Busch Gardens Tampa, Sea World - Feb 25, 26 2005

I was in Tampa for business Weds and Thurs and decided a little warmth and sunshine for the weekend coudnt hurt, so I asked for a flight back Sunday instead of the scheduled Friday afternoon.

Friday, 25
After getting my rental car and being asked to upload a file I was ready to go to Busch Gardens. But there was one problem, it was pouring rain. I waited out eating and looking for a rain coat when after about two hours it stopped to a sprinkle. I decided to give it a shot and buy a poncho in the park. So I get there and there is no one taking money at the parking lot. Sweet! Move on, take the tram after about a five minute wait and purchase my BGT/SW Fun Pass. Once in the park, I got my ugly turquois pocho and headed for Gwazi.

Gwazi IMO is a good coaster, but there is never any moment where I say wow, that was great. It rattles through the course and is fun throughout, but never does much to thrill. Being this was my first ride since August it was a good ride. I took two before moving on.

Operations were solid with two trains, and much better than my August trip. Their loading sequence is rather annoying however, everyone gets in, seatbelts are checked, then the lapbars are dropped and checked. Without that two step process I have a feeling the trains would never stack.

I took a walk around the back of the park and around the Sheikra construction which looks tremendous! Its so much bigger than I thought, I cant imagine what that first drop is going to feel like. I was heading to Kumba, which by the time I got there was shut down along with the rest of the park because of the weather, lightning. I asked the worker at the front about it and he was polite, answering my questions. I waited it out since the rest of the park was shut down and was on the first train out, first row.

Kumba is the best ride in the park to me, it is just so fast and furious the entire ride. I really dig it. Its best moment is coming out of the Zero-G Roll and into the Cobra Roll, the gs are so great and I love going under the bridge and up into the midcourse so suddenly. Seriously great! I took two rides, my second being in the back row by myself. Its even more wild back here, I dont think there is a bad seat. Operartions again were solid with two trains running and an efficient crew.

After my rides on Kumba I made my way up to Montu for my final rides of the short day. By now the rain had stopped so I was optimistic I was going to finish the rides I wanted to get in. I made the long walk up front, stopping briefly at a couple of the animal exhibits. Once in the station I decided to get a front seat ride, being I was a single rider I politely made my way onto the next train through three groupd of three. Nice!

Montu is an OK ride, like other inverts of this size it just doesnt seem to have any kick and tends to coast too much. I rode it three times, front, middle and back, all giving my different results. From the front I waited my way through the elements, from the back and middle I couldnt see! Although the back seat pulls some serious gs through the Batwing. Once you float into the midcourse and go through the second loop the ride is over and coasts it way to the brake run. Some people love this ride, I dont.

Saturday, 26
I took the drive to Sea World the next day to ride Kraken. I am a big floorless fan and couldnt wait to get onto Kraken. I made my way to the parking gates and realized I didnt have any cash. Opps. They let me through no questions. It was embarassing, but a nice start to my day to not have to go searching for an ATM.

Sea World is a really nice park, well run, clean and fun. I really enjoyed my day, the rides, shows and exhibits were all great. I will not hesitate to visit again. Oh and the food choices are awesome!

Kraken. First thing in the morning it was walk on both times I rode it, I went for a backseat ride first then a second seat ride. It cracks me up how no matter how long they make the que for the first seat it still manages to fill up. Anyway the ride was great, the first half was fast and furious and I didnt know what was coming at me next, the zero-g roll made me laugh, and like other flooless coasters it just seems to spin you forever. Loved it! The trip into the midcourse was windy so it may have effected the speed into it. After that I loved the tunnels and how the crowd hung around to wait for the friends while you flew past them. The waterfalls add a lot as well. The mark I will put against it is the coast into the br. I really liked the ride.

I hope parks see that a floorless is a good "big" ride (Medusa, Dominator, Kraken), and bad small (Batman @ SFNE). And that inverts are best smaller (Batman, Raptor) and not so great big (Alpengeist, Montu.) Thats my take anyway.

Sunday I woke up to pouring rain, so I ditched BGT for a second day and went to St Petersburg and the Dali Museum.

Nice trip report. I don't know if I agree with your perspective on big inverts not being so great. Montu and Alpengeist are two of my favorite rides. Nonetheless, glad you had a good time.

Er... Daemonen at Tivoli is probably one of the best Floorless coasters (I've done six of them - Daemonen, Dominator, Medusa West, Scream!, Superman at WMBW, and Superman Krypton).

Er?

I can only base my thoughts on what I know and have heard. I havent heard one good thing about the Tivoli floorless until you.

A few photos from the weekend
http://gallery.eightdotthree.net/index.php?fpp=10&did=1 *** Edited 3/3/2005 5:27:24 PM UTC by eightdotthree***

After my 4th or 5th ride of the day on Alpengeist...I started getting a bit nauseous (then again I had ridden Apollo's Chariot 4 or 5 times, so take that for what it's worth)...but I remember it had a lot of headbanging on the day I was there, I imagine it might be because of it's size and speed.

Raptor is small?

I thought that Montu was pretty darn good for an Invert (not a personaly fav. of mine), better than Raptor and Alpi, which were mediocre at best IMO.

What the hell? No Scorpion? C'mon... ;)