Busch Gardens Tampa

History

1957–1959: Busch Brewery and Gardens

Anheuser-Busch proposed acquiring land in Florida to construct a brewery with Tampa and Jacksonville as potential sites in April 1957. By June, unconfirmed rumors were reported that a $25–30 million brewery would be built in Tampa, but were initially denied by Anheuser-Busch. Anheuser-Busch made public on July 25, that it had purchased a 160-acre (65 ha) plot of land in Tampa for $320,000 to construct a $20 million brewery. The construction of the Tampa brewery coincided with the construction of a competing brewery, Schlitz, in the Tampa Industrial Park complex. August Busch Jr. remarked during the planning of the brewery that the company wanted to include gardens to attract the local community and contribute landscaped areas. Busch Jr. held the opinion that functional parks could help widen Anheuser-Busch's interest.

In March 1958, August Busch Jr. commemorated the groundbreaking for the Tampa brewery. Construction took place through the rest of 1958 and early 1959. In February 1959, Anheuser-Busch acknowledged the brewery would open in March. A dedication ceremony for the brewery was scheduled in March, though the opening of the Busch Gardens would not take place until June when the brewery's beer would begin to ship. Manufacturing in the Busch brewery began on March 12. The brewery was dedicated on March 31, by August Busch Jr. with around 2,000 people in attendance, including the press, political and local leaders. Anheuser-Busch formally announced the operating hours of the Busch brewery and gardens in May.

The brewery and gardens officially opened to the public for tours on June 1, 1959, as an admission-free facility with 250 attending the opening ceremony and around 1,000 attendees to Busch Gardens. Busch Gardens opened on 15-acre (6.1 ha) of land southwest of the brewery at the cost of around $500,000. The associated gardens featured lagoons and landscaping, with around 36,000 flowering plants and 300 trees. Opening animal attractions for Busch Gardens included a bird show in an amphitheater seating around 200 individuals, a bird sanctuary featuring flamingos and a separate animal area named "Devil's Island," and caged enclosures for eagles and cockatoos. Additional attractions included a dwarf village and the "Hospitality House," a William B. Harvard designed facility that offered free samples of beer to guests. Another 118-acre (48 ha) was used for housing the brewers Budweiser Clydesdales, and planned to host buffalo, ostriches, and zebras located east of the brewery. The original gardens was later dubbed the "Bird Gardens".

1959–1968: Additions and African veldt

A $5 million expansion was announced in July 1959 by Anheuser-Busch to the existing facility because of the newfound success. In February 1960, construction started on a geodesic dome in the gardens that was 22.5-foot (6.9 m) high and 90 feet (27 m) in diameter, later opening on March 22, at the cost of $75,000. The dome, named the Adolphus Busch Space Frame, was constructed from anodized aluminum colored gold and located north of the bird amphitheater. The dome featured landscaping, suspended birds nests, and ponds that connected to a lagoon outside. Anheuser-Busch revealed its plan to construct the Stairway to the Stars attraction in October, which would be a 86-foot (26 m) Otis escalator to the roof of the brewery. The escalator opened on March 22, 1961, as part of a renovation to the Busch brewery and its public tours. The escalator featured a 5,000-square-foot (460-square-metre) pool beneath, a 1,000-square-foot (93-square-metre) observation deck atop of the brewery, and a 150-foot (46 m) raised walkway to enter Busch Gardens. The pool originally hosted penguins.

Anheuser-Busch bought additional parcels of land in May 1962. In the same month, Anheuser-Busch communicated its intentions to expand Busch Gardens at the cost of $3.5 to $4 million as the company projected a rise in attendance for the coming decade, necessitating growth. The expansion called for different themed lands, with an African veldt and the American Plains planned, accompanied by wildlife animals pertaining to each geography. The additions would also call for a railway and create more landscaped environments for animal habitats. In October, Busch Gardens expanded its animal collection to around 1,000 birds. As part of the expansion, Anheuser-Busch stated a monorail would be constructed through the African veldt in January 1963, and a four-story Swiss-themed restaurant in December, both east of the brewery. Another land purchase was made by Anheuser-Busch in April 1964, their third since the opening. Thomas J. Pinta was named manager of Busch Gardens in July. Busch Gardens debuted a trackless transportation train on October 1, to travel between the gardens and the Old Swiss House via the parking lot. The Old Swiss House was completed in October.

