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Busch Gardens Tampa: General Discussion

Everyone I talk to these days seems to have a scoop on BGT 2024.

Intamin LSM Launch coaster of some form seems almost nailed on at this point (obviously everyone could be entirely wrong, but I have no reason to be massively doubtful as sources have been reliable in the past), but I am also hearing 90-100+mph, 300+ft.

Who knows, could be total rubbish, but it's just what I'm hearing.
 
Wasn't the rumour for 2024 a GCI in Jungala? Feel like that would suit the park better right now, but I wouldn't say no to an Intamin of that size.
 
Wasn't the rumour for 2024 a GCI in Jungala? Feel like that would suit the park better right now, but I wouldn't say no to an Intamin of that size.
That was a real project but I think it has been delayed or cancelled. I think the feeling was that BGT had enough family friendly coasters with Cheetah Hunt, Cobra's Curse, Scorpion, & Sand Serpent already and they really wanted a statement ride instead.

Zachary who runs BGWFans hinted at Iron Gwazi being only the beginning of a much bigger plan for BGT. My hunch is that SEAS want BGT and BGW to emulate the success of Cedar Point but on a more year-round basis.
 
Everyone I talk to these days seems to have a scoop on BGT 2024.

Intamin LSM Launch coaster of some form seems almost nailed on at this point (obviously everyone could be entirely wrong, but I have no reason to be massively doubtful as sources have been reliable in the past), but I am also hearing 90-100+mph, 300+ft.

Who knows, could be total rubbish, but it's just what I'm hearing.
I Imagine if true something like a taller version of Pantheon.
 
Busch is one of my favourite parks but most non enthusiast UK folk I talk to that have been to Orlando didn't visit Busch. It also showed last year when we there in early December and everything was walk on yet Disney, Universal and SeaWorld were rammed.

Does it need to market itself better to drag people away from Orlando or is it just poor transport links / too far to drive for most.

The proposed Brightline Orlando to Tampa high speed train might help though I'm not sure how close any station would be to Busch.
 
Busch is one of my favourite parks but most non enthusiast UK folk I talk to that have been to Orlando didn't visit Busch. It also showed last year when we there in early December and everything was walk on yet Disney, Universal and SeaWorld were rammed.

Does it need to market itself better to drag people away from Orlando or is it just poor transport links / too far to drive for most.

The proposed Brightline Orlando to Tampa high speed train might help though I'm not sure how close any station would be to Busch.
I think the issue is there’s already that much to do in Orlando, it’s difficult to squeeze everything in to a 2 week trip anyway. (I say 2 week as this seems to be about the average time folks spend out there.) The amount of non-enthusiasts who will go to Orlando solely to visit Disney OR Universal and don’t consider anything else seems to be quite high. Why would you travel so far out your way for what is - on paper - just a few more coasters on top of what you’re already getting in Orlando?

From a financial point of view, if you’re paying for a 2 week Disney/Universal/both ticket, I can appreciate people wanting to get every penny’s worth out of it, and not bothering with another theme park that’s miles out the way and will come with a surcharge.
 
Falcons Fury has been closed now for a long period due to mechanical issues. Rumour is the future of Mach Tower at Busch Williamsburg is in question as it's not popular with guests.

Is the appetite for drop towers gone since the awful death of Tyre Sampson at ICON park?

I'm wondering will Falcons Fury ever reopen.
 
Has there been any more talk/rumour's of a 2024 coaster, as I know previously a family wooden coaster or an Intamin swing launch coaster have been spoken about?
 
Has there been any more talk/rumour's of a 2024 coaster, as I know previously a family wooden coaster or an Intamin swing launch coaster have been spoken about?
BGT has has projects green lighted, cancelled, re-green lighted, and cancelled again. Who knows at this point. They’re trying to do a Giga, and I think it’s an Intamin, they’re just trying to figure it out.
 
Montu snafu'd in the wind yesterday



That seems like a very weird place to stop though because of wind. I could be wrong but it appears the whole train is facing up hill. If that is the case I suspect there is more to play than just the wind. Something failed perhaps that gives the train much more friction.

Whatever the case is, what an awkward evacuation position!
 
That seems like a very weird place to stop though because of wind. I could be wrong but it appears the whole train is facing up hill. If that is the case I suspect there is more to play than just the wind. Something failed perhaps that gives the train much more friction.

Whatever the case is, what an awkward evacuation position!
It's already being towed (you can see the cable), hence the crane. It's difficult to pull horizontally so you often have to pull upwards with a crane and use a pulley to achieve any lateral movement.

The amount of friction required to stop one of those trains in that position would require something fairly catastrophic to have occurred. Seemingly on this day winds were extremely high and most coasters didn't open for more than an hour or so, if at all.

Not like coaster geeks to overthink things ...
 
That seems like a very weird place to stop though because of wind. I could be wrong but it appears the whole train is facing up hill. If that is the case I suspect there is more to play than just the wind. Something failed perhaps that gives the train much more friction.

Whatever the case is, what an awkward evacuation position!
According to someone in the comments they had been pulling the train from the corkscrew (where it stalled) from 11am, and that video was taken at 6pm.
 
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