Riding (Not So) High

I do not have a brave child. Which shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, since I’m not the most courageous person myself. She’s definitely inherited her sense of caution and her trepidation concerning new experiences from me. So as my five-year-old daughter’s friends whoop it up on age-appropriate roller coasters and other theme-park rides where the thrill levels have been amped up a bit, she’s content to take things slow and get her kicks on merry-go-rounds, flying elephants, and other kiddie fare.

That’s why she’s always up for a trip to Busch Gardens Tampa, which offers plenty of ride options for kids whose tastes skew more mild than wild. She may have outgrown Elmo and Grover, but she still has a ball at the park’s Sesame Street Safari of Fun. There she takes in the view from an egg-shaped car on Big Bird’s Whirly Birdie Ferris wheel and gleefully giggles as she splashes down the speed bump–sized hill on the Zoe-patra & the Hippos of the Nile flume ride.

In the park’s Timbuktu area, she hops astride a (usually pink or purple) motorcycle, picks out the most bedazzled horse on the carousel, and flies through the sky in a kiddie-controlled biplane. Maybe one day she’ll want to tackle rides with big hills and high speeds. But for right now, she’s in no rush to grow up, and I’m just fine with that.

After all, once she does grow up a bit more, she’ll no longer be eligible for the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Preschool Pass, one of the greatest perks the parks offer to Florida residents. Children five and under can get free, unlimited admission to both SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa during 2012. Just register your kiddos by May 31, and they can enjoy the parks for the rest of the year at no cost. And mom and dad can enjoy this rare instance when they don’t have to shell out cash at a theme park.