The Wild Animal Kingdom, representing the African veldt, was completed in 1965, in addition to a clock tower built adjacent to the Old Swiss House. The African veldt contained a variety of animals mostly imported from Africa, including cheetahs, chimpanzees, elephants, gorillas, lions, and rhinos with habitats faithfully recreated by the park. By November, Anheuser-Busch acquired land east of its existing property for a potential expansion of Busch Gardens or its brewery. The gardens and brewery encompassed around 208 acres (84 ha), with the total acreage owned by the brewer amounting to around 268 acres (108 ha).

1969–1975: Boma and themed area expansions

For the coming year, Anheuser-Busch announced in March 1969 a 2.5-acre (1.0 ha) zoo area expansion entitled "Boma" to the current gardens. The exhibit space would cost $1 million, located between the brewery and the monorail, and contribute to the growth of the brewery and park. Busch Gardens saw short manager changes with Pinta being replaced by Franklin H. Rust in May 1969, and Rust resigning in February 1970. Anheuser-Busch expressed its intention to expand its animal habitats, coinciding with the development of Disney World in the vicinity of Orlando, Florida. August Busch Jr. had toured the Disney World site and wanted the Tampa brewery and gardens to maintain its hold in the tourist market. The Anheuser-Busch Tampa location was favored amongst its other four properties, being the company's leading model into the entertainment industry.

During the preview event for the Boma area in June 1970, Anheuser-Busch announced a $12.6 million expansion for the coming decade. The expansion would initially call for the additions of an amphitheater seating 1,000 guests, a "tree tops" viewing platform of the African veldt, a locomotive train, and a log flume. The plans also stipulated the end of free-admission and charging a general admission to the park as well as getting rid of parking admission. General admission to the park was implemented on July 31, coinciding with the opening of the Boma area that featured African mammals, birds, and a manmade mountain. The initial price of entry to the park was $1.25 for adults and 50¢ for children. The park's entrance was relocated during the same day to an adjacent road. The immediate extension of Busch Gardens called for the construction of a railroad, African village, and an amphitheater in the following years.

Robert B. Bean was named the new general manager for the Busch Gardens park in April 1971. The Trans-Veldt Railway opened on July 4, between the monorail and Boma section. The train departed from the "Nairobi Junction" station into the animal habitat and was an upcharge attraction. In January 1972, the tree tops observation deck was being constructed at the cost of $250,000, opening months later with the African village on June 19. The African village, located north of the original gardens, accommodated the Stanleyville station, an additional train station on the Trans-Veldt Railway. The African village contained the Tanzanian Theater featuring an elephant show, gorilla and okapi enclosures, and various shops. The tree tops was a three-level observation deck in the northern half of the African veldt and only reachable by the Trans-Veldt Railway upon opening. During this time, the monorail and railway upcharges were eliminated, with the general admission increased in price. The boat ride in the African village, titled Livingstone's Landing, later opened in the summer of 1972.

1975–1989: The Dark Continent and continued growth

Near the end of 1975, Busch Gardens launched a new campaign that sought to promote the Tampa park around a centralized older Africa theme. The rebrand of the Busch Gardens park would introduce aspects of live entertainment, advertising, animal displays, and thrill rides. The beginning of the 1976 year saw the park take on a new name as "The Dark Continent". The Dark Continent was chosen to distinguish Busch Gardens from other comparably named attractions in Florida, such as the Tiki Gardens and Sunken Gardens. As part of the campaign, the African veldt became known as the Serengeti Plain, Boma became Nairobi, and the Moroccan village was formally dubbed Marrakesh.

Work on the last part of the $7.6 million development, another themed area known as the Congo, began in January 1976. Python, a steel roller coaster manufactured by Arrow Development, premiered on July 1, as the park's first roller coaster. An octopus-style flat ride, named the Monstrous Mamba, constructed by the Eyerly Aircraft Company was opened shortly after in 1976. Both additions were part of Stanleyville and located in the northern half of the section. A marching brass group known as the Mystic Sheiks of Morocco began performing throughout the park in 1976. The Congo section opened on July 26, 1977, next to Stanleyville and located northwest in the park's layout. The Congo incorporated the Python roller coaster and Monstrous Mamba into its themed land. The land saw the transformation of Livingstone's Landing into the African Queen boat ride. In addition, the land hosted a shooting gallery, the Bengal tiger's Claw Island exhibit, and an Intamin swing ride entitled the Swinging Vines. Bumper cars were opened in 1977.

