A return to Busch Gardens

It’s been almost ten years since we visited Busch Gardens even though we have been to our villa in Florida every year. Somehow there always seems to have been something new at Universal or Disney and we always run out of time but this year we made a conscious effort to visit and see how it’s changed...

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Busch Gardens for Ride Lovers

It’s been almost ten years since we last visited Busch Gardens and although we remembered enjoying the park, the children were young then. Now they’re young adults and more interested in rides; would there be enough serious rides to engage them?

Cheetah hunt was our first ride and di...

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Busch Gardens with an Alzheimer's sufferer

Taking an elderly relative with Alzheimer’s disease to a theme park is never an easy option.

Considering the price of a ticket for them and their carer, it is not something to take lightly. However why should he/she and the person looking after them have to miss out – especially if th...

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Bush Gardens Ride Accessibility Programme

The Ride Accessibility Programme is designed to help anybody with a condition or disability which could affect their enjoyment of Busch Gardens theme park. Anyone who would benefit from the programme should visit Guest Services on entrance to the park. Here they will be asked a few questions regardi...

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Fun in Florida - Rides and Attractions.

Islands of Adventure is part of Universal studios which is also packed full with amazing rides and attractions to keep the whole family entertained.

Marvel Super Hero Island is jam packed with spectacular rides to suit all ages. The Incredible Hulk is a gigantic roller coaster that a...

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The Kumba - Busch Gardens

For many people the attraction of visiting Florida falls into the following categories (great weather, great theme parks, great accommodation, great restaurants and great rides). Florida is constantly evolving and as such new rides are always designed and built, supplementing the already great rides...

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Discovery Cove - Best Ever Park Visit

Discovery Cove

We have just returned from Orlando where we visited Discovery Cove. This was a must do of ours for many years and we finally were able to do it this time around. For us it turned out to be our best ever park visit. The park is a little on the expensive side but it is worth ever...

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Falcons Fury Ride at Busch Gardens.

Busch Gardens is a lovely family friendly theme park which is situated 8 miles north east of Tampa and around an hour from your theme park area villa or vacation rental home.

It has a fantastic mix of what all the other theme parks have to offer with animal experiences, shows and water rides...

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Busch Gardens - Near Tampa Florida

Busch Gardens is located on the West Coast of Florida and is around a 1 hour drive from the short term rental villas in Davenport and Clearmont, getting to Busch Gardens could not be easier. Drive straight down the Interstate 4 and then pick up the signs for Busch Gardens once you get near to Tampa....

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Legoland special events.

Have you been to Legoland yet? Not the one in Surrey but Legoland Florida. This is situated where Cypress Gardens used to be and an easy drive from your vacation villa.

During the year they hold many special events and you might like to time your visit to coincide with your favourite...

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Special events at Gatorland.

Gatorland is situated on South Orange Blossom Trail. Most of us think of it as a day out with the alligators but they do hold some special events that need you to pre plan.

First up is Nightshine and as a the name suggests this is a 'gator experience in the dark. They provide hot dogs provi...

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What is happening at Legoland?

Have you been to Legoland yet? Not the one in Surrey, but Legoland Florida. This is situated where Cypress Gardens used to be and an easy drive from your vacation villa.

During the year they hold many special events and you might like to time your visit to coincide with your favourite...

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Florida Panthers at Gatorland.

Gatorland is a very good value but rather more low key park that is located on the Orange Blossom Trail. Of course, this park is mainly about the alligator and indeed they have thousands of this much maligned creatures. However, in addition to the 'gators and the odd crocodile there are two adult ca...

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LEGOLAND FLORIDA

Bright, colourful and family friendly. Ideal for children ten and under this is an exciting place – especially in the sparkling Florida sunshine.

And if you are fortunate to have visited any other Legoland Park (England, Germany or California), Florida’s new Legoland will not disappoint. ...

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Blastaway Beach.

We first visited Florida over 30 years ago and at that time the only water park to visit was Wet and Wild.

So visit we did; many times. And everybody loved it. I do not think there was anything in the world at that time like it.

Then along came Typhoon Lagoon which was so lus...

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Homeland Heritage Park Bartow

When a Reporter for a Local Polk newspaper was attending a meeting of the school board -he noticed an item on the agenda that caused him concern. The old Homeland school was to be disposed of as it was no longer needed as a functioning school.

The newspaper and other local historical group...

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2012 at Busch Gardens.

Busch Gardens is a lovely blend of what seems like all of the Orando area theme parks and well worth the rather longer drive to get there.

And in 2012 there wil be even more reasons for visiting this colourful theme park.

A lot of thrill seekers have been anxiously waiting fo...

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2012 at Silver Springs.

Silver Springs have some news about what they have planned for 2012.

If you have not been to Silver Springs before I will first give you the bad news; it is not that close to your holiday villa. If you are used to getting to your chosen theme park in 15 to 30 minutes prepare for a shock ...

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Rhino Rally at Busch Gardens, Tampa

Rhino Rally opened at Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida in 2001 at a cost of twenty-five million dollars. In excess of sixteen acres of land was used for the attraction and a special divide had to be constructed to keep the animals separate from each other and from the guests!

W...

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Aquatica..........a history.

Aquatica is the sister park to Seaworld and was conceived during the time that The Busch Corporationowned this park.

The first we heard of this exciting new water park was in 2006 when the first details were revealed to the public.

Building was started and continued...

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Busch Gardens......a history.

The sometimes overlooked theme park called Busch Gardens is in the Tampa area, about an hour or so from your vacation villa.

Busch had very simple beginnings as a place people could go to sample the brewery beers and watch a bird show. This was in the late fifties before the advent ...

