Busch Gardens Announces Sesame Street Safari Expansion

Tampa, FL — Busch Gardens announced plans to welcome the Sesame Street characters to their Tampa Bay theme park next spring. The all-new Sesame Street Safari of Fun will feature rides, shows, and playgrounds for families featuring the Sesame Street characters, including Elmo and Big Bird.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will double the size of their current children's area and replace it with Sesame Street Safari of Fun featuring Sesame Street theme rides, shows and interactive play areas in 2010.

Attractions in the new Sesame Street playground will include a new junior-sized family roller coaster called "Air Grover". Both parents and children will be able to ride together on this family coaster that features mini-dives and twisting turns. Additional rides include "Zoe-Patra & the Hippos of the Nile," flume ride, "Rosita's Djembe Fly-Away," swing ride that will send kids whirling above the African canopy and "Elmo's Safari Go-Round," a tribal-inspired carousel with Elmo and his friends.

Another addition will be "Bert & Ernie's Water Hole", an interactive water play structure with bubblers, geysers, jets, and overhead duping water buckets.

Busch Gardens plans to build Sesame Street Safari of Fun on the site where Land of the Dragons currently exists. Once completed the new area will be double the current size. To remain consistent with the theme park's African theme, the new Sesame Street playground will celebrate the spirit of Africa.

"Sesame Street Safari of Fun will be a fantastic addition to Busch Gardens," says Donnie Mills, Busch Gardens' executive vice president and general manager. "With Sesame Street Safari of Fun Busch Gardens truly has something for all ages, and this new destination in the park is certain to be a hit among families and kids."

Along with the Sesame Street playground the park is planning to bring "Sesame Street presents Lights, Camera, Imagination!" to the park's 4-D theater located in Timbuktu. Families will also be able to take part in a new Sesame Street character dining experience on select days at the outdoor dining facility adjacent to the Sesame Street Safari of Fun.

See related: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, buschgardens.com.