An unspecified addition to the park was disclosed in May 1978 at a cost of between $5 and $10 million, including a large dining facility. During 1978, Anheuser-Busch made land acquisitions extending their total property to encompass around 350-acre (140 ha) in Tampa. Construction was well underway in November for the expansion titled Timbuktu. In February 1979, the park unveiled a $18.5 million expansion that would include the Timbuktu addition and a new water park adjacent to the park called Adventure Island. The Timbuktu addition would mark the 20th anniversary of the park's opening. It would also connect the Congo and Nairobi sections, include a large dining facility, several attractions, and an amphitheater. The Trans Veldt Railway operated a new station in the area in 1979. Continuing with the developments for the past years was the announcement of a $20 million hotel in April, though was later delayed. Parts of the Timbuktu section began to open in late 1979.

1990–1999: Thrill additions and animal habitats

By the early 1990s, Busch Gardens sought to add more attractions to maintain the attention of the public and amusement industry trends. The panda exhibit, introduced in 1988, was the last significant attraction introduced to the park. Busch Gardens officials recognized the need for a subsequent addition. The campervan park was closed in 1990 due to the decline in sales. The former Old Swiss House reopened as the Crown Colony House in early 1990. A restaurant was added on the top floor of the renovated building utilizing an African theme. The Swinging Vines attraction was removed around 1991. The park announced Questor in May 1991, a motion simulator ride manufactured by Reflectone, which opened on May 23. Located near the Clydesdale stables and Crown Colony House, Questor featured the story of explorer Sir Edison Fitzwilly pursuing the Crystal of Zed through different landscapes.

To maintain its hold in the Florida theme park market, Busch Gardens unveiled plans to construct the Myombe Reserve, a 3-acre (1.2 ha) chimpanzee and gorilla exhibit that would replace the Boma section. The exhibit opened on June 17, 1992, with its entrance located near the Moroccan Palace Theater. The park hosted a temporary Olympic village for the U.S. team in July as a sponsor of the 1992 Summer Olympics. Continuing efforts to expand, the park revealed plans in November to construct a signature steel roller coaster within the Congo section named Kumba. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the roller coaster would be constructed in the northwest area of the park near the Congo River Rapids and bumper cars. The roller coaster debuted with a height of 143 feet (44 m), a track length of 3,978 feet (1,212 m), and reached speeds of 60 mph (97 km/h) upon opening on April 21, 1993. In 1994, a kids area named the Land of the Dragons was earmarked to replace the Dwarf Village. The Stanleyville variety show saw its production close in 1994, after fourteen years, and a new ice skating show debut in the Moroccan Palace Theater titled, Hollywood Live on Ice, in November.

The construction of the Wild Animal Kingdom prompted Busch Gardens to map out a competitive strategy for the coming years in preparation for its first direct competitor in the Florida theme park market. The Land of the Dragons opened on May 9, 1995, debuting on a 1.5-acre (0.61 ha) area featuring a large three-story tree house, miniature cars, a ferris wheel, and rope bridge. The dragon retheme was done to update the area and adopted from its sister park in Williamsburg. The success of Kumba prompted the park to file plans for an Egypt section in May that would include the park's fourth roller coaster, shopping, and a train station. Additional details of the Egypt land were revealed in August. Anheuser-Busch stated it would close the brewery inside the Busch Gardens Tampa location on October 25. The plant on the Busch Gardens property had become the smallest brewery of the company's 13 and was slated to close down because of decreased beer consumption and high per-barrel costs. The shutdown was part of an overall restructuring effort, with the 17-acre (6.9 ha) land transferred to the park. The Monstrous Mamba flat ride closed in the fall season. A safari upcharge attraction was opened to the public in November riding through the Serengeti Plain section. The park's brewery closed in December and was later demolished.

2000–2009: Updates and end of Anheuser-Busch ownership

Up to 2000, Busch Gardens' manager, Carson, had replaced several long-time executives and created a new leadership team to rejuvenate the park because of growing competition from other Florida theme parks. Instead of investing in technologically innovative and expensive rides, the park sought to attract guests through unique experiences with interactive wildlife elements. The park began advertising its location as a holiday destination within the Tampa Bay area as Disney had done in Orlando. To retain attendance from returning visitors, Anheuser-Busch began offering a "Fun Card" to Florida residents at their Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld Orlando theme parks beginning in 2000. The pass would provide benefits and ability to visit the park to the end of the year and would replace most of its discount programs previously offered. Park officials revealed plans to construct Rhino Rally in May, a Land Rover safari attraction for the coming year. The revitalized 29-acre (12 ha) land of the Serengeti Plain debuted to the public on June 22, including an add-on tour in a truck through the animal habitat. Busch Gardens premiered Howl-O-Scream, a new iteration of its Halloween event from the previous year in October, adopting the event from its sister park in Williamsburg after its success and in hopes of challenging Universal's Halloween event.

