Well, heres a rumor I just heard about BGT. In 2007, BGT would retheme Bird Gardens (which has been a section at the park since the park first opened back in 1960). The rumor would also involve Busch getting a freefall ride in the park and a ride like Curse of DarKastle/Spiderman. I think it is kind of probable in a way. One factor;

1. Back in October, there was a wall up in Bird Gardens retheming and renovating the gift shop there into Xcursions, a nature oriented gift shop.

Then of course, your thinking where would Busch put the rides? Bird Gardens only has one ride, and thats Gwazi (AKA 2 doses of pain). It turns out Bird Gardens is one of the more unpopular sections of the park. Here are the places where I would think the rides would go to;

1. The DarKastle like ride: It would go where the Koala exhibit used to be. In 2002, it closed down for good, only to be last used as a haunted house for Howl-O-Scream.

2. The Freefall: I would have to say Intamin would do this and it would be built where the Eagle exhibit is or in the Flamingo Pond.

I will give this rumor little belief, but I hope it happens as Busch has been lacking flats and a dark ride would do good for them as well.

Bird Gardens is usually deserted, but since it is history, I can't give an easy answer if this will be taken out or not. It would be awesome if it was. I new dark ride or... can we imagine... robocoaster... Just think of the possibilities.

Well, I don't think they will take it out since it does have so much history, but adding a ride in that section is a good idea to make it more popular, and a good break in-between riding Montu & Kumba.

Drop Ride at BGT would be a neat idea.

A Freefall would be very nice. ACtually anything would be nice.

__________________
I crapped on my balls once, it was fun.

A new dive machine would be nice, as the one they have is getting old.

^ The dive machine is getting old? It's not even done being built yet!!!! :P

Also, the gift shot that they redid looks almost exactly the same. Slightly different color on the walls, but otherwise very little difference. Even the stuff they are selling in it is exactly the same as what was sold before. So I don't see that as any sign of anything happening there. The gift shop was, in fact, the last part of that building to get redone, as it's a fairly old building and was in need of some major work to put in back in decent shape (they had previously redone the bathrooms and the other parts of the building)

I doubt that they'll be doing much with the bird gardens. You've got the street that runs right by a edges of it, and while there may not be many "attractions" there, it is actually one of the more popular areas for those coming for the "zoo" atmosphere. I'm constantly tripping over people who are watching the flamingos, swans, and other birds there. Really about the only area I can see them redoing is the Jack Hanna area and their new little garden they redid as there really isn't anything there the rest of the year. I don't see them moving the animals for a ride as that is the stated goal and focus of the park.

But then I've been wrong before to. Just not sure how much I'd put stock in that rumor though.

__________________
Have you read my number 1 best seller? There will be a test! ~God
Life with God is one thrill ride you'll never want to get off of.
My park & coaster photos: Sir Willow's Smugmug pictures

^ That's actually one of the things that we love the most about BGT- that it's one of the top zoological parks in the country. Can't go a day without spending time watching and enjoying the animals. Enough so that yes, we ride Rhino Rally a bunch (love the close encounter with the rhino) and the train (ever been held up by a zebra?)

But then we catch Katonga almost every time we're there to. And we're there quite a bit.

__________________
Have you read my number 1 best seller? There will be a test! ~God
Life with God is one thrill ride you'll never want to get off of.
My park & coaster photos: Sir Willow's Smugmug pictures

Hm... The only thing I see populated in Bird Gardens is the flamingos, and that's only cause it's next to something else popular (I forget what, is it the land of the dragons? Help me out!). And leeloo, thank you for making me laugh during the first part of your post.

Yes, the Land of the Dragons is next to the flamingos and near the Hospitality House. Animals are still popular at Busch, take all of the animal oriented attractions such as Rhino Rally, Edge of Africa, and the Living Dragons attraction at Land of the Dragons, they wont get rid of the animals anytime soon, because animals is what got BGT to become a major thrill park.

But I wouldnt see that happening to Bird Gardens... its a really unpopular and boring place in the park.

They could invade Gwazi park a little with a drop tower.

__________________
Top 5 list of BGT's biggest screw ups!
#5 Removal of Python, #4 Jungala, #3 Rhino Rally, #2 Misuse of Akbar's Adventure Tours, and coming in at #1 is... drum roll please... SheiKra Floorless!

Isn't there a huge field behind Gwazi? I remember seeing it when I rode it two years ago. It was weird. Like this big empy space. Or was that where animals can rome??

I think your talking about Gwazi Park. Thats where they do special event stuff.

__________________
Top 5 list of BGT's biggest screw ups!
#5 Removal of Python, #4 Jungala, #3 Rhino Rally, #2 Misuse of Akbar's Adventure Tours, and coming in at #1 is... drum roll please... SheiKra Floorless!

They should axe Gwazi park abd put in a major new trackless Sally dark ride, with numerous endings.

^ Not likely to happen. Gwazi park actually gets quite a bit of use with private parties, special events, picnics, and other such things. E.G., for New Years that is where they had the stages set up for the concerts and the fireworks to welcome in the New Year. Private events, such as the ones that make use of Gwazi park, are the bread and butter of parks. I really doubt that they'll eliminate that.

Homer, while you might feel that the Bird Gardens are boring, many would disagree with you. I'd have to strongly disagree with you on it's popularity as it seems to be just as popular as the other animal exhibits, and in many cases even more so. Lots of people take their time and linger as they walk through there. Not to mention that the Hospitality House and the bird show theater are also right in the area. Essentially the only areas really available are the Jack Hanna spot, which could be easily used, or the small lake and flamingo/ goose/ swan area which they're not going to touch or do anything with. They would be removing far to much with no other place to put all those birds, and when animals and rides compete, the animals win.

__________________
Have you read my number 1 best seller? There will be a test! ~God
Life with God is one thrill ride you'll never want to get off of.
My park & coaster photos: Sir Willow's Smugmug pictures

I hope they don't remove the bird gardens. That was what the park became known for in the 60s. (Prior to all the rides...)

__________________
It's Homespun Fun!

maybe they shouldnt remove bird gardens, but they should at a freefall ride in the bird gardens or around it

also i dont think too many people go for the zoo atmosphere, plus they still got the edge of africa, random alligators (no longer under montu...too bad), and myombe reserve or w/e

i know i dont go for the zoo atmosphere especially when i live in a town with one of the top 5 zoos in the world (henry doorly zoo, oomaha ne)

__________________
Dirty Tramp

Yeah why did they remove the gators under Montu's station? That always scared the crap out of people. It also looked cool. Not that the fountain doesn't.

BGT is one of the top 4 zoos in the country according to several organizations. And frankly I think you'd be shocked by the large numbers of people that go there for the animals and never step near the larger thrill rides and coasters. There are reasons that it has a very popular senior citizens pass program and other things like that. Not to mention their animal based school assemblies (they did one at the school I work at today), and the huge number of programs like that.

While the rides are a very important part of the park, the animals are still the main priority in many, many ways.

__________________
Have you read my number 1 best seller? There will be a test! ~God
Life with God is one thrill ride you'll never want to get off of.
My park & coaster photos: Sir Willow's Smugmug pictures

So it looks like they won't take any of it out...

1400th post!!!

When they removed the gators, there was a drought where it didn't rain for months. That's when they shut down the fountain at the front of the park, and eventually filled it in with a garden. I also think some animal wackos spoke up and complained, but this was never confirmed.

The bird garden is the area I walk thru on my way to the hospitality house. It's nice to look at the birdies as I pass thru with my beer cup.

Seeing how they cloned Lighthouse 4d, it could happen with the dark ride.