Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[Homer]

What has happened so far:

So far, Busch has ripped up half of the Congo section for some kind of expansion coming in 2008. This includes removal of the parks first roller coaster, Python, an old Arrow Corkscrew that has now been scrapped (although the trains are now being used on Loch Ness Monster at Williamsburg, I am not sure where I found this rumor). Most of the buildings have been torn out, except for the Vivi Storehouse restaurant, which is still standing, surprisingly.

 

What Rumors Say:

According to the practically only BGTamprica fansite on the net (BGTGuide, kind of weird bunch of enthusiasts...), rumors say a "Pre-teen land" being built in the Congo area. The only confirmation we have is a permit from October;

 

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/7548/permit2wt8.gif

 

Now, onto every enthusiasts pornographic material that isn't a naked Elissa holding up a Serial Thriller sign/Pancake mix and pan. DIRT PICTURES!

I was going to go indepth... stupid cop...

Some random diggin work around the Skyride station, close to the Congo area. Dunno what could this be for...

The "Welcome to the Congo" sign has been taken down. In its place, an uneventful direction sign...

More diggin' and stuff. Yep, nothing but enthusiast fapping material here...

Hi, I'm Mr. Crane, pissing off Panda's by ripping up Bamboo...

Edited December 5, 2011 by larrygator

[easytoremember]

In either ACEnews or rollercoaster it said they were thinking of expanding Congo river rapids or adding a new water ride. Let it be known I am the first to call Aquatrax.

[Slacking]

My guess is that Vivi's is still standing due to being a break area for staff. Not sure if they're using it still or not, but it does look kind of odd being the only building still standing. I was shocked when I saw the site yesterday, but expecting it to be pretty much all cleared out already. It'll be fun to watch how HOS adapts to the construction this year (no Restless death?)

[BeemerBoy]

In either ACEnews or rollercoaster it said they were thinking of expanding Congo river rapids or adding a new water ride. Let it be known I am the first to call Aquatrax.

 

They've already got one.....

[Gnome]

Bring on the 3D Dark ride type thingamajig! w00t! But, I just remembered that IOA is only an hour away so that wouldn't make to much sense.

Bring on some other kind of dark ride! For you see, imho, it seems like an attraction that would serve BGA well, since well, they don't have one already.

[the sound]

Congo, eh. Won't be an aquatrax, because they have to many COngo Water Rides. Not the right style of Digging for it to be a Drop Tower. Pre Teen World rumours rule out a kiddie coaster, as well as a family coaster. The world rumours put in a possible lot of attractions that thrill kids, so therefore, i call:

 

 

 

 

HUSS LAND OF GINATS!

[BarryH]

I think BGA needs a nice family/kiddie coaster. There's the big boys of Montu, Kumba, Gwazi, and SheiKra. The Scorpion and Cheetah Chase can probably be thought of as family coasters, but it would be nice to have something like Vapor Trail in that area.

 

Otherwise, I'm hoping it's a new churro stand!

[RJD]

Well I'm thinking, becuase BGT already has themselves on that map with Shiekra, and they already have a slew of kiddie coasters and playgrounds they're going to build something huge. Something that will blow Shiekra out of the water. Something, like X.

I mean think about it. They're competing with Universal, they already have one up with Shiekra, now if they only built a 4-D they could blow Universal out of the water. The money would come rolling in, more people would travel to the park, they could get an endorsment or whatever from American Airlines and boom, they can do anything they want.

Then, after that they could built a hyper coaster by the animals and subdue the noise by burying the suports in sand. But I digress. They should totally make a 4-D, who's with this idea?

And, if it's a water ride everyone's looking for, they could replace that one water ride that's mainly for the adults, you guys know, the one that makes the biggest splash. The name is not stored in my memory banks. Anyway, they could replace that with a Perilous Plunge clone except make it around 150-200 feet tall, after that, man everyone would be taking a trip to the park.

[robbalvey]

Tampa, FL (January 31, 2007) – Two years ago, Busch Gardens Africa introduced the world to a one-of-a-kind experience: 200 feet up, 90 degrees straight down. And that was just the beginning.

 

On June 16, the adventure park will reintroduce SheiKra to the world with a new twist: “floorless” cars that allow riders an unobstructed view of the 70 mph rush.

 

When SheiKra opened in May 2005, it signaled a new era in American roller coasters. As the nation’s first dive coaster and only the third in the world, SheiKra raised the bar with first-of-a-kind elements like a true 90-degree drop, an Immelmann loop and a second vertical dive into an underground tunnel. Now, technology has raised that bar even higher, introducing SheiKra’s fans to an even greater thrill.