After its success, the Fun Card was reintroduced in 2001 for Florida residents. Rhino Rally opened to the public on May 23. After the events of the September 11 attacks, Anheuser-Busch temporarily closed its parks, but reopened the following day. Starting in June 2002, the park was the first Florida to offer a second day free entrance when it rained during a guests stay. In August, the park indicated it would replace its Dolphin Theater with a 4D film theater. Several projects were proposed to open during the 2003 season, including a white rhino habitat, an add-on zoo keeper experience, a revitalized Timbuktu area with the Das Festhaus restaurant being rethemed, and the premiere of the 4D film, Haunted Lighthouse. A new logo would also be introduced to phase out an old one used for 20 years prior. General manager Carson was replaced by Dan Brown in mid-May. The 4D film debuted in the newly constructed 750-seat theater in May, with the Timbuktu revamp and the Kasbah restaurant scheduled to open soon after. The 26-acre (11 ha) area for the three white rhinos from South Africa debuted in June.

Starting in June 2003, Busch Gardens introduced the "Summer Nights" event offering extended hours during the summer season nights. The park began construction in late-2003 on its parking lot to accommodate new tunnels to be built under McKinley Drive for easier access to the park. With August Busch III taking more interest in the Anheuser-Busch parks to help in monetary gains, Busch Gardens also announced an overhaul to its entertainment options. During this time, park officials formally scrapped the hotel entertainment complex plan. Busch Entertainment stated it would move its wild mouse roller coaster, Wild Maus, from Busch Gardens Williamsburg to its Tampa park and replace the Crazy Camel trabant flat ride.

2010–present: New ownership and additions

General manager Mills was replaced by Jim Dean in the role of park president in February 2010. The Mystic Sheiks of Morocco band ceased performances in 2010, and a new 4-D film based on the Sesame Street cast would debut in the Timbuktu Theater, replacing Pirates 4-D. The Sesame Street section opened as Sesame Street Safari of Fun on March 27, on a 2.5-acre (1.0 ha) area. A walk through kangaroo enclosure, titled the Walkabout Way, opened in the Bird Gardens area on June 14. Busch Gardens announced two attractions for the coming year on October 13, with an Intamin-made launched roller coaster named Cheetah Hunt located in the former monorail station and a cheetah enclosure titled Cheetah Run.

Busch Gardens disclosed on May 16, 2011, a replacement to the old rhinoceros enclosure with a 16,000 sq ft (1,500 m2) Animal Care & Nutrition Center. Cheetah Hunt and its associated Cheetah Run enclosure opened on May 27. Disney discontinued their Grad Night event in 2011, leading to Busch Gardens to pick up its own event for graduating local high schools.

Busch Gardens opened its Animal Care Center on January 23, 2012, at an estimated cost of $5 million in the Nairobi section. A winter event, titled Christmas Town premiered in November and would continue on into December. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment changed the logo and slogan of its Busch Gardens parks in February 2013, choosing a "coaster tree" to represent the park's environment and rides. The Stanleyville Theater was enclosed in 2013. The Sandstorm orbiter flat ride would close in June, which would make way for a 335-foot (102 m) drop tower named Falcon's Fury to open within the next year. The Intamin-made drop tower would be located in the Timbuktu section and drop riders face down. The park's Crown Colony restaurant closed indefinitely by mid-2013, with industry observers citing budget cuts and slow attendance for the change in operation. Busch Gardens later revealed in November a retheme of the Timbuktu section into "Pantopia", where Falcon's Fury would be located. The Pantopia section would feature a vibrant color pallet for existing buildings, introduce a new story line for the fictional land and refreshments, keep existing rides, and open with the drop tower.

