Busch Gardens Offers Visitors New Mobile App

Busch Gardens, the Tampa amusement park that draws visitors worldwide, now offers guests an innovative and high-tech way to see the park. The amusement park has develop an interactive iPhone application that uses GPS technology to guide visitors through the park.

"The technology for real-time navigation and ride wait times/show times is GPS-enabled and activates once guests are inside the park," says Jody Anderson, manager of digital communications at Busch Gardens. "Browsing the app outside the park will provide guests with information for all of the park's other attractions and amenities."

In addition to notifying guests of ride wait times and show times, the GPS in the application can virtually guide visitors through the park.

"An interactive map will show guests where they are in the park and allow them to highlight the quickest real-time route to their next destination by clicking the 'take me there' button on any destination page," Anderson says. "Whether the destination is a restaurant, show, ride, animal habitat or nearest restroom, the app can give details on its description, location and restrictions."

The application can be used once you leave the park as well. "One extra element we are excited about is the car finder," says Anderson.

"This tool can be used anywhere, anytime to pinpoint where you parked your car."

Anderson says the reception of the new application by fans and guests has been great. While the application is currently only available for the iPhone, the team at Busch Gardens is working on an Android version that will be available this fall.

Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Jody Anderson, Busch Gardens

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Kimberly Patterson is a news editor for 83 Degrees Media in the Tampa Bay region of Florida.