddened.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

Closing the Crown Colony would be an absolute shame! That has to be my absolute favorite place in that entire park, and it had some of the best theme park food and ambiance!

 

If this is true I am VERY saddened.

 

 

Man, What is going on with SeaWorld Parks lately? You'd think the parks were ran by a company who doesn't even know how to operate parks.

[WW1 Flying Ace]

^Perhaps budget cuts as stockholders have demanded after their IPO?

[Rollercoaster Rider]

And people said them going public was a good idea.

 

 

HA HA HA HA! Should have stayed off the stock market.

[jedimaster1227]

I really would be devastated if they closed Crown Colony House. I've been going there with my family for as long as I've been a pass holder... And that has been a long time.

 

All you care to eat fried chicken and fish, mashed potatoes, stuffing, salad and fries, all overlooking the park's gorgeous Edge of Africa savannah. Closing this would be a mistake, even if it was being replaced with something else. Closing this just to let the venue sit unused would be a tragedy.

[Moose]

As long as they keep the smokehouse open I will be happy. I love that place.

[Sue]

I was shocked especially to hear of Crown Colony's closing. At least from what it sounds like only the full service restaurant part of Crown Colony is closing while the counter service area on the second floor will remain open. Still a shame, but not as bad as it originally seemed.

[jjune4991]

Holy epic deal Batman!! $50 for a weekday only one-day ticket. Ticket prices right now are $79 online!

 

micechat.com/forums/seaworld-orlando/184873-new-$50-weekday-ticket-seaworld-orlando-busch-gardens-tampa.html

 

thrillgeek.com/seaworld-orlando-and-busch-gardens-tampa-to-offer-50-weekday-ticket/

[2012jarrett]

So my dad and I are flying down to BGT this October to ride Cheetah Hunt. It's a lot of money for this trip and I want ever cred there. We fly down Thursday, spend the full day Friday, and spend half the day Saturday and take a flight back Saturday afternoon. Should this be enough time to get everything, particularly Chunt? I know Florida has odd rain patterns and Cheetah Hunt's an Intamin so it breaks down a lot. Any tips on how to get around these? We technically could spend all of Saturday and come back Sunday but it costs money and that could be time we don't need. Any tips for this?

 

Also:

*How is Florida rain in October?

*We are looking at the second or third weekend in October. Is one better than the other?

*I'm 5'11 and about 215 pounds. I managed to get about three inches of slack in Maverick's test seat a few weeks ago. Does this clear me to to into Cheetah Hunt as well?

[Jew]

I suspect the restaurant will end up being re-purposed as another dining option. Full service dining at a theme park is difficult to pull off outside of Disney, since the margins are much lower from higher operating costs. They're probably closing it down to refine the menu and operations in order to keep it profitable.

[jedimaster1227]

I went to have lunch at the Crown Colony House Restaurant yesterday, where it was confirmed t us that the restaurant's last day of operation is August 18th, 2013. Our server who has been at the restaurant for over a decade was pretty honest, saying that the restaurant could reopen seasonally, but it is likely that the restaurant as we know it now will be gone for good, including the signature all you can eat family style menu. We were told that the operation has been more consistently breaking even rather than turning a profit, and with tightening of the belt across the company, breaking even isn't good enough to justify keeping this historic venue open anymore.

 

Our friends at Orlando Attractions Magazine have said that Busch Gardens PR claims that the closure is temporary. We'll have to see what happens, but if you want to experience the Crown Colony House Restaurant as it has been for many, many years, you have until the 18th to go check it out.

[jjune4991]

So my dad and I are flying down to BGT this October to ride Cheetah Hunt. It's a lot of money for this trip and I want ever cred there. We fly down Thursday, spend the full day Friday, and spend half the day Saturday and take a flight back Saturday afternoon. Should this be enough time to get everything, particularly Chunt? I know Florida has odd rain patterns and Cheetah Hunt's an Intamin so it breaks down a lot. Any tips on how to get around these? We technically could spend all of Saturday and come back Sunday but it costs money and that could be time we don't need. Any tips for this?

 

Also:

*How is Florida rain in October?

*We are looking at the second or third weekend in October. Is one better than the other?

*I'm 5'11 and about 215 pounds. I managed to get about three inches of slack in Maverick's test seat a few weeks ago. Does this clear me to to into Cheetah Hunt as well?

 

Rain is not as bad as it is now, but it is variable. Howl-o-Scream is in October, so it could be busy during the day and closer to the day closure, which I believe is 6 or 7pm. Just do the test seat outside Cheetah Hunt before riding.