Busch Gardens Africa

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Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (also known as Busch Gardens Africa) is a 335-acre 19th century African-themed park located in Tampa, Florida. It opened on March 31 1959 as an admission-free hospitality facility for the Tampa Anheuser-Busch brewery on the grounds of the manufacturing plant. Visitors could watch animal acts in a tropical setting and before leaving the grounds entered a beer garden offering free Busch beer to drink.

After the manufacturing plant closed down some years later, Busch Gardens focused progressively on its lush tropical landscape, exotic animals, and amusements to draw visitors. Busch Gardens began charging admission as the entertainment became more complex, with extra fees for the thrill rides, such as the roller coasters for which Busch Gardens is now well known.

Currently Busch Gardens Tampa Bay falls into the category of an amusement park and competes with other such parks in Florida and charges comparable fees. Beer is no longer manufactured there. According to the web site of [Anheuser-Busch Companies], the parent company focuses on beer, adventure park entertainment, and packaging. Busch Entertainment Corporation is the company subsidiary that runs the Busch entertainment parks and claims that it is one of the largest adventure park operators in the United States.

Contents

1 Attractions

1.1 Morocco
1.2 Bird Gardens
1.3 Land of the Dragons
1.4 Stanleyville
1.5 Congo
1.6 Timbuktu
1.7 Nairobi
1.8 Crown Colony
1.9 Egypt

2 Defunct Attractions
3 Animal Exhibits

3.1 The Serengheti Plain
3.2 Myombe Reserve
3.3 Edge of Africa
3.4 Curiosity Caverns

4 See also

4.1 External links

Attractions

The Serengheti Express (train) runs along the back end of the park and makes stops at the Nairobi, Congo and Stanleyville themed areas.
The Skyride transports guests between Crown Colony and Stanleyville.

Morocco

The park's main entrance is home to the Mystic Sheiks of Morocco brass and percussion ensemble. Treats can be purchased at the Sultan's Sweets and the Zagora Cafe. The Moroccan Palace is located here as well as the outdoor Marrakesh Theater.

Bird Gardens

Pink flamingos, parrots, black swans, and hundreds of rare birds live here among the foliage and waterways. In the Bird Theatre, guests can see the parrots as well as birds of prey.

Gwazi (roller coaster), a 90-foot, 50 mph dueling wooden roller coaster named after a mythological creature with the head of a tiger and the body of a lion.
Hospitality House, offers free Budweiser beer samples for guests 21 and older and home to the Anheuser-Busch Beer School. The upstairs of the Hospitality house can also be rented for special private events. Full bar, catering, champagne sample and Live DJ are all possible options if the House is rented.

Land of the Dragons

A children's play area with a three-story-tall tree house, an enchanted forest, slides, a gentle waterfall, rides and dragons

Stanleyville

Guests can see a show at the Stanleyville Theatre, enjoy hot barbecue ribs and chicken, or catch the train for a rail safari through the rest of Africa. Rides include:

SheiKra, a 200-foot Bolliger and Mabillard diving roller coaster with a 90-degree vertical drop.
Stanley Falls Flume, a log flume with a 43-foot drop.
Tanganyika Tidal Wave, a 20 passenger shoot the chutes water ride with a 55-foot drop.

Congo

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Guests can gaze down upon the Bengal tigers of Claw Island. The area also contains the Python and Kumba roller coasters, and the Congo River Rapids.

Kumba, meaning roar in an African dialect, is a 143-foot steel sit-down roller coaster with seven inversions. First built in 1993 by Bolliger and Mabillard, it still remains a popular ride today. The ride was recently repainted
Python, an Arrow Dynamics designed steel corkscrew roller coaster with two inversions.
Congo River Rapids, a water ride in which guests sit down in a family tube with seven others.
Ubanga Banga Bumper Cars, a typical bumper cars ride.

Timbuktu

In this fabled walled city, guests can stroll through shops and bazaars and encounter food and entertainment in the Desert Grill. Visitors can also ride the Scorpion, a vertical-loop coaster.

