Florida Vacation Blog

Archive for the ‘Busch Gardens’ Category

Orlando remains one of the world’s most popular destinations thanks in large part to the ongoing popularity of the area’s major theme parks and attractions. Based on this year’s recently announced Theme Park Insider Awards, Orlando should remain a tourism hotspot for years to come. 

Orlando area theme parks captured the top spot in three of the four categories in the Theme Park Insider Awards competition. The awards are based on average reader ratings at the website www.themeparkinsider.com over the past 12 months.

Registered users of the theme park insider site are offered an opportunity to rate attractions, restaurants and hotels on a scale from 0 to 10 and may vote once on each location. ThemeParkInsider.com combines those user ratings and computes averages for each location to determine the winners.

2011 Theme Park Insider Awards

Best Theme Park: Universal’s Islands of Adventure - home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Islands of Adventure won the award for the second consecutive year. One of the runners-up was Busch Gardens in nearby Tampa, Fla.

Best New Attraction: Star Tours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (and Disneyland) - one of the runners-up was Cheetah Hunt at nearby Busch Gardens Tampa.

Best Theme Park Restaurant: Epcot’s Bistro de Paris - the popular Bistro won the award for a second consecutive year. Runners-up include Mythos at Islands of Adventure and Via Napoli at Epcot.

Best On-Site Theme Park Hotel: Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, Calif. - runners-up included Universal’s Portofino Bay and Disney World’s Beach Club Resort.

For information on Orlando’s theme parks and discount Orlando theme park vacation packages, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

Memorial Day weekend means summer is just around the corners! It also means there are plenty of great entertainment options throughout the Orlando and central Florida area theme parks and attractions.

For those looking to get an early jump on the weekend fun, you can start with the monthly concert series, Velvet Sessions, at Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel. This special rock ‘n’ roll cocktail party and lobby concert features musical guest Ed Kowalczyk. The fun gets started at 6:30 pm with food and specialty themed drinks. The musical guest is Live’s Ed Kowalczyk. For tickets and additional details, visit www.velvetsessions.com.

Star Wars fans can enjoy the second of four Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The annual Star Wars celebration features dozens of your favorite Star Wars characters, special motorcades and events and more. This weekend’s special guests include actor Anthony Daniels who portrayed C-3PO, Bruce Spence who played Tion Medon and Dee Bradley, the voice of Captain Rex in the animated television show Clone Wars.

The Disney park also features a newly revamped Star Tours ride. Now in 3-D, the Star Wars ride now includes multiple missions, making it a new adventure every time. 

Meanwhile, just a short drive from Orlando, you’ll also find some new excitement at Busch Gardens Tampa where the theme park’s newest roller coaster, Cheetah Hunt, is scheduled to open on Friday. The park’s longest coaster, the Cheetah Hunt attraction also includes an adjacent cheetah habitat called Cheetah Run.

For more information about Orlando area theme parks and attractions, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

The Orlando area is world renowned for its theme parks, and there area plenty to choose from between SeaWorld, Universal Studios and Walt Disney World Resort.

But you don’t have to travel far from Orlando to find even more theme park adventure, including Busch Gardens Tampa just a short drive along I-4 through central Florida.

With an amazing collection of roller coasters, family oriented rides and attractions, and even some up close encounters with wild animals, Busch Gardens has plenty to offer.

Sesame Street Safari of Fun is a perfect spot for the youngest in the family to enjoy some time with their favorite Muppets. The Safari area offers up a variety of adventure such as water splash zones, the Air Grover kids’ roller coaster, a number of additional perfect-for-the-kids rides and a live show featuring the Sesame Street characters.

Busch Gardens offers up several distinct spots for viewing an abundance of wild animals, including the Serengeti Plain, Edge of Africa and Walkabout Way which features a special kangaroo feeding area.

Busch Gardens’ newest roller coaster, currently under construction, features both thrills and wild animals. The Cheetah Hunt, set to open in late May, will offer an exhibit of live cheetahs adjacent to the ride.