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Legoland....a preview.

We have been hearing for so long about the opening of a new Legoland in Florida that I am somewhat surpised to tell you that it will be opening next year.

This new Theme Park is being built in Winter Haven on the site of the defunct Cypress Gardens.

This park is going to be d...

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Visiting parks in Volusia.

Florida is home to some stunning natural parks and here are a handful of those in Volusia County.

BICENTENNIAL PARK is in Ormond Beach and covers 40 acres from the Atlantic Ocean to The Halifax River.

This park contains trails that take you through scrub and here yo...

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Vsiting Sebastion Park.

Sebastion Inlet Park is located at Melbourne Beach on the A1A.

This park is a huge attraction for anglers because you can catch a spectacular amount of fish. There is also a stunning 3 mile shoreline to enjoy.

The beach is divided into a 1 mile length at the north of the inle...

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A Great day out - Busch Gardens

Located around 1 hour from Orlando, Busch Gardens is a must for all Rollercoaster mad individuals. Being a little distance from Orlando, the park tends to be a lot quieter than Universal and Disney parks. This is only good news if you want to get your moneys worth on the attractions.

One thi...

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Coconut Creek Family Fun Park

The beach area around Panama City, with its clear emerald water, sugar white sand and warm gulf breezes continues to be an extremely popular summer destination for holidaymakers and Coconut Creek which is located just across the Hathaway Bridge on US30, is a mere stone’s throw away from the hotels a...

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Going with the Flow – Lazy Rivers Part 1

Lazy Rivers Part 1 Aquatica

I consider myself to be rather an expert on lazy rivers in Orlando. This is mainly because I am such a wimp that this is one of the only things I am brave enough to experience at the wonderful water parks in Orlando.

Whilst my children are whizzing down tub...

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Going with the Flow – Lazy Rivers Part 2 Typhoon Lagoon

Lazy Rivers Part 2 Typhoon Lagoon.

Being a total wimp as far as water slides and chutes go, I have become somewhat of an expert at lazy rivers. My children can’t wait to slide down near vertical tubes or along crazy flumes at the water parks, but I have to confess that I much prefer the more...

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Going with the Flow – Lazy Rivers Part 3 Blizzard Beach

Lazy Rivers Part 3 Blizzard Beach

As a bit of a wimp where water slides and flumes are concerned, whenever we visit one of the water parks I naturally gravitate towards the lazy rivers. Whilst the children rush off to experience the thrills of Summit Plummet, I prefer to relax in a tube as I ...

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Baby Anteaters at Discovery Cove

There was great excitement at Discovery Cove, Orlando, Florida, earlier this year, when a baby lesser anteater, or tamandua, was born. For the first few months of his life he will cling to his mother’s back, until he is able to walk and find food on his own. A previous baby anteater was born in Sept...

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Baby Rhino at Busch Gardens

It is always good news when a new baby is born, but the birth of a little white rhino calf at Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay, Florida, was greeted with great celebration, as the white rhino is a threatened species. This baby girl rhino was born to Mlaleni and Tambo, and is this couple’s fourth baby. At bi...

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Kissimmee Lakefront Park

Kissimmee Lakefront Park is a great place for families to visit for recreation and to enjoy the many popular events, festivals and concerts that are held there throughout the year.

Kissimmee Lakefront Park is situated on Lake Toho which is the second largest lake in Florida. The park has bas...

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Riding Sheikra - Busch Gardens

The sun is shining and we are enjoying another barmy Floridian Day, heading west down Interstate 4 towards Tampa. The kids are looking forward to a day at Busch Gardens and their favorite roller coaster Sheikra. Since they have been tall enough to ride i. e. 4’ 6” this ride has been a clear winner. ...

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Rhino Rally – Busch Gardens

My family and I went out for the day to Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay. We had never been before and wanted to do a ride after eating – but not a rollercoaster on a full stomach! We headed for a ride called Rhino Rally which is located in Nairobi. We didn’t know what to expect

The queue for Rhino...

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Montu – Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay

Busch Gardens, Tampa has some wonderful rollercoaster rides – Sheikra being the most well known. However as you park your car and take the tram ride to the entrance, looming 150 high above into the sky is Montu’s towering cream coloured track. Turning right as you enter the park you will find this e...

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Gwazi Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay

Busch Gardens at Tampa Bay with its many different styles of roller coaster has one quite unusual offering – Gwazi.

As you enter Busch Garden, bear left through some of its prettiest gardens with beautiful flowers and plants, towards Stanleyville . Here you see a magnificent structure made u...

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Busch Gardens In Tampa

If you enjoy thrill rides, Busch Gardens Theme Park, is a great choice. From our house west of Orlando it takes just over an hour to drive down the I4 to the nearest outskirts of Tampa to enjoy a family fun day out!

As the name suggests there are beautiful gardens of lush green folia...

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Shingle Creek Nature Park

This is a new Park opened recently by Osceola County after they bought the land from the Babb family who owned it for many years. The County –with the help of other agencies acquired 100 acres of land that is so close to the urban areas of Kissimmee yet you will find it hard to even know you are sto...

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Winter Park 1

If you want a change from the Parks give Winter Park a visit. To find Winter Park take I/4 north beyond downtown Orlando and take the ' Fairbanks Ave. ' exit ramp. Turn right onto Fairbanks Av. , and continue east until you reach the Park Ave. lights. Turn left into Park Ave. Drive down Park Ave. , ...

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Winter Park 2

You have now seen the Morse Museum and had a look round the town, the next thing to do is what Winter Park is renowned for. Drive or walk up Park Avenue and turn left down Morse Blvd. Keep going down Morse until you reach the end and park in one of the public spaces provided you will then be near to...