The animal show, Critter Castaways, in the Bird Gardens Theater would be moved to the Pantopia Theater following the former theater's closure in February 2014, which was subsequently demolished having been at the park since its opening. Within the same month, the park opted into Tampa's City Pass alongside other local zoos and aquariums. Falcon's Fury was delayed from its initial opening date on May 1, though, the Pantopia section officially opened. The drop tower would later open on September 2, after varied soft-openings. The safari attraction Rhino Rally permanently closed in September. The park would disclose in December that wooden roller coasters Gwazi would close in the coming months due to rising costs in operation and feedback from guests. Gwazi closed on February 1, 2015, after 15 years of operation. A new attraction for the Egypt section was disclosed in February 2015, to come the next year. A replacement of the park's Bands, Brew, and BBQ event debuted in March, as the Food and Wine Festival. Busch Gardens formally announced its Egyptian addition in May as Cobra's Curse, a spinning roller coaster to debut the following year. The previous Desert Grill reopened as the Dragon Fire Grill on June 1.

Park layout and attractions

The Serengeti Express, a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railway, consists of a steam train that runs along the back end of the park and makes stops at the Nairobi, Congo and Stanleyville themed areas.

The SkyRide transports guests between the Edge of Africa (near Cheetah Hunt) and Stanleyville.

Morocco

The park's main entrance is themed after the country of the same name. Treats can be purchased at the Sultan's Sweets and the Zagora Cafe. The Moroccan Palace and the outdoor Marrakesh Theater are located there.

Gwazi Gliders, a small hang glider flat ride relocated from the Congo section's defunct Pygmy Village kids' area.

Myombe Reserve, a 3-acre (12,000 m2) home for three western lowland gorillas and nine chimpanzees located in Nairobi, opened in 1992.

Moroccan Palace, a palace-themed ice skating theater nearby Myombe Reserve chimpanzee entrance. It hosts Busch Gardens' new ice skating show, Rhythm of Nature. The theater was also home to the park's award-winning ice skating show, Turn It Up! The Hottest Show on Ice which ran from 2017 to 2024.

Iron Gwazi, a hybrid wooden-steel roller coaster. In 2019, Busch Gardens Tampa announced that a new hybrid coaster would be built on the space where Gwazi once stood. It was built by world-famous roller coaster manufacturer Rocky Mountain Construction. Upon its opening, it became North America's tallest hybrid coaster dnd the world's fastest and steepest hybrid coaster.

Sesame Street Safari of Fun

Former "Land of the Dragons" children's section of the park. Land of the Dragons, which itself replaced the Dwarf Village in 1995, was replaced by Sesame Street Safari of Fun on March 27, 2010. It contains all the attractions from Land of the Dragons, which are now re-themed.

Telly's Jungle Jam, an interactive play area.

Rosita's Djembe Fly-Away, a swing ride.

Bert & Ernie's Watering hole, a water play area.

Air Grover, a children's roller coaster.

Stanleyville

This section of the park is named after the city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that was originally known as Stanleyville (now Kisangani). This section is home to SheiKra, one of the flagship coasters. Opened in 2005, it was the first and only Bolliger & Mabillard Dive Coaster in North America until the addition of Griffon at the sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 2007. It was also home to one of the park's water rides, Stanley Falls Flume, which opened with the section in 1973 and closed in 2025, along with a Premier Rides Sky Rocket II named Tigris, which opened in 2019. The African Queen Boat Ride opened in 1977 as Busch's version of Disney's Jungle Cruise. The African Queen featured live animals, including alligators, crocodiles, rhinoceroses and spider monkeys. A South American macaw rode on each boat. In 1989, the African Queen Boat Ride was converted into Tanganyika Tidal Wave with the addition of a 55-foot (17 m) drop that generated a large splash. The section remained unchanged until 2005 when SheiKra opened, and the surrounding area was renovated. Tanganyika Tidal Wave later closed in 2016 and was demolished in 2018 to make way for Tigris.

SheiKra, a 200-foot (61 m) Bolliger & Mabillard floorless dive roller coaster with a 90-degree vertical drop. This was North America's first vertical dive coaster. The ride originally operated with floors until they were replaced with floorless trains in 2007. The ride was repainted in 2013.

Tigris, a Premier Rides Sky Rocket II. It is located on the site of Tanganyika Tidal Wave. Tigris officially opened on April 19, 2019.

