Associated parks:
Busch Gardens Tampa, Tampa Bay, Florida, USA
Hey all,
wife and I were able to get away from the cold and down to sunny Florida for a few days.
First up was Busch Gardens in Tampa on a chilly Friday. If you can schedule it, I highly recommend going off-season on a weekday. Crowds/lines were almost non-existent.
The Park - 9.5
- this has become one of my favorite parks in the States. Lots to do coaster-wise, and when you're taking a break, I love all the animal exhibits and enclosures.
- wonderful landscaping, and the theming is just that extra level of nice that really makes a difference.
- Tip - if you can swing it, the Hampton Inn right across the street (to the South) from the Park is quite nice, and the closest place you can stay "on property". You still have to walk to the SE corner of the park and back to get past the giant concrete wall, but at least you save the $$ on parking.
The Coasters
Iron Gwazi - 10
- This is everything you'd expect from an over-200ft RMC. Absolutely one of the best coasters in the world, period.
- I'd best describe it as "RMC's greatest hits". From the giant trellis lift hill and huge drop (like SFGAm Goliath or Zadra), to the negative camber airtime hill (like SteVe's 3rd hill), to the "gator death roll" downward inversion (like Twisted Timbers or Storm Chaser), and two great sideways "wave" turns (like Outlaw Run or Lightning Rod), this monster has them all.
- Pay attention if you get paused on the inside brake run before the station. They have the front panels of both Gwazi Lion and Tiger mounted on the wall up high.
- I give this the tiniest of nods as being a better ride than Steel Vengeance, based on the fact that you don't have to go through the TSA-wanna-be safety dance to get on. Just put your stuff in the zipper pouch in each car and go!
- I also feel this is more re-rideable than SteVe. Due to the variety of forces, IG just doesn't wear me out like the constant pounding my quads take from all the negative Gs on SteVe.
Cheetah Hunt - 7
- this totally feels like management rode Maverick, and then said "build us the family version".
- really long ride with some nice areas of theming.
- All through the course, I felt like 5~10 mph more speed would make this ride sing.
- For it being mostly tame (and only one inversion), why does this still have the hard OTSRs? Almost every other Intamin launch coaster I've been on has converted to the belt style. This should too.
Cobra's Curse - 6.5
- great theming/vibe, especially the giant cobra statue you get up close to at the top of the elevator lift.
- Neat gimmick with the first third of the course forward, the second third in reverse, and the last third free-spinning.
- Wished it spun more on the back third. This thing walked so that Time Traveler could fly.
Montu, Kumba and SheiKra - Incomplete (please see me after class!)
- whilst I knew going in that Kumba and ShieKra were down for annual maintenance, Montu stood there down all day, mocking us. Glad we've been on these before, because Montu is one of the best of all Inverts, SheiKra is a great view and dive, and Kumba is a classic.
Phoenix Rising - 6.5
- fun ride for the first B&M family invert in the US.
- doesn't seem like enough queue for the lines I hear this place gets.
- lightly themed, but the multi-panel LCD screen graphics on the wall of the station were cool.
- Nice layout for a family ride, but a surprising bit of rattle for a brand new B&M.
Scorpion - SBNO, RIP
- so glad I have the credit for this. Long live Anton!
Tigris - 7
- fun swing launch through the station
- the slow-speed rollover up that high is really cool, but kinda jerky coming out of it.
- Man, are these type of Premier trains a pain in the @$$ to get in and out of, especially with the "comfort" collars. Ick.
Air Grover - 3
- no one was there, so we got the credit. Meh.
Other Rides/Stuff
Falcon's Fury - 10/10
- this isn't your standard drop tower. About 90% of the way up that 335 lift, the seats rotate back so that you are face down. You then plummet a good 200 feet face first, before the seats rotate back through the braking zone. Absolutely amazing must-do experience! Do not miss!
Train
- nice tour through the park, and the best way to see the safari portion and animals (unless you spring for one of the upcharge experiences).
Skyride
- was very happy to get a ride on this, but the bummer is that if you aren't a season pass holder, they gig you $5 for a spin. Not sure I'd pay for it again, but nice to see a different viewpoint on the park
Overall, Busch Gardens Tampa is a truly great park for families. Tons of stuff to do and see, no matter what your tastes or age range. I'd never take my elderly parents to a Six Flags/Cedar Fair park, but I'd definitely take them here. Highly recommended!
Later,
EV
Nice trip report. We enjoy BGT as well. Cheetah Hunt, Cobra's curse, Tigris, and Iron Gwazi were new to us on our last visit. All great additions, and i agree with your scores. Looking forward to Phoenix rising on the next visit, but surprised to read about it not being as smooth as we're used to from B&M.
We're going to go back to CP this year to ride SV. I'm thinking that still edges Iron Gwazi out a little bit.
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