(Mar 20, 2023)
The park is home to 10 roller coasters, including Cheetah Hunt, the tallest triple launch coaster in North America; Montu, which has the longest inverted track globally; and Kumba, a steel roller coaster that has seven loops. There are also plenty of attractions for families with young children and shows for all ages.
Level 1 Coasters for Beginners
This level offers the orientation or training into you, the thrill-seekers. It allows you to get familiar with each ride and what it offers the rider.
1. The Air Grover
It comprises family-friendly rides and is an excellent way to introduce the roller coaster experience to kids or adult beginners. It is on the Sesame Street Safari Fun Area. Parents can enjoy the rides with their children.
2. Sand Serpent
Sand Serpent has been in operation since 2004, being among the oldest rides in the Busch Gardens. You will find it in the Pantopia area of the park. You can expect to experience moderate thrill through the turns, twists, and drops before you come down at about a speed of 28 mph.
3. Cobras Curse
This coaster is 80 inches high, and the structure mimics the King Venymyss, who salutes rides as they come down. As the last of the family-friendly rides in the park, it has no steep drops, and a light back spinning of the vehicle cars depends on the weight of the occupants.
Level 2 Coasters for Intermediates
This level is for the thrill-seekers that enjoy the adrenaline rush and that slight cold sweats down your face. Here is where all the fun begins. If you bring your child to these roller coasters, it is best to keep a close eye on them at all times.
1. Scorpion
Scorpion is the oldest in the park and the first roller coaster at Busch Gardens to turn the rider an upside-down thrill. With speeds of 41 mph ending with an inversion into the vertical loop of the scorpion, it is, sure enough, adrenaline already to create the warmth and make you familiar with what lies ahead that could be more intense.
2. Cheetah Hunt
You will experience high-speed launches that imitate the fastest animal in the world going after its prey. It is the first roller coaster to give you a quick experience as a thrill seeker. It features a zero-gravity roll and a 130 inches drop through an underground tunnel.
3. Sheikra
Sheikra is fun but can be a bit scary as you go through the 90 degree free drop from a height of 200 feet. If you experience the fear of heights, this is an excellent start to help overcome it. The name comes from an Asian hawk, and the drop replicates how it goes vertically downwards to take its prey off the ground and back into the sky.
4. Tigris
The unique feature of this roller coaster is the different experiences possible based on the sitting position you choose. You have to try it several times to get a different experience from the last one.
You will go wild with thrill as you experience the backward and forward motions as you launch into the sky and back. The ride is very short as it is like a rocket going into space, getting in and out as fast as possible.
Level 3 Coasters for Thrill Freaks
Remember when I was talking about jumping off cliffs for fun, this is the level that offers that kind of extreme thrill. You are not afraid you want to go all the way in.
1. Kumba
Kumba is a true original — and a local legend. It was built in 1993 and has been thrilling riders ever since with its 135-foot drop, seven stomach-churning loops and one giant weightless zero-gravity roll.
The name originates from the sounds of the Congo River as it meanders the countryside, the hills, and the valleys. The ride will last 3 minutes as you go through the twists and turns, giving you the experience of a lifetime. It goes through the seven inversions at a speed of 60 miles per hour through the 143 feet long ride, coming to an end with a drop.
2. Montu
Montu opened on April 1, 1996, and was designed by Anton Schwarzkopf of Germany. The ride is themed to the African continent and features a three-quarter-sized replica of a Boeing 747 jetliner as the first hill.
The difference between this and the Kumba is that Montu is taller and faster and has three inversions. It is among the three oldest roller coasters at Busch Gardens, but it still offers you the exhilarating thrill you are looking to experience.
3. Iron Gwazi
In 2021 the latest introduction in the thrill park was the Iron Gwazi. Comprising of two inversions with 76 miles per hour speeds, the Iron Gwazi outperforms in the list of the best roller coasters at Busch Gardens. It reconstructs the old one that went down some time back. The official opening will be on March 11, 2022, as the newest baby on the block. Luckily if you are a pass holder as of February 11, 2022, you can enjoy the ride exclusively.
Scared of heights? Don't be
Busch Gardens has instructors all around the park to offer any assistance to you. Before taking any ride, they offer orientation and precautions necessary to ensure your safety as you have fun. While taking your ride, worry not about the drops and turns; they ensure your seat is fastened.
Wrap-up
There you have it: the greatest coasters at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Whether you're already a fan of all things roller coaster, or if you, too, are a coaster enthusiast, what can we all agree upon? Sharing our love of roller coasters is an excellent practice that we should all partake in.
Although these coasters mentioned above are indeed stellar, there is no shortage of others at the park and across the country. So get out there and ride, visit your amusement park, and discover what they have to offer!
Interested in learning about becoming a resident in Florida or moving there? Read more.
(Mar 20, 2023)
