Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[JayTPI]

Does anybody know why the Christmas house is still up?

/sorry about the double post I cant figure how to add two Reply's into one. My b

[jedimaster1227]

^They just haven't taken down the facade yet. The rest of the building is used for other purposes throughout the year.

[jedimaster1227]

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has just announced that Falcon's Fury will have its grand opening on May 1st!

 

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Edited February 28, 2014 by jedimaster1227

[_koppen]

Awesome!

[IrishCasual]

Ooh.. May 1st, sounds cool! My cousin will be going to Florida from April 28th to May 9th. Can't wait to tell him about the opening. He has been looking up the construction pics for the last 3 weeks. He's a drop tower fanatic.

[gerstlaueringvar]

That's two months of testing! I'm sure there would be a lot of videos of it testing.

[JayTPI]

Just to let everyone know, I was invited to do an early ride of Falcons Fury on April 23rd along with other media. Expect pictures and video's then!

[djcoastermark]

Not sure if this has been posted, but I saw that if you purchase a 2014 fun card for BGT between now and the end of march, you get a free fun card for Adventure Island waterpark good until Oct 12, 2014. Nice little perk, IMO.

[coasterbill]

Just to let everyone know, I was invited to do an early ride of Falcons Fury on April 23rd along with other media. Expect pictures and video's then!

 

Lucky you. This thing looks insane!

[JayTPI]

Just to let everyone know, I was invited to do an early ride of Falcons Fury on April 23rd along with other media. Expect pictures and video's then!

 

Lucky you. This thing looks insane!

I cant wait lol. Its gonna ROCK!

[Ed Farmer]

 

I still think they should turn the Crown Colony House into a Red Lobster style safari restaurant. You go out on the deck and shoot your meal!

 

And if you can successfully convince them that you were standing your ground by the time the check comes, they take 25% off.

[eddie200330]

 

I still think they should turn the Crown Colony House into a Red Lobster style safari restaurant. You go out on the deck and shoot your meal!

 

And if you can successfully convince them that you were standing your ground by the time the check comes, they take 25% off.

 

Ummmm...... I don't wanna eat crabs that were shot by a gun. LMAO

[aCoasterStory]

I'm trying to talk myself into taking a road trip down to BGT/AI the weekend of the 22nd/23rd. Talk me into/out of it.

[coastercoaster5]

Any recent news on Falcon's Fury?

[_koppen]

^ Yup, lot's of photos here.

[Ed Farmer]

Swung by on Tuesday. I was a bit worried that Spring Break would throw a wrench in wait times, luckily it didn't. Despite this, more than a handful of the day's visitors opted for whatever fast pass Busch offers. :shrugs:

Stayed from 2 until about 6 and got a handful of laps on both Kumba and Montu (including some stay put re-rides on both towards the end of our day).

 

Like many, I think much of B&M's recent offerings are bm, but anytime I'm able to get a few spins on Kumba I walk away feeling almost as if they deserve a pass for everything (except Superman Ultimate Flight). If I wrote poems, I would write one about Kumba. On the other side of the park, in my experience, Montu rides are hit or miss. A miss is a pretty good ride, and hit means it rides like a giant Batman The Ride. On Tuesday, it was hit. We made sure to take advantage of that and the day's linelessness. If Batshee's Banwing is even half as good as whatever the hell it was that we treated to on Montu, then it will be a thing. I think the Pretzel Loop found on B&M's bm Flyers are probably more intense, but because of the awkward position your body finds itself in as you navigate it, all of those nice forces are joyless.

 

We also took a pair of laps on Sheikra, and one on Cheetah Hunt (our longest wait time of the afternoon at 15 minutes). It's a people-eater, and the air dealt in the last row off the African Top Hat (very Demon-esque) always justifies at least a token lap. It was a bummer to see that Gwazi was down for the day- was hoping to give it a few spins in case it's time is indeed limited. Anyone know what the problem was? I thought I saw something about Seasonal/Routine MX, but I could have just imagined that. The new Intamin Drop Tower is comically massive.

