Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[SharkTums]

^^Ugh don't even get me started on the Six Flags App. I'm going to have to remove it. It doesn't work well, and since it debuted WAY before it was actually ready it seems like every day it's bugging me to update and reinstall it!!! Screw that.

[sam06pr]

Scorpion on the chopping blocks???

bgtguide.com/

 

 

LOL> JK is just some work at the lift in which they had to remove a piece of track

[jjune4991]

^ Great intro to pull us in! Luckily I had already seen it, so I knew what it was. And there are some more updates on construction. I need to get there sometime this week or next. I'll be going back home in May and won't be able to see the construction first hand until August again

[dragonskeep]

I hope to see Busch Gardens have a banner year attendence wise in 2011. They will have earned it.

 

Cheetaka.

[Maximo37]

Just returned from a really sunny (and very warm) afternoon at BGT. Got to see the some of the work going on. The train tracks spanning from Jambo Junction station (really before the station, where the track bends near Rhino Rally) all the way to nearly the "Edge of Africa" crossing are completely gone, leaving just a dirt path of where it was. A sign apologizing for the Train being closed due to "essential mantainence" are posted all around. There were several construction vehicles on the path where the tracks used to be... Also saw a sort-of pick-up truck in the field, titled something "bridge company" was also present closer to (well nearly underneath) where the Skyride takes off. We also saw a couple of "Suits" suveying and walking the area. Finally a construction wall was put up on the Skyride side of the building, boardering the path from where Myombi Reserve exits leading all the way down to where that path meets the gift shop adjacent to Katonga (if you were walking from Jambo Junction towards Katonga). Nothing all too exciting (well to me it was, but...) really. But cool to see some work being done.

 

Also got to test out some of the "Texting" service BGT is currently testing. We signed up for the "Wait time" messages and "Special Offers" messages... Unfortunately we didn't know until we were leaving that there was also a "Scavenger Hunt/Trivia" one too... The wait times were received roughly every hour or so. And were listed grouped together by wait time. Like Gwazi, Title Wave and Sheikra - 15 minutes. Montu, Kumba, Congo River 5 minutes. Etc. It was pretty cool, but overall we didn't use it. Just wanted to see how it worked. We never received anything on Special Offerings. And were sad that we didn't know about the Trivia one. That would have been the cool one, since we really were at the park to mostly walk around and be outside (yeah, we rode Kumba and Sheikra but nothing else)...

 

The park looked great as usual (great landscaping and horticulture in most areas) and am always pleased for the most part by it... The new re-theming of Land of the Dragons to Safari of Fun looks really great. Watched the show "A is for Africa" with many of the Sesame Street characters. It was short but cute. The kids seemed to love it (although we didn't have any kids with us...) The area looks great and was re-themed really well. We were very impressed. So overall a wonderful day at BGT. And can't wait for further news on what truly is going on in that Jambo Junction area... C'mon Busch Gardens, let us know officially please...

[QueerRudie]

I just had a brainstorm (yes, me.)

 

As much as has been discussed on the new coaster project, I thought for a second: Intamin is a GOOD launch coaster manufacturer, but perhaps we've discounted one that's not really thought of in quantity: MACK.

 

Blue Fire looks like a real winner (I'm looking forward to riding next summer) and they are a reputable deal of good rides- could this be the first entry of a Mack launch coaster in the US?

 

Just a thought...

[KDcoasterMAN]

Cheetaka

 

Cheetaka? Do you know sometime we don't know?

[jjune4991]

Cheetaka

 

Cheetaka? Do you know sometime we don't know?

 

Quoi? What?

[sam06pr]

Cheetaka

 

Cheetaka? Do you know sometime we don't know?

 

Quoi? What?

 

 

Well someone found about it somewhere in bgtguide.com/ Not sure, but it may be for a display area around the coaster, not so much the coasters name.

www.floridathrills.net/f195/busch-gardens-tampa-project-2010-2011-a-6661/index6.html#post86366

 

Also Jack Hanna confirm to everyone that BGT is getting a new cheetah display...

 

I would post the picture here of Scorpion's missing track and refurbishments, Train tracks gone, and jack's Hanna show, but I am so tired...so just swing by bgtguide. they have everything. Maybe i will put some pics here later

[Montuman99]

I think Busch should make a Mega-Lite. It would be a perfect addition to the park and be an African themed.

[sam06pr]

I think Busch should make a Mega-Lite. It would be a perfect addition to the park and be an African themed.

 

 

Waste of money for Busch. They don't like copies.

[alpengeist04]

^Waste of Money??? ...An Intamin a waste of money??? Also, who said anything about a copy???

[televisedconfession]

I think Busch should make a Mega-Lite. It would be a perfect addition to the park and be an African themed.

 

 

Waste of money for Busch. They don't like copies.

 

 

What do you mean they don't like copies? Nothing they've done has been completely original. If anything, they take successful ideas, and make them unique. I don't think a Mega-Lite is such a bad idea. Don't think it's necessarily going to happen, but don't think it's out of the question in terms of what Busch would/wouldn't do.

[jjune4991]

What do you mean they don't like copies? Nothing they've done has been completely original. If anything, they take successful ideas, and make them unique.

 

Kumba was. It had the first dive loop, interlocking corkscrews, and it was the first B&M sit down.

[KDcoasterMAN]

"Don't do copies?" Tell me, what is Great White?

[Montuman99]

"Don't do copies?" Tell me, what is Great White?

Exactly, there are too many Batman copies. They are at nearly every Six Flags!

[televisedconfession]

What do you mean they don't like copies? Nothing they've done has been completely original. If anything, they take successful ideas, and make them unique.

 

Kumba was. It had the first dive loop, interlocking corkscrews, and it was the first B&M sit down.

 

Ok, yeah. The second oldest coaster at the park. I'll give you that one.. but my point remains.

[dragonskeep]

Cheetaka also has a registered domain name. BGT guide reported both things yesterday.

[robbalvey]

BGT Locals! We are looking for someone who could do regular construction updates of BGT's 2011 coaster. Please let me know if you visit the park on a fairly regular basis and would be willing to contribute photo updates to TPR. Drop me a PM or email.

 

--Robb

[live2tell75]

^ Robb - sent you a pm. If you need me, you can count on me. I can go to the park at least once a week or every 2 weeks for regular photo updates.

[QueerRudie]

Cheetaka

 

When I first saw this name appear, my dyslexia kicked in: I thought it read "Cheeketa"... and my mind IMMEDIATELY snapped to an old ABBA song...

[gatorchomp83]

"Don't do copies?" Tell me, what is Great White?

Exactly, there are too many Batman copies. They are at nearly every Six Flags!

 

What does Six Flags have to do with Busch Gardens?

[Roosevelt]

I got a good quality layout picture here, dunno if it was uploaded yet...?

 

However, here it is:

 

[RollingRunner]

It looks very Intamin-ish with the wavy turns and multiple launch sections. the layout looks very similar to other Intamin LSM coasters in some aspects. Launch 2 looks like it will be one of those "Lift Hill Launch" elements like in at the beginnning of Maverick. Maybe this will be a Maverick/iSpeed hybrid of some sort!

 

Also, assuming everything on the layout is correct, is this ride going to launch out of the station?

[angryemobeaver]

I actually think that there will only be 2 launches (1 may be a launched lift hill like on Maverick). I think when you pull out of the station, there will be a small dark ride portion, which is all those curves until the second long straightway, which I'm guessing will be a launched lift. Than the third long straightway will be a flat launched area, which I'm guessing will probably launch somewhere around 70mph.