For information and discount ticket options to Busch Gardens Tampa as well as discount Orlando vacation packages, visit www.westgatereservations.com.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has revealed planned additions for two of its Central Florida theme parks. Busch Gardens Tampa will be adding a launch-style roller coaster called “Cheetah Hunt” in spring 2011 that will propel riders from zero to 60 mph. The 4,429-foot track also includes a 130-foot drop and a mid-ride parabola that gives riders a three second sensation of weightlessness.

Busch Gardens will also add a new animal encounter called “Cheetah Run.” The cheetah habitat, to be built alongside the coaster, will provide up-close views of the animals. The exhibit will also feature touch screen computer terminals providing cheetah information. Animal trainers will host daily sprints with the cheetahs, showing off their speed. As the world’s fastest land animals, cheetahs can reach running speeds up to 70 mph.

Another SeaWorld Park - Discovery Cove in Orlando - is adding a new saltwater environment to its high end environment that offers up personal dolphin swim encounters.

Slated to open June 2011, the new addition, called “Grand Reef” is an interactive exhibit with a white sand beach, palm-lined island and a series of underwater grottos filled with moray eels, reef sharks and tropical fish. Guests will be able to snorkel with eagle rays and cross a rope bridge over a lagoon filled with sharks.

Another component that will be added is an underwater walking tour called “SeaVenture.” For an added cost, and wearing special dive helmets, guests can walk submerged paths with views of lion fish and sharks, visible through panoramic windows.

For more information on Discovery Cove, Busch Gardens and other Orlando attractions, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com. Or go to www.WestgateReservations for details on discount theme park tickets and Orlando vacation packages.

SeaWorld Orlando is ready to put a little more flare into its Independence Day events.

The theme park will add more live music to its SeaWorld AfterDark events in honor of America’s birthday celebration. Prior to the July 4 showing of “Reflections,” a fireworks-and-fountains presentation, the 13th Army Band of the Florida National Guard will perform on the stage at Bayside Stadium. The 40-piece band is expected to provide both classic and contemporary musical selections.

After the music, the park’s traditional fireworks show will be extended for the evening and include a patriotic stretch.

In addition to fireworks, SeaWorld offers lots of other “AfterDark” fun, including the “Shamu Rocks” killer whale show and the comedic “Sea Lions Tonite” show. It’s all part of SeaWorld’s summer fun and it’s all included with regular SeaWorld admission. For more park details, please visit www.seaworldorlando.com.

SeaWorld’s sister park, Tampa’s Busch Gardens, also offers up some Independence Day extras. Fireworks will go up on both July 3 and July 4, and the park will remain open until 10 p.m. See www.buschgardens.com for more information.

Or go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com for discount theme park tickets and discount Orlando vacation package options.

A little bit of Australia is coming to central Florida. It’s all part of a new Aussie-styled area at Busch Gardens theme park in Tampa called Walkabout Way.

Opening June 14, 2010, Walkabout Way features a number of Australian animals including kangaroos which can be hand-fed by guests aged 5 or older. The kangaroo exhibit, called Kangaloom, offers red and grey kangaroos plus Bennett’s wallabies. A cup of kangaroo food can be purchased for $5 during scheduled feeding times.

Another new area, called The Kookaburra’s Nest, includes a free-flight aviary. Other Australian species such as cockatoos and Australian parrots, can be found at Aussie Station.

The new Walkabout Way exhibit is part of regular admission at Busch Gardens. For details, visit www.buschgardens.com. For information on theme parks and discount Orlando vacation packages, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay recently welcomed a new baby. The little one weighed in at a mere 147 pounds.

The baby was actually a reticulated giraffe born to mother, Teesa, and father, Sterling. The addition now brings the theme park’s giraffe population to 15. Mother and baby are doing fine and are currently being housed in a private area where they can be monitored by zoo staff to ensure the little one is nursing and growing properly. In a matter of months, the pair will be ready to join the rest of the giraffe herd on the Serengeti Plain at Busch Gardens for all visitors to see.

