Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[Skycoastin Steve]

^More commonly known as a batwing, featured on Montu.

 

Someone said a couple weeks ago that the three inversions were all of the barrel roll or corkscrew variety. Looking at the diagram of the layout and the end of the 1st video, there are at least two barrel rolls.

[dragonskeep]

^I was actually referring to the Stengle Dive on Maverick but in different directions, like a big slalom. That being said, from the overhead it looks like corkscrews. Maverick's horeshoe straightened out is what it looks like. Honestly I hope it's more interesting than that.

[coasterfreak101]

Judging by how the first barrel roll (just after the first video cuts off) looks from the layout, it looks like there's two more before the third launch. But who knows!

[alpengeist04]

It's good to see that some of the supports have joined the track that's already on site. ...This coaster will definitely stand out, color wise.

[jjune4991]

Supports are here!

 

www.rollercoasterpro.com/updates/bgt9.28.10/

 

[Saldek]

^Nice!

 

I'm going to Tampa and Orlando in early November so hopefully there will a significant amount of vertical construction going on!

[Jay20016]

Supports are here!

 

www.rollercoasterpro.com/updates/bgt9.28.10/

 

I will say that it was kind of a shock to just see those track pieces lying in a practically unfenced field, right up to the back of the condos when I was at Adventure Island on Saturday....

[Guy T. Koepp]

I already love the color.

[jjune4991]

I will say that it was kind of a shock to just see those track pieces lying in a practically unfenced field, right up to the back of the condos when I was at Adventure Island on Saturday....

 

It is a fenced-off field. At one point they had a lock on the gate so no one could get in. I'm not sure about now.

[BridgeMan]

Anyone else notice the screw type plugs near the top of some of the shorter pieces? I seem to recall Maverick having the same feature so the columns could be filled with sand. Perhaps a feature to keep the sound down for the animals, if only a small amount.

[dragonskeep]

Looks like some of the tower there. Colors are cool I think.

[Ratmead]

Anyone else notice the screw type plugs near the top of some of the shorter pieces? I seem to recall Maverick having the same feature so the columns could be filled with sand. Perhaps a feature to keep the sound down for the animals, if only a small amount.

 

Didn't notice that at first, wouldn't be surprised though, that first launch and turn goes directly over the indoor cheetah holding area.

[traincrossin]

Here's a video of teaser clips 1 and 3 combined.

 

[BaMiTsPaT]

^That makes me more excited about the tower element, and gives a better impression of the speed and flow of the ride. Did you make that video?

[traincrossin]

^Nope, symmastia on YouTube put it together.

[The Yeti]

The tower element looks dumb to me, the only reason I can appreciate is because I'm sure it will increase capacity - otherwise the space could be used much better; so far I am still extremely excited for this ride, and it will probably blow most coasters in Florida out of the water.

[jedimaster1227]

^How will it increase capacity?

[rider-x]

tower elements to increase capacity. WTF?

[Skycoastin Steve]

^How will it increase capacity?

I usually have some kind of smart ass answer for stuff like this, but on this one I'm just as perplexed as everyone else.

[jedimaster1227]

^I may be a Hospitality Major with a specialized track in Theme Park Management, but the idea that a tower element (or any element besides a brake run or a longer course length) increases capacity by any significant means is beyond me.

[ParkTrips]

Even a longer course couldn't increase capacity as you still can't have 2 trains on one block, whether its 50 feet long or 5000 feet long

[Skycoastin Steve]

To sort of piggy back on this, a fine example is Millennium Force. It's one of the longest coasters on the planet, but its entire course is one block. In this case, the length actually hinders capacity to a certain degree, as you can only have one train going at a time. Thankfully they have a separate unloading station to add another block and make it possible to run three trains (unlike I305).

[Ace Of Spades]

^I may be a Hospitality Major with a specialized track in Theme Park Management, but the idea that a tower element (or any element besides a brake run or a longer course length) increases capacity by any significant means is beyond me.

By chance do you happen to be taking that at University of Central Florida? I only ask because I've been looking at the place myself for the future.

 

And while I agree that the tower element seems a bit silly, the idea that the tower would increase capacity is even worse!

[Jay20016]

^I may be a Hospitality Major with a specialized track in Theme Park Management, but the idea that a tower element (or any element besides a brake run or a longer course length) increases capacity by any significant means is beyond me.

By chance do you happen to be taking that at University of Central Florida? I only ask because I've been looking at the place myself for the future.

 

And while I agree that the tower element seems a bit silly, the idea that the tower would increase capacity is even worse!

 

Rosen School of Hospitality management is here in Orlando, and one of very few that offer that degree... so I think he probably does go there...

 

As for the tower element adding capacity... you guys aren't being 100% fair to him. It is easy to scoff at, but, it is true.

 

If you have multi-train, multi-block segments of a ride, they need to have a certain average time frame in order to prevent stacking/cascading. One look at RIp, Ride, Rockit! and you can see what I'm talking about. There are what, like 9 blocks on that ride, and if one happens to take just a second or two too long, the whole thing backs up and those fun little airtime moments into each element are now slow crawls over the hills.

 

So, by having something in the first section that "soaks" up a bit of time, you start to lengthen each segmented block to a closer average time (as the load block is usually your longest)

 

Not as crazy as you guys are making it out to be....

 

My $.02

[Ace Of Spades]

^There's a difference between capacity and "making block sections longer". Slight, yes, but there is a difference. It's not like there's a block up in that thing, at least as far as we can tell.

 

I dunno, I think someone can back this point up a bit better than myself.