Congo

This section, themed to the jungles of Congo (including both the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo) contains the Congo River Rapids, an Intamin River Rapids ride. In November 2006, Congo underwent a major renovation, including the removal of the park's Arrow Dynamics Corkscrew roller coaster, Python. Other former Congo attractions include the Swinging Vines, a family swing flat ride which closed in the early 1990s, the Monstrous Mamba octopus flat ride which closed in the late 1990s, and Kumba, a steel roller coaster manufactured by Bolliger and Mabillard that was closed in August 2026. The Pygmy Village kids area featuring three children's rides, a teacup ride, and a kiddie swing ride relocated to Sesame Street Safari of Fun, and the Gwazi Gliders, which was also relocated to Morocco.

Congo River Rapids, an Intamin River Rapids ride, opened in 1982. The queue also houses a Komodo dragon exhibit.

Ubanga Banga Bumper Cars, a bumper cars ride.

Jungala

Opened on April 5, 2008, Jungala is a 4-acre (16,000 m2) family attraction featuring up-close animal encounters. Another attraction is Tiger Trail, which is a walkthrough with tigers where there is also a glass turret where guests can look out right in the middle of the tiger enclosure. During the Kareebu Jungala atmosphere show, stiltwalkers perform with puppets and interact with guests in the heart of Jungala.

Orangutan Outpost, a tree-top observation platform to watch and interact with Bornean orangutans and Sumatran orangutans. As of 2026, Busch Gardens has 5 orangutans, including 2 males and 3 females.

Tiger Lodge and Tiger Trail: Observation areas, trails, and a bridge to watch and interact with tigers. As of 2026, the park is home to six tigers, which include Leon and Rukayah, Bandar (who is a Sumatran tiger), and Asmara (who is a Malayan tiger). In August 2026, Asmara gave birth to two cubs fathered by Rukayah.

Pantopia

A section originally themed after the malls and bazaars of Africa that opened up in May 1980 as Timbuktu. The Phoenix, an Intamin Looping Starship, was built in 1984 and closed in 2018. It was removed in December 2022 and then replaced by Phoenix Rising, the first Bolliger & Mabillard Family Inverted Coaster to open in the United States. Sand Serpent (formerly operating at Busch Gardens Williamsburg as Wild Izzy, later Wild Maus, then Cheetah Chase when moved to Florida), was a Mack Rides Wilde Maus that opened in Florida in 2004 and closed in 2023. The section was renovated in 2003. Elements added during this facelift included the enclosing of the Timbuktu Theater, which replaced the park's Dolphin Theater with an indoor 4-D movie theater. The dolphins retired to other locations. The 4-D theater premiered with the "R.L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse" film in 2003, followed by "Pirates 4-D" in 2006 and "Sesame Street Presents: Lights! Camera! Imagination!" in 2010. In 2004, Das Festhaus was transformed into the Desert Grill. In September 2014, Falcon's Fury, a 335-foot Intamin Sky Jump, opened. Replacing the former Sandstorm orbiter flat ride. This section of the park was re-themed to Pantopia alongside the opening of Falcon's Fury.

Pantopia Theater, an indoor theater that originally housed Opening Night Critters with the opening of Pantopia in 2014. In Spring 2019, it is now home to Critters Inn Charge after Opening Night Critters closed.

Caravan Carousel, a carousel with horses, camels, and chariots.

Falcon's Fury, an Intamin Sky Jump that has a speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and tilts 90 degrees towards the ground. It is the tallest free-standing drop tower in North America at 335 feet (102 m).

Phoenix Rising, a B&M, family inverted roller coaster with an over-banked curve that brings riders close to flipping upside down above the ride's entrance sign. It is Busch Gardens' newest operating roller coaster and North America's tallest and longest family inverted roller coaster.

Nairobi

Named after the capital of Kenya, animals like alligators and crocodiles can be observed here up close. Guests can view mammal and reptile exhibits. Visitors to Nairobi can meet the Animal Ambassadors who travel the country and make educational appearances at Animal Connections. The area also contains Myombe Reserve, a tropical rainforest that is home to western lowland gorillas and chimpanzees. In 2012 the Animal Care Center opened, allowing guests to observe actual veterinary procedures, as well as meet the stars of Wildlife Docs, Busch Gardens' Saturday morning television show. The main train station at Busch Gardens is located at Nairobi. Another popular attraction there is the Asian elephant exhibit. Nairobi used to have a safari truck ride called Rhino Rally, similar to Kilimanjaro Safaris at Walt Disney World. The attraction closed in 2015 and was replaced in 2023 by Serengeti Flyer.