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Winter Park 3

Once out of the museum take a look round the town itself. You will find somewhere which is completely different from the Disney area. Walk back along the sidewalk toward Central Park. Notice the lovely gardens, plantings, fountains and seats provided to while away a few minutes of your day contempla...

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Visiting the water parks

There are four water parks in Orlando, Florida. Disney has two water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, both of which are wonderfully themed. Seaworld’s new water park is called Aquatica, and although smaller than either of the Disney parks it is beautifully landscaped. Of course, there is th...

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Wide World of Sport

You will find a vast new world of unparalleled sports excitement at Disney' s Wide World of Sports; it is the ultimate destination for athletes, fans, and anyone who loves sports. The 220-acre facility plays host to over 170 amateur and professional events each year. This is a terrific place where a...

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Wild Waters – Ocala

Situated just to the east of Ocala, Wild Waters sits adjacent to the more well known tourist attraction of Silver Springs and is a wonderful place for the whole family to cool off and escape the extremes of the hot Florida sunshine.

Think of water parks and immediately Typhoon Lagoon or Bliz...

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Congo - Busch Gardens

One year when visiting Florida we decided to buy tickets for Busch Gardens, Tampa which allowed us to enter as many times as we liked in a seven day period. Busch Gardens is a fairly easy drive from our villa (providing the traffic on the I4 keeps moving) and we could reach it in under an hour and a...

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Timbukto - Busch Gardens

If you want your child to have their first roller coaster experience Cheetah Chase in the Timbuktu section of Busch Gardens is perfect. You will find this next to Pirates 4D. I am not very keen on coasters but go on this one and the whole family can enjoy the curves, drops and corkscrews of this tra...

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Morroco - Busch Gardens

The year we bought seven day Busch Garden tickets we went to Busch Gardens five times within the seven day period.

This particular day we had a very early start from our villa as we intended to spend a few hours at Busch before heading off to Ellenton Shopping Outlets in the afternoon. We st...

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Stanleyville - Busch Gardens

Stanleyville at Busch Gardens is a great area to enjoy part of your day; in fact we tend to spend quite some time there.

You will enjoy Stanley Falls which is an exciting log flume ride and was the first in a long line of adventure thrill rides at Busch Garden. There are often queues for thi...

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Christmas at Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens is one of our favourite theme parks and we try to visit it at least once on each of our trips to Florida. This trip was our first visit for Christmas to Busch so we were excited to see how the park differed from our normal trips.

The drive to Busch took just over an hour and we...

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A Day at Busch Gardens

If you like roller coasters, animals and getting wet this is the park for you. If you are traveling from Orlando be sure to get to the park early as there is so much to do.

You can visit Jungala which is an exotic jungle and here you will find endangered animals and also explore a village hi...

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Dinosaur World

Are you looking for something different and affordable to do with the kids? Why not combine a trip to Busch Gardens in Tampa with a stop at Dinosaur World. Step back a million years and enter Dinosaur World – a must for Dinosaur fans of all ages. Entry is only $12. 75 for adults and $9. 75 for child...

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Facts about Busch Garden

You will find that Busch Garden is an extraordinary African themed park. In one fantastic park it brings together a combination of rides, animals, and shows. The floorless dive coaster, SheiKra takes you 200 feet up, then you come 90 degrees straight down at speeds of up to 70 mph.

Busch Gar...

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Wet n Wild in Orlando, Florida

Wet ’n Wild was the first water park to open in Orlando and despite both Disney and Seaworld opening water parks Wet’ Wild still stays very busy.

There are so many different things to do here. You can start with the Black Hole where you and another person can go on a two-person raft ...

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Torreya State Park

Torreya State Park is sitauted 13 miles north of Bristol on the C. R. 1641 (off the S. R. 12) The park is called Torreya after the tree that grows here. You will find thesetrees on the Bluffs overlooking the river. Up to the 1960s this tree was not that unusual but it has been almost wiped out by di...

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History of Cypress Gardens

Everyone is familiar with Disney and Universal, but there are some lesser known attractions which have become part of the history of Orlando theme parks. Cypress Gardens was the first theme park to open in Florida, but it was not like the theme parks we know so well nowadays. It had themed areas but...

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Winter Park

It was just after breakfast and we had only two days of our holiday remaining.

During the previous two weeks we had sampled the delights of Walt Disney World and Universal Studios as well as venturing further a field with trips to the Kennedy Space Center and the Gulf of Mexico down at Clear...

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The Best of Winter Park

The Orlando suburb of Winter Park is a regular contender amongst the best places to live in Central Florida. It is not difficult to see why, with its wide tree lined thoroughfares, an abundance of high end shops and boutiques as well as some excellent restaurants where the discerning visitor can sam...

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Islands of Adventure

As the name suggests, Islands of Adventure is a little more white knuckle than say the Disney Parks and probably aimed at the teenage bracket and above, although there is plenty of entertainment for the younger child.

You would gain entrance to Island of Adventure by heading down Universal B...

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New Baby Otters at Seaworld

Are you a sucker for new babies? Do you go all ‘gooey’ at the sight of a newborn animal? Well you had better get down to Seaworld, Orlando fast, in order to see the cutest babies ever – four baby otters born in early March, 2009, after a two month gestation period. At birth they would have weighed a...

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History of Cypress Gardens, Florida

Everyone is familiar with Disney and Universal, but there are some lesser known attractions which are worth a visit if you want to experience something a little different. Cypress Gardens was the first theme park to open in Florida, but it was not like the theme parks we know so well today. It had t...

