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A few weekends ago I had a chance to stop into Busch Gardens Tampa Bay to activate my son's preschool pass. It had been a little bit of time since my last visit, so I used the day as a chance not only to entertain my son, but to get caught up on a few notable changes at the park. Lazy morning for the cheetahs... Cheetah Run is seriously one of the best animal-focused elements of the entire park. Yes, they have giraffes and zebras here too. Shortly after Phoenix Rising opened it was announced that Scorpion would close. The park's second roller coaster (and oldest standing coaster in the park after Python was removed to make way for Jungala) had an abrupt closure, which had led to believe that its removal (whether disassembly or scrapping) would be swift. As you'll see here, that's not the case. The queue entrance has simply lost its ride signage and the path has been boarded off. If I didn't know the ride was permanently closed, I'd think it was simply down for refurbishment. With the exception of the there being no trains in the station or on the transfer track, this looks exactly like it did when it was still in operation. Here's hoping someone is planning to buy Scorpion for more than just scrap metal. Out with the old, in with the new, I guess. I will admit, I was surprised at just how sprawling the layout for Phoenix Rising is... Building a one-train-operating coaster at one of the most popular, year-round parks in the country was certainly a choice. To their credit, the ride ops did seem to strive for quick dispatches, but with one only train in operation, the hourly throughput is quite dismal. There are four screens within the station that animate with stylized designs as the phoenix rises into the lift hill. The track weaves in and around itself multiple times throughout the layout. A significant portion of the coaster sits backstage in the plot previous occupied by the Sand Serpent (previously Cheetah Chase) roller coaster. Because of its sheer size and location, it is pretty much impossible to capture all of Phoenix Rising's layout in a single frame. It does have some interesting twisty bits... Over in Jungala there are some familiar sights... Construction on the new Wild Oasis section of Jungala continues. Some significant additions are being built in the back section of Jungala's new Wild Oasis. Just monkeying around. SheiKra is among several attractions at the park currently closed for refurbishment. The last time I saw the the splashdown fully drained was when the coaster was first under construction in 2005. Also going on during our visit was the park's take on Mardi Gras. Yes, they have food and wine booths, not unlike other Central Florida theme parks... After the Mardi Gras parade, several of the performers offer photo ops near Iron Gwazi. Yep. Beads! Is it even Mardi Gras if you can't get your hands on a hurricane? More performers incoming! Overall it was a pretty solid day at the park!

You really don't need to.

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