Sesame Street opens at Busch Gardens

We can already hear the tiny tots screaming for Elmo, Big Bird or Bert & Ernie when the new Sesame Street Safari of Fun opens Saturday at Busch Gardens Tampa. To make the wee ones feel extra special, Busch is letting kids ages 5 and younger in free for the rest of 2010. (Before you go, register for that free preschool class at sesamestreetsafarioffun.com.) Plus there will be 44 spots in the preferred parking area for guests with strollers so they can bypass the tram. Suh-weet! But what can you expect to see in the 2 1/2-acre Safari of Fun?

Rides: The kids will be able to jump on board Air Grover, the only new ride in the area, which cruises at 23 mph. There are also six other revamped rides.

Make a splash: Kids can cool down in Oscar's Swamp Stomp, where they can splash in the water, and in Bert & Ernie's Water Hole, which features bubblers, geysers, jets and dumping buckets.

Join the parade: Five times a day, there will be a parade through the Safari of Fun area and the characters want you and the kids to join in.

You gotta eat: Like the Orlando theme park giant, Busch is adding character breakfasts and lunches. There also will be a picnic facility and places nearby to buy kid-friendly food.

Hours vary daily at the park. Tickets start at $74.95 for adults and $64.95 for children ages 6-9 (remember Florida kids ages 5 and under are free for the rest of 2010 when you sign up for the preschool pass). Florida resident, advance discounts and two-park deals are available online at buschgardens.com.