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The Re-opened Cypress Gardens and Splash Island Water Park

Cypress Gardens, the oldest theme park in Florida has had a chequered history. When it opened in 1936 this beautiful botanical garden was the brainchild of Dick and Julie Pope. Sadly, its popularity declined over the years, and it became harder and harder for the park to compete with the likes of Di...

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Sheikra – Busch Gardens

One of our favourite rides in Busch Gardens over in Tampa is Sheikra. Sheikra is a vertical drop roller coaster located in the Stanleyville section of the park, The name is taken from a Shikra, an African hawk that dives straight down for its prey. The ride opened in May 2005 and was converted in Ju...

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Bush Gardens

When many people visit Orlando a lot do not realise there is so many great places to visit up to an hour away. From Orlando you can get to either coast (East or West) in around an hour. Located just outside Tampa (around 1 hour) from Kissimmee is Bush Gardens.

Bush Gardens has been developed...

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A visit to Aquatica

The newest park in Orlando at the moment is Aquatica, this as the name suggests is a water park and it is part of the Company that owns Busch Gardens and Sea World, in fact, the entrance is just opposite to the Sea World entrance.

When we were in Florida, the park was newly opened and was fi...

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Blue Horizons at Seaworld

Apparently after the success of Busch Gardens KaTonga the owners of Seaworld tried to duplicate that success with their latest show Blue Horizons and I think they have definitely succeeded.

When you enter Seaworld if you go straight to the information desks you can pick up a Park Map with th...

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Journey to Atlantis

This is one of our favourite Parks and always guarantees a more tranquil day out than the busier Disney Parks.

My parents, who visit our villa twice a year, have two year passes which are not that expensive as they give unlimited access to Seaworld, free parking (at time of writing this arti...

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Aquatica

On our last visit to our villa in Florida, Orlando, we (my husband and I, my two teenage sons along with their girlfriends) visited the new Universal Water Part – Aquatica and had a great day!

The park is large and is situated on International Drive next to Seaworld. The entrance was very co...

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Busch Gardens Theme Park

Within around a 1. 5 hour drive from The Disney area of Orlando, you can find your self in Tampa and a visit to Busch Gardens is a must, it has all the rides and is altogether a more pleasant experience that the better known parks. The planting of trees and bushes gives real relief from the heat and...

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Aquatica - Our First Visit

Very excited we took our first trip to Aquatica in June. We love the Disney waterparks and as the ticket offer at the time was for fourteen days unlimited access to Seaworld and Aquatica, we visited around 3pm as the waterpark was open until 10 and luckily it had been such wonderful weather that it ...

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Manta at Seaworld

A visit to Seaworld in Orlando is always a great day out, but if you will be there during the summer of 2009 then you will have a real treat in store for you, as they are opening a new and exciting roller coaster which will be really unique, because it will actually be a flying coaster!

When...

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Water Parks in Orlando

There are 4 main water parks in the Orlando area

The main ones as you would guess are in Disney

Blizzard beach

This is set around a snow capped mountain (but with the Florida sunshine.

Melt away bay is the beach area which has great wave pool adults and children a...

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My Favourite Gentler Rides

There are so many rides in Orlando’s Theme Parks and I thought I would just share some of my favourite gentler rides with you. These are particularly suitable for younger children and if my Mother is anything to go by also suitable for Grandparents!

“It’s a Small World” at Magic Kingdom is o...

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‘Believe’ at Seaworld

Whenever we visit Seaworld we make a point of visiting the Shamu stadium to watch the amazing shows. The stadium has recently been updated and transformed, and is visually quite stunning. The centrepiece is a huge whale tail, which is three storeys high, and on either side of this tail are four gian...

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How did Shamu get her name?

I cannot imagine a trip to Seaworld without a visit to the amazing Shamu stadium to see the killer whales, or orcas, perform. This enormous arena can seat up to 5, 500 people, and is the venue for the spectacular and very popular shows, ‘Believe’ and ‘Shamu Rocks’.

But it is interesting to k...

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Busch Gardens for Thrlll Seekers

Nowhere else in Florida rivals Busch Gardens for thrill rides and for the serious coaster fanatic it is well worth the 60 minute drive from the Orlando area. It really is a very easy drive over to Tampa - the park is well signposted and we have generally encountered very little traffic so don’ t let...

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Orlando’s Alternative Parks

For the vast majority of visitors to the Orlando area the main attraction that draws them to this region is the abundance of theme parks. If however, you are on your second, third or fourth trip you may feel that you need to do something a little bit different. You can of course spend some time at y...

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Gatorland in Orlando

Gatorland is over 60 years old and has changed considerably since the original attraction was built. The first building was stockade style with a dirt floor covered in sawdust and a thatched roof, it was built by the Seminole Indians who lived on the property and who also wrestled with the alligator...

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Getting Wet at Universal and Seaworld.

You cannot visit the many theme parks in Orlando without experiencing the water rides at least once – after all, on a boiling hot summer’s day there is nothing more refreshing than getting a soaking, or so my children would have me believe. Personally, I would rather sit with a nice cool drink, but ...

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GatorLand (12)

An interesting and local attraction for all ages.

It' s a place you drive past and comment on very much like it' s nearest neighbour Tupperware HQ on the way to Costco or the Florida Mall. The time we arranged to go our plans were tharted due to the extensive fire in the entrance are...

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Seaworld - Brewmaster Club

Each time my wife and I visit Florida we always spend at least a day in Sea World, and without fail include at least one visit to the Anheuser Busch Hospitality Centre for a complimentary libation (or two! ). Until this year however, we have never managed to book a visit to the Brewmaster Club, whic...

