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The best of the rest

By JAY CRIDLIN
Published May 11, 2006

Variations on a theme Temperatures are rising. School is about to let out. You can practically feel the asphalt melting beneath your feet. Coaster reaches the top of the world All hail the mighty Yeti. Island has new adventure The prevailing wisdom on water slides is, when you've ridden one, you've ridden them all. Revisionist tinkering After falling into the role of the poor stepsister to Florida's more well-know theme parks, Cypress Gardens banks on a makeover to return it to a place of prominence. SeaWorld goes showbiz What you need to know about Believe, the lavish new killer whale show opening today at SeaWorld, is that Shamu is still the star. The best of the rest Most theme parks tout one or two new attractions each year. Here are a few other highlights from the Central Florida theme parks.

Most theme parks tout one or two new attractions each year. Here are a few other highlights from the Central Florida theme parks:

Busch Gardens

A year after SheiKra debuted, the main new attraction at Tampa's biggest theme park is Pirates 4-D, a 15-minute multisensory theater experience starring Leslie Nielsen and Monty Python's Eric Idle, who also wrote the film. It's a family-friendly experience involving 3-D glasses and water sprays that simulate the ocean mist. Also new is the Sunset on the Serengeti tour, a one-hour trek allowing guests to sample premium lagers, then take their drinks with them as they head out to hand-feed giraffes. The cost is $39.99 per person. Busch Gardens is at 3605 Bougainvillea Ave. (corner of 40th Street and Busch Boulevard), Tampa. Toll-free 1-888-800-5447 or www.buschgardens.com. Hours vary. $57.95 adults, $47.95 children. Florida resident specials available.

Walt Disney World

Expedition Everest is the heaviest hitter at Disney's parks in Lake Buena Vista, but it's not the only change. Following a four-month makeover, Disney World's famed Pirates of the Carribbean ride will reopen July 7, featuring characters from the film of the same name, including Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow. The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in the World of Disney store in the Downtown Disney Marketplace offers princess-style makeovers and photo ops for girls 3 and up. And this fall brings a pair of fishy additions: Finding Nemo - The Musical, a stage show at Disney's Animal Kingdom featuring new songs by Avenue Q composer Robert Lopez, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends, an update of the Living Seas pavilion at Epcot.

Universal Orlando

In June, Universal's Islands of Adventure will open the long-awaited High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride, a family-friendly trek through seven Dr. Seuss scenes. Universal 360, a high-tech outdoor show combining music, pyrotechnics and four 36-foot projection screens, opens in early July at Universal Studios. Interstate 4 at Exit 75A, Orlando. Toll-free 1-800-837-2273 or www.uescape.com. Hours vary. Single-day admission to either park: $63 adults, $52 ages 3-9. Florida resident discounts available online.

[Last modified May 11, 2006, 10:57:05]