Welcome to our Busch Gardens Tampa Crowd Calendar page, with a monthly look at estimated crowd levels, park hours, and general tips on crowds throughout the year.
Our crowd calendar for Busch Gardens Tampa is meant as a guide and is only an estimate of anticipated crowd levels. The calendar does not take into account weather, which can have an impact on attendance since most of the attractions at Busch Gardens Tampa are outdoors. Please verify operating hours directly with the park before you visit, as they can change without notice.
General Crowd Info
Saturdays are usually the busiest day of the week at Busch Gardens Tampa. Sundays, holiday weeks, and event days also tend to draw in larger crowds than weekdays through the rest of the year. On those days, avoid arriving at the park between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Instead, arrive earlier (lots open about 30 minutes before the park opens) or come mid-afternoon and you won’t spend as much time waiting in line to enter.
Mid-week visits, regardless of the season, typically have lower crowds than the surrounding weekends. The summer season, spring break, and the weeks around Christmas are generally the busiest times of the year. Winter, late spring, and fall weekdays typically have the lowest crowds.
Because most of the attractions at Busch Gardens Tampa are outdoors, a day with extended inclement weather will often reduce crowd levels. It’s worth keeping an eye on the weather in the days leading up to your visit – a few rainy days in a row will often mean the following day (especially if it’s a Saturday) could end up being busier than usual as guests who put off their visit all come on the same fair weather day.
December 2025 Crowd Calendar
As the year draws to a close, December 2025 will see more moderate crowds at the beginning of the month, then some of the busiest days of the year as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay celebrates the holiday season and rings in the new year.
Christmas Town continues daily, with lots of lights, special entertainment including Santa & Rudolph characters, and holiday treats to enjoy. For local passholders, this can also mean a bump in crowds into the evening as they come to enjoy the holiday festivities, especially the closer it gets to Christmas.
For lower crowds, stick to weekdays earlier in the month, or Fridays or Sundays until the middle of the month. As is often the case, expect Saturdays to be busier than the surrounding weekdays. If you visit from the 20th through the end of the year, plan on peak crowds regardless of which day you visit. If you can wake up and arrive early, that’s the best bet to avoid some of the crowds. 9 a.m. park opening means parking lots open at 8:30 a.m. or earlier. Avoid arriving between 10 am and noon – this is typically the timeframe most day guests arrive, meaning heavy traffic on surrounding roadways and into the park & long lines at security and the gate.
Christmas Day is hit or miss at Busch Gardens – some years it’s busy all day long, other years it has seen more moderate crowds early with heavier crowds as the day goes on. New Year’s Eve is the longest operating day of the year at the park, and can be one of the busiest. If you’re only arriving for evening festivities and the fireworks at midnight, still expect to run into some traffic getting in and heavy crowds everywhere in the park. If you want to watch fireworks from Festival Field, plan on arriving early to secure a seat. Another area to watch from that doesn’t fill as fast and is closer to the front for a quick exit is in the small plaza in front of Iron Gwazi or along the pathway near Zagora Cafe. Just know that you won’t get the full experience, and some of the display may be obscured by the coaster itself.
Of course, if you’re visiting over the busy holiday stretch around Christmas and New Year’s, please remember to set your expectations appropriately, pack your patience, and treat other guests & the park ambassadors with kindness. Those working at the parks are spending their holiday time away from family & friends so you can enjoy the time with yours while visiting.
See any attraction closures on the park’s mobile app during park hours.