Fall is definitely upon us which means lighter crowds, Halloween decorations sprouting up, and construction for new attractions beginning. We spotted all of those familiar autumnal sights at Busch Gardens Tampa recently. Let's get started, shall we?
This year's theme of Howl-O-Scream is "My X" a rock n' roll band whose lead singer has a bit of an edge.
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| This "collage" at the park entrance includes real working televisions, sound equipment, and musical instruments. |
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| What would a punk band theme be without a little grafitti? |
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| Howl-O-Scream has its own dedicated gift shop, with lots of event-exclusive merchandise. The shop interior is meant to look like an underground club where "My X" has a gig. |
"Alone" may be one of the most unique mazes in the theme park industry. You literally journey through the entire maze ALONE. For an upcharge of $24.95 if you purchase in advance ($34.95 at the park), you get the chance to go through the maze with up to three friends. If you make it through completely alone and without leaving through any of the "chicken exits" you get a fancy t-shirt to wear as proof that you're not a wuss and, of course, bragging rights. Expect very long lines on busier nights!
In "Trapped," you explore the house of a family that met a gruesome fate. Much like the Ghost Hunters TV show, you join paranormal activity "experts" as they try to figure out what exactly is "Trapped" in the walls of this house.
"Crazed Love" is a scare zone with a chip on its shoulder. We all enjoy love stories where a guy meets a girl, they fall in love and tie the knot. But what happens when the bride is left at the alter or the guy cheats and the scorned wants sweet, bloody revenge?
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| The pathway is flanked by oversized wedding cake toppers. |
Beyond the condemned gates of Grey Echo Penitentiary are prisoners about to receive their death sentence. Methods of execution used here include the electric chair and lethal injection.
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| This old abandoned toy factory will be like walking through Sid's room from "Toy Story" with demented toys aplenty! |
One of the newest additions to Busch Gardens this summer is Walkabout Way. Adjacent to the existing Kookaburra exhibit, this new area is worth a look. It might seem like a small addition to the park, but who can pass up the chance to feed and pet a kangaroo?
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| The new exhibit is home to dozens of kangaroos of all ages. There's even an albino kangaroo. (He was too shy for us to get a photo). |
You can even take home a 'roo of your own! Busch Gardens Tampa has added several "Mold-A-Rama" machines to the park over the last year, including this new one that molds a plastic kangaroo while you watch.
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| Never seen a Mold-A-Rama machine in action? Our YouTube Channel features a video of BGT's rhino machine. |
Construction has reached a fever pitch now that Labor Day weekend is over and the crowds have slowed down. While Busch Gardens is very tight lipped about details on their new coaster, we do know one thing, this sucker is going to be HUGE!!
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| Here is a view from the Crown Colony Restaurant. The old monorail/skyway building and the old stable for the clydesdale horses are being absorbed into the new attraction. |
They have created a walkway that goes around the construction and serves as an artery to the Epypt area. Technically the walkway goes outside of the berm of the park by a few feet and can be seen from the parking lot.
It's not just new rides that are in the works in this section of the park. The Moroccan Palace Theater shows signs of new developments as well.
The much-loved "Katonga" show has closed in the Moroccan Palace Theater and will be replaced with Cirque Dreams: Jungle Fantasy. This show actually ran on Broadway and has toured the country. A scaled down version will be used at Busch Gardens with many of the original costumes and sets. This is not the first time SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment has presented a Cirque du Soleil-style show at one of its parks. Blue Horizons and A Lure have both been successful at SeaWorld for a few years now. The difference is that unlike those shows, this one is not a custom production designed for the park. This show will be a direct lift from Broadway. We will look forward to December 1, 2010 to see the finished product!
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