Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[crazywolf88]

^General GP comment: They took the alligators because someone died.

[Hilltopper39]

^While exiting Montu Saturday I heard a classic GP comment from a "Nu uh, no I aint gettin on dat, dat da ride rite there dat went up like dis and got stuck up in dat loop no way, dat shi*t aint safe"

[aimster]

^ LOLOLOLOL!!!!

 

I agree the "meet the keepers" presentations are nice. The keepers know a lot about the animals they care for and you can tell they love their jobs. I've had some good conversations with the tiger keepers and elephant trainers.

[alpengeist04]

^While exiting Montu Saturday I heard a classic GP comment from a "Nu uh, no I aint gettin on dat, dat da ride rite there dat went up like dis and got stuck up in dat loop no way, dat shi*t aint safe"

 

 

Wow, is that even English???

[eddie200330]

^While exiting Montu Saturday I heard a classic GP comment from a "Nu uh, no I aint gettin on dat, dat da ride rite there dat went up like dis and got stuck up in dat loop no way, dat shi*t aint safe"

 

 

Wow, is that even English???

 

That is the new Ghetto/Gangsta english.....LMAO, JK!!!!!

[BarryH]

^I can hear Boomhauer from "King of the Hill" saying that.

[KDcoasterMAN]

I hope this guy does more of these coaster videos! This was great. He did one for I305 last year.

 

[paiging_jen]

^Very well done.

[aimster]

I was at the park yesterday and it was pretty busy. The Brazilian tour groups were out in force! Luckily I kept running into them going in the OPPOSITE direction I was going.

 

While waiting in line for Kumba, someone somehow managed to lose a shoe nearly halfway up the lift hill, so they had to stop the ride, then 2 employees walked up the lift hill to get the shoe, then they had to send out a couple test trains.

 

Oh and yesterday was the first time in a LONG time I've seen 3 train ops on both Kumba and Montu. Made the lines a little more bearable, but dispatch was still slow. No idea how many trains they were using on Gwazi, but even that wouldn't help how slow their ops are. Cheetah Hunt had a continuous posted 90 minute wait from around at least 3:45pm until nearly 9:00pm, so I didn't ride.

 

Finally saw Kinetix and was very impressed. I plan on seeing the show again in a couple weeks. Saw the holiday fireworks and while they were generic, they were nice. I wasn't expecting "Disney quality" anyway since this is pretty much the ONLY time Busch Gardens ever has fireworks (because of the animals).

 

The cheetahs were quite active especially around dusk. There was one who was totally posing for photos, but then would hiss at people! It was quite comical, but made you glad there was a big pane of glass separating you from the kitty.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Let me guess, people were pounding on the glass and that's why the cheetahs were hissing?

[cfc]

There was one who was totally posing for photos, but then would hiss at people! It was quite comical, but made you glad there was a big pane of glass separating you from the kitty.

 

He was probably "booing" them.

[WillMontu]

Here is a quick update from July 4.

 

As a side note, if you ever stay for the 4th of July fireworks (or any such late night show), do not park in the front (preferred) lots. Traffic out of the front lots was very poorly handled (if even handled at all) and it took at least an hour just to get out

Cheetah Hunt had a wait of at least 60 minutes throughout the day, even after the afternoon thunderstorm, the wait was at 65.

Here's something we haven't seen in a while. I'm sure at least one Schwarzkopf fanboy is going to wet himself

I've got a great idea for a game. It would involve launching these from a slingshot...oh wait.

New sign. Not a new credit

Caught this kitty at just the right moment

An albino wallaby (I'm assuming a wallaby, as it was smaller than the fully grown kangaroos) in Walkabout Way. How rare are these?

The nighttime show in Gwazi Park allows for some unique shots of Gwazi and Shiekra

I can't say I was a fan of the music, but the stunts were impressive

The fireworks show was fairly solid.

[The SETGO Guys]

I was at the park yesterday and it was pretty busy. The Brazilian tour groups were out in force! Luckily I kept running into them going in the OPPOSITE direction I was going.

