Photo TR: Busch Gardens Tampa 03-04-05

Okay, so this was my first visit back to BGT, and I haven't been to the place since October of last year, alot of the changes have surprised me, like the new tram tunnel they had been working on, some painting that has been going on around some of the buildings, new gardens, and artwork on the SheiKra posters and banners.

I wasn't expecting a trip to the park today at all, infact I had to take my DATA course down here, and sucesfully passed that (yay!) after going to school for a class from 10-11. I get home around 1 to find out my dad wants to go BGT, so he comes in my room and asks "Do you want to go ride that amazing Python? I dont really want to waste time on Montu & Kumba, but im excited about Python!"

So we head over there after making a stop to Chick Fil A, I had one of those awesome free meal tickets that come on the calendars you buy at the resteraunt. We ate and headed to the park and got there around 2.

The park had alot of changes since I had last been there, and it was the first time I used the new parking lot change, and rode the tram over to the park under the tunnel, they're still doing some slight work around that area adding a service building of some sort. The new tramstop was also added, although they dont have any shade or anything for the guests while they're waiting for the tramstops (The old tramstops, both on each side have been arranged into a pass booth to prevent traffic jams in the old walk through gates).

When we get in the park we find its completely dead and no one was around at all, we ignore Gwazi and head right to Montu (We were lucky and even got 3rides on it!). Staff seemed to be doing a pretty good job, but I haven't liked the new system that they've been using since last October where you can get re-rides, even if there is NO ONE in the station waiting, you have to go all the way through the que again, and in that time there is a 60second time lap they have to wait, if the train isn't loaded in that amount of time they will send it through, even if there is no riders on (Dumb, dumb, dumb, DUMB!!!).

Montu was running great today as usual, it seemed like our first ride we got there was no trims on, but the 2nd and 3rd ride there was (Must have been in a spot we couldn't have heard the breaks hitting the first ride). I think they've greased up the lifthill or something, you can usually ride in different rows and notice that it is quiter in some place, but while we rode in all 3different places (Middle, front, and very back) it was all VERY quiet.

After this we head over to the sky-ride, take the sky-ride over to Stanleyville as a shortcut to hit Kumba. On the skyride you can see SheiKra clear as day, and gives you an opportunity to view its massive structure and size, this coaster really was big as I was expecting it would be.

We got over and find out that the crane is lifting the last section of the drop, so we head over there and watch it for allitle bit, getting topped off.

After this was our chance to ride Kumba, we head down and get two back row rides and one in the middle, it was slightly more crowded than Montu but nothing "crowded" really, at all. The ride was also running great, im guessing they must have greased the two coasters lifts, it was just like montu being quiet enough to hear anything around the park.

That was pretty much our day, simple but it was a good visit, quick visit as well. It was good to see my dad being able to ride coasters again after his surgery since he cant do as much anymore, he seems to be getting back into the swing of things, I guess he wanted to go back because of the amazing B&Ms. (He's as much of a fan of B&M as Elissa is Intamin... or TOGO? )

Well I took some pictures so I guess I'll upload them, they are 800x600 photos each. (if these files are too much you can delete them).

-Justin "stay tuned kiddies, and I'll have a cypress update sometime!"

Another shot of the drop and lift.

A side angle showing off the long drop on Shakira. Note: Shakira only has a couple of supports on the drop!

"SheiKra: Diving to a Vekoma track near you"

This was one of the MANY banners showing off SheiKra in the park. Shows that they're proud of their new coaster unlike Cheetah Chase!

Look, a B&M. Lets go ride it.

Some more work is done to the smokehouse area, and the turnaround is complete now. (NOTE: you can get extremely close to the huge track, under it and below it right over that turnaround, thats going to be insane watching that thing go through!)

This will be an amazing shot for footage and pictures once this ride is up!

A shot of the beautiful second drop...

And yet another beautiful shot of SheiKra from the Skyride.

A shot that shows SheiKra off from the Skyride (Nice View).

Thanks for posting the pics!

I take it that track over the restaurant no longer crashes into tables full of people?

--Robb

Lol!

The pics of the first drop look amazing!

SheiKra's first drop looks awesome, I can't wait to ride it this fall.

The first drop will be something to die for. I am amazed to see all the elements put into this Dive Machine compared to Oblivion, with only a drop and the one in Thailand.

Great pictures. The first drop of SheiKra looks awesome, but that coaster is another point on the list for my next Trip through the USA.

--Soeren

Good pics, though I would say, NO WHITE TRASH FALLING OFF PARKING TRAMS!!!?

Thanks for reply guys, nope. No White Trash falling off the trams

-Justin "wont ever forget the lady falling off the tram at Busch Gardens"

Um is it just me or does something about the turn to the first drop look funny? I mean honestly it looks like it goes uphill...

I know it is mean but it would be hilarious to me if a ride didn't make it from the lift to the drop... Yeah I'm a terrible person but hey...

BTW when are we gonna have that kind of inversion in RCT... I want to do that kind of thing... Right now it is just not quite close enough...