Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

Damnit I was hoping no news is good news, haha.

Well, it's uptime percentage for the last 7 days is 31%. So like... if it were baseball and you were batting .310 people would think that was pretty good so I guess it's all about perspective.

^The winds have been a factor here for the past week or so and several rides have been closed on and off temporarily at times. I know, from experience, FF has been closed with high winds. It's also been in the mid-30s & 40s in the morning as well some days. While I know Six Flags is adventurous in running rides no matter that (as I know you love to always bring that up anytime someone says something about temps and ride/coaster operations), those temps are rare in Tampa. BGT & SWO particularly are even more conservative about running rides when it's "cold" here.

With all of the focus on Gwazi and Montu and Kumba I've really forgotten about Falcon's Fury. Is it pretty reliable? How are the wait times?

When we were there this summer it was a walk on the entire day. However... It did take 6 tries before we actually had a complete ride cycle. We were on it 4 times when it broke down, and 2 times in line for it when it broke down. . .

But holy crap.... That one ride was AMAZING!! Next to Zumanjaro it is my new favorite Drop Tower!

^The winds have been a factor here for the past week or so and several rides have been closed on and off temporarily at times. I know, from experience, FF has been closed with high winds. It's also been in the mid-30s & 40s in the morning as well some days. While I know Six Flags is adventurous in running rides no matter that (as I know you love to always bring that up anytime someone says something about temps and ride/coaster operations), those temps are rare in Tampa. BGT & SWO particularly are even more conservative about running rides when it's "cold" here.

Ah alright, by comparison Montu’s uptime for 7 days was over 99% so I figured weather wasn’t an issue. I don’t really mind waiting out cold temperatures in Florida when it’ll probably be 60-70 degrees like 2 hours later. I just like to make fun of Hershey and Carowinds because it’s fun.

Either way though, is Falcon’s Fury a reliable ride? No.

Either way though, is Falcon’s Fury a reliable ride? No.

I rarely ever see a wait for Falcon's Fury when it's open though, so you can pretty much just check on it as you walk through Pantopia and if it's open, hop on.

Scorpion’s refurbishment seems to include a new paint job.

Source: @andino1152 on Twitter.

^I love that the park continues to maintain Scorpion. This ride still rocks, and considering its age, it still holds up really well!

Man, I am SO excited for this coaster, and for one of my favorite parks! I was initially going to wait until my planned Florida trip in 2021 to ride this thing, but now I'll definitely be checking for cheap flights to Tampa for once IG opens! It looks spectacular, and I don't think my kids nor myself can wait until next year!

 

Frontier keeps adverting CLE - TPA for as low as $50 round trip (as part of their fare club). May be worth joining!

Thanks for the heads-up! I'll look into that!

Remember to check Orlando too. It's only an hour and a half away and there are often more options. We pretty much use MCO and TPA interchangeably.

Yeah, I'm definitely not opposed to flying into Orlando either. Whichever is cheaper. If I'm in Orlando, maybe we'll even hit up SWO and Ice Breaker as well, though I'm also content to hit that when we're back in Orlando in 2021. We'll just have to see how everything prices out!

If you're not a passholder then this two park ticket to Seaworld and Busch is a fantastic deal no matter which airport you use.

That said... for (depending on the day) $195 a person, this exists too.

Does BGT offer an at the gate twilight park ticket? I looked through that link you provided there and didn't see anything listed.

It's a long way off but I'll have a night in Tampa before a cruise in November and was hoping to hit up the park for a few hours the night before. Haven't been since I moved away from Tampa in 2009.

^ Sorry, not sure. Hopefully someone local knows.

PS: Good lord...

[fbvideonew]

^ This thing looks more and more amazing with each new update!!

I'm sorry, but I gotta say it...does it really look that different from the other big RMC's!?!?!? I get that it's a GREAT problem to have, but these RMC's are all very similar and this just looks a lot like Steel Vengeance and the Poland one right!? Is it because it's purple!?!?

^ If it's not broken, don't fix it. I don't mind if several of their rides are similar since they're so good.

I'm not too familiar with Sea World Parks Quick Queue and just wanted to ask a question...

How likely is it that both IG and IB will be on the QQ unlimited list for 2020? As it stands, the webpage for QQ on BG site does not include IG. Is that because it's simply too early? I'm so used to the Cedar Fair way where they entice you to buy season passes with Fast Lane as soon as the new coaster is announced to boost sales.

I'm sorry, but I gotta say it...does it really look that different from the other big RMC's!?!?!? I get that it's a GREAT problem to have, but these RMC's are all very similar and this just looks a lot like Steel Vengeance and the Poland one right!? Is it because it's purple!?!?

It looks similar to Zadra for sure, just spread out a little more. I still can't figure out the layout and what's left to be completed either to see how it does differentiate itself from Zadra or Hakugei or Steel Vengeance. Although RMCs are so similar, I really feel like I can separate all that I've experienced.

Only Storm Chaser at Kentucky Kingdom was the least memorable to me since it felt like it was just dropped in a cat's litter box across from a Pepsi factory Don't get me wrong Storm Chaser is fantastic, but to me it's less memorable than Twisted Timbers, Outlaw Run, or even Twisted Cyclone.

I think RMC is getting better at emphasizing different elements and not just relying on reverse banking or sideways airtime hills. Hakugei stood out to me because of the inversions, first drop/pre drop, pre lift, and mix of laterals. Twisted Cyclone seemed to get faster and more intense as the ride went on. Twisted Timbers is just an insane airtime buffet.

^ I have no clue what you're talking about. I love Storm Chaser's location. Its remote setting at the park of the park basically guarantees it's always a walk-on.

