I think my rating of three out of five stars is very accurate due to many different reasons- here are my pros and cons:
Pros:
1) affordable pricing overall… On most things
2) not too crowded, ride waits are long
3) variety of thrill rides and animals in one park
4) Food and drink prices are fairly reasonable
Cons:
1) no one has accurate information. We went in early May on a Saturday into Sunday and upon paying $25 into the parking area at Busch Gardens, the parking attendant employee told us that they open that 9 AM the next day, which was a Sunday. We arrive at 9 AM next day only to find that we could Not get in to the attractions unless we are annual pass number, the rest of the house which is us with Nancy’s passes had to wait until 10 AM
Not get in to the attractions unless we are annual pass number, the rest of the people such as us with Nancy’s passes had to wait until 10 AM
2) Cleanliness and people to assist you with questions eat somewhere. On our entry into the park at 10 AM on Sunday, the bathrooms were already out of toilet paper and hand towels and some litter that we saw from the day before near the attractions were still there
3) different pricing on the QUE quick ? pass... similar to fast pass at Disney)... We bought 2 QUE passes for Sunday for $40 each, only to find that they were $20 online in a different area and $60 plus at the kiosk with in the park… Which one is accurate and what are they trying to do here?
4) signage in the park could be better. Make sure you have your walking shoes on, since it’s a huge area and a lot of ground to cover. There is no one focal point, such as the castles and Magic Kingdom to get your bearings in the maps on the slightly helpful.
In summary, although there is room for improvement, you probably can save a lot of money by coming to Busch Gardens instead of Disney or universal, but having said that, you basically get what you pay for within reason.
I guess if you buy the annual pass, and you use it a few times, you definitely will get your moneys worth, but make sure you read the fine print!