Busch Gardens, Florida

Busch Gardens, Tampa Florida is an elaborate theme park, covering 335 acres, with an African safari theme. In addition to thrill rides, family attractions, and fine dining, the park features over 2,700 wild animals in natural settings. Exotic mammals, reptiles, and birds can be viewed throughout the park and safari style guided tours are available. Busch Gardens Tampa features 5 rollercoasters, including two large B&M steel coasters and a dual-track woody.

Gwazi

1999 (Go to Gwazi specs)

In 1999, Busch Gardens Tampa is added a new coaster, Gwazi, causing quite a stir as it breaks the Busch Gardens tradition of including only steel style coasters. This large, dual track wooden coaster was designed by Great Coasters International. The "dueling" style ride layout features 6 "near misses." The two tracks, labeled "Lion" and "Tiger," were designed with different "personalities" for a different kind of ride on each train. The addition of Gwazi was big news in a park previously dominated exclusively by steel coasters.

Montu

1996 (Go to Montu photos and specs)

The B&M designed Montu is a fast, inverted-style, steel giant with several elements constructed through underground tunnels. It is set in the "Ancient Egypt" section of the park, and is elaborately themed to match the location. A notable element is the "batwing," a double loop inversion that replaces B&M's traditional "cobra roll" to accomplish "turn-around" at the far point of the coaster.

Kumba

1993 (Go to Kumba photos and specs)

Kumba is a "conventional" steel looper, but with 4-across seating, featuring elements typical of B&M's other style coasters, including a diving loop, camelback, and cobra roll; followed by two intertwined corkscrew rolls, and a final sail through a dark tunnel and a very high speed, high-G spiral before the brake run into the boarding station. (a steel corkscrew) and the Scorpion (a steel looper, similar if not identical to Dorney Park's Laser).

Scorpion

1981 (Go to Scorpion specs)

Scorpion is an early Schwarzkopf steel coaster, featuring a twisted layout and a single, vertical loop.

Python

1977 (Go to Python specs)

The Python is one of the earliest Arrow built steel coasters, featuring not much more than a lift hill, drop, and double corkscrew element.

You can find info on all of the Anheuser-Busch theme parks by starting at www.4adventure.com.