We’ve made it through April, and while we’re solidly still in spring, Busch Gardens Tampa is already making plans for summer. In today’s update, we’ve got a lot to talk about with refresh projects going on around the park, plus returning and brand new entertainment offerings on the horizon. Let’s find out what’s new this time around plus catch up on the latest happenings from the park.
New Park Entrance
The park is sprucing things up by giving many areas some love, starting with the main entrance itself! A new marquee will grace the front gates, greeting guests. This new design will be debuting later this year (an exact date has not been given yet at the time of this writing). Below is concept art of what the new entry gate plaza will look like.
Pantopia Refresh
Another area getting some TLC is the Pantopia section. Painting is well underway, and Pantopia is looking as bright and vibrant as it did when this land opened in 2014, as a reimagining of the Timbuktu area.
While we’re in Pantopia, it has been announced that the Pantopia Theater will be reopening this summer! This theater has been home to the critter shows “Opening Night Critters” and later “Critters Inn Charge”. We don’t know yet if “Critters Inn Charge” will be returning or if an all-new show will be featured at the theater. That said, we’re thrilled to see more live entertainment return to the park!
Over at the Dragon Fire Grill, a new acapella group called Finish The Phrase is currently performing several times a day. If you’re a fan of the Pitch Perfect movies or just love acapella in general, this is a fun little show worth checking out.
2022 Food & Wine Festival
And let’s not forget that the Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival is still in full swing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through May 22nd. There are lots of delicious food and beverage options to choose from, plus FREE concerts every Saturday and Sunday at the Festival Field! Check out our full coverage and review of this year’s festival below.
New “Summer Celebration!” Event
Back on the subject of entertainment, Busch Gardens is debuting a brand new summer event this year called “Summer Celebration!”, which begins May 27 and will run through August 7. As part of the event, the popular Cirque Electric show will be returning to dazzle guests, plus the debut of a brand new show in Gwazi Plaza (details of this new show have not been announced yet).
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And if that’s not enough for you, the park has also announced that this spring, they’ll be opening a new Pass Member lounge located on the top floor of the Serengeti Overlook Restaurant! This lounge will offer spectacular views of the Serengeti area of the park. We’re looking forward to this project, and it will be a nice spot for Pass Members to relax for a bit.
Sesame Street Kids Weekends
Let’s not forget the little ones! Sesame Street Kids Weekends return beginning April 30th. Guests can enjoy themed daily story times, and outdoor, live performances of “Let’s Play Together” at the Sunny Days Theater in Sesame Street Safari of Fun. Additional springtime festivities include:
• Cookie Monster’s Scavenger Hunt – Cookie Monster has lost a few of his cookies and needs your help to find them! Scavenger hunt sheets can be obtained at Abby Cadabby’s Treasure Hut.|
• Sunny Days Mural – Artists big and small will have the opportunity to share the masterpieces they create at the craft tent in a kid-friendly art display.
• Sesame Street Photo Opportunities – Enjoy spring-themed photo opportunities with everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends at 1-2-3 Smile.
Around The Park
Let’s wrap things up with a look around the rest of the park!
At the front of the park, the Build A Bear store has come out with an adorable Iron Gwazi shirt for your furry friends for $14.99 (passholder discounts apply).
Iron Gwazi has been thrilling guests since it opened back in March, with an average wait time of 40-60 minutes most days. Definitely worth the wait at least once to ride North America’s tallest and the world’s steepest and fastest hybrid coaster.
Stanley Falls Flume is still closed for refurbishment/repainting. This project has been going on for a while now.
The Skyride will finally be reopening this summer! We’re very happy to see this classic attraction returning. It offers some amazing views of the park.
The flamingos and many other birds are temporarily off display at the park as a precaution due to a bout of avian flu in wild birds that have been reported across Florida. The animal care teams are keeping our feathered friends healthy, and they will be back out for viewing once it’s safe to do so.
The gift shop at the exit of Cobra’s Curse was open during my visit, which was a huge surprise as I had not seen it open in a very long time. And even more surprising was a small selection of Egyptian statues for sale, which has not been the case since just before the old Tut’s Tomb walkthrough attraction (which the queue for Cobra’s Curse now occupies) closed many years ago.
Over at the Moroccan Palace Theater, the popular “Turn It Up!” ice show returns for another run beginning April 28th.
Have you ever done the Serengeti Safari? For an additional fee, guests can ride on the back of a flatbed truck into the Serengeti area of the park and feed the giraffes! This is a very popular experience and can book up fast.
Cheetah Hunt is still looking great after getting a fresh coat of paint earlier this year.
The train is a nice, relaxing way to get around the park, and Busch Gardens recently announced the Congo train station is finally reopening after being closed for a very long time. That brings the number of train stations back to three (the other two are in Stanleyville and Nairobi)!
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Let’s Hear From You
That was a lot to cover in a Busch Gardens Tampa update! Between the transition from spring to summer (it’s hard to believe that it’ll be June in just a few weeks!), there’s a whole bunch of exciting things happening around the park. What do you think about the new look to the park entrance? Are you appreciative that there’s been so much work taking place around the park to keep the coasters in prime condition? Will you be checking out the “Summer Celebration” that kicks off on the 27th? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
