YoshiFan

I think this is going to be a great addition to the park. They needed another family coaster with Sand Serpent gone and there are not that many rides in the park at all for someone too old for kids rides but not wanting to go on a coaster with an inversion.

Happy Valley’s website shows 1.2 m, that’s 47.2 inches so probably rounded up to 48 inches in the US.

It looks like the park finally gave up on reopening the Sky Ride. I’m not really surprised after it never reopened when they had signs at the entrance in late Spring 2022 stating it was going to reopen in the summer. The page for the ride has been removed: https://buschgardens.com/tampa/rides/skyride/ The closed rides page also had it removed from the list and now just shows Tigris as being closed. https://buschgardens.com/tampa/park-info/ride-attraction-schedule/

Sand Serpent is closing on July 9th https://buschgardens.com/tampa/roller-coasters/sandserpent/ They really need a new family coaster to replace it. That leaves Cobra's Curse as the only coaster that does not have an inversion and has less than a 48" height requirement besides the kiddie coaster.

Falcon's Fury has finally reopened

It looks like it is official that all of Frontier Adventures will be closed until Memorial Day weekend: https://www.app.com/story/news/local/jackson-lakewood/jackson/2023/03/31/great-adventure-jackson-nj-el-toro-medusa-closed-to-start-2023-season/70061203007/

Serengeti Flyer now has 2 different ride modes, a milder version and the standard version. I got to the park around 30 minutes too late to try the new milder ride but hope to try it soon as the original version made me dizzy. For this time of year crowds were really low. Iron Gwazi was only a 2 train wait when I got to the park and had a posted 5 minute wait when I left. There were also multiple breakdowns today. Sheikra was closed when I walked past it but did reopen later, Kumba closed a little after 2:00 and never reopened. Cheetah Hunt was closed when I was going to stop at the ride before leaving. This was my first time riding the Log Flume since it reopened after the refurbishment and I think they did something to cause less of a splash. You used to get soaked and both times I rode today, I barely got any water on me almost like Coal Cracker at Hersheypark.

Since 2018, they have been opening new rides around Memorial Day weekend. The exception being Candymonium with the park not opening until the end of June/beginning of July that year.

It looks like Scorpion reopened today.

With SDL using Gerstlauer trains and also having a sticker with red and green on it where the lap bar has to be lowered into the green section to be allowed to ride, maybe that will be enough to leave it at 42"?

Small update from today. Crowds were minimal as usual for this time of year. Only Cheetah Hunt was more than 15 minutes. Work being done on Falcon's Fury. That's a good sign and I hope it opens soon. I went to see what was going on at Scorpion. Some signs up at the entrance. Scorpion's 2nd train on the transfer track, I don't think I have seen that on any visit to the park in the last year and a half since I moved to FL.

Dates have been announced for Serengeti Flyer’s Passport to Thrills and Annual Pass preview dates “Passport to Thrills February 24, 10am - 2pm Platinum February 24, 2pm - 8pm Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze February 25, 10am - 6pm” It looks like opening to the public might be at the end of February based on how past previews were with the ride opening a day or two after previews ended.

I remember someone saying it might have been a staffing issue and then it could have had to shut down again for Serengeti Flyer construction.

If all coasters are open, nothing should be that much of a wait. Iron Gwazi, Cobra’s Curse, Montu and Cheetah Hunt might have some lines early in the day but nothing too bad. By afternoon it should be walk ons or close to it, if Cobra’s Curse is still closed, Cheetah Hunt and Montu will have longer lines more of the day. Also Falcon's Fury is supposed to open again this spring. I hope it actually does open then and it won't be like the Skyride that had signs up for opening in summer 2022 and never did open. https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/entertainment/theme-parks/2023/01/25/busch-gardens-says-drop-ride-falcons-fury-will-reopen-this-spring/

Serengeti Flyer's entrance sign is up (picture taken from the train). Cobra's Curse has also been closed the past 2 days, hopefully it's not going to be an extended closure like some past times over the last 2 years.

Iron Gwazi earlier today.

Sheikra has reopened

Last year Sunday was a lot less crowded than Monday but that was probably because the Buccaneers played a playoff game that day. This year they are playing Monday night so it probably won’t make Monday less crowded at least not until later in the day. If you can get there at opening Monday, I’d probably go then. If you stay ahead of the crowd you should be able to get to Iron Gwazi and then Montu before it gets too crowded. Montu has been running 1 train a lot and the line can get bad by late morning on weekends/holidays.

The water wasn't there on Tuesday. I was hoping it was like that for the day only and it's not back not having water again permanently. One good thing was operations were better than normal. Iron Gwazi had around 2 minute dispatches and Cheetah Hunt wasn't stacking (although only 2 trains were running). Phoenix is completely gone.

Friday, lines will be mostly walk ons with maybe Iron Gwazi, Cheetah Hunt and Cobra’s Curse having up to 20 minute waits. Usually by the early afternoon, Iron Gwazi is a 0-10 minute wait on weekdays when local schools are in session. A Sunday will be more crowded, not horrible but those same rides will likely be 30-60 minute waits.

That should be plenty of time. By the middle of next week the coasters will likely be walk ons to 10 minute waits. I’m not sure about closed rides, unlike Busch Gardens they don’t have a closed rides list page on their site. Last January, Journey to Atlantis was closed for track work but the other coasters were open.

Iron Gwazi is closed today - Thursday. https://buschgardens.com/tampa/park-info/ride-attraction-schedule/ Looks like another unexpected closure as it wasn't on the upcoming closed rides list. They also likely wouldn't plan to close the ride when Tampa schools are still on winter break and with the park very crowded. Montu had a posted 3 hour wait earlier today.

Some construction pictures from yesterday:

Ice Breaker at SeaWorld yesterday.

They covered up the cubbies in the station at rides like Montu. Most people leave the drinks and shoes on the floor of the station. At Cheetah Hunt, there is a shelf in the station for those items. Iron Gwazi also has small zippered pouches at each seat for loose articles.