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Odyssea at SeaWorld

“Odyssea” is a thirty-minute show, which takes place in SeaWorld’s Nautilus Theatre. This theatre seats 2, 400 guests so there should never be a problem finding a seat, even if you arrive just before the show begins. However, if you want to sit near the front, to get one of the best views, it is adv...

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SeaWorld’s less famous animals

When someone says “SeaWorld Orlando” to you, do you instantly think of Shamu the killer whale, the dolphins or the sealion show? You probably do not realise that there are actually a lot more animals at SeaWorld other than the obvious choices. Below is a small taster of some of the extra attractions...

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Did you wonder how Busch gardens developed?

The Busch Gardens African themed park is set within a 335 acre plot and opened nearly 50 years ago in March 1959. It originates from the days when the Anheuser-Busch brewery, famous for its Budweiser and Michelob beer brands, offered admission free hospitality at its Tampa based facility. In those d...

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Aquatica - The Water Park Near Sea World

Aquatica is Seaworld’s new Water Park and it opened in March 2008. If you like Water Parks you will love this one it has a dolphin plunge, lazy river rides, racing slides, interactive play areas and as many as 36 slides! There is fun for all the family.

You will find Aquatica just ac...

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Aquatica - same old, same old or new leader?

This is a family trip report from Aquatica.

As somebody who has travelled to Orlando and visited all the water parks I was particularly excited about visiting Aquatica for the first time. Other members of our group who hadn’t been to Florida before were also really excited.

Before we...

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Thrilling rides at Seaworld

Visiting Seaworld does not just mean looking at a great collection of fascinating creatures and watching some brilliant shows. There are actually two thrilling rides – one is the ‘white knuckle’ Kraken and the other is the less ‘white knuckle’, but still very thrilling all the same, ‘Journey to Atla...

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A day at Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens is approximately an hour’s drive from Orlando down the I-4 at Tampa and is well signposted. We left the villa at 8. 30 to get there early for the park opening. A small ride on a ‘train bus’ takes you from the car park to the entrance.

The park is split into areas – Bird gardens...

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Aquatica - Seaworld's new water park

It won’t be long before Seaworld opens its brand new water park, Aquatica. Work started on it in early 2006 but its opening is now scheduled for March 2008, so all you lucky guests who are visiting after that date will get the chance to visit this great new attraction. It is located on 58 acres of l...

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AQUATICA (3)

If you are visiting Florida after March the 1st 2008, you are in for a rare treat; because the long awaited Aquatica should be open. There is a soft opening planned for march and a grand opening will happen in april.

What is it? well it is an awesome new water park (owned by Seaworld) situat...

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Busch Gardens for Wimps

All the brochures for Busch Gardens seem to feature Sheikra, the floorless roller coaster with 90 degree drops, so we wondered if this was the best place to visit as we don’t do high thrill rides and we were taking my mother! The answer was a resounding yes!

There was plenty to see and do an...

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See a Different side to SeaWorld

There are numerous other attractions at SeaWorld, Orlando apart from the animal shows and the thrill rides. All of these are certainly worth a visit if you intend to spend the whole day at the park.

The Oyster’s Secret

Guests are able to view highly experienced swimmers, as the...

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Anheuser-Busch Hospitality Center – SeaWorld

We always like to visit Sea World during our trips to Florida. For some reason it feels more relaxed and less frenetic than the Disney theme parks. That’s not to say there isn’t plenty to keep you occupied because there most definitely is.

Apart from the obvious attractions of Shamu and a va...

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Dragon Challenge, Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando

One of my favourite roller coaster rides is Dragon Challenge at Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando.

I love the feeling of my feet dangling, (especially if you’ve been walking around for quite a while and they ache! ), twisting freely as you whiz round and around. For the technically min...

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Aquatica

The much awaited completion of Sea Worlds new water park Aquatica is expected in Spring 2008.

Covering 60 acres of land it is said to feature the most thrilling water rides in the world. With 36 water slides, six rivers and lagoons, and more than 80, 000 square feet of beach area. The childr...

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Cypress Gradens

Cypress gardens Florida is Florida’s oldest ‘Theme Park’.

To get there you take I4 west to exit 55 or if you are travelling along Hwy 27 you go south. You travel along until you reach state road 540 ‘cypress gardens boulevard’ this is a right turn. The park is about 4 or 5 miles along this ro...

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Universal Studios Orlando

When you are in Orlando, you must visit Universal. Be sure to buy a multi day multi entry ticket as you will wish to go back lots of times.

The ticket also allows you to enter Universal’s sister park Islands of Adventure, this park has some big rides like The Incredible Hulk roller coaster a...

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New for 2009 – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

At last it’s on its way in true Orlando Style – Harry Potter “A Theme Park within a Theme Park”! !

Scheduled to be unveiled late 2009 or early 2010 in what is currently the Lost Continent at Island of Adventure, Universal Studios, Florida the magical world of Harry Potter will be brought to ...

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Why I hate the Hulk!

My wife (Sue) makes me go on all the roller coasters and I hate it!

She absolutely loves it and gets a massive rush; smile from ear to ear.

Why do I hate them? well I guess I am not designed to go upside down at 3 g 60mph! ! !

The first time I saw the Hulk at Universal Studio...

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Busch Gardens

Wild Life, Rides, Show’s and much more.

A fantastic action packed day out at one of Florida’s premiere theme parks.

Situated at Tampa, approximately 1 hours drive from Orlando, Busch Gardens should be treated as a long day out. We left our villa about 9am in the morning and entered t...

