About Florida Thrills
Your Guide to Central Florida Theme Parks and Attractions
Florida Thrills is a theme park blog focused on showcasing the best attractions, experiences, and events throughout Central Florida and beyond. Through photos, videos, news, and on-location coverage, we explore the parks, conventions, seasonal events, and travel destinations that make Florida one of the world’s top entertainment hubs.
From major roller coasters to immersive seasonal events, Florida Thrills brings readers closer to the parks and attractions they love.
Our History
Florida Thrills began in 2002 under its original name, BGTGuide, a fan site dedicated to covering news, rumors, and construction updates at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
Over time, the site expanded its coverage to include other popular theme parks such as Universal’s Islands of Adventure and due to the owner attending Georgia Tech at the time Six Flags Over Georgia.
During its early years, the site reported on major developments within Busch Gardens including the opening of SheiKra, its later floorless conversion, the closure of Python, and the additions of Jungala and Sesame Street Safari of Fun.
As the project evolved, coverage expanded through the sister site RCTMarket, eventually leading to the creation of Florida Thrills, a broader platform dedicated to theme parks and attractions across Florida.
Theme Parks We Cover
Today, Florida Thrills regularly features coverage from some of the most popular theme parks and attractions in the region, including:
- Universal Orlando Resort
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
- SeaWorld Orlando
- Walt Disney World
- LEGOLAND Florida Resort
Our coverage includes attraction updates, construction progress, seasonal events, and unique experiences throughout these parks.
Halloween Event Coverage
One of our biggest passions is Halloween and haunt season. Over the years we have extensively covered major Halloween theme park events such as:
- Howl-O-Scream
- Halloween Horror Nights
From haunted houses and scare zones to shows and park atmosphere, haunt season is one of the most exciting times of year for theme park fans—and one of our favorite events to document.
The Return of Florida Thrills
After several years away due to career and family commitments, Florida Thrills returned in 2024 with a renewed focus on capturing theme park experiences.
Armed with cameras, GoPros, and a passion for theme parks, we once again began visiting parks and attractions to document our experiences through photos, videos, and blog posts.
What You’ll Find on Florida Thrills
Visitors to Florida Thrills can expect coverage including:
- Theme park news and updates
- Attraction and construction progress reports
- Photo and video coverage from the parks
- Halloween and seasonal event coverage
- Travel experiences and the occasional cruise adventure
Our goal is to share the excitement of theme parks and entertainment destinations with fellow fans and travelers.
Social Media
Florida Thrills shares photos, videos, and updates across several social media platforms, giving fans even more ways to stay connected with the latest Central Florida theme park news, attractions, and events.
From new roller coasters and construction updates to seasonal events and conventions, our social media channels provide a behind-the-scenes look at the parks and experiences we cover.
Owners and Staff
Owner
Florida Thrills is owned by the original founder of the site, who launched the project in 2002 during its early days as BGTGuide. While he now spends most of his time with his family, he remains connected to the theme park community and currently operates Thrill-Data.com, a site dedicated to tracking ride statistics and coaster data for enthusiasts.
Webmaster & Lead Reporter
Robert Ashburn serves as the webmaster and lead reporter for Florida Thrills. He has been part of the project since its early years, originally contributing reports and updates from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay while occasionally covering other parks in the region.
Today, Robert lives in Central Florida, where he frequently visits area parks to capture photos, videos, and updates from locations such as Universal, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Walt Disney World,
Through Florida Thrills, he shares his firsthand coverage of theme parks, attractions, and seasonal events throughout Central Florida.
📧 Contact: Webmaster@floridathrills.com