Scorpion, a steel Schwarzkopf designed sit-down roller coaster with one vertical loop.
Cheetah Chase, a steel "wild mouse" type of roller coaster.
Phoenix, a looping Egyptian cargo vessel.
Pirates! 4-D, a "4-D" movie about pirates starring Leslie Nielsen. The show replaced the short lived Haunted Lighthouse 4-D attraction written by R. L. Stine.
Sandstorm, a 'spin-and-barf' type ride with three arms that spins riders around.

Nairobi

Alligators and crocodiles can be observed here up close. In Curiosity Cavern, guests can view mammal and reptile exhibits. Visitors to Nairobi can view injured or abandoned newborns at the Nairobi Field Station Animal Nursery. The areas also contains Myombe Reserve, a lush, tropical rainforest that is home to Western Lowland Gorillas and Common Chimpanzees. The major ride here is Rhino Rally, an unpredictable off-road safari that ends spiraling its riders down a raging river.

Rhino Rally, a Vekoma River Adventure ride, Riders board inside modified Land Rovers through the park's Serengeti Plain habitat, interacting with animals and a raging river.

Crown Colony House

Crown Colony

The Crown Colony House offers both casual and fine dining. The Budweiser Clydesdale Hamlet and posing area are located here along with a Skyride station.

Egypt

Bedouin tents and authentic handicrafts and art create an Egyptian marketplace feel. Guests can visit a replica of King Tutankhamen's tomb with the excavation in progress. The primary attraction of the Egypt themed area is Montu, an inverted steel coaster.

Montu, named after the Egyptian God of War, is a 150-foot steel inverted Bolliger and Mabillard roller coaster with seven inversions.

Defunct Attractions

African Queen Boat Ride, a boat ride (similar to Disney's Jungle Cruise attraction) located in what is Tanganyika Tidal Wave today. Most of the theming is still intact from the old ride. The ride was transformed to Tidal Wave in 1989, with new boats and a drop section.

Akbar's Adventure Tours, A motion simulator experience of a wacky tour of Egypt with Akbar (played by Martin Short), encountering markets, pyramids, and more. The ride opened up in May, 1998 as the first family-oriented attraction in the Egypt section. As of January 2005, the attraction has been SBNO (Standing But Not Operating). Today, most of the building is used for The Show Jumping Hall of Fame exhibit.

Crazy Camel, a Chance Rides "Trabant" flat ride replaced by Cheetah Chase. It was removed in November, 2003.

Dwarf Village, a small childrens area that was located in what is now Land of the Dragons.

Monstrous Mamba, A flat ride that spun riders around as arms raises the cars up and down.

R.L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse 4-D, a "4-D" movie about two children spending a night inside a haunted lighthouse. Based on a story written by author R.L. Stine. The attraction opened up in May, 2003 as the first film in the newly redone Timbuktu Theatre (previously Dolphin Theatre).

Swinging Vines, A wave swinger flat ride that swings its riders around in a circle.

Veldt Monorail, allowed guests to get up close with animals on the Serengeti Plain. The ride was removed in 1999 due to upkeep cost. [link]

Animal Exhibits

The Serengheti Plain

In 1965, the park opened its 29-acre Serengheti Plain animal habitat, the first of its kind to offer animals in a free-roaming environment. It is home to the grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, bongo, addax, addra gazelle, eland, impala ostrich, marabou stork, East African crowned crane and sacred ibis.

Myombe Reserve

A 3-acre home for six lowland gorillas and nine chimpanzees located in Nairobi, opened in 1992.

Edge of Africa

Opened in 1997, Edge of Africa is home to meerkats, a pride of lions, a pack of hyenas, a few hippos, and a troop of baboons.

Curiosity Caverns

This makeshift cavern attraction, formerly known as Nocturnal Mountain, contains animals such as bats.

Busch Entertainment Corporation Adventure Parks
Busch Gardens	Tampa Bay, Williamsburg
SeaWorld	San Antonio, San Diego, Orlando
Miscellaneous	Adventure Island, Discovery Cove, Sesame Place, Water Country USA