 

Mechanically, SheiKra’s track will remain unchanged, with its combination of drops, inversions and a water feature finale. Psychologically, though, the effect of the floorless cars will be intense: SheiKra’s cars will continue to seat eight passengers across, three rows deep, but riders will no longer be able to brace themselves for Florida’s No. 1 thrill ride against the floor of the car. With the front rail gone, passengers in the first row, especially, will be completely exposed as they come over the crest of SheiKra’s signature 200-foot, 90-degree plunge.

 

Guests’ last day to experience SheiKra in its current form will be Memorial Day, May 28. The following day, America’s first dive coaster will close for approximately three weeks for the floorless conversion construction.

 

The coaster’s existing seats and shoulder harnesses will be fitted into new chassis that support only the chairs above and the wheels below. Between each row of seats will be nothing but open air.

 

The bulk of the changes occur at the loading platform, where retractable floors and handrails will be installed. As each floorless car comes into the station, the floors will raise into position, filling the gaps between the rows so that passengers may board. A pivoting handrail will swing into place in front of the car to assist those boarding the first row.

 

“Through the years, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has set the standard for thrill rides, and I’m confident guests will agree that the park has raised the bar yet again with floorless SheiKra,” said Dan Brown, executive vice president and general manager, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. “SheiKra’s enhancement, along with its unprecedented ride features, really reinforce Busch Gardens’ standing as Florida’s foremost adventure destination.”

 

Check out Theme Park Review's SheiKra video here:

http://www.themeparkreview.com/videos/sheikravideo.htm

[Astat]

Well, there goes Griffon's biggest selling point. I haven't understood this ever since the rumor came up, why would Busch announce the "world's only floorless dive machine" and then put the same kind of trains on their other dive machine the same year? I mean, I'd understand this perfectly if they put floorless trains on Sheikra a year or two after Griffon opened if the new train style got rave reviews, but this? This is just an uncharacteristically dumb move by a company that normally doesn't make dumb moves.

[Scaparri]

Awesome! I'm a little confused though. The nose seems to be floating out in the middle of nowhere. You would think its in front of the train, but then again, the riders' feet are photoshopped over it. Do you think its just a crummy artwork job and its going to be on the front car kind of below the seats or something? Kind of a minor, but just has me curious.

[thefitness]

Cool,I think this will really make the drop that much better.

But my initial reaction to all this was "Why change something that is already great?"

 

I better get over to BGT to get a video/pictures before they change it.

[SpartanTS]

I wonder if it would have been possible for them to retain the train with the floor, and only install one floorless train?

[Jayjay719]

I don't know how I feel about this. When I went on Sheikra, I thought it was awesome. Now they are changing the train...will there be a difference in riding experience? I read somewhere that Sheikra was intially suppose to have floorless trains. Any truth to that?

[coastrfreak2000]

A new credit, perhaps?

[matteocrepaldi]

It looks great!

[Nemesis Inferno]

Wasn't too impressed with SheiKra when I went over last year, and tbh I don't think this'll add much to the overall experience... But then again I don't feel much of a difference without the floor on Kraken...

[SharkTums]

Hey I'm impressed they're making the change in less than three weeks! That's really amazing when you think about it!

 

Oh yeah, and...

 

Suck It Griffon!!!!

[cfc]

Suck It Griffon!!!!

 

Hey, give my homepark a break, here!

[jackskellington101]

Well, there goes what makes Griffon cool and unique. This seems really odd. Think Busch just got a 2 for 1 deal on floorless trains?

[Moose]

Griffon will still be the FIRST floorless vertical drop coaster and will be marketed as such. Sheikra will be marketed as newly floorless, come back and ride it.

 

Doesn't sound all that dumb to me.

[jackskellington101]

^Only if there are no delays at all. If there is any sort of delay in Griffon's opening, then it's all over for that marketing campaign.

[BeemerBoy]

^ The real people they're marketing to will never know the difference. Much the same way CP can still say TTD was the first coaster to top the 400ft. mark.

 

Heck, they could probably still claim it was the tallest coaster in the solar system, and it simply doesn't matter to the general public.

[CoasterFanatic]

Really, does the whole "First Floorless Dive Machine" and "Only Floorless Dive Machine" really mean anything to anyone? In all reality, a VERY small percentage of people will actually ride both.

 

Hell ... a substantial number of people will most likely not even know that both exist.

[40belowbeef]

I dont get it...who is really going to care if Shiekra or Griffon are the 'first floorless' or whatever, other than a few coaster geeks on a message board?

 

And if anything, Griffon is stealing the thunder from Shiekra which was supposed to be the first floorless anyway.

 

So whats with all the whining...its a win-win. Its not like people arent going to ride one or the other because, 'Well, Shiekra is floorless too, so its really not worth riding Griffon'...or vice versa.