Which day for Busch Gardens?

[Nostromo]

We are visiting Orlando in April-May 2004. I have drawn out a suitable itinerary but am stumped about Busch Gardens and Silver Springs. We want to do both, and as things are, we can only fit one on a Thursday and the other on Sunday. Both days are in the lowish season of early May. I have provisionally put Busch for the Thursday and Silver Springs for the Sunday based on the assumption that SS is likely to have less queues on Sunday as there are no big rides there. (We are NOT going to Wild Waters). What do the others think?

[Carla]

I would stick with your provisional ideas. Busch will always be busy on a Sunday as the local kids/teenagers will visit. Friday is also a good day to avoid Busch, especially during term time as apparently the school kids go on their trips to Busch on a Friday.

I've been to both parks a number of times and Silver Springs has never been too busy on any day.

[mikewj]

We always go to Busch on a Thursday and its always been fairly quiet.

This decision is based on experience and advice from other people we know who had been before. However, Busch seems to be a lot quieter in general these days.

Maybe something to do with Universal opening a coaster park (Islands of Adventure)in Orlando negating the drive to Tampa for the big rides.

[Nostromo]

Thanks both of you. However, I sicerely hope that Busch doea not go the same way as Cypress Gardens just because of IoA. IoA may have big rides, but not a great deal else, especially for senirs. To my mind, Busch Gardens are the ideal family park with something fir everyone. My elderly in-laws will be along for the trip; I don't plan to take them anywhere near IoA but at Busch they can enjoy the flora and fauna while we do the rides!

[athurstance]

We visited Busch on Easter Sunday and it was very quiet. We also went the Thursday before and it was practically empty in the morning. Go early and you will walk onto any of the big rides.
The crowds did pick up in the afternoon - we had to wait a whole 15 minutes for Montu after lunch!
It is an amazing place. In my opinion the best rides and no wait in line. There are some great ticket deals too.

[mikewj]

I agree, Busch Gardens is a great park. Its nice to be able to walk around quietly between rides and take in some of the wildlife.

And the reduced queuing times when you do want to ride the coasters is brilliant. Its just a little worrying that the place was "very quiet" on Easter Sunday, which I was always lead to believe was a day to avoid the theme parks due to the increased crowds.

[Matt]

I've been going to Busch Gardens for years, its always one of my favorites, and never really busy.

The only thing I would say about going on a weekday is to either leave really early to get there (7.30ish), or wait until after the rush hour. Same thing for the return journey, leave the park early, or hang around and have something to eat down that way before heading back.

Unless of course you like sitting in traffic!!

I wouldn't think that Busch Gardens will be going anywhere in the near future as they keep adding new rides. Just going of the subject slightly, does anybody remember Boardwalk and Baseball?? I always loved this park too, and again it was never busy even though it was in Orlando. I was quite devastated when I went back one year and it had gone!!

Matt

[chrisj]

we plan to go to Busch but we are going to leave very early, spend the whole day
in the park, find somewhere to eat locally and come back late .

Matt if you suggest we get there at say 7:30 what time should we leave Orlando, we
are staying in Crescent lakes, was thinking about 6am ???

Chris

[mikewj]

Hopefully they can live with the low visitor numbers, I'd hate to see one of my favourite parks close down.

Chrisj, not sure where Crescent Lakes is but we've never had a problem with traffic, we normally leave around an hour before the park opens (joining I4 at the old junction 25 which is around 60 miles from the park) and get there just after they've started letting people in.

I can't see I4 traffic being affected by the season so depending on where you get on the Interstate, I'd give yourself around 1.5hrs max.

[blott]

Chrisj, before you get carried away with getting up in the middle of the night(!), Matt I think was suggesting that you leave at 7.30 am! The park doesn't open in July until 9.30 am - check here for the dates you're going to be in Florida http://www.buschgardens.com/buschgar...ent_month.aspx

If you leave Crescent Lakes at some unearthly hour in the morning, you'll only have to hang about in the car waiting for the park to open. Better to leave around 7.30 am and have a leisurely breakfast near the Tampa area, then you'll be properly set up!