Busch Gardens and SeaWorld Raise Ticket Prices

      Your wallet will need to be a little fatter the next time you visit Busch Gardens Tampa Bay or SeaWorld Orlando. The two parks will raise their gate admissions by $2.00 and $2.20 effective the first of the year. Busch Gardens tickets will rise from $55.95 to $57.95 for adults and $45.95 to $47.95 for children ages 3-9. SeaWorld one-day tickets will rise from $59.75 to $61.95 for adults.
      In an effort to make this bitter pill go down a little easier, the parks are offering a sweet deal — visitors may exchange their tickets for a pass allowing unlimited visits the next six consecutive days to the same park. Also, the parks are bringing back the Fun Card which allows Florida residents admission throughout the entire year for the price of a single-day admission. And, until December 25, grown-up Florida residents can "Be A Kid Again" with admission for only the price of a child's ticket.
      SeaWorld's sister park, Discovery Cove has also announced a price hike — from $259 to $279 a day with the new deal including snacks, beverage, breakfast and lunch.
      Other major theme parks have not announced changes in their admission prices for 2006. The last rate increase by Disney World and Universal Studios was effective January, 2005.