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Cypress Gardens

We first fell in love with Cypress Gardens in the year 2000. It was February and it was quite warm and we were (in our 40’s) the youngest people in the park. Yup! It was full of retirees and snowbirds but we loved it’s quiet, easy southern charm. The gardens were stunning, the people were very frien...

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Best Park for Teenagers – Islands of Adventure!

Having just recently returned from Orlando with my 14 year old step son I have seen the parks through his eyes.

As he has not been before we let him pick where he wanted to go and which parks to do. First on the list was Islands of adventure.

We headed straight to Hulk. He loved this...

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Gatorland Park

Pay a visit to the park, you will not be dissappointed! We have been visiting Florida now for over 14 years and we have returned every year and some times twice in the same year.Our two children are jake 14 and hannah 10 so they are well travelled children.every couple of years we return to Gatorlan...

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Wet N Wild @ Christmas

Doesn’t sound like the normal thing to do on a Florida Festive Period Vacation, but 2006 was a great year weather wise with temperatures higher than the normal for this time of year, so getting the bathing costumes out and hitting the Water Slides of Wet N Wild seemed the right thing to do.

...

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Busch Gardens.....Something for Everyone

If you haven’t visited Busch Gardens before, then you must try it on your next trip.

The drive to Tampa is approximately one and a half hour from Kissimmee, but as driving in Orlando is easy you really won’t have any problems getting there. Once you have arrived a tram will take you to the e...

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SeaWorld Orlando's Saving a Species Tour

SeaWorld is one of our families all time favorite parks. We are Gold Passport members and visit the park at least 4 or 5 times each visit. Our children always love Kraken and Journey to Atlantis but SeaWorld is also an educational park.

Something different for you to do apart from the normal...

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Cypress Gardens - A Different Kind of Theme Park

Cypress Gardens is outside the main area of theme parks but is an easy drive down the 27 and is well signposted. It may be because we went in the second half of November but we were pleased with the lack of queues and the space. One of our previous guests said it was her favourite park because it wa...

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Seaworld

If you would like a break from the Disney Parks, Seaworld has got to be the place to go.

You will find Seaworld on International Drive right next to its associate Park Discovery Cove. Another way of getting to the Park is by using Interstate 4. There must be 2 – 3 exits off the I4 signposted ...

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The old ones can sometimes be the best ones!!

During a recent visit to our villa on the SR27, we decided to head off South, down the SR27 to see what we came across. About 15 minutes South of the I4 interchange, but still on the SR27 we saw a sign for Cypress Gardens. We followed this and very quickly came to the entrance. A decision was made t...

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Silver Springs Theme Park

If you want a break from Disney but the family would still like to go to a Theme Park Silver Springs is well worth a visit. The Park is open from 10.00am – 5.00pm all year round.

This 350-acre nature theme park, which surrounds the headwaters of the beautiful Silver River, the largest artesia...

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Cypress Gardens

Cypress Gardens is one of the oldest and original theme parks in Florida, build out of swamp land over 70 years ago at Winter Gardens. Where the famous ski shows originated and have been famous world wide for many years. Many famous skiers started here and the ski show round the lake are marvelous. ...

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Seaworld gets our vote - every time!

As regular visitors to Orlando, we have tried and tested many of the theme parks, but the one we never fail to return to every single trip is Seaworld. In fact, our three year old thinks Seaworld is Florida and everything else we do there just washes over him.

I think the thing that sets Seaw...

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Gatorland

Florida is a natural habitat for this magnificent creature, at Gatorland you can see them close up and personal. It’s a great way to spend the odd half of day during your vacation. Gatorland is known as the Alligator Capital of the World but it is still a place that many visitors have yet to visit.<...

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Rollercoasters in Florida

When you go to holiday in Florida one of the main attractions must be the theme parks and all the great attractions on offer. When I first visited Florida many years ago we were a little overwhelmed with all the attractions and the size of some of the parks, all crammed with rollercoasters.

O...

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Cypress Gardens

If you want a rest from the major theme parks and fancy a walk in some restful gardens – but may just want a quick thrill ride fix thrown in – then why not visit the newly re-furbished Cypress Gardens.

Cypress Gardens was one of the first commercial theme parks. Opening in 1936, it became an...

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Island Of Adventure

If your looking for a great family day out I would recommend going to Universals Islands of Adventure theme park. Islands of Adventure can get very busy, so I suggest buying an express ticket that costs about $30 each (depending on the time of year) and that will let you fast pass once on every ride...

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Dining with Shamu

Next time you plan a trip to Seaworld you might want to think about booking to ‘Dine with Shamu’. Well Disney can do character meals but here you get real live killer whales for company while you eat! That takes a lot of beating!

I would recommend that if you want to do this plan in advance a...

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The Magic of Seaworld

See World is another one of the 7 must visit parks in Orlando. Over the years there has been a lot of heavy development in this theme park and they have added many attractions to try and temp the guests away from Disney.

Located just off the Interstate 4 on junction 71, Seaworld is very easy ...

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Shamu's New Show 'BELIEVE'

Seaworld has taken on board the most ambitious entertainment project in its 41 year history. The new production is called ‘Believe’ and it showcases SeaWorld’s spectacular killer whales with awe inspiring choreography. The three story set and panoramic LED screens will prove to be intense and breath...

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SEAWORLD Part 1

If you love sealife, fast rides and beautiful scenery, then SeaWorld is for you. This is one place that is a “must visit” for us on every single trip to Orlando. From the minute you enter the park and you have your photo taken by one of the official photographers, you just know you are in for a fun ...

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SEAWORLD Part 2

Continued......
Blue Horizons
Now off to the new dolphin show, Blue Horizons. One valuable tip is to get there early if you want the best seats in the house! Centre stage about half way up is where we find suits us all, from here you have a fabulous view of all the show and is a fantastic phot...

