Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[Legoguy1395]

^Would it be worth it to go this week, or go when everyone is out for spring break, or wait for next summer.. Only opportunities i have got..

[Inukaza]

^Would it be worth it to go this week, or go when everyone is out for spring break, or wait for next summer.. Only opportunities i have got..

 

I'd go as far as to say Spring Break is the second busiest time of the year. By all means, go. It's just that you might have a less than decent time with crowds.

[orangeblue]

^ One of the busiest times you can visit the Florida theme parks (if not the busiest) is the week between Christmas and New Years. I highly do not recommend visiting during that time. Sometimes the Orlando parks can reach capacity by late morning. And if that happens, you do not want to be in the parks anyway. You should expect at least 1 hour plus waits for any major attraction and really unusual long waits for minor attractions. Both Islands of Adventure and Busch Gardens will be very busy. Only advice is to get to the parks at least 45 minutes to an hour before park opening. Purchase the Universal Express Pass for IOA and the Quick Queue Pass for BGT. Try to eat during none popular eating times like before 11am and after 2pm for lunch. Before 4:30pm or after 7:30pm for dinner. Usually Jan. 1st and the rest of the month of January, the parks are like a ghost town, and a much better time to visit.

 

I'm going tomorrow and already have the Quick Queue Unlimited purchased. Should be worth it with the park closing at 8:30, giving me ~2.5 hours for night rides on all the coasters.

 

Also, apparently the park is open today if you want some Christmas credits!

[-Edge of Beast-]

^Please bring your camera to take pictures. I love the park and I want to see what's been going on.

[Bryce232]

^ I'll be going on Wednesday (for the last time this year :'( ). If you want me to take pictures of anything specific I can!

[-Edge of Beast-]

^Nothing really specific, but just the park and rides over all.

[Legoguy1395]

Thanks for you help guys, I have decided to wait for spring break.

 

My parents told me i could get a new computer if I stayed home.

 

Coasters now,no computer < macbook air+coasters a few months later with less crowds.

[The SETGO Guys]

I'll be heading out for my final visit of the year on wednesday. I actually wasn't planning on going before my pass expires (December 31st). However I was asked to by someone. So I'll be taking a day off work for a fun day.

[aimster]

I was thinking about going NYE and having some fun, but it's probably going to be insanely crowded and just not worth it (will just hang out with the boyfriend and get dinner & drinks instead). I have a 2 year annual pass that doesn't expire until the middle of January 2013, so I'll do another run at the park next month sometime. Since I start my new job this Tuesday, no more weekday visits for me for awhile (sucks because I've really enjoyed the almost non-existent crowds on weekdays the last 3 months... you get spoiled after awhile). I'm actually hoping for a kind of cold day next time I go so I can wear my panda hat and be a dork.

[orangeblue]

Went to the park yesterday and it was very crowded; Quick Queue definitely helped as it wouldn't have been enjoyable otherwise. Got to finally ride Cheetah Hunt at night and found it to be pretty cool, though I still think night rides on Montu are a little better due to all of the inversions - seeing the city / park lights spin all around you as you flip upside down adds some extra craziness to the ride. Weather at the park was great, and should stay that way for at least another week.

 

Miscellaneous notes:

- Montu now has Quick Queue merging at the station instead of through the exit, so you get to pick your row.

- Sheikra's crew was a lot faster than in past visits, with little to no stacking (4 trains running), though the person at the turnstile could do a better job at keeping the row lines more organized.

- Cheetah Hunt's crew was doing a little better, though the ride suffered quite a few short periods of downtime throughout the day. Most of the slow boarding issues seemed to be guest related, but the crew at least seemed to be trying to go as fast as they could.

- Gwazi is still getting rougher despite the new trains, but at least the lift hill was smooth! This was the second visit in a row that they were dueling; hope that stays the norm.

- Guests seem to still enjoy pounding on the glass to the annoyance of the cheetahs.

