Busch Gardens Tampa

Tampa, Florida: Busch Gardens Tampa is a 335 acre theme park where wild rides meets wildlife. The African themed park has four roller coasters featured on Amusement Today’s Top 50 Coaster list; Montu (3), Kumba (7), SheiKra (13) and Gwazi (38). It is also home to a wide variety of Africa wildlife.

Opened in 1959, Busch Gardens was started as an admission free park to compliment the hospitality house for the Anheuser-Busch brewery. The park featured the Bird Gardens, a walk through aviary where guests come in contact with exotic birds species.

In 1965 the park expanded to include the Serengeti Plain. The plain was a free roaming home to African wildlife including Zebra, Giraffes and more. The plain quickly became the largest free-roaming habitat outside of Africa. A monorail and railway was added to give guests a closer look at the animals. Then in 1974, the Skyride was added, giving riders a bird’s eye view of the Serengeti Plain.

Busch Gardens introduced thrill rides to the park in 1973 by adding Stanley Falls, a water flume ride. One year later the Moroccan Village of Marrakesh opened, the first of many themed park expansions.

Busch Gardens grew again in 1976-77 with the addition of the Congo area of the park. Highlighted by the Python, Busch Gardens first roller coaster. The also featured Claw Island, home of the tigers.

It wasn’t long until the park grew again. In 1980, Timbuktu opened to the public. Featuring a German restaurant, dolphin theater, rides and a gaming area. One year after opening, the park added their second roller coaster, the Scorpion.

Over the next few years, several new rides were added, including the Congo River Rapids and the Phoenix. Along with several new animal attractions and a new 1,200 seat theater, the Moroccan Palace Theater. The late 80’s saw a few animal milestones including the birth of its first elephant, three white Bengal Tigers and two giant pandas on loan from China.

Busch Gardens celebrated its thirty anniversary in 1989 by opening new attractions. The Tanganyika Tidal Wave opened in the Congo along with the Clydesdale Hamlet, home to the Anheuser -Busch signature Clydesdale horses.

The 1990’s saw the park grow more. In 1990, the Crown Colony house opened, housing a full service restaurant overlooking the Serengeti Safari. Then the Myombe Reserve was added, the reserve is a three acre home to gorillas and chimpanzees. The third coaster in Busch Gardens, Kumba was opened in 1993. Children also got their own area, Land of Dragons, an interactive area of play features and kid rides in 1995. Towards the end of the decade, the newest area of the park opened, Egypt. Egypt featured the parks fourth roller coaster, Montu. The fifth roller coaster Gwazi, a dueling wooden coaster was debuted to close out the decade.

The 2000’s continued right where the 90’s left off. The park added Rhino Rally, Cheetah Chase, the Haunted Lighthouse and in 2005 SheiKra. SheiKra is the United States only dive coaster.

The face of Busch Gardens has continued to grow throughout the years. New thrill rides and animal attractions have continued to be added. Most recently was the opening of Jungala. One thing is certain, there will be much more excitement in the future as Busch Gardens Tampa celebrates their fiftieth anniversary in 2009.

For more pictures, visit my Busch Gardens Tampa photo page.

Updated: November 5, 2009

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