Animal Action

At a newly minted seven years old, Lindsay kind of finds herself in a bit of a no-man’s land when it comes to Busch Gardens Tampa. She’s outgrown many of the rides at the Sesame Street Safari of Fun area, both in terms of interest level (she pointed out the lack of excitement on the Big Bird’s Whirly Birdie Ferris wheel–style ride) and size (she’s taller than the height limit on some of them). But she’s nowhere near brave enough for many of the park’s thrill rides, even if she’s got the height to ride them.

So during our most recent visit to Busch Gardens, we wound up exploring areas that we’ve often overlooked or quickly passed through during Lindsay’s younger days. One of our new favorite sections is the Jungala area, home to all kinds of cool animals and a couple of rides just right for our first grader.

 

The Wild Surge has become a Lindsay must-do. We strapped ourselves in four times on this ride, which shoots up four stories out of a rocky outcropping and plunges back down several times over. Think of it as a slightly less intense version of the Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Another newfound fave is the Jungle Flyers. Lindsay was disappointed that it wasn’t operating during our recent visit; it was a highlight from our time at Busch Gardens last spring. The zipline-style ride soars fifty feet above the Jungala area, offering riders a bird’s-eye view of the animals below. I admittedly experienced a few moments of panic as I stood below and watched Lindsay take off, but seeing the smile on her face as she flew overhead quickly calmed me down.

Opportunities for interesting animal encounters abound in the Jungala section. I’m usually not a fan of the often-crazy, playground-style climbing structures at theme parks. (We can go to a playground for free, I always tell Lindsay.) But the one here has some nooks and crannies kids can scramble into for out-of-the-ordinary views of animals like gibbons and flying foxes.

In another portion of Jungala, a trail leads visitors to all of the different viewing areas for observing the park’s Bengal tigers, including a very cool “pop up” spot where folks can get an incredibly close look at the fierce creatures. “I could see the tiger breathing!” Lindsay exclaimed after emerging from the enclosure.

Maybe it’s because I’m not a thrill-seeker myself, but I’m happy that Lindsay’s in-between age has afforded us the chance to explore things at Busch Gardens Tampa we might miss otherwise. After all, it’ll only be a matter of time before she’s ditching mom and dad and running off for the twists and turns of a heart-stopping roller-coaster. So I’ll take these more sedate kinds of experiences while I can get them.

Wet but Not So Wild

Lots of the hotel pools at the Walt Disney World Resort have waterslides that twist and turn and splash riders into the water below. But if you have a kiddo like mine who’s not known for being brave, the pool area at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is a great place for little ones to test the waters when it comes to slipping and sliding.

The children’s water play area includes three waterslides sized just right for kids under 48 inches tall, two standard slides and one tube-style slide. Kids splash down into a shallow, contained area, so there’s no need to worry about them navigating deeper waters or crowded pools.

There’s water squirting out from all over the pirate ship–themed play structure; kids can even control the level of spray in most places by turning wheels that reduce or increase the flow. The whole time they’re playing, a huge bucket fills up with water overhead. When a bell starts ringing, that signals that the bucket is about to tip over, spilling its contents all over anyone below. Some kids relish this soaking; others (like my daughter in her younger days) run away from the dousing.

On our most recent trip to Caribbean Beach, Lindsay braved the slides at the main pool area, including an 80-foot-long one that traveled inside a faux fort. But she still spent lots of time skipping and splashing through the children’s play area, even standing in the path of the spilling bucket a few times. She may be getting bigger, but she’s still able to appreciate when good things come in small packages.

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.