[sheikramatic2006]

Went to the park yesterday and it was very crowded; Quick Queue definitely helped as it wouldn't have been enjoyable otherwise. Got to finally ride Cheetah Hunt at night and found it to be pretty cool, though I still think night rides on Montu are a little better due to all of the inversions - seeing the city / park lights spin all around you as you flip upside down adds some extra craziness to the ride. Weather at the park was great, and should stay that way for at least another week.

 

Miscellaneous notes:

- Montu now has Quick Queue merging at the station instead of through the exit, so you get to pick your row.

- Sheikra's crew was a lot faster than in past visits, with little to no stacking (4 trains running), though the person at the turnstile could do a better job at keeping the row lines more organized.

- Cheetah Hunt's crew was doing a little better, though the ride suffered quite a few short periods of downtime throughout the day. Most of the slow boarding issues seemed to be guest related, but the crew at least seemed to be trying to go as fast as they could.

- Gwazi is still getting rougher despite the new trains, but at least the lift hill was smooth! This was the second visit in a row that they were dueling; hope that stays the norm.

- Guests seem to still enjoy pounding on the glass to the annoyance of the cheetahs.

 

I hope you enjoyed yourself on Monday! I was working that day we had a 75 minute wait when i got there at 2! But the line made my day go by A lot faster!

[Bryce232]

I'll post pictures tomorrow, but I'll talk about my day now.

 

We got into the park around 10:45ish and it didn't take long to realize that the park was sooper dooper crowded. So basically, if you went today and didn't have $50 to dispose of for an unlimited quick queue pass, you were in for a very long day. Luckily, I had some holiday money that got me 5 rides on Cheetah Hunt, 3 on SheiKra, and 1 on Kumba (wasn't feeling Montu today).

 

In the late morning, the Cheetah Hunt crew was horrific. They took their time as they slowly pulled the seat belts of every car and there was at least a 5 minute gap between each dispatch. At least some crew members had some funky cheetah merchandise on, they looked pretty funny. SheiKra's crew was exceptional. They almost prevented stacking; there was maybe 15-30 seconds with 3 trains on the brakes waiting for the 2 to leave the station, so it was alright. Kumba, like last month, definitely had the winning crew. There was a three train operation and they acted like stacking was illegal. They had the next train on the lift hill by the time the other was going through either the corkscrew or helix section. Before leaving, I took 2 more rides on Cheetah Hunt and the crew was much better by then. I guess they just needed to wake up a bit. I'm very glad I bought the quick queue today because the lines for just about every ride was 90+ minutes.

[alpengeist04]

the park was sooper dooper crowded.

 

 

That seems to be the theme this week in central Florida.

[Bryce232]

After reading Legoland's thread, and my friend's texts about her trip to IOA (She rode one ride- Jurassic Park), I agree!

[aimster]

I thought about hitting the park this weekend, but decided against it as I know it's going to be beyond insanely busy. Even though there are times I'll visit and not ride anything (just see some shows, check out the animals and take lots of photos), but there is NO WAY I'd be able to handle the crowds this week/weekend. It's probably busier than typical summer crowds. I'll wait until maybe the following weekend to go back and have some fun.

[Inukaza]

I'll post pictures tomorrow, but I'll talk about my day now.

 

We got into the park around 10:45ish and it didn't take long to realize that the park was sooper dooper crowded. So basically, if you went today and didn't have $50 to dispose of for an unlimited quick queue pass, you were in for a very long day. Luckily, I had some holiday money that got me 5 rides on Cheetah Hunt, 3 on SheiKra, and 1 on Kumba (wasn't feeling Montu today).