I'm sorry, but I gotta say it...does it really look that different from the other big RMC's!?!?!? I get that it's a GREAT problem to have, but these RMC's are all very similar and this just looks a lot like Steel Vengeance and the Poland one right!? Is it because it's purple!?!?

 

It looks similar to Zadra for sure, just spread out a little more. I still can't figure out the layout and what's left to be completed either to see how it does differentiate itself from Zadra or Hakugei or Steel Vengeance. Although RMCs are so similar, I really feel like I can separate all that I've experienced.

 

Only Storm Chaser at Kentucky Kingdom was the least memorable to me since it felt like it was just dropped in a cat's litter box across from a Pepsi factory Don't get me wrong Storm Chaser is fantastic, but to me it's less memorable than Twisted Timbers, Outlaw Run, or even Twisted Cyclone.

 

I think RMC is getting better at emphasizing different elements and not just relying on reverse banking or sideways airtime hills. Hakugei stood out to me because of the inversions, first drop/pre drop, pre lift, and mix of laterals. Twisted Cyclone seemed to get faster and more intense as the ride went on. Twisted Timbers is just an insane airtime buffet.

It looks like the IG finale includes two "trick track" sequences.

The first starts at the exit of the stall. Turn to the right at the bottom of the stall, slight bank left on a straight track, then bank right while cresting a small hill.

Then a weird helix type trick track - big right turn, little left, then another big right. Maybe some of those direction changes have elevation changes, too, maybe not?

Followed by an airtime hill, possibly like the El Toro "rolling thunder" hill (I hope) and then a sharp left through the structures into the brakes.

I've been on 6 RMCs (all in USA) including SV. My guess is this will be even better than SV despite being a shorter ride (or because it is shorter?). I don't rank all my "credits" but SV is by far my favorite, although I didn't like the bunny hops at the end, a bit gratuitous for my tastes.

Railblazer is my second favorite RMC (after SV) because it is non-stop intensity. IG looks like it will be non-stop intensity on a grander scale. I like that the second hill will be the RMC version of a top hat.

I also like how apart from Railblazer / Wonder Woman, all of the RMCs are unique. Collect them all!

I'm not too familiar with Sea World Parks Quick Queue and just wanted to ask a question...

How likely is it that both IG and IB will be on the QQ unlimited list for 2020? As it stands, the webpage for QQ on BG site does not include IG. Is that because it's simply too early? I'm so used to the Cedar Fair way where they entice you to buy season passes with Fast Lane as soon as the new coaster is announced to boost sales.

The last 2 major additions among BGT (Tigris) & SWO (Infinity Falls) were not included with Unlimited Quick Queue for some time after they opened. They did however have the option of buying QQ Unlimited + 1 ride on Tigris or Infinity Falls (both are now included at each park with QQ Unlimited), and were also selling one time rides at the QQ kiosks for them as well (I believe they were either $10 or $15 depending on the day). I would suspect they may do the same thing with Iron Gwazi and Ice Breaker until the newness wears off.

I think it's unfair to say "well this looks like Zadra or SV", we are talking about a completely unique custom creation from the hottest coaster manufacturer on the planet right now so I think the excitement is warranted.

IG specifically has a couple unique elements that set it apart from the other big RMC's in my opinion. First the barrel roll is not just a run of the mill 360 degree roll. It's almost more like a 540 since you are banking up and to the right before spinning through the roll to your left. It is also very early in the layout and should be a fast roll much like the first inversion on SV. That should be a really cool element.

The second one is the inverted top hat right after the barrel roll. I may be wrong but I think that is a new element for RMC, at least on that scale anyway as the train will still be hauling through there since it's still on the first half of the ride. Another thing I like about IG is there is no mid course brake run. God I love big rides without those i.e. Fury as it gives you that all out intense ride from start to finish with no let up.

I'm sorry, but I gotta say it...does it really look that different from the other big RMC's!?!?!? I get that it's a GREAT problem to have, but these RMC's are all very similar and this just looks a lot like Steel Vengeance and the Poland one right!? Is it because it's purple!?!?

For me it's just the park that it's being built in and the fact that we'll be able to ride it all the time. Steel Vengeance is much closer to us than Tampa but we can't hop on our favorite sh*thole airline and go there for $15 so we end up in Central Florida way more often.

I'm sorry, but I gotta say it...does it really look that different from the other big RMC's!?!?!? I get that it's a GREAT problem to have, but these RMC's are all very similar and this just looks a lot like Steel Vengeance and the Poland one right!? Is it because it's purple!?!?

 

For me it's just the park that it's being built in and the fact that we'll be able to ride it all the time. Steel Vengeance is much closer to us than Tampa but we can't hop on our favorite sh*thole airline and go there for $15 so we end up in Central Florida way more often.

For me it's only because the ride is purple! And the fact they named the ride after a mythical crocodile. I love big purple mythical crocodiles. Purple rides are the besT!!!1!

^ I have no clue what you're talking about. I love Storm Chaser's location. Its remote setting at the park of the park basically guarantees it's always a walk-on.

No doubt! It was a walk on during my visit, too.

Pepsi, Discount Signs & Banners, and Craven Cars. And RMC!

I'm sorry, but I gotta say it...does it really look that different from the other big RMC's!?!?!? I get that it's a GREAT problem to have, but these RMC's are all very similar and this just looks a lot like Steel Vengeance and the Poland one right!? Is it because it's purple!?!?

Who cares? Are any RMC's even close to bad? Besides, aren't you super jazzed to have this monster just an hour down the road?!

And yes the purple track looks fab.