The park’s 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 additional species of hoof stock and birds. All of the animals can be seen up close via several different Busch Gardens attractions, including the Serengeti Express, the Skyride and the Serengeti Safari. The Safari offers an open truck tour of the plain during which you may have an opportunity to hand-feed the giraffe.

The giraffe birth at Busch Gardens is part of a successful long-term breeding program. A giraffe’s gestation period is approximately 15 months and the new baby will nurse for about a year. A second baby reticulated giraffe is expected to be born later this spring. The term “reticulated” refers to the giraffe’s net-like pattern of spots.

Visit the Web site www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com for information on tickets for Busch Gardens as well as all the other Orlando and central Florida theme parks and attractions.

From Big Bird to Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster, all of your favorite Sesame Street characters can be found at Busch Gardens’ newest area, Sesame Street Safari of Fun.

Featuring some new elements along with some repurposed attractions from its Land of Dragons area, the Safari of Fun fits perfectly with the theme park’s African theme. One of the most popular new rides is the all new Air Grover, a junior sized roller coaster that allows children and parents to ride together. The ride takes youngsters on a “flight” over the Saraha Desert, with captain Grover in the front seat in full aviator gear.

Designed to be a child’s first roller coaster experience, Air Grover includes a 23-foot lift hill and two gentle loops designed to add just enough thrill for the little ones.

Another sure-to-be-fun new adventure is Bert & Ernie’s Watering Hole, a colorful water-play area and the perfect spot to cool off on a warm day.

You’ll also find two new Sesame Street shows at Busch Gardens. “A is for Africa” is a high energy stage show while “Lights, Camera, Imagination” is a 4-D movie with special effects.

Sesame Street Safari of Fun is included with regular Busch Gardens park admission. And children aged 3-5 can get in FREE throughout 2010 if they first register at www.SesameStreetSafariofFun.com.

Go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com for more information on central Florida theme parks and Orlando family discount vacation packages.

There will be plenty of music, food, beverages and fun across Central Florida when SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay presents their annual Bands, Brew & BBQ 2010 - weekends throughout February.

This feel-good music festival and live concert series offers fabulous concerts, great BBQ food and ice-cold beer. It’s your chance to kick back, enjoy the music of your favorite bands, and experience the fun-filled attractions of the theme parks.

Bands, Brew & BBQ 2010 kicks off at SeaWorld on Feb. 6 with special guest performer LeAnn Rimes. The fun moves to Busch Gardens on Feb. 7 with a concert starring Dennis DeYoung featuring the music of STYX.

For more information on central Florida’s theme parks, details on discount tickets and savings on accommodations, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or www.WestgateReservations.com.

The Muppets are coming. The Muppets are coming.

Busch Gardens theme park in Tampa, FL is preparing to open a new Sesame Street Safari of Fun area, featuring a kid-sized roller coaster, water playelements, a playground and lots of opportunities to take your photo with the ever popular Muppets!

Schedule to open in March, 2010, the new theme park area will boast Air Grover - a new family friendly roller coaster. Geared for children, the coaster will offer big thrills for the little ones, with a 23-foot high hill and hitting speeds up to 23 miles per hour.

Another key attraction to the Sesame Street area includes Bert & Ernie’s Water Hole where kids will enjoy a variety of water jets, dumping buckets and geysers designed for some cool, “splash zone” fun on a hot Central Florida day.

Of course, no Sesame Street attraction would be complete without the Muppets and there will be plenty of potential for meeting and greeting your favorite characters from Big Bird and Elmo to The Count, Bert & Ernie, Cookie Monster and more.

From Busch Gardens and SeaWorld Orlando to Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando, you can visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com to find discount theme park tickets, discount Orlando hotels and discount Orlando vacation packages.