Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[Stephen G]

Modern Treated Coaster wood doesn't rot nor does anything eat it, My local miniature railroad club has been making railroad ties out of Texas cyclone and Magic mountains Psyclone for years now slowly whittling down the piles. Contains All sorts of nasty poisons and preservatives.

[caleb.stone]

Just imagining the outward bank into an inversion on the first drop as both tracks dive towards each other.

 

Gwazi even at its worst was such a wild ride! I can't wait to see what they do with all that space and structure!

[Visionist]

Florida is looking pretty lit for 2020! I presume Star Wars Land will be essentially open by then too...

[Satans Hockey]

This is absolutely amazing, Tigris looks phenomenal and an RMC Gwazi will be fantastic. I was keeping our Busch Gardens platinum passes anyway but this makes me even more happy about that decision. Just need to plan a trip down there now after Tigris opens.

[lord denning]

There park map is brutal - Robb - you went to the site for Tigris is it where Jungla used to be near the Tiger exhibit or closer to Shiekra.

 

Has Jungala been demolished or is it SBNO? Seems like a second life might be possible with increased Tigris food traffic.

 

Kinda sad i missed Jungla last there I was there - too busy rushing on coasters - looked really fun.

[Coasterguy21]

There park map is brutal - Robb - you went to the site for Tigris is it where Jungla used to be near the Tiger exhibit or closer to Shiekra.

 

Has Jungala been demolished or is it SBNO? Seems like a second life might be possible with increased Tigris food traffic.

 

Kinda sad i missed Jungla last there I was there - too busy rushing on coasters - looked really fun.

 

It's being built on the old Tanganyika Tidal Wave spot. Adjacent to Jungala. It's a nice location because then the Tiger exhibit will fit right in with the ride.

[BlahBlahson]

This is my favorite Announcement for 2020 by far! Can't wait to go back and forth between Kumba and RMC Gwazi all day!

 

Oh and yay Tigris. With the addition of both of these coasters I can really see Busch Gardens making a push to be KNOWN as the park with the major thrills in Florida amongst the public, which is a title that Universal still holds for some reason.

[DILinator]

I'm SO excited about this announcement, and the near confirmation of RMC Gwazi finally happening! I have maintained all along, even in the face of a lot of doubters cropping up as the years have gone by, that Gwazi would eventually be RMC'd, and am stoked to finally see that patience paying off! BGT is already my favorite place to go in Florida (yes, over anything Orlando has to offer!), and the addition of these next two coasters will only continue to cement its status in my mind. Like Robb said earlier, BGT has an excellent collection of quality over quantity coasters already (though I'm not a fan of Scorpion - sue me! lol), and that will only be getting better! I feel like the Busch parks in general are all like this, as both SWO and BGW have excellent collections of coasters, in my opinion! In fact, when I took my kids earlier this year to Florida, I was actually debating whether SWO had passed BGT as my favorite Florida destination. However, these additions will certainly tip the scales firmly in favor of BGT, as far as I'm confirmed! I definitely see a 2020 trip to Florida with my kids (this time including Star Wars Land as well!) in the future, assuming my monetary situation allows for it!

 

Regarding the 2019 addition, I have actually never ridden a Skyrocket II model, and have found them very intriguing ever since Superman went in at SFDK. Not sure when my first will be, unless my hoped-for trip to BGW happens next year, but I must agree with those that said Tigris is the best looking of the bunch! Very sharp, and will fit in perfectly over there in that area, especially with the Tigers nearby. It actually makes me wonder whether BGT might be switching the Orangutan and Tiger habitats around, so the Tigers are directly connected to the Tigris area. I didn't see anything about it in the announcement, but maybe I missed it. Or maybe it's not happening. lol

 

On a semi-unrelated note, just now when I was looking at BGT from the satellite view to check out the area, something I've done probably over 100 times before in my life, I noticed the large culinary warehouse buildings, and substantial parking lot area in the middle of the park, for the VERY FIRST TIME! How on earth have I glazed over that before all these times??? You would think I'd have noticed it from ShieKra, but if I did, I didn't pay it much attention. They do a great job of hiding it from view while you're down on the ground in the park, so props to them for that! BGT is such a beautiful, immersive park experience, and I can't wait to go back in a couple of years, and experience a couple of great new additions!

[A.J.]

Oh and yay Tigris. With the addition of both of these coasters I can really see Busch Gardens making a push to be KNOWN as the park with the major thrills in Florida amongst the public, which is a title that Universal still holds for some reason.

I think that it already is known for that. But I think that it doesn't get Orlando vacationers because it's actually an hour and a half or so away from Orlando. The only people that can really go there at their own pace are those that pony up for rental cars when they fly in here.

[coasterbill]

I know the infrastructure is there so that you can avoid the rental car but I’m curious as to what percentage of people visiting Orlando rent one anyway. Personally I always do. Rental cars are cheap in Florida and not having a car would drive me insane.

[grsupercity]

Sea World offers shuttles from Orlando to Busch Gardens and back to Orlando again. i have never taken it just seen if offered on there site last time I purchased combo tickets

[lord denning]

 

On a semi-unrelated note, just now when I was looking at BGT from the satellite view to check out the area, something I've done probably over 100 times before in my life, I noticed the large culinary warehouse buildings, and substantial parking lot area in the middle of the park, for the VERY FIRST TIME! How on earth have I glazed over that before all these times??? You would think I'd have noticed it from ShieKra, but if I did, I didn't pay it much attention. They do a great job of hiding it from view while you're down on the ground in the park, so props to them for that! BGT is such a beautiful, immersive park experience, and I can't wait to go back in a couple of years, and experience a couple of great new additions!

