BGT 3/16

This was my first time at Busch gardens tampa. I was very excitied when my mother told me that my brother, my mom, my stepdad, and me were going to BGT.

I arrived at the park at 9:00 AM on Sunday, March 16. It was very humid and cloudy, with some rain in the afternoon. Before we got to the park, I was getting very excited about all of the rides, but mostly Rhino Rally. When I arrived at the park gates, I looked at the ride closure sign at to my dismay it said Rhino Rally and Python. This kinda put me in a really bad mood. But my anger sooned turned to happiness as I gazed upon Montu.

Montu-9/10-only had to wait for our row. This is only the 2nd inverted coaster layout I have been on, the first being Batman the Ride. I had to wait for only 1 train, but it still turned out to be a 10 minute wait. All of the ride operators at the park were kind of going slow, it still wasn't bad, but i think they could have been a lot more efficient and faster. Awesome ride, this is now my #3 favorite steel rollercoaster. Very smooth, no headbanging.

Gwazi-10/10- only had to wait for our row which seemed to be the norm for the day at all of the rides. Still slow ride ops, they weren't dueling which disappointed me. But after this ride, i was like "What the F*** just happened!" The only other woddies I have been on are the ones at SFGAm and Big Chiefs. This ride is my #1 wooden coaster and #1 favorite ride ever! This ride was fast, start to finish, smooth, and very violent(just how i like it). I am now in love with wooden twisters.

Kumba-6/10- This ride was OK. I was expecting it to be a little better. It was a little rough and had some headbanging. The zero g roll was AWESOME though.

Scorpion-6/10- I liked this ride. Although it was short, it had powerful g's. My brother hated it. I don't know why.

Park-7/10- The park was very clean, the staff was very cheerful and fun, the food was great, the landscaping is very nice, and the animals are very cool. Lots of shade through out the park. One thing the park was lacking though were rides, there are barely any flats and not too many coasters. I was finished with the park in 3 hours. Although I liked the park, I probably won't go back in a while. It was also lacking outdoor entertainment. The only thing I saw was a little band that played for only a half hour and I never saw them the rest of the day. Well, that pretty much sums up my day. Happy coasting!

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People scare me.

I was at the park three weeks ago myself and had a blast. It was my fourth visit to BGT. Here are a few responses to what you had to say about the park...

"All of the ride operators at the park were kind of going slow, it still wasn't bad, but i think they could have been a lot more efficient and faster."

I couldnt agree more. The people working Montu were dispatching a train every five to seven minutes which is just unforgivable. I dont think I have ever seen a coaster crew ever move so slow in my life, well maybe the crew on Gwazi...

"Gwazi-10/10"

Did you get to ride both sides? My last visit the park was so dead they were only running the Tiger side. I actually got two different experiences on each side last year. Tiger was smoother and you could feel the airtime much better, however I felt on the Lion side, although rougher, provided a more intense feel to it.

"Kumba-6/10- This ride was OK. I was expecting it to be a little better. It was a little rough and had some headbanging. The zero g roll was AWESOME though."

This was my initial impression of the ride the first few years I rode it. I hated Kumba, dismissed it as rough. I rode this year in the front and the very back and had some of the best coaster moments ever. The zero G roll is absolutely insane. I love Kraken and I love it's zero G roll, but this one blows it away completely. Kumba definately puts the zero G in zero G roll!

"One thing the park was lacking though were rides, there are barely any flats and not too many coasters. I was finished with the park in 3 hours."

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Bob Hansen

Operation Wicked Twister
Goal: Lose enough weight (50lbs) to ride Wicked Twister in 2K3
Progress: 25 pounds since 1-1-2003

Gamfan, thanks for the TR!

Buwahahaha....I've been saying that Gwazi was BACK....looks like we have another convert...I don't even recall it running this well when it was brand new....:):). Two, one for Lion, one for Tiger. Not exactly sure WHAT happened in terms of maintenance, but whatever it was, KUDOS.

Ops at BGT generally leave alot to be desired...ESP. on the "slow days". If there's only one train on the ride, there's nothing *pushing* the ops to move any faster...at least on Gwazi the crew has a lot to do (perhaps TOO much, LOL). On Montu, they're just horrible when single-training...the Kumba crew is almost always better.

Other than Python, the coasters are top-notch....but as KTS noted, the lack of flats is *noticeable*. I almost always ride the Phoenix since the bumper cars are SO lame, and it's essential to get at least ONE flat every trip...

bill, who wonders WHY the park removed the "Swinging Vines"...(that WAS the name, right)...
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Dr. Thrill IS my family practitioner
Bracketology, half art, half science, ALL excitement...:)
*** This post was edited by rollergator 3/19/2003 11:33:16 AM ***

Were Python and rhino rally closed when you went as well?

Rhino Rally and Stanleyville Falls were closed on my trip. Not that I missed Rhino Rally.

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Bob Hansen

Operation Wicked Twister
Goal: Lose enough weight (50lbs) to ride Wicked Twister in 2K3
Progress: 25 pounds since 1-1-2003

Kick The Sky, they had both sides of Gwazi open. I think they both provided a smooth and airtime filled ride. Just a FYI, all of the rides were running a two train operation.
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People scare me.
*** This post was edited by Gamfan 3/19/2003 5:38:17 PM ***

When I went basically everything was open even though the park was empty. The ride ops were so slow and it took like 5 min for them to load one train! Kumba is one of my favorite steels, I was laughing throughout the zero G roll because it was such a surprise, some of the best air-time ever. Then I waited in rhino rallys line for about 20 min and we where up near the front, then a jeep got stuck in the rivene or on the bridge or somthing like that, so I never got to ride that :(