Busch Gardens Tampa Summer Celebration Brings Electrifying Fun

Summer is in full swing, and Busch Gardens Tampa is pulling out all the stops with their new Summer Celebration event which runs through August 7. The park invited us to check out the festivities, however, the day we visited, the weather decided not to cooperate and it was a literal washout, with rides being closed, all the outdoor activities & shows being canceled, and the park closed early. But we returned the next weekend to check it all out for you!

There are lots of activities happening around the park during Summer Celebration. Let’s start with the shows. There are four shows, with three of them taking place indoors, which gives a welcomed break from the Florida summer heat and humidity.

Turn It Up!

The award-winning and acclaimed ice show, Turn It Up!, is back at the Moroccan Palace Theater delighting guests. Ice shows have been a long tradition of Busch Gardens and this is one of the best they’ve ever done. The skating is energetic and a lot of fun.

Summer Celebration Celebrity Talent Showcase

This is a brand new show that just recently debuted. Housed in the Pantopia Theater, this show highlights four acts that have been featured on America’s Got Talent. When we visited the acts were:

Chicago Boyz Acrobatic Team (featured on season 8) – A professional gymnastics troupe consisting of some very talented boys and men from the Chicago area.

Smoothini (semifinalist on season 9 & host of “Hip-Hop Houdini” on Fuse) – A magician.

Charles Peachock – An award-winning juggler.

iLuminate – A dance troupe that fuses technology and dance. Clips of their performances have gone viral on social media.

This show was a lot of fun! The above acts will be performing through July 10. Beginning  July 13 through August 7 a new group of acts will debut (which have not been announced yet at the time of this writing).

Cirque Electric

This popular show has returned due to guest demand, and it’s easy to see why. Performed in the Stanleyville Theater, this high-energy blacklight circus acrobatic show leaves viewers on the edge of their seats.

The performers are top-notch and a lot of fun. We especially loved the roller skaters and the Wheel of Chaos acts.

Gwazi Beats

This is another brand-new show. Performed outside in Gwazi Plaza, Gwazi Beats is a high-energy combination of drums, dancers and stilt walkers. It’s a fun little show that pleasantly surprised us.

In addition to the shows, once the sun starts going down, there are three (3) DJ dance party plazas set up around the park for those who want to get down and boogie (also a great way for the little ones to burn off any remaining energy for the day).

And if that wasn’t enough for you, Summer Celebration also gives guests the opportunity to ride some of the best roller coasters in the country in the dark, which gives an added thrill to the experience. The day of our second visit (a Saturday), waits for the coasters were somewhat high, ranging from 45 minutes all the way up to 70 minutes for Iron Gwazi (the newest coaster which has been a major crowd-pleaser since it opened back in March).

To end the day, the Summer Celebration Fireworks Spectacular lights up the skies every Friday-Sunday at 9:15pm (weather permitting). This is a short (15 minutes), but fun show filled with fireworks, fountains and other special effects. The show can be seen throughout the park, but for the best viewing area and to experience the water fountains and other effects, we recommend watching from the Festival Field.

Free Beer Is Back

Yes, you read that right, free beer is back! Through August 7, guests 21 and up can enjoy two (2) complimentary 7-ounce beer samples per day over at Pantopia Drinks & Snacks. We got to try the Wild Russet hard cider from Green Bench Brewing (located in St. Petersburg, FL), which was a perfect mix of dry and sweet.

All Day Dining

We got to experience the All Day Dining option that’s available at the park. This option has been around for a while, but we’ve never had an opportunity to check it out. For $49.99 (ages 10+) and $24.99 for children age 3-9, you can select an entrée, side or dessert and a drink every 90 minutes. Participating All Day Dining restaurants are Zagora Café, Oasis Pizza at Serengeti Overlook, Zambia Smokehouse & Dragon Fire Grill.

When you purchase the All Day Dining, you get a wristband with a barcode that is scanned every time you use it, which is super convenient and makes checking out less of a hassle (no having to dig out your wallet every time).

But is it worth the price? If you’re a big eater, or if you plan to eat every meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner) at the park, plus have snacks multiple times throughout the day, then yes. But if you’re not a big eater and only have one meal or just like to enjoy snacks during your park visit, then All Day Dining is most likely not worth investing in.

We also thought it was a bit limiting with only 4 food locations participating in the plan. We would love to see more options available for snacks/drinks, like at least a few of the popcorn/churro /pretzel stands. That would add more value to the price overall.

Summer Celebration Murals

There are several beautiful murals on display throughout the park. Some are left over from the Food & Wine Festival, while others have been created for Summer Celebration.

Pride Month

Busch Gardens has a couple of cute photo-ops available in the park for Pride Month. 

Also every night, they’re lighting up Iron Gwazi for Pride. It’s super pretty awash in color. 

This is the first time the park has formally recognized Pride Month and I love it!

Guy Harvey Weekend

Famed wildlife artist and conservationist Guy Harvey made his annual visit to Busch Gardens earlier this month to meet fans and sign pieces of his artwork.

Merchandise

We spotted some new merchandise items in the park recently, starting with this adorable Cookie Monster Loungefly mini backpack (and yes I bought one as I collect Loungefly bags and I also love Cookie Monster). This is in the same style as the Oscar the Grouch mini backpack that has been available since earlier this year at SeaWorld.

We also spotted some new shirts highlighting some of the coasters in the park.

Around The Park

Let’s wrap things up with a quick look around the rest of the park.

The flamingos and other birds are back out after being off display for a while due to precautions regarding a bout of avian flu in Florida.

 

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Let’s Hear From You

That’s the news for today’s trip to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay! How does the brand-new Summer Celebration look to you? Does free beer entice you to visit the park? Have you tried out the All-Day Dining Plan before? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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