 

 

 

 

[Koasterking48]

How strict is Busch Garden's rain policy? I'm planning on visiting next Thursday and the forecast is calling for scattered showers with a 60% chance of precipitation. I understand it's not as strict and uptight as Cedar Point's, but I was still curious.

[djcoastermark]

If there is lightning in the area, the rides shut down. As soon as a storm passes, everything reopens quickly. Luckily most storms pass by pretty quick. I use that down time for either catching a show or having a sit down meal. I have been there when its sprinkling and rides seem to stay running. Keep in mind that most storms around here come with lightning, hence the "arbitrary" term , Lightning Capitol of the US.

[Cyrbuzz]

I have had the bad luck of waiting in that very long line for Cheetah Hunt and only to have a thunderstorm shut it down just as I get close to the loading platform. Sad part is this has happened alot while waiting for the Hunt. But at the end of the day, better safe than sorry.

[aCoasterStory]

1) Are there discounts on quick queue or animal encounters for annual passholders?

 

2) How long does the pass processing process take? Can it be done before the park opens? Do you still have to pay for parking on the day you're going to get your pass processed?

 

3) What sort of crowd should one expect next Saturday (3/22)?

 

4) Is Adventure Island a water park worth going to? Anything special about it?

 

 

Thanks!

[B&MBoy1982]

How strict is Busch Garden's rain policy? I'm planning on visiting next Thursday and the forecast is calling for scattered showers with a 60% chance of precipitation. I understand it's not as strict and uptight as Cedar Point's, but I was still curious.

 

They will continue to operate in light rain. Sand Serpent does not operate in rain from what I remember.

 

If lightening is within 10 miles of the park, they will shut down. The park can be completely sunny, not a drop of rain, but everything will be closed because of lightening within the 10 mile radius.

 

SkyRide usually closes first, since it takes a while to get everyone off. Then water rides and coasters, then flats, leaving the train as the last thing to close.

[Jonathan15]

1) Are there discounts on quick queue or animal encounters for annual passholders?

 

2) How long does the pass processing process take? Can it be done before the park opens? Do you still have to pay for parking on the day you're going to get your pass processed?

3) What sort of crowd should one expect next Saturday (3/22)?

 

4) Is Adventure Island a water park worth going to? Anything special about it?

 

 

Thanks!

 

1) For Quick Queue, I don't think there is any discounts unless you buy online. (Check online though) For animal encounters, I think there is a discount if you make a reservation online. (Watch out for the online service fee :/)

 

2) If you want to buy an annual pass the day of visiting, it's better to do it online. You avoid the normal ticket lines and go to the EZpay area to redeem your pass. If you don't show them proof of purchase (EZpay ticket) you will be asked to pay to park. If you want it in advance, buy it online and show them at the parking gate and you won't have to pay. If you want a normal ticket, my suggestion would be to but it online for a discount, but you would still have to pay to park if you buy a normal ticket. The lines for normal tickets and annual passes aren't too bad if you go in the morning.

 

3) It depends on weather, holidays, and temperature. If its a stormy or rainy day, nobody really shows up. It just all depends, you can't predict it, but you can take a guess. On Saturdays, the park is usually crowded, but not always.

 

4) Yes! Go to adventure Island, it's fun for kids and adults! The food there is delicious and the park there is just beautiful (in my opinion.)

 

I'm actually going to Busch Gardens today, so I'll give a report later on the park rumors.

Happy visiting!

-Jonathan15

[Koasterking48]

Alright I have a follow up question. Is there a way to scan a $50 weekday ticket from a smartphone (iPhone if it matters) instead of printing out on paper? I won't have access to a printer and need an alternative to paying the extra 30 bucks for the regular ticket.

[B&MBoy1982]

I would call the park to be sure they can scan it, or hold your ticket for you at Will Call or Guest Relations.

[coasterfreak101]

It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen...

http://bgtfans.com/2014/falcons-fury-construction-update-20/