Animal Care Center, a nearly 16,000-square-foot (1,500 m2) attraction, allows visitors the chance to view the Busch Gardens' veterinarians at work in a new state-of-the-art veterinary hospital. The major visitor aspects of the facility include a nutrition demonstration kitchen, treatment rooms, a clinical lab and an interactive diagnostic activity. Behind the scenes, the veterinary hospital also includes the animal nutrition center, animal recovery and holding rooms, and vet offices. The park's former animal care center was located behind the scenes.

Elephant Interaction Wall, the Nairobi section of the park has three female Asian elephants. They are named Simba, who is 56 years old; Carina, who is 52 years old; and Karnaudi, who is 36 years old. There are daily interactions at the Elephant Interaction and Husbandry Wall or during the Elephant Keeper Experience.

Serengeti Flyer, a tall, intense S&S Sansei Screamin' Swing that opened in 2023. Initially, in the morning hours, the ride runs “mild mode”, in which it only features half the height and speed, while in the afternoon, it runs “wild mode” in which it reaches its maximum height and speed. However, since late 2023, the ride runs in "wild mode" only.

Edge of Africa

Edge of Africa, otherwise known as Cheetah Hunt Plaza, is the smallest section of the park. It features a restaurant, The Serengeti Overlook Restaurant and Pub, the Cheetah Hunt roller coaster, and the Skyride station.

Cheetah Hunt, an Intamin Blitz coaster that opened in 2011. The roller coaster contains 3 launches, a Windcatcher Tower, and a heartline roll inversion. A suspended monorail, which took guests around the Serengeti Plain, previously occupied Cheetah Hunt's station but had sat empty since the attraction closed in 1999.

Cheetah Run, an animal exhibit located next to Cheetah Hunt. It replaced the Clydesdale Hamlet. In May 2011, Cheetah Run opened. Cheetah Run is home to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's collection of cheetahs. There are running demonstrations and Meet a Keeper sessions throughout the day. In addition, the exhibit has interactive screens with cheetah facts. One of Cheetah Run's most notable former residents was Kasi, a male cheetah, who was paired with Mtani, a female Labrador Retriever, from 2011 to 2013 when they were young. Mtani now lives with a zookeeper, and Kasi was paired with a female cheetah. As of 2026, Busch Gardens has 5 cheetahs.

Egypt

Bedouin tents, authentic handicrafts and art create an Egyptian marketplace feel. The primary attraction of the Egypt-themed area is Montu, an inverted steel coaster. Tut's Tomb, a former audio-guided walk-through tomb excavation closed in Winter 2013, and the interior was gutted to make way for the queue for Cobra's Curse. The former Golden Scarab Gift Shop was converted into a gift shop at the exit of the attraction.

Cobra's Curse, a Mack Rides spinning coaster that replaced Tut's Tomb and opened on June 17, 2016.

Montu, named after the Egyptian falcon-god of war, a 150-foot (46 m) Bolliger & Mabillard Inverted roller coaster with seven inversions.

Former Attractions

Animal habitats

Busch Gardens is Tampa's largest zoo, with more than 200 species of animals.

Animal Care Center

Facility that allows visitors to view animal care being conducted, from treatments to X-rays.

The Wildlife Docs, an Emmy nominated television series that follows animal caretakers treating more than 12,000 different animals living in Busch Gardens Tampa.

Bird Gardens

A free-flight aviary that shows over 500 tropical birds from around the globe, including parrots, flamingos, and others. The original section of the park opened in 1959. The area, for the most part, remains mostly gardens and animal exhibits. A staple attraction that once stood in this section was the brewery. However, the brewery closed in 1995, and Gwazi now sits where the brewery was located. In 2014, the Bird Gardens theater was demolished, and the outdoor show (Critter Castaways) was relocated inside the Pantopia Theater under the new name "Opening Night Critters". This ran until December 2018. A show showcasing animals that were brought in to a facility and taken to (SeaWorld Entertainment), known as "Rescue Tales", which was already at SeaWorld Orlando, is currently running at the park.

Walkabout Way, themed as an Australian outpost, opened in June 2010. This area allows guests to hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies, and see animals including kookaburras, magpies, black swans and tawny frogmouths. A male kangaroo, Horatio, arrived at the park in early 2014. This experience is open to all guests 5 years of age or older.

