BUCPOWER.COM Every player, every game and every detail in Buccaneer history THEME PARKS One of the big attractions of Florida for all tourists, are the theme parks. Everyone has heard of DisneyWorld and the Epcot Centre, but there are one or two others that are definitely worth visiting. For me, Busch Gardens is an absolute must but there are plenty of other choices to appeal to all members of all families, irrespective of age. BUSCH GARDENS Malcolm McKinley Drive, Tampa, Florida This 335-acre African theme park is one of the most popular attractions in Florida and boasts an exciting mix of wildlife and terrifying rides. Animal lovers can get up close and personal with lions, hippos, giraffe, zebra and many more fascinating creatures in the Edge of Africa and Serengeti Plains Safari tours. Busch Gardens also features a world-class zoo and daily shows featuring tropical birds and birds of prey. Thrill-seekers will be spoiled for choice at Busch Gardens as they pluck up the courage to challenge The Legend of Gwazi, Montu and Kumba. The Legend of Gwazi is the latest addition to the Busch Gardens family and is the Southeast's largest and fastest double wooden roller coaster. Trains cross just feet apart at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour in a bid to test the strongest of stomachs. Montu is one of the world's tallest and longest inverted roller coasters and would offer tremendous views of the rest of the park if visitors were brave enough to open their eyes! Kumba begins with a 135-foot drop which is quickly followed by a 110-foot dive into a loop which encourages a feeling of weightlessness for a full three seconds. That beginning sets the tone for the remainder of a ride that is sure to set the pulse racing. Click here for their official site ADVENTURE ISLAND 10001 Malcolm McKinley Drive, Tampa, Florida Situated next to Busch Gardens, Adventure Island is a great place to spend the day getting wet and making the most of the warm Tampa Bay weather. The 36-acre water theme park is open from February to October and features 17 water play areas, pools and slides. The feature slides are the new Key West Rapids and the Aruba Tuba inner tube flume. The spike zone volleyball park offers visitors a chance to show their skills on the court. For further details on Adventure Island and park opening times call (813) 987 5600. Click here for their official site SEAWORLD SeaWorld is about ½ day to see everything, and some of the shows that run two or three times a day are not to be missed, particularly Shamu the killer whale. You can buy “Shamus the Irish killer whale” T-shirts outside that are much funnier. One show that runs is the sea-lion and seal show that takes place roughly every hour. Get there early and watch the mime artist make fun of all the people coming in – he’s warped! And unless it’s REALLY hot, don’t sit anywhere in the front ten rows for any show. Unless you want to get soaked that is. Click here for their official site UNIVERSAL STUDIOS The Back to the Future ride is excellent, as is the instruction video that runs before you go in. Phil, Kev, Gary and I were helpless watching it. A full day is needed for this place. There are rides based on many of the films made by the studio, including Jurassic Park and a Marvel Superhero section. Plenty of places to eat and shop and something for every age range. Click here for their official site I don't know that much about downtown Tampa but I would advise any first timers in Florida generally, to do Kennedy. We did it once for a shuttle launch and then another time in more detail as the security was reduced allowing you to go just about anywhere, including the Saturn 5 hanger which was really good. The Disney parks are a must, Fast-pass your way round the attractions and take in all of the water parks. Apart from the Bucs though my personal favourite is SeaWorld in Orlando. This place is fantastic, I can never spend enough time there and the days simply fly by. Last time we booked to go at dawn so Alison could swim with the dolphins, something you think would piss the dolphins off, but they seemed to love it. A truly memorable experience. John Davies I did visit Orlando in 1997 and the only places i would recommend are pretty obvious attractions like:- Universal Studios - a great action packed day out, Gatorland - lots of alligators and crocs, and SeaWorld. Mark Howes An obvious suggestion is Busch Gardens, although it is excellent. Andrew Coish Busch Gardens - A great day out for the old and young alike with two of the world’s top rollercosters. It is located at 3000 E.Busch Boulevard, Tampa. Ian Taylor DISNEYWORLD/EPCOT CENTRE Epcot Centre and DisneyWorld – just for the kids – avoid unless you’ve got children less than 10 with you (or Kev who has a mental age of about ten). Then again, next time I go will be 2005 when Tanith will be four which is the perfect age for DisneyWorld so maybe I'll see if from a different perspective that time round. Click here for their official site KENNEDY SPACE CENTRE Cape Canaveral - I finally made the three-hour drive from Clearwater in 1998 and did not regret a moment of it. From Apollo to the shuttle, this is part of history and is an amazing day out. Watch Apollo 13 on video before you go so it’s fresh in your mind too. Click here for their official site We are always looking to update this part of BUCPOWER.COM with suggestions and information If you would like to contribute, please contact us at the e-mail address shown on the front screen