Park Overview
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay opened in 1959 and now spreads across roughly 335 acres north of downtown Tampa, off Busch Boulevard. It is two parks stitched together: an African-themed zoo with a 65-acre Serengeti Plain you cross by train, by Skyride, or on a safari vehicle, and a thrill lineup that rivals anything in Florida. Iron Gwazi, SheiKra, Montu, Kumba, Cheetah Hunt, Tigris, Cobra's Curse, and Phoenix Rising cover the full range from a 42-inch family coaster to a 91-degree hybrid drop.
That mix matters for accessible planning more than the ride count does. A large share of the park is animal habitat, overlooks, and seated presentations with no height check and no transfer, which gives you natural rest points between coasters. The trade is Florida weather: long stretches of uncovered walkway, real heat from May through September, and afternoon thunderstorms that arrive fast.
Location: 10165 N McKinley Dr, Tampa, FL 33612
Note: Adventure Island is a separate water park next door with separate admission. A Busch Gardens Tampa ticket does not include it unless your pass says so.
Best time to visit: Weekdays outside school holidays, and the cooler half of the year. February through April is the sweet spot for heat and crowds together.
Hours: Seasonal and vary by date. Confirm on the park's hours page before your visit.
Phone: (813) 884-4FUN, which is 813-884-4386.
Tickets & Pricing
Day Tickets and Passes
Single-day tickets are cheaper bought online in advance than at the gate, and the park runs frequent date-based pricing plus a Fun Card that covers the rest of the calendar year. If you are visiting more than once in a year, an annual pass often costs about the same as two day tickets and includes parking at the higher tiers. Compare current options on the park website before you buy.
Quick Queue (Not an Accessibility Product)
Quick Queue is the park's paid line-skip upgrade. It is not a disability accommodation and it is not required to use the Ride Accessibility Program. Guests enrolled in the accessibility program get a return time and board through the ride exit, the queue entrance, or a marked disabled entrance depending on the ride. That is a boarding route, not a purchase requirement.
Accessibility: The Ride Accessibility Program
Busch Gardens Tampa's accommodation is the Ride Accessibility Program, usually shortened to RAP. You enroll in person at Guest Relations, just inside the main entrance in the Moroccan entry plaza, and you receive a sheet listing the rides and attractions you can ride. From there you get Special Access, which places you in a virtual queue instead of the physical line.
The official guide lists no third-party accessibility card, no IBCCES requirement, and no advance application. That makes it noticeably less advance work than the Orlando parks that route disability access through an online registration or a certification card.
Full Accessibility Guide: RAP, the Virtual Queue & What to Expect →The short version: stop at Guest Relations first, get your RAP sheet, then request a boarding time at each listed ride. Boarding times are based on the current estimated wait. The enrolled guest must ride, up to five additional guests may come along, and you may only hold one active wait time at a time.
Wheelchair & ECV Rental
Manual wheelchairs and Electric Convenience Vehicles are rented inside the park, immediately to the right of Guest Relations, subject to availability. Reservations can be made in advance on the park's upgrades page, which is worth doing because ECVs run out on busy days. This is a large, hilly-in-places park with long walks between Egypt, the Serengeti, and Stanleyville, so plenty of families who never use a device at home rent one here. Every coaster requires a transfer out of your device into the ride vehicle, so plan for where the device waits while you ride.
Parking
- Paid on-site parking with accessible spaces in the lot near the park entrance, many of them van accessible. General parking starts at $32 plus tax for cars, with prices varying by date and pass level.
- Pre-paying online saves time at the plaza and is worth it on weekends and holiday weeks.
- The lot is flat and paved. The walk from the far rows to the turnstiles is long in July, so the closer paid tiers buy real relief on hot days.
What to Bring
A day here is almost entirely outdoors in Florida sun, with two rides that will soak you and a genuine chance of an afternoon storm.
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- Portable charger: tickets, wait times, and the park map all live on your phone.
- Noise-canceling headphones: the Iron Gwazi plaza and Sesame Street Safari of Fun are the loudest corners of the park.
- Cooling towel and electrolytes: heat is the single biggest limiter on a summer day here, especially for guests managing fatigue or medication.
- Waterproof pouch: Congo River Rapids and Stanley Falls will soak you.
- Poncho: the afternoon storm is not a maybe from June through September.
- Sunscreen and a hat: most queue and walkway space is uncovered.
Hotels Nearby
Busch Boulevard runs along the park's south side and the USF corridor sits a few minutes east, which puts a large block of rooms within ten minutes of the gate. See our full hotel guide for accessibility-focused picks.
Search Hotels Near Busch Gardens Tampa on Expedia →