[15][23][24] Additional attractions included a dwarf village and the "Hospitality House," a William B. Harvard designed facility that offered free samples of beer to guests.

[39] In the same month, Anheuser-Busch communicated its intentions to expand Busch Gardens at the cost of $3.5 to $4 million as the company projected a rise in attendance for the coming decade, necessitating growth.

[55] The African veldt contained a variety of animals mostly imported from Africa, including cheetahs, chimpanzees, elephants, gorillas, lions, and rhinos with habitats faithfully recreated by the park.

The expansion would initially call for the additions of an amphitheater seating 1,000 guests, a "tree tops" viewing platform of the African veldt, a locomotive train, and a log flume.

[77][78] General admission to the park was implemented on July 31, coinciding with the opening of the Boma area that featured African mammals, birds, and a manmade mountain.

[175] By the end of 1988, park officials were considering several additions such as a new boat ride, another show for the Moroccan Palace theater, new exhibit spaces, and reopening the Old Swiss House.

Busch Gardens officials planned to launch promotions to attract the European tourist market and draw on its unique position in the Florida amusement park industry.

[176] For the park's 30th anniversary, Busch Gardens announced a shoot the chute water ride named the Tanganyika Tidal Wave, a koala exhibit, and a Clydesdale stable for the coming year.

[190] Located near the Clydesdale stables and Crown Colony House, Questor featured the story of explorer Sir Edison Fitzwilly pursuing the Crystal of Zed through different landscapes.

[191] To maintain its hold in the Florida theme park market, Busch Gardens unveiled plans to construct the Myombe Reserve, a 3-acre (1.2 ha) chimpanzee and gorilla exhibit that would replace the Boma section.

[195][196] Continuing efforts to expand, the park revealed plans in November to construct a signature steel roller coaster within the Congo section named Kumba.

[201] The construction of the Wild Animal Kingdom prompted Busch Gardens to map out a competitive strategy for the coming years in preparation for its first direct competitor in the Florida theme park market.

[202][203] The Land of the Dragons opened on May 9, 1995, debuting on a 1.5-acre (0.61 ha) area featuring a large three-story tree house, miniature cars, a ferris wheel, and rope bridge.

The plant on the Busch Gardens property had become the smallest brewery of the company's 13 and was slated to close down because of the decreased beer consumption and high per-barrel costs.

[206][216] The section included a recreation of King Tut's tomb, a sand pit, Egyptian hieroglyphs structures, and the Bolliger & Mabillard inverted roller coaster, Montu.

Located in the middle of the park on a 15-acre (6.1 ha) parcel of the Serengeti Plain, the animal exhibit featured crocodiles, hippos, hyenas, lions, meerkats, and vultures among an African village and wildlife themes.

[232] In June, updated plans for the entertainment complex cited a $10 million ride to open in the coming year,[227] which would later be revealed as the dueling wooden roller coasters, Gwazi, in July.

[244] To retain attendance from returning visitors, Anheuser-Busch began offering a "Fun Card" to Florida residents at their Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld Orlando theme parks beginning in 2000.

[256] Several projects were proposed to open during the 2003 season, including a white rhino habitat, an add-on zoo keeper experience, a revitalized Timbuktu area with the Das Festhaus restaurant being rethemed, and the premiere of the 4D film, Haunted Lighthouse.

[279][280] Busch Gardens revealed its plans in September to build a $16 million dollar section, named Jungala, where the Python roller coaster once stood.

Potential buying participants were speculated, to be the Blackstone Group, Cedar Fair, Parques Reunidos, and Six Flags, as all were operating parks domestically or globally.

The building that housed the former Akbar's Adventure Tour simulator ride and U.S. Horseshow Jumping Hall of Fame was turned into a museum in March, with guest and corporate contributions displayed.

[351] The park would disclose in December that wooden roller coasters Gwazi would close in the coming months due to rising costs in operation and feedback from guests.

[370] Iron Gwazi, was expected to be completed by Spring 2020, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida, the park temporarily closed from March 16 to June 11, to assist in slowing down the exposure of guests.

[374] Busch Gardens Tampa Bay named Neal Thurman as its new president in August, amid Clark leaving to pursue a role at SeaWorld Entertainment in September.

It is also home a Premier Rides Sky Rocket II named Tigris, and SheiKra, which was the first and only Bolliger & Mabillard Dive Coaster in the United States until the addition of Griffon at the sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

[390] In 2012 the Animal Care Center opened, allowing guests to observe actual veterinary procedures, as well as meet the stars of Wildlife Docs, Busch Gardens' Saturday morning television show.

The documentary film Blackfish and a subsequent online petition led to several popular musical groups cancelling performances at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens "Bands, Brew & BBQ" event in 2014.

[434][435][436] This caused the removal of the event in Tampa, which was replaced by the annual Food and Wine Festival, resembling the one currently at Epcot in Walt Disney World Orlando.

On every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, guests can compete in the "Dance Challenge" at Gwazi Park to win four free tickets to Adventure Island as well as a fireworks show directly afterward.