Security and safety at theme parks remain the highest priority for park operators. After all, the business can suffer if customers don’t feel safe at a theme park. As a result, many large amusement parks have instituted bag policies to help prevent the possibility of weapons or other harmful things from entering the park.
Busch Gardens is no stranger to this policy. Both parks in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Tampa Bay, Florida, have a bag policy in place as part of their patron check-in procedures.
So, if you’re planning a trip to either theme park, it would be best to acquaint yourself with the bag policy. Let’s dig in.
Bag Policy at Busch Gardens
If you plan to bring a bag to Busch Gardens, it is immediately subject to a bag-checking procedure.
Bags are checked by Busch Gardens safety and security staff before entry to the park. You will be asked to present your bag for inspection when you approach the security officer. The inspection includes a thorough check of the inside and a search through the bag’s pockets if there are any.
If the security member finds anything not permitted inside the park, you will be asked to return that item to your car. But what is not allowed inside Busch Gardens?
Unpermitted Items Inside Busch Gardens
Like any area with a significant influx of people, Busch Gardens maintains a strict policy of several items not allowed inside the park. These items include:
- Weapons
- Glass bottles
- Cans
- Any other type of sharp object
- Large hard or soft coolers
- Any hazardous items or materials
A good rule of thumb to realize is that anything that someone can use to harm another patron at the park needs to stay in your car. So, if your dad is the type of guy to carry a pocket knife, he will likely be asked to leave that behind before he enters the park.
Can I Bring Food and Drinks Inside the Park?
You may think that bringing a bag inside Busch Gardens allows you to bring outside food or drinks. But, unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Busch Gardens maintains a strict “no outside food or drinks” policy. Considering the number of drinks and food items inside the park, it is easy to see why this policy is in place. However, guests with any dietary restrictions, such as food allergies, can speak to guest services for permission to bring specific food items with them. Parents of newborns are also allowed to bring baby food and formula if necessary.
However, you can bring a bottle of water with you and store it in your bag.
What Kind of Bag Can I Bring to Busch Gardens?
A trip to Busch Gardens usually means carrying several items through the park. That’s not fun for many people, so bringing a bag is wise. However, a few things to note if you bring a bag to the park.
You can bring a bag, purse, satchel, or backpack to any Busch Gardens park. However, bags with wheels are not permitted because of the potential tripping hazard for other park guests. Have you ever tripped on someone else’s roller board at an airport? That’s why.
Can I Bring My Bag on Rides at Busch Gardens?
Park guests concerned about the theft of personal items may be concerned about leaving some things behind during rides. However, park patrons cannot bring bags or other loose items on rides. Considering the number of twists, turns, and flips on many of the park’s rides, this is not a surprise.
Instead, guests will be permitted to leave loose items at the ride’s entrance, guarded by the ride operators.
Can I Rent a Locker at Busch Gardens?
Lockers are available at Busch Gardens if you wish to store your belongings in a secured location. You will have to pay a fee for the all-day lockers and the transferable locker pass, but they are affordable for anyone. The park offers three types of locker options for patrons:
All-Day Lockers
An all-day locker can be rented at the park and used throughout your stay. These lockers are conveniently located at most park entrances or central locations. If you choose this locker, you will need to return to it if you’ve left something important behind – like a wallet, debit card, or cash – and need it in the park for later use.
Ride Lockers
Ride lockers allow you to store your belongings for a brief period while you are riding any of the attractions. Many of them are located near popular rides. These lockers allow you to store valuable and loose items, so you don’t risk losing them during the ride.
Transferable Ride Locker Pass
Transferable locker passes allow you to use any lockers within the park. When you purchase a pass, you’ll receive a keycode that can work with the multiple available lockers within the park. With this pass, you can store your items in one park section, remove them, and use another locker in a different area.
Security Measures Inside Busch Gardens
With thousands of visitors annually, security and safety measures at Busch Gardens are a priority for park ownership. Any security or safety issue opens the park to potential litigation, so maintaining a secure environment protects the business.
The bag policy is just part of the park’s overall security and safety rules.
Other safety and security measures inside the park include security members patrolling the park and the parking lots and surveillance systems at nearly every corner.
Conclusion
As with any theme park, a bag and security policy keeps you safe by ensuring no weaponry or illegal items enter the park. Busch Gardens is no different. If you have any gut feeling about whether or not something is allowed inside the park, listen to it. The odds are you are correct. Still, a quick study of the bag policy will allow you to understand the dos and don’ts of visiting the park.
More about our TFVG Author
- Charmaine Corteshttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/charmaine/
- Charmaine Corteshttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/charmaine/
- Charmaine Corteshttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/charmaine/
- Charmaine Corteshttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/charmaine/