Lory Landing, an open aviary habitat that invites guests to walk around and be visited by lorikeets. Purchasing nectar is an optional part of the habitat, providing an experience of hand-feeding the birds.

Edge of Africa

Opened in 1997, Edge of Africa is a walk-through attraction where guests can observe African animals. Among the exhibits are a Nile crocodile named Sobek; meerkats; a coalition of lions named Henri, Herman, Hugo, Lou, and Pascal; two spotted hyenas named Dazi and Cazi; three hippos named Moyo, Kita, and Devi; and a troop of ring-tailed lemurs.

The hippos Moyo and Kita are never exhibited together, being father and daughter, and being unaware of this would try to mate with each other. Therefore, both are rotated into the exhibit and holding area day by day to avoid accidental inbreeding.

The Serengeti Plain

In 1965, the park opened its Serengeti Plain animal habitat, the first of its kind to offer animals in a free-roaming environment. Over the years, the habitat has expanded from 29 acres (12 ha) to its current size of 65 acres (26 ha). It is home to the Grévy's zebra, Grant's zebra, Grant's gazelle,

Thomson's gazelle, sable antelope, reticulated giraffe, Ankole-Watusi, addax, waterbuck, greater kudu, southern white rhinoceros, common eland, impala, common ostrich, and lowland nyala. A secluded area of this region is home to a solitary female eastern black rhinoceros named Jody.

Events

From January to March, Busch Gardens hosts a weekly concert series which invites popular bands either in big band music or pop to perform classic or contemporary songs.

(Previously called Bud & BBQ and Bands, Brew & BBQ) For the months of March & April, Busch Gardens hosts a series of concerts in Gwazi Field, mostly from classic rock and country music acts. Sometimes the event includes alternative rock, pop, hip hop and R&B acts as well as comedians. Also, there are special culinary offerings that include a variety of ethnic food and wine samplings from various local vendors along the walkway from the Gwazi Roller Coaster to the gate in Gwazi Field. The documentary film Blackfish and a subsequent online petition led to several popular musical groups cancelling performances at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens' "Bands, Brew & BBQ" event in 2014. This caused the removal of the event in Tampa, which was replaced by the annual Food and Wine Festival, resembling the one currently at Epcot in Walt Disney World Orlando. In March, several Latin music acts are hosted on the stage in Gwazi Field. There is a similar culinary setup with special offerings for the concert days as there is for Bands, Brew & BBQ. During summer months, the park stays open later and includes concerts by performers like David Cassidy and Starship with Mickey Thomas. The park's Independence Day festivities add fireworks to the entertainment lineup.

In 2010, Busch Gardens added a new nighttime show called Kinetix, the first special effect-heavy show put on in Gwazi Field. Also, they added many new special effects (i.e., Strobe, Lighting, Fog) to the existing rides just for the Summer Nights season. Kinetix discontinued after the 2016 Summer Nights. Since 2017, Busch Gardens Summer Nights now includes party zones where guests can dance with Party Starters and DJs to the music and compete for special prizes. The major party zones are ¡Fiesta Festa! in the Cheetah Hunt Plaza and Tigris's Party Zone (formally Viben Village) in Stanleyville. On every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, guests can compete in the "Dance Challenge" at Gwazi Park to win four free tickets to Adventure Island as well as a fireworks show directly afterward. In 2022, Busch Gardens Summer Nights was officially renamed to "Busch Gardens Summer Celebration," following general renovations to the park.

Every September and October since 2000, Busch Gardens is transformed into Howl-O-Scream. This event contains haunted houses, scare zones, and shows. Howl-O-Scream is one of the top-rated Halloween events in the United States. Howl-O-Scream has featured some attractions of the park turned into "horrified" attractions at night. This includes Serengeti Safari Tours, which was turned into Evening Serengeti Safari Tours, and Curiosity Caverns, which was turned into Dark Cavern, both in 2000. In 2012, Howl-O-Scream celebrated 13 "unlucky" years.

Awards and recognition

Rankings

The following is a list of roller coasters at Busch Gardens Tampa that have placed on Amusement Today's award or nomination list, along with the highest ranking and year awarded or nominated. Busch Gardens Tampa has also been nominated for best landscaping in 1998 and 2007.

Montu: 2 (1999)

Kumba: 4 (1998)

SheiKra: 13 (2006)

Cheetah Hunt: 29 (2011)

Iron Gwazi: 29 (2022)

Gwazi: 40 (2007)