 

I was at the park Sunday. I have a few storys (And Later pictures to share)

 

I seriously hate Brazilian tour groups now, There was one group that was entering the line for Cheetah Hunt in the worst way, Clumps of 20-40 people at a time. I end up between to huge groups (With another family in front of me).

The whole 90 minutes, they kept trying to cut me (The ones behind me) I politely tried to tell them that if I let one of them cut, I would have to let all of them cut....I wasn't really prepared to wait another 10 minutes in line, nor do I think thats accaptable for anyone to cut. (I'm also thinking at this point that they want to jump me) Finally I'm on the train, All of the gates are occupied by the group, As the trains begins to move, they all point at me and give me the finger....

 

Yeah, Fun.

 

In other news, Cheetah Hunt is going slower than it was a month ago The first turn is taken at a very very slow speed....The launch isn't as forceful either. There was a problem later in the day, when a train got stuck on the third brake run. (Good time to be in the Rhino Rally area, as I was) I do have a few pictures, which I will post later.

 

I wore my Rhino Rally Polo to the park, and decided to go for a ride on Rhino Rally. I was talking to the ride ops for a good 30 minutes. Rhino Rally will be getting an expansion! The announcment is currently slated for August!

 

Rhino Rally turned out to be one of the highlights of the day, I had an awesome driver! I was navigator, and I chimed right in with my own jokes (Even teaching the driver a few new ones), at the end of the ride I was dubbed Rhino Rally's biggest fan.....

 

Pictures will be up soon. (Just a few shots)

 

EDIT- I changed my signature to reflect my new position!

[Erik Johnson]

I rode it yesterday and it seemed pretty much exactly the same as it was when I rode it opening weekend.

[aimster]

^Let me guess, people were pounding on the glass and that's why the cheetahs were hissing?

No one was banging on the glass where I was. This cheetah was just weird. He/she would come up to the glass and be all, "Take my picture! I'm so pretty!" and totally pose, then all of a sudden hiss! Cranky kitty.

This cheetah was totally posing for pics, then would suddenly hiss at everyone. WTH? LOL!

[paiging_jen]

My cat hissed at me tonight when I picked him up. It happens. And I'm sure the cats are still adjusting to their surroundings. I still enjoy seeing their natural instincts come out with things like hissing, charging babies in the windows (which I witnessed the day Cheetah Hunt opened), etc. Can't take the wild out of the animals!

[Jay20016]

The two trains have been at Scorpion for a few weeks now, but even still I've yet to see them both on the track at once.

 

If anyone has the chance, I completely recommend checking out Cheetah Hunt at night as it definitely takes things up a notch. It is a good coaster in the daytime, but was a damn fun one at night - especially in the old Rhino Rally section.

[aimster]

^ Yeah I'm really anxious to ride Cheetah Hunt at night. It's already a run ride, but looks to be even more awesome after dark. Hopefully next weekend crowds won't be as bad as this past one (due to the holiday, of course).

 

And I forgot to mention in my other post that's great news about Rhino Rally getting an expansion! I remember hearing rumblings about that before Cheetah Hunt opened. Will be interesting to see what they come up with.

[Jay20016]

^ Yeah I'm really anxious to ride Cheetah Hunt at night. It's already a run ride, but looks to be even more awesome after dark. Hopefully next weekend crowds won't be as bad as this past one (due to the holiday, of course).

 

And I forgot to mention in my other post that's great news about Rhino Rally getting an expansion! I remember hearing rumblings about that before Cheetah Hunt opened. Will be interesting to see what they come up with.

 

I'm interested if they are not already working on it as across the path from the elephant exhibit there is a rather large section being excavated. It is the old elephant enclosure, that then became a spot for camels... then nothing... then camels... then random other stuff, and then camels again.

