Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[Bryce232]

I've gone to BGT at least once every month since May, and I have yet to ride Kumba. I haven't been on it in years and the guilt is killing me. Hopefully I'll make time for it when I go back on Friday, I never realized until recently how popular it was around TPR!

[jjune4991]

How have you not ridden it?? There is almost never a wait. Were there Brazilian tour groups clogging the line everytime you were there???

[chasbron]

^ugh don't get me started with them. The worst are if they all wear black shirts so it looks like their running empty trains then you get there and it's a 90 minute wait.

[jjune4991]

Haha, I was walking to Kumba, and as I was crossing the bridge (the one next to Kumba), I just see backpacks upon backpacks upon sleeping kids who didn't want to ride. The entire length of it. I walked to the middle of it, and just turned around cause I knew it would be bad.

[chasbron]

It always rains and (I love it bc the park clears out) but they just don't leave. The only thing that saves me is bgt's wonderful reride policy

[Bryce232]

I've seen them at Sea World, and my god they are happy people. I was in line for Kraken and they closed it down when I was at the turnstile because it was pouring. But those Brazilians just wouldn't stop their foreign chants. I tried to enjoy it, but it was soo loud

 

^^^I've just never gone to that area this year, or Jungala. Usually the routine we take is Cheetah Hunt, Montu, Edge of Africa, Nairobi stuff, Desert Grill, Rhino Rally, Cheetah Hunt, Skyride, SheiKra, and we leave. But I promise I'll get on Kumba when we go tomorrow because I miss that sexy B&M roar it has

[chasbron]

Getting horny just talking about the roar

 

^ tip: right after the mcbr, pull your whole body all the way forward with your head clear of the restraints or else during the corkscrews, you will get a headache

[aimster]

Yeah there can be some headbanging on the corkscrew part of Kumba if you're not careful. But it's worth it!

[Bryce232]

Alright, I had an awesome day at BGT today. I rode Cheetah Hunt, Montu, Sand Serpent, SheiKra, and Kumba! I don;t know how, but I got my mom on Cheetah Hunt (She had sworn off coasters since she took me on Gwazi years ago) and my sister on Sand Serpent (She hates going down..). BUT my god, this park has the worst dispatch times I have ever seen in my life. The fastest crew was on Kumba though, and it was only operating 2 trains! SheiKra was a nightmare, this one guy there was practically sleep-standing the whole time. It wasn't very impressive.

 

So anyway, here's a mini trip report! The park was fairly crowded, the wait was more due to the loading than the crowds, and it was a beautiful day to go too!

Because everyone loves a good Schwarzkopf!

That required Cheetah Hunt shot. I rode it once, and it never broke down when I was in line. Yay!

My sister says I yawn like a hippo, so she took this pecture, sent it to my phone, and tried setting it to my phone's background.

B&M sexiness

That required Kumba shot. It was definitely much smoother, and louder, than I remembered it.

I thought it looked nice, so I took a picture of it. Good? Bad? Discuss!

Mr. Owl wouldn't tell me how many licks it takes to get to the center of the tootsie pop

[sheikramatic2006]

I was working that day when you went to BG. I work at Sheikra and what you said was kind of hurtful. But our crew does a good job with dispatches ( only when i am there though )

[Bryce232]

^ I believe you, I probably rode it when you weren't there. It was later in the day. about mid-afternoon. I doubt someone from TPR would be as slow as the crew I experienced was. I'm not necessarily judging the entire crew, just that one guy that was sleep-standing, he was extremely slow.

[sheikramatic2006]

lol I probably know who you're talking about! I know i was working 11-7 that day.

[Bryce232]

Hmm, I think his name was Chad, does that ring a bell? I may be wrong.

[sheikramatic2006]

lol no chad works there. Do you know what he looked like?

[Bryce232]

It's been a week, and my memory is pretty short-term. But if I can remember, he was average height, skinny, I think he had facial hair. I do remember him wearing a blue hat, can't remember the logo.

[Skycoastin Steve]

I was working that day when you went to BG. I work at Sheikra and what you said was kind of hurtful. But our crew does a good job with dispatches ( only when i am there though )

No offense bud, but Sheikra has had the worst crew at that park for a long, long time. I'm sure you work hard, but I can't say the same thing about your crew mates.

[sheikramatic2006]

Okay I believe you. Today I was working up in the control monitoring dispatch times. Your absolutely right. If there is any tips you can give me to tell them that would be good. They probably wont listen to me because all i do when i go there is work and no talk.

[kidcoaster 2]

Okay I believe you. Today I was working up in the control monitoring dispatch times. Your absolutely right. If there is any tips you can give me to tell them that would be good. They probably wont listen to me because all i do when i go there is work and no talk.

 

Just pick up the pace thats pretty much what we all want. When I was there two weeks ago some members of your crew were really dragging their feet and seemed like they did't want to be there.

