The SkyRide at Busch Gardens reopens tomorrow (2/2/24) after a long hiatus. It’ll be great to have it back with some of the amazing views of the Serengeti, the coasters and an easy way to get from one side of the park to the other. However, unless you have a season pass, it’s now going to cost you $5 for each ride you take. 

Here is some information from a few of the FAQ’s on the park’s website

“Guests will pay $5 per person for one ride. One ride is from Stanleyville station to the Cheetah Hunt Plaza or from the Cheetah Hunt Plaza station to the Stanleyville station. Tickets to the Busch Gardens Tampa SkyRide may only be purchased at each boarding station, one in Cheetah Hunt Plaza or the station in Stanleyville. Each guest that has a valid Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Pass, Preschool Card or Fun Card will be able to ride the SkyRide for free. Pass Members will need to present their valid pass to the ride attendant at the ride entrance.”

https://buschgardens.com/tampa/rides/skyride/

It’s not uncommon for parks to have upcharge activities like go-karts or sky coasters, but it’s interesting to see a formerly “included” attraction now being upcharged. The park was quick to point out on their site that they won’t be charging for the train or the parking lot tram, hopefully signaling this isn’t the start of a trend. I imagine this attraction was not cheap to fix and is not cheap to operate, so I’d much rather have it back like this than not at all.

It is great that season pass holders get to ride for free and it’s another benefit of the park’s excellent season pass program. The hope here is that this isn’t the start of a broader trend and more akin the the upcharge to ride the Sky Tower at SeaWorld Orlando (where pass holders also ride for free). Having just returned from Disney I may be a little wary having survived paid Lightning Lane and Genie+ though. I suppose there was a day when admission to the parks including Disney was free and you just paid per ride, similar to how the Fun Spot Parks are today and I sometimes wonder if a return to that model rather than the “all-inclusive” tickets we have today could work. Either way, THANK YOU Busch Gardens for bringing the SkyRide back and I look forward to being a passenger very soon!