 

I was at the park yesterday (5th of July) and while it was busier than normal, it wasn't too outlandish, 3 trains on Montu and Kumba out the gate with Cheetah Hunt having a delayed opening, and then another delay when they finally added all of the other trains. Even Sheikra seemed to be going pretty good as it never really went over a 15-20 minute wait at peak, and then walk on later. But, forget about Gwazi, another late opening and only one side was running. Posted wait was 15 minutes but it went almost nearly to the entry way where it splits just outside of the l0ckers. If I didn't know that it usually takes 15 minutes when you're at the white line by the gates, about to board, I might have waited.

 

Cheetah Hunt's line at the end wasn't all that bad. It got down to about 30-45 around 8pm...

[paiging_jen]

 

I'm interested if they are not already working on it as across the path from the elephant exhibit there is a rather large section being excavated. It is the old elephant enclosure, that then became a spot for camels... then nothing... then camels... then random other stuff, and then camels again.

 

 

That's the new Animal Care and Nutrition Center they are building.

 

BG Animal Care Center

[coasternut]

I'm sure this has been mentioned before about Cheetah Hunt, but I hate those hard Intamin OTSR's. I wonder why (since it is a new ride), they end up with those? I got 10 rides (single ride line open) on 7/5 after 6pm in 2 hours. I've definitely got bruises on both shoulders to prove it. The ride opened 45 minutes late today, so I only got 1 ride in at opening.

 

It's a good ride and I enjoy it, although I doubt the 60mph claim. It's still a great addition to the Garden!

[aimster]

I'm hoping the single rider line will be open for Cheetah Hunt when I'm back at the park next weekend. I asked at a couple different times on Sunday and it wasn't open.

[Maximo37]

^^^

I have yet to see the (temporary, I'm sure) "single rider" line opened on Cheetah Hunt. I've been to the park 4 times (and ridden an equal amount) since Cheetah Hunt opened. Only once did I see them pulling "single riders" out of the line when you were at the top of the main ramp in the queue (so about 1/2 way thru the entire queue). I didn't take "advantage" of it. When I got off the ride and inquired about it with the greeter (to perhaps sneak another ride), I was told there was none... Oh well...

 

In any event, those who have ridden Cheetah Hunt at night and have stated that it is a completely different experience... MAN, YOU WERE NOT KIDDING!... On Saturday, July 2, my partner and I were at the park to check out Kinetix and the fireworks... however, due to all the storms in the area, we were afraid that Gwazi Park would be a Woodstock like mud pit... so we ultimately passed on seeing either that night... the continued opening and closing of the coasters due to lightning made us weary that that we'd even get on any rides either... but much to our delight, Gwazi re-opened... We rode front seat of Tiger... Millenium Flyer + wet coaster track = an amazing ride... then on to Cheetah Hunt... the sun dropped beneath the horizon... fireworks shot off (we could see much of the display from where we were positioned in the queue building)... then the front seat (first time for us) IN THE DARK!!!... (and bonus lightning in the distance) HOLY COW!!! WHAT AN AMAZING RIDE!!! I loved it during the day... I was simply blown away by it at night... Not sure if the front row had anything to do with it, but the ride seemed to be faster... and the rhino rally canyon was just AMAZING!!! You could only JUST see the water and it seemed difficult to anticipate (even though I the path of the track) those quick slalom like turns... Everything about Cheetah Hunt at night is just better... Great by day... AMAZING by night... Wow... If you get a chance to catch a night ride, by all means, do so!!!

Edited July 8, 2011 by Maximo37

[dragonskeep]

It is very good at night and the front is better for sure.

[chargersmichael]

There's this guy on youtube who has almost the same user name because I wanted to create an account that said coastermichael but it was taken. I found some cool videos but nothing matches up to the ones here from TPR. He released a video recently of Sheikra and thought it was well taken.

 

LINK REMOVED

 

ADMIN EDIT: Your post is in violation of our Terms of Service. You must have at least 50 legitimate posts on Theme Park Review to be able to post links or videos.

Edited July 11, 2011 by jedimaster1227