Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[TrippinBillie]

The park is closing and dismantling their Intamin flat ship: Phoenix.  I loved that thing!  I thought it was so cool how it'd hang upside down.  Lots of people would just watch the ride cycle.  It's next to Falcon Fury, so I wonder what the future of that area will be?

[swfan1988]

Its been closed for how long now? 5 years? It's about time they did something with it...

I wouldn't bet on a replacement, BGT seems to have a nasty habit of taking forever to replace closed attractions...

[TrippinBillie]

15 minutes ago, swfan1988 said:

Its been closed for how long now? 5 years? It's about time they did something with it...

I wouldn't bet on a replacement, BGT seems to have a nasty habit of taking forever to replace closed attractions...

I think it has been 5 years, maybe more?  I should have stated something other than they "closed" it.  It's been SBNO for years.  Seems like Falcon's Fury might have the same Intamin Flat luck that Phoenix has.  Hope not, though.

[CaptainUnknown]

Falcon's Fury is still the prototype. The signs around the attraction seem to indicate supply chain issues (which I read as: closed until the roi makes sense). The ride vehicle still appears fully assembled on the tower. Don't know if that's a good sign or bad.

[andrew.mora]

On 12/19/2022 at 7:16 PM, TrippinBillie said:

The park is closing and dismantling their Intamin flat ship: Phoenix.  I loved that thing!  I thought it was so cool how it'd hang upside down.  Lots of people would just watch the ride cycle.  It's next to Falcon Fury, so I wonder what the future of that area will be?

I don't care what people think of Looping Starship rides.

I use to love it.

[DoinItForTheFame]

On 12/19/2022 at 8:30 PM, CaptainUnknown said:

Falcon's Fury is still the prototype. The signs around the attraction seem to indicate supply chain issues (which I read as: closed until the roi makes sense). The ride vehicle still appears fully assembled on the tower. Don't know if that's a good sign or bad.

We just rode FF this summer. It was down most of the day. Got on it when it opened. Shut down after our cycle. Not seeming very reliable.

[Invertalon]

I think I've been to BGT 4 times over the years since FF has been there and never once see the thing run, let alone be open. Quite crazy they never figured the thing out.

[coasternut]

^ Intamin -- go figure.

[thrillseeker4552]

I moved to FL in June 2021 and Falcon's Fury ran pretty consistently from then until April of this year when it suddenly shut, and aside from a brief reopening sometime in the summer, has been shut since.

[Hilltopper39]

Yeah it's been closed pretty consistently regularly, but when it was open and operating for a few trips I made back in 2021 I guess it was, there was never anyone in line for it. The half a dozen rides I've had on it even on days when the park was crowded it was never more than a 10 minute wait maybe. Just something to keep mind. Sand Serpent and Scorpion can have a full que and Falcon's Fury would still be a walk on.

[grsupercity]

Replace the intamin starship with a larson super loop. But put it in a box with lots of effects. 

[YoshiFan]

Iron Gwazi is closed today - Thursday.

https://buschgardens.com/tampa/park-info/ride-attraction-schedule/

Looks like another unexpected closure as it wasn't on the upcoming closed rides list. They also likely wouldn't plan to close the ride when Tampa schools are still on winter break and with the park very crowded. Montu had a posted 3 hour wait earlier today.

 

[cpfanatik77]

Yeah, stopped by on my way to Fort Meyers from North Carolina today as ot was the last day for my membership. I was quite bummed out as I won't get back to ride it in the near future. I had been checking the closures page every week or two since November and was super frustrated when I got there today, although not nearly as much as the family who showed up this week from England at the ticket window next to me.

[DJ_Sillybootz]

On 1/2/2023 at 2:21 PM, YoshiFan said:

Iron Gwazi is closed today - Thursday.

https://buschgardens.com/tampa/park-info/ride-attraction-schedule/

Looks like another unexpected closure as it wasn't on the upcoming closed rides list. They also likely wouldn't plan to close the ride when Tampa schools are still on winter break and with the park very crowded. Montu had a posted 3 hour wait earlier today.

 

Thanks for putting this info out there! I was planning on going on Jan 20, but with IG closed, I'll adjust and go Sunday before I leave!

[tndank]

40 minutes ago, DJ_Sillybootz said:

I was planning on going on Jan 20, but with IG closed,...

?? 

IG reopened today.

[DJ_Sillybootz]

5 hours ago, tndank said:

?? 

IG reopened today.

I saw scheduled down time and gwazi. I guess I have 2 choices. My flight lands around 12 on Friday. I'm either go Friday when I get there, or go on Sunday before i fly out around 7pm. 

Anyone have any recommendations?

[YoshiFan]

Friday, lines will be mostly walk ons with maybe Iron Gwazi, Cheetah Hunt and Cobra’s Curse having up to 20 minute waits. Usually by the early afternoon, Iron Gwazi is a 0-10 minute wait on weekdays when local schools are in session. 

A Sunday will be more crowded, not horrible but those same rides will likely be 30-60 minute waits. 

[DJ_Sillybootz]

Alright y'all, what are your food, noon coaster ride, best seat, and other park recommendations? I'll be there for about half the day on a Friday.

[coasterbill]

Right now basically every non-coaster ride in the park except for the train and rapids are closed either for refurbishment or because the park doesn't care. The only ones that really stand out are Falcon's Fury which will almost definitely be broken, the Sky Ride which will definitely be closed for budget and the train which you should ride from the station "near" Cheetah Hunt to see the animals. I enjoy Stanley Falls because of-course I do but it's closed for like 2 months.

Best seat on Montu is the back, closest to the load side. Best seat on Kumba is the back, closest to the unload side. I don't have a preference on anything else.

[TrippinBillie]

Hearing that the water on Cheetah has stopped again.  Anyone know what's up with that?  Makes the s bends so much better and feel faster with the water rushing by....and is just a fantastic touch.  Sad to see small things like this go away.  But then again.....#PantheonTheming

[YoshiFan]

The water wasn't there on Tuesday. I was hoping it was like that for the day only and it's not back not having water again permanently.

One good thing was operations were better than normal. Iron Gwazi had around 2 minute dispatches and Cheetah Hunt wasn't stacking (although only 2 trains were running).

 

 

Phoenix is completely gone.

 

[Hilltopper39]

Be interesting to see what they do with the space where Phoenix goes, seems like the Screamin Swing ride would have been a perfect fit right there but instead that's going in over across the way. I'm also interested to see what kind of lines Serengeti Flyer gets after it's been open for a little while, it's kind of in the middle of nowhere in the park and I can just see it being a walk on almost all the time.

[coasterbill]

I wouldn't be shocked if they don't replace it with anything whatsoever.

[ZeroG001]

Hey everyone! I'm going to be in Tampa on Sunday and Monday this weekend. Haven't been on Iron Gwazi yet, so was hoping to swing by the park to check it out and maybe hit Montu, as well.

Only time I'll have free to hit the park is Sunday late-afternoon/evening and Monday morning/early afternoon. Which would be less crowded? I know it's MLK weekend and kids are out of school, so not expecting that much of a difference between Sunday and Monday. Just wanted to see if one day would be better than the other.

[YoshiFan]

Last year Sunday was a lot less crowded than Monday but that was probably because the Buccaneers played a playoff game that day. This year they are playing Monday night so it probably won’t make Monday less crowded at least not until later in the day.

If you can get there at opening Monday, I’d probably go then. If you stay ahead of the crowd you should be able to get to Iron Gwazi and then Montu before it gets too crowded. Montu has been running 1 train a lot and the line can get bad by late morning on weekends/holidays.