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SEAWORLD Part 3

Continued......
Wild Arctic
Get ready to enter a multi-level exploration centre. After a short film about what you will encounter you will be left to explore the hull of a 19th century exploration ship. Surrounded by nearly a million gallons of seawater, you will get to see Polar Bears, Harbor...

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SEAWORLD Part 4

Continued......

Journey to Atlantis
This is definitely not your usual log flume. It’s a log flume come roller coaster rolled in to one. There’s a near vertical drop of around sixty feet that seems to come from no where. I love rides like this, it keeps you guessing throughout the ride. The...

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Busch Gardens - A great day out

We set off for Busch gardens at the crack of dawn (or what seemed like the crack of dawn)to get to the park and avoid the traffic. We did not want to be late and have to queue up to get in the park. It was August after all. It took around 1 hour to get to Busch Gardens and this was with not very muc...

Viewed 6435 times

Disney Hollywood Studios or Universal

A question which we remember asking ourselves before our very first visit to the Sunshine State was 'should we go to Universal or Disney Hollywood Studios?' And it’s a question which many guests have asked us since.

And, for us, the answer is very easy. A trip to Disney Hollywood Studios is a...

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Bush Gardens

Just an hours drive from Orlando, heading out toward Tampa, you will find Bush Gardens. A fantastic zoo and theme park rolled into one. There are five big roller coasters and three water rides to wet your appetite, along with plenty of family shows and a huge zoo, with over 2700 animals.

She...

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Busch Gardens is a great theme park to visit

I want to tell you all about my experiences of the fantastic theme park known as Busch Gardens.

I have never visited this park before when I have visited Orlando and so I really wanted to make sure the next time I visited Orlando It was on my wish list. Well I have now been to the park and...

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Universal Studios is Great

I wanted to tell you all my opinions of this great theme park, what it has to offer and also my tips for getting round the park.

Let’s start with Universal Studios. This park has been open since the 1970s and has grown and grown to be one of the premier parks in Orlando. I could write a bo...

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Islands of Adventure is Great

I want to tell you all about this fantastic park and why I think it’s one of the premier theme parks in Orlando. Universal Studios is made up of 5 Islands with the most cutting edge rides, shows and attractions ever created to challenge even the most hardened of roller coaster junkie.

L...

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Best rollercoasters in Orlando

Having been to Orlando a few times now and sampled some of the best rides Florida has to offer I thought it only right I now shared my views on the best and worst rides in Orlando, Florida. If you are after a white knuckle experience then you have come to the right place!

My favourite park in...

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Seaworld and Discovery Cove Price Rise Announced

From now thru December 25, 2005 Florida Adult Residents can enjoy and revisit their youth through the purchase a single-day ticket or annual pass to SeaWorld Orlando for the price of a child’s. The “Be a Kid Again” offer is available only to Florida residents and may be purchased online at www.seawo...

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Fantastic water rides in Orlando

There are an abundance of fantastic water rides at the theme parks in Orlando, but which ones are worth queuing up for? To help you decide here are my favourites in reverse order.

Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain is situated in Frontierland at Ma...

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Roller Coasters

There are numerous Roller Coaster rides in the Orlando theme parks. My personal top three would be The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal Islands of Adventure, Kraken at Sea World and Aerosmith’s Rock ’n’ Roller coaster at Disney Hollywood Studios. All three are guaranteed to turn your knuckles wh...

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Katonga - Busch Gardens

When we visited our villa this summer we were able to take our first trip to Busch Gardens. Being August, the weather was wonderfully hot, so it was lovely to walk into the beautiful cool theatre which houses the delightful show ‘Katanga’. You can’t miss this cream and white building, tall and with ...

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Busch Gardens - SheiKra

Well, this was the first trip to Florida without either of our two boys, and the sole purpose of the trip was to set up our new vacation home from scratch. We had nine days in which to fully furnish the place and sort out the snagging list on a new property. We had organised for deliveries and alarm...

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Enjoy the adventure for yourself!

Islands of Adventure, I really think this has now become one of my favorite parks - a theme park which seemed to me to have some thing for everyone of all ages. Perhaps it is because it is one of the newer ones? I am not sure. There are rides and attractions to suit the whole gang and just some d...

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Islands of Adventure (10)

Islands of adventure, is now regarded as one of the best theme parks in Orlando, Florida. Aimed mainly at people who like the thrill of a rollercoaster and enjoy getting wet it is located right next door to Universal studios.

To enjoy both parks it is best to get a 2 or 3 day pass as this wil...

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SHEIKRA (BUSCH GARDENS, TAMPA BAY)

The ride Sheikra is the name of an African hawk and also name to the United States only dive coaster, built in early 2005 at Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay.

The ride carries victims to 200ft in the air and drops them at 90 degrees till they are reaching 70mph, after this the ride is all twists and...

Viewed 4154 times

Wet 'n' Wild

Situated on International Drive Wet ‘n’ Wild is one of Orlando’s older water-parks. The park has been expanding over the last few years and now houses some of the best water rides in Florida.

Wet ‘n’ Wild has over 17 water rides for you to choose from, some fast and energetic to the more slow...

Viewed 7946 times

Busch Gardens – Water Rides

Busch Gardens – Water Rides

As a family, we consider Busch Gardens a really fantastic day out. It takes a little travelling to get there, but it is definitely worth the extra driving time. Each time we have visited, the queues have been insignificant compared to Disney/Universal, so lots more...

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Busch Gardens – Roller Coasters

Busch Gardens – Roller Coasters

Busch is one of our family’s favourite places to spend the day. Although popular, it is never as crowded as the Disney/Universal Parks. One thing that they excel at is Roller Coasters .