 

In the late morning, the Cheetah Hunt crew was horrific. They took their time as they slowly pulled the seat belts of every car and there was at least a 5 minute gap between each dispatch. At least some crew members had some funky cheetah merchandise on, they looked pretty funny. SheiKra's crew was exceptional. They almost prevented stacking; there was maybe 15-30 seconds with 3 trains on the brakes waiting for the 2 to leave the station, so it was alright. Kumba, like last month, definitely had the winning crew. There was a three train operation and they acted like stacking was illegal. They had the next train on the lift hill by the time the other was going through either the corkscrew or helix section. Before leaving, I took 2 more rides on Cheetah Hunt and the crew was much better by then. I guess they just needed to wake up a bit. I'm very glad I bought the quick queue today because the lines for just about every ride was 90+ minutes.

 

I was here today also, never seen them use the entire adventure island parking lot as overflow as well as their other overflow lots. I agree kumba's crew was hauling arse. Posted wait time was 75, got through in 15 minutes. (Line was full, with overflow). Montu got a extended queue line since I got back. It was odd to enter the ride from the left instead of at the beginning of the station like before. Line was fast there too, montu's crew was amazing. Cheetah has a 120min wait with trains being launched every 4-5 minutes. It was a nice day, I don't think I would have needed quick queue, though.

[jjune4991]

I won't be able to go to the park until after my financial aid money comes in around Jan 15th. What does the new quick queue line look like for Montu? Did anyone snag a pic?

[Bryce232]

^ Unless they changed it since last month, the 2nd row is used for quick queue people only. They get on the ride from the exit side.

[jjune4991]

^It did.

 

Montu now has Quick Queue merging at the station instead of through the exit, so you get to pick your row.

[Bryce232]

Some pictures from yesterday:

a B&M masterpiece greets the park's visitors

These guys are adorable

one of many CH required shots

Looks like this goose has laid an egg!

lazy kangaroo

Critter Castaways. If you've never seen this show, you should. It's like an exotic version of Seaworld's Pets Ahoy!

another required CH shot

This elephant was taking a stand-up nap

The new Animal Care center is just about finished and should be ready for its January opening!

more of the structure. It stretches from the Elephant interaction area up to the Serengeti tours building

Jungala

Intamin sexiness

More Intamin sexiness

I believe one of these is the new baby gazelle

For all of you LSM enthusiasts

Thanks for a great year BGT!

And to finish off this brief TR, a highway sunset!

[krakenmaniac]

im going for my first time on new years day and im just wondering how i should go around the park , i want to do all of the big rides then ill do the exibits later.

[-Edge of Beast-]

Nice pictures, thanks for sharing Bryce!

[jedimaster1227]

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has sent us a press release regarding the latest addition to their ever-growing animal family, just in time for the new year!

 

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a new baby female reticulated giraffe on Tuesday, December 27, 2011. At 5 foot, 7 inches tall and weighing approximately 127 pounds, the newborn is the calf of father, Jafari and mother, Tesa, who has previously given birth to four other calves at Busch Gardens.

 

This new addition brings the park’s reticulated giraffe population to 18. The term “reticulated” refers to the giraffe’s net-like pattern of spots.

 

Mother and baby are currently in an area out of guest view so they can be closely monitored by zoo staff to ensure the baby is nursing and growing properly. The duo will join the other animals on the Serengeti Plain in about three months.

 

A giraffe’s gestation period is approximately 15 months, and the new baby will nurse for about one year. This birth is part of a successful long-term breeding program at Busch Gardens.

 

Busch Gardens’ 65-acre Serengeti Plain is a naturalistic habitat featuring a diverse population of free-roaming African animals including giraffe, zebra, white rhinoceros, eland antelope and several other species of hoof stock and birds.

 

You can view these amazing animals from the Serengeti Express, the Skyride or on a Serengeti Safari, an open-truck tour during which you can hand-feed reticulated giraffes and get up-close with the other animals on the plain.

[Bryce232]

It's amazing that this thing was born at 5'7, and it took me 15 years to reach this height. Thanks for the press release!

[chargersmichael]

 

I thought I'd share a nice video of Cheetah Hunt Off-Ride I found on YouTube.