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Busch Gardens. Home To Some Of The Best Coasters In Florida
As part of our annual Florida vacation, my family an I always make time to visit what is without doubt one of the best Florida theme parks, Busch Gardens in Tampa. So with our Orlando Flex Ticket plus passes in hand, we set out on the 1 hour road trip from Orlando to Busch Gardens. With children aged 11 and 14 one of the biggest attractions that this park offers over the many other Florida theme parks, is a ride called Sheikra. Quite simply this ride takes riders to a level of exhiliration that others fail to, but there is more to Busch Gardens than a single roller coaster
Arriving at the park, we paid our parking fee, boarded the tram which took us the short distance to the park entrance. Then we where off, like greyhounds out o a trap. Like many of the parks in Orlando, Busch Gardens has been designed so to allow visitors to plot there own way around the park, at there own pace, and in whatever direction they choose. It is all part of the Florida theme park experience.
So having decided on our route prior to arrival, we set of in the direction of our first ride Gwazi. You cannot fail to be impressed by this all wooden roller coaster. It is a great piece of engineering, rising sharply from the ground, whilst showing the obvious signs of a high speed ride full of twists and turns. Due to its close proximity to the park entrance, many visitors choose to pass this ride by, prefering to make straight to the likes of Sheikra instead.
Click here to buy the new Orlando Flex Ticket online.Boarding Gwazi, is like going back in time, the simple carriages and lap belts/bars give riders a somewhat false sense of security, compared to many other rides on which riders are required to use a host of restraints. The first part of the ride although bumpy is quite ordinary, however this does not last long as you are quickly propelleed to what seems like break neck speeds aboard an undulating, rickety and unrefined ride. You cannot help thinking about Gwazi’s wooden structure as you hurtle around corners after plunging down an almighty decline. The ride time on Gwazi is around 4+ minutes, or at least it seems like to me! You must be over 48 inches tall to ride Gwazi.
After getting my breath back, we where off once more, this time to the much underrated and mostly overlooked Kumba ride. This older but more convetional roller coaster, is located close to the popular River Rapids water ride. Starting with the usual high climb, Kumba soon shows its true colours as it begins to expose it’s riders into a whole hosts of twists, turns and loops. Ride time on Kumba is generous, and the excitement lasts up until the very last turn, which happens to be at around 40 degrees to the ground ground level, giveing riders a true feeling of real ‘G’ force. Front and rear seats offer the best ride experiences. You must be 54 inches tall to ride Kumba.
Montu was next. Located in the Egyptian quarter, this ride is both floorless and fast. After an inital climb the fun begins causing riders to lose all sense of fear, and replacing it with an overriding feeling of excitement as you experience momentary weightlessness, vertical loops and almost 90 degree turns. Ride time is on the higher side, as the ride seems to just keep on going. You must be 54 inches tall to ride Montu.
This is just a very small example of the many different rides at Busch Gardens, Tampa. For those driving from the Orlando area, the theme park is well sign posted, alternativleyfor those who buy the Orlando Flex Ticket Plus, there is complimentary bus transportation to and from the Orlando area.
One of the best, and most cost effective ways to visit Busch Gardens, Tampa is with an Orlando Flexticket, which gives you unlimited addmission to up to six seperate Florida theme parks in 14 consecutive days from the date of first use. Get your Orlando Flexticket here.
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