Up until this year, I have had to enjoy the roller coasters on my ow...

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Swimming with Dolphins

SWIMMIMG WITH DOLPHINS

Something that is becoming increasingly popular over the years is Swimming with Dolphins. The main place in Orlando is Discovery Cove , where you can spend the day in a unique park and there is an organised swim. This is a nice way to spend a day and there are lots of o...

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Universal Studios (10)

We visited Universal Studios as a family of two adults and a seven-year-old Boy during early August, which is a very busy period. Universal operate their equivalent of Disney’s FastPass, which is called Universal Express (UE for short).

Unfortunately because we were let down by our arran...

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The Hulk, Islands of Adventure, Universal

People from my school had told me about Islands of Adventure, its roller coasters …. and The Hulk.

I’d not been able to ride it before as I wasn’t tall enough (I blame my parents for not being taller!!). As we drove into Universal I felt very excited and my first thought was ‘Wow’! We p...

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Busch Gardens Tampa

Our latest trip to Busch Gardens started with a tasty, if slightly unhealthy, breakfast at Denny’s on the 27 and then we headed off into the sun for a day in Tampa. It took us just under an hour to get to Busch Gardens. It was a Friday and we were not too sure how busy it would be. We arrived at ...

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Senior Moments At Seaworld

Seaworld is a wonderful park for those us who like to sit and enjoy being entertained, rather than do thrill rides all day.

Did you know they have special rates and a special day so that we can enjoy our senior moments ?

Just show proof of age; at the front gate ticket window to rec...

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Cypress Gardens

Cypress Gardens, which sadly closed on 13th April, 2003, happily reopened in December 2004. The gardens were known to generations of visitors as the home of beautiful blooms and hoop-skirted belles.

Kent Buescher is reported to have invested $50 million into re-opening the park. His plans...

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Splendid China

Please note - Since this article was written Splendid China has sadly Closed.

When you need a break from Mickey and his friends, why not head to Splendid China?

It is located off the Orlando Bronson Highway 192 quite near to the Disney main gate.

We found the park par...

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Busch Gardens

Having sampled some of what Disney, Universal Studios and Sea World has to offer, we decided to head for Busch Gardens, near Tampa. It is about an hour and a half from Orlando (if you stick to speed limits), so just a bit too far for a day trip if you are driving there and back and want to enjoy ...

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Busch Gardens - With Top Secret Tip!

One of the best theme parks in Orlando the whole family really enjoyed this day out. However when we go again we are making a change to the day.

As it is an hour’s drive away from our villa we would eat on the way back, and not back in Orlando, so our research for our next trip (already bo...

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Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay

Busch Gardens is located approx 60-70 miles west of Orlando near Tampa.

It is a cross between a zoo & a theme park a little bit like Chessington World of Adventures in the UK, only much bigger & better.

Before driving the hour or so from Orlando to Tampa, it may be advisable...

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Florida Theme Park Overview

If there is one single feature that tempts children and adults alike to Florida, it is the astounding quality and sheer number of its theme parks. Once these were all provided by Disney, but now three main players compete for the tourist dollar and the competition can only be good for us!

...

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Seaworld – Halloween Spooktacular

Our whole family loves Seaworld and we try to visit at least once during our stay in Florida. Purely by chance on our trip in October 03 (covering the school half term), we decided to visit Seaworld on a weekend. When we arrived we found that for a couple of weekends (including the day we visited...

Viewed 7304 times

Gatorland (2)

Do you know the difference between an alligator and a crocodile? Want to find out?

At “Gatorland”, you can experience these amazing creatures up close. We visited it on our last trip to Orlando, and liked it so much we took out a yearly membership…I guess that means that we w...

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Holyland Experience - Orlando

We had the pleasure of visiting the Holy Land Experience on our most recent visit to the Orlando area and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We purchased our discounted tickets through this site and found the discount ticket service to be very competitive in pricing. The ticket company was a complete ...

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Gatorland (1)

This was recently reviewed on ITV holiday show as the best value attraction!  It is inexpensive to enter and if you mention you are villa owner, they are very good with discounts.  This will, in reality, only take up half a day - very interesting if you are into&nbs...

Viewed 5122 times

Gatorland (2)

If you’ve driven to Kennedy Space Center, or you stay in a villa close to a lake you may have seen the odd alligator, if you’ve ever wanted to these creatures up close then Gatorland is the place to go. Gatorland advertise themselves as ‘the best half day attraction in Orlando’ and we certa...

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Gatorland (1)

You might think that Gatorland is perhaps a little “cheesey” as you enter the complex through the mouth of a giant bright green alligator, but despite your initial impressions, it is in reality a great fun attraction for family members of all ages.

Known locally as the “best half day attra...

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Seaworld – Two New Additions!

Since I last wrote in the guide about Seaworld, there have two new significant additions!

Firstly and the most important – a new baby killer whale (think it’s an orca but not sure). It is the 11th baby born in Seaworld since it opened some 29 years ago. Katina gave birth to the 7ft calf in...

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Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is an hours drive from Orlando and well worth a visit. If you prefer not to drive to Busch take the Busch Gardens Shuttle Express for only $5 per person for a round trip from Orlando. The service is usually free with the purchase of a 5-Park Orlando Flexi Ticket.

Fo...

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The Holyland Experience

I visited the Holyland Experience last week. I went because I had heard a lot about it ( some good and a lot bad) and wanted to form my own opinion. I am not at all religious and to be frank, this does colour your perception of the place. It is quite well done and I would think if...

Viewed 7331 times