[gisco]

Okay I believe you. Today I was working up in the control monitoring dispatch times. Your absolutely right. If there is any tips you can give me to tell them that would be good. They probably wont listen to me because all i do when i go there is work and no talk.

 

Just pick up the pace thats pretty much what we all want. When I was there two weeks ago some members of your crew were really dragging their feet and seemed like they didn't want to be there.

 

You have a good point. It just doesn't apply to ride ops either but to all jobs, do your job with a purpose. Don't just casually go from row to row checking restraints and chatting with other ride ops. Get the job done. Too many times I see them amble from one end of the platform to the other. Walk like you know where you are going.

 

I have a heck of a time hiring people under the age of 25. They seem to think that work is the time to socialize. You are hired to do a job so do it to the best of your ability and as efficiently as possible. The company is there to make money, if they don't make money they could cut back and you lose your job or worse, close and everyone loses their job.

[PAL]

Question: In addition to the Roller Coaster Insider Tour which visits Montu's shop and includes a visit to the break run, there's a tour named the Roller Coaster Experience. I came across it while looking at the passholder savings webpage, but can't find it on the regular portion of the site.

 

It sounds a lot like Williamsburg's coaster tour, which rocked. That one included a ride up to the top of Griffon, access to three coaster workshops, a few laps of ERT for the tour group, and a Quik Queue for a front seat ride on each of the coasters.

 

Has anyone given this longer BGT version a try? What's included? Was it worth the price ($58 with passholder discount)? The tour description leaves a lot to the imagination.

 

Love coasters? No, I mean REALLY love coasters?! Then this is an experience you can’t miss! The brand new Coaster Experience Tour takes you behind the scenes and heart-poundingly close to Busch Gardens’ awesome collection of world-class coasters. This early morning program takes you beyond the guest experience and into the coaster barns to offer unbelievable insight into our collection of thrill rides, including Montu, Kumba, SheiKra, and Gwazi. Learn what makes these rides so dynamic, and then take a seat and experience the design and engineering in full-speed action!

 

I called the Sea World / Busch Gardens customer service line, which likely took me to a call center somewhere in Orlando. The rep could only confirm that the tour will be offered daily during the peak weeks of spring, when we're set to visit.

[cfc]

^Our guide mentioned this tour at the Montu tour during Busch Gardens Bash, but said it was being done on the quiet (they're "testing the waters," so to speak). I also feel compelled to air one of my pet peeves: "Break" is what happens when you drop a crystal bowl on a concrete floor. A "brake" is the device that slows down a coaster train.

Edited December 10, 2011 by cfc

[XYZ]

You have a good point. It just doesn't apply to ride ops either but to all jobs, do your job with a purpose. Don't just casually go from row to row checking restraints and chatting with other ride ops. Get the job done. Too many times I see them amble from one end of the platform to the other. Walk like you know where you are going.

 

I have a heck of a time hiring people under the age of 25. They seem to think that work is the time to socialize. You are hired to do a job so do it to the best of your ability and as efficiently as possible. The company is there to make money, if they don't make money they could cut back and you lose your job or worse, close and everyone loses their job.

 

The same thing in Medusa, SFDK, the ride-ops start socializing with the people waiting in the Flash Pass line, and I get really enraged when I see that, and I think "COME ON! Just dispatch us! This is not the time for socializing." I really don't understand why they expect to have a laid-back job by being a ride-op, there are many other jobs in the park that you can socialize people, such as working in the games or arcade. This applies to almost any ride with lousy operations.

[PAL]

I also feel compelled to air one of my pet peeves: "Break" is what happens when you drop a crystal bowl on a concrete floor. A "brake" is the device that slows down a coaster train.

 

Thanks for the explanation of the lack of tour info. I assure you I'm aware of the different meanings between "break" and "brake." I spend much of my professional life editing and proofing. Because even my most detail-oriented contributors make the odd error, I strive to make corrections in a positive manner, with a heaping helpful of good humor.

Edited December 12, 2011 by PAL

[cfc]

^As do I. The "break" for "brake" goof just happens a lot here and on other enthusiast sites. It's nearly as bad as "lose/loose."

[aimster]

You want slow ride ops? Go on Gwazi. They are the slowest at Busch Gardens, bar none. I go to the park at least twice a month, and Gwazi always has the slowest load/unload I have ever experienced. Sheikra has always had pretty quick load/unload when I ride it, but I don't ride that one every time because that first drop really freaks the bejebus out of me.

 

I do agree the ride ops need to spend less time socializing and focus on doing the job they're being paid to do. One time on Kumba I saw half a dozen employees in the control tower just chatting away and having their own little party from the look of it, which irritated me a bit. I should have said something to guest services on my way out. If I see something like that again I definitely will.

 

I want to try the full-day coaster tour sometime. I've done the Montu one twice now and really enjoyed it both times. Maybe next spring if it's still being offered.