 

They do a good job of hiding things - I agree - but you can't not notice. That section is the reason there is no central hub and you are stuck walking the long way round. Not the most efficient park for touring.

[bert425]

OMG. . I can't stop laughing.. and they are reporting it so serious!

 

http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/travel/florida/Actor-in-Busch-Gardens-Howl-O-Scream-commercial-projectile-vomits-on-SheiKra-and-it-s-no-act_171779884

 

 

 

at least it wasn't the guy in the zombie make-up!

 

(flashbacks to an episode recently that shall not be named!!!)

[coasterbill]

[delan]

Hmmm, I wonder if the reason the Gwazi conversion took so long was because they were waiting for the Lightning Rod launch issues to be resolved. I can picture them having one side using the traditional lift and then flowing into the other side where it launches you uphill.

[DoinItForTheFame]

OMG. . I can't stop laughing.. and they are reporting it so serious!

 

http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/travel/florida/Actor-in-Busch-Gardens-Howl-O-Scream-commercial-projectile-vomits-on-SheiKra-and-it-s-no-act_171779884

 

 

 

at least it wasn't the guy in the zombie make-up!

 

(flashbacks to an episode recently that shall not be named!!!)

 

And as they are hitting the brake run of all places?? Really??

[A.J.]

Hmmm, I wonder if the reason the Gwazi conversion took so long was because they were waiting for the Lightning Rod launch issues to be resolved.

I'd bet that they were looking at Rocky Mountain's I-Box conversions with cautious optimism when Gwazi closed, and by the time they said, "hey, let's do it", Rocky Mountain's backlog was probably filled for years. Perhaps the new ride has already been designed, and they just have to wait another year for Rocky Mountain's manufacturing lines to free up for them.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Hmmm, I wonder if the reason the Gwazi conversion took so long was because they were waiting for the Lightning Rod launch issues to be resolved.

I'd bet that they were looking at Rocky Mountain's I-Box conversions with cautious optimism when Gwazi closed, and by the time they said, "hey, let's do it", Rocky Mountain's backlog was probably filled for years. Perhaps the new ride has already been designed, and they just have to wait another year for Rocky Mountain's manufacturing lines to free up for them.

 

That would be my bet too. They were like "Hey let us make sure these i-Box conversions go well." --- "Hey look! They went great! Let's order one!" --- And... Now it's hurry up and wait till RMC can get to them.

[coasterbill]

Hmmm, I wonder if the reason the Gwazi conversion took so long was because they were waiting for the Lightning Rod launch issues to be resolved. I can picture them having one side using the traditional lift and then flowing into the other side where it launches you uphill.

 

I don’t know where to begin with this, but I guess I’ll start with the notion that they decided to go ahead and pull the trigger now since everything with Lightning Rod is going swimmingly.

[roflstomper]

I'm actually genuinely surprised at this announcement for Gwazi. I thought that structure was toast especially considering how long it's been closed, heat and humidity for wood etc. My mental image of Gwazi was a rotting wood heap, guess I was wrong.

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

Hmmm, I wonder if the reason the Gwazi conversion took so long was because they were waiting for the Lightning Rod launch issues to be resolved.

I'd bet that they were looking at Rocky Mountain's I-Box conversions with cautious optimism when Gwazi closed, and by the time they said, "hey, let's do it", Rocky Mountain's backlog was probably filled for years. Perhaps the new ride has already been designed, and they just have to wait another year for Rocky Mountain's manufacturing lines to free up for them.

Back in 2015 when I worked for the park (no longer work there, so I feel at liberty to say this) we had an employee Q&A with Mark Rose. We asked about Gwazi and he mentioned RMC as a possibility they were considering. He also talked about how they planned Sheikra and Cheetah Hunt years before those coasters actually opened. So I wouldn't be surprised if they had RMC Gwazi concepts back in 2015 or earlier and just couldn't make it happen until 2020.

 

I also heard there was a copyright for the name "Twisted Tiger" that was a potential for Tigris. Wonder if maybe they'll save that name for Gwazi? Wouldn't be the first (or second, or third) RMC conversion with the name "Twisted [x]." Mark Rose also mentioned he liked the idea of a barrel roll going over the walkway. So... I'm calling it now.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Wouldn't be the first (or second, or third) RMC conversion with the name "Twisted [x]."

 

I'm waiting for Elitch Gardens to get their RMC, Twisted Twister.

[A.J.]

Twisted Twister.

No, it will be Twisted Twister III: Built wilder the third time around because we were upstaged by some small little park in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania four years after we built it the second time and we're finally doing something about it.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Twisted Twister.

No, it will be Twisted Twister III: Built wilder the third time around because we were upstaged by some small little park in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania four years after we built it the second time and we're finally doing something about it.

[JJLehto]

My visit to BGT for the first time this year was great, but it struck me as more of a "full experience" over rides park. Like it was a great place for the family or a group to spend the whole day and get rides, food, sights, experiences. Much like how it was when my family went to Busch Gardens WIlliamsburg when I was 11/12.

But if you're there just for rides, esp traveling solo (as I do sometimes since the GF can't do rides) it's a bit pricey for not a ton of rides, esp since there's a good diversity but not a ton of thrill. And if there's ever an unfortunate day like I had where 2 flats are closed, feels like a big blow. So I think these rides are good additions.

 

BGT is IMO the best park in FL, and these 2 coming rides can really cement that. I know I'll prob go next year now, when I prob wouldn't have without this addition. 2020 is a given of course