We’re back from a wonderful family Thanksgiving at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay! Here’s our Day 1 recap.
Our plan was to head out as early as possible, but had a few minor setbacks. Perhaps the most interesting one involved Stinky’s newly acquired goldfish, Vesper. I made arrangements for the dog, but completely forgot about the fish. I knocked on a few doors to beg a favor from neighbors, but didn’t get a response. So Vesper was packed up and tagged along with us.
We spent most of the day driving. The Thanksgiving traffic was brutal! We arrived in Tampa just before 8pm and headed straight to the park.
Because there were so few people in the park at that time, we were able to walk on even the most popular rides right away. Best. Experience. Ever!
Stinky, Blinky, and the DH convinced me to go on Cheetah Hunt. While I’m terrified of heights, I can tolerate mild coasters that don’t go upside down. After two workers assured me that I would really enjoy the ride, which is “not bad at all,” I agreed. The signs on the walk-up should have alerted me that this was not the case, but I was so caught up in the excitement that I didn’t notice. Nor did I think about the fact that the ride was 3 1/2 minutes long… that’s never a good sign for someone with acrophobia. Talk about a thrill of a lifetime. Stinky and Blinky LOVED it! The DH put up a brave face but his expression is the photo below is priceless. How did I fare?
It took a solid 30 minutes for my legs to stop shaking, during which time the kids enjoyed a few other rides. SheiKra was a big hit with Stinky who is absolutely fearless! I was also nursing my right wrist which hurt a little after grabbing the restraints so tightly. Yeah, I was a bit of a mess, but it was all in good fun.
Afterward we spent some time walking the park and enjoying the light displays. The lights at night were truly dazzling! It was so well done. The pictures hardly do it justice.
We closed the park at 10, got a late dinner and checked into our hotel around 11. As part of our package, both kids should have received a stuffed giraffe from Busch Gardens at check-in, but the hotel had just one left. 😦 Stinky was a sweet big brother to let Blinky have it, but was a little bummed he didn’t get one of his own. Still, the four of us went to bed perfectly content, anxiously awaiting Day 2. Stay tuned.
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