Is a Busch Gardens Annual Pass Worth It? | Easily Explained
In this page, we will explain if a Busch Gardens annual pass is worth it, what an Annual Pass is, what benefits it offers, what type of passes there are, and how you can pay for them.
Is An Annual Pass Worth It?
If you're planning on visiting Busch Gardens at least twice in a calendar year, an annual pass is absolutely worth it.
In 2 visits, an annual pass will pay for itself, and that's not even including the value of other perks such as discounted tickets to Howl O Scream, free parking ($25 per visit) & free guest tickets.
There are different types of annual passes that you can choose from, each offering different perks, which we will cover below.
What is an Annual Pass?
An annual pass is a little different than a season pass, as it will last you exactly 12 months from the day you purchased, regardless of the season.
So this means if you purchased an annual pass on July 7th, it will last you through July 7th of the next year, not just until the end of the current year.
They include the same benefits as a season pass, plus additional benefits.
Types of Passes & Passholder Benefits
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| $280 of value | $885 of value | $1,265 of value | $2,540 of value | |
| Enjoy 12 Months of Admission |  |
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| Enjoy Visits All Year | Includes Blockout Dates | |
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| Discounted Howl-O-Scream Tickets | |
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| Free Admission on Opening Weekend of Howl-O-Scream® | |
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| Share the Experience - FREE Guest Tickets* | 2 | 4 | 6 | |
| Exclusive Guest Ticket Discounts | |
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| Park for FREE (regularly $25/visit) | |
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| FREE Preferred Parking Upgrade | 50% | |
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| Priority Park Entrance** | |
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| Exclusive Food & Beverage Savings*** | 10% | 15% | 20% | |
| Exclusive Merchandise Savings**** | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% |
| FREE Up-Close Reserved Parade Viewing** | 1 | |
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| FREE Reserved Show Viewing** | |
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| FREE Photo Benefits (Digital Photo Downloads) | 1 Free Digital Download | 1 Free Photokey | 1 Free Annual Photokey | |
| Discounts on Quick Queue (Front-of-the-Line Access) | 20% | 30% | 50% | |
| FREE Single Ride Quick Queue Per Visit | |
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| Discounts on Photo Prints & Frames | 10% | 20% | 30% | 50% |
| Discounts on AMAZING Zoological Experiences | 10% | 15% | 20% | |
| FREE Animal Encounter | 1 | |||
| Discounts on Dines with Your Kids' Favorite Characters | 10% | 15% | 20% | |
| Rental Discounts on Strollers | 10% | 15% | 20% | |
| Admission to Our Popular Event Line-Up, Including Food Festivals, Halloween with Kids’ Weekends, Christmas and More | |
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| Exclusive Savings to Discovery Cove | |
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| Exclusive Pin Trading Events & Product Access | |
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| Unlimited Admission to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Sesame Place and Our Award Winning Water Parks | |
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| Exclusive Savings on Youth Summer Camps | 10% | 15% | 20% |
Summary of Benefits
In this section, we'll cover the notable aspects of each pass.
Bronze Pass Member
- There are Blockout Dates
- No Free Parking
- No Food & Beverage Savings
Silver Pass Member
- No Blockout Dates
- Free Parking
- 2 Free Guest Tickets
Gold Pass Member
- No Blockout Dates
- Free Preferred Parking
- Priority Park Entrance
- 30% Off Exclusive Merchandise
Platinum Pass Member
- Unlimited Admission to Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, Sesame Place & Water Parks
- No Blockout Dates
- Free Preferred Parking
- Free Admission on Opening Weekend of Howl O Scream
- 40% Off Exclusive Merchandise
How to Get My Annual Pass
Purchase your annual pass directly from the Busch Gardens site.
Payment Options
You can either pay in full or through a 12 month payment plan.
If you choose to purchase with a payment plan, you'll make your first monthly payment that day, and then have 11 consecutive payments of that same amount.
Automatic Renewal
It's important to know that these passes have automatic renewal already set up. Many people don't realize this, and then have to deal with it later on when their card gets charged.
On the other hand, if you were planning to renew it it's a seamless automatic process.
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