Tigris | |
---|---|
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | |
Location | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay |
Park section | Stanleyville |
Coordinates | 28°02′16″N82°25′30″W / 28.03778°N 82.42500°W |
Status | Operating |
Soft opening date | April 16, 2019 |
Opening date | April 19, 2019 |
Replaced | Tanganyika Tidal Wave |
General statistics | |
Type | Steel – Launched |
Manufacturer | Premier Rides |
Model | Sky Rocket II |
Lift/launch system | LSM Launch |
Height | 150 ft (46 m) |
Drop | 135 ft (41 m) |
Length | 863 ft (263 m) |
Speed | 62 mph (100 km/h) |
Inversions | 1 |
Height restriction | 54 in (137 cm) |
Trains | Single train with 3 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 18 riders per train. |
Website | Official site |
Quick Queue available | |
Tigris at RCDB |
Tigris is a steel launched roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay theme park in Tampa, Florida, United States. Built on the former Tanganyika Tidal Wave water ride, Tigris officially opened on April 19, 2019 as the park's ninth roller coaster. Tigris is located within the Stanleyville section of the park. The roller coaster and surrounding area re-uses previous infrastructure and landscaping of the former attraction.
Manufactured by Premier Rides, the roller coaster is one of ten Sky Rocket II models built. Tigris utilizes a linear synchronous motor (LSM) system to propel the train through three launches. The roller coaster reaches a maximum height of 150 ft (46 m), a maximum speed of 62 mph (100 km/h), and has a total track length of 863 ft (263 m), though riders traverse around 1,800 ft (550 m) of track. Upon opening, the roller coaster received positive reviews from critics.
The Tanganyika Tidal Wave, an African-themed shoot the chutes water ride, closed in April 2016. [1] [2] In March 2018, SeaWorld Entertainment (owner of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay) filed trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the name "Tigris", in addition to "Twisted Tiger" and "Uproar". [3] [4] In April 2018, demolition permits were filed for the water ride's deconstruction. [5] Demolition of the former water ride began in June 2018. [6]
An environmental resource permit was submitted on June 26, 2018, to the Southwest Florida Water Management District revealing the location of a new attraction to be within the confines of the tiger exhibit and section of Jungala. [4] The documents and permits, reported in July, discussed upcoming developments on the site of the prior water ride under the working title "Project TEEL". The project proposed to construct a 3,230 sq ft (300 m2) building within a 19,683 sq ft (1,828.6 m2) area consisting of the attraction and paths and to remove 40,185 sq ft (3,733.3 m2) within the existing area. [4] [6]
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay announced Tigris, a Premier Rides Sky Rocket II, model on September 12, 2018. [7] [8] The announcement revealed the roller coaster would be themed to the tiger and open in 2019 along with a development for a Gwazi area attraction in 2020. [8] [9] [10] In October 2018, the concrete footers for the roller coaster were completed and the first construction updates by the park were published. [11] During the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) exposition in November 2018, the design of Tigris's cars were revealed by Premier Rides in the form of a cake. [12] [13] The roller coaster's track began arriving at the park on November 29, 2018, [14] with vertical construction of the track pieces taking place on December 3, 2018. [15]
The park detailed the support structure of Tigris was around three-fifths complete by January 2019, [16] with construction of the roller coaster complete by February. [17] The train for Tigris was observed being lifted onto the track on February 20. [18] Busch Gardens announced a media event to present the roller coaster's car alongside additional information on the Gwazi attraction. [19] [20] The train for the roller coaster was publicly displayed for parkgoers beginning on March 1. [21] [22] The roller coaster's opening date was announced by the park on April 4, [23] [24] with Tigris soft opening on April 16, 2019, [25] [26] and officially opening on April 19. [27] [28]
The queue area of the ride was repurposed from the previous attraction, Tanganyika Tidal Wave, though the water rides station was not reused. The roller coaster's queue uses a part of the water ride's pathway with landscaping intact from the previous layout. [22] [29] The queue of the ride features educational pieces of the tiger's living conditions in the wild and actions wildlife conservationists take with the species. [16] [30]
Tigris launches out of the station up into a partial twist. The train then falls back through the station, where it is accelerated backwards into another twist. Once again, the train falls forward into the station and riders are accelerated to a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h). It then travels up to a height of 150 ft (46 m) where it completes a half-loop and a heartline roll before exiting in a second non-inverting half-loop. It then enters a full non-inverting loop before returning to the station. [7] [31] [32]
Tigris operates within a small footprint of the former attraction and is located within the Stanleyville section of the park. [33] [34] For the construction of the roller coaster, existing infrastructure in the land was reused for the purpose of the ride. [16] The landscape was preserved with recycled materials from the previous Tanganyika Tidal Wave water ride and other byproducts from the construction of Falcon's Fury and Cobra's Curse attractions. [16] [29] Tigris was the third Sky Rocket II model to be constructed at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment-owned theme parks, the first being Tempesto at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg and the second, Electric Eel, at SeaWorld San Diego. [35] The roller coaster is one of ten Sky Rocket II models built by Premier Rides. [36]
Tigris was the ninth roller coaster built at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in operation. [33] The roller coaster features black-gray supports with bright orange track. [37] The roller coaster uses a linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch system that adjusts the speed of each launch by timing the train's position through sensors. [7] [29] The LSM launch system is cooled by air blowers beneath the track. [29] The roller coaster has a total track length of 863 ft (263 m), though riders traverse around 1,800 ft (550 m) of track because of the forward and backward launches. [7] [16] [35] Tigris operates one train featuring three cars, with each car having a row of two seats across in three rows for a total of eighteen riders per train. [7] The cars have a lap bar and over the shoulder restraint system. [33] The roller coaster train features an orange color scheme with tiger print. [13] [22]
Upon opening, Tigris received positive review from critics. A writer for the Tampa Bay Times , Daniel Figueroa IV, enthusiastically remarked about the roller coaster's overall intensity and its "visually impressive" speed. [38] Figueroa IV further commented that any seat on the roller coaster had favorable moments to experience, with the front being more visually notable and the back for more intensity. [38] A writer for the Orlando Sentinel , Dewayne Bevil, noted overall about the thrilling experience of the roller coaster, being both "confusing and...exciting". [33] Bevil also remarked about the ride experiences from different seating position and the restraint system having positive and negative aspects. [33]
Haley Coomes of WKMG-TV described the "good first impression" the roller coaster operations left on her experience and personally added it earned "a top approval rating" between "the other Busch Gardens coaster giants". [34] Andrew Stilwell of Coaster101 categorized Tigris as a mid-tier attraction for "thrill seekers" among other Busch Gardens roller coasters while praising its overall speed and different seating experiences. [39]
Busch Gardens is the name of two amusement parks in the United States, owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts. The original park is in Tampa, Florida, and the second park is in Williamsburg, Virginia. There were also previously Busch Gardens parks in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California (1964–1979) and Houston, Texas (1971–1973). The "Busch Gardens" name was earlier used to refer to the gardens developed by Adolphus Busch near his home in Pasadena, California, which were open to the public from 1906 to 1937.
The launched roller coaster is a modern form of roller coaster. A launched coaster initiates a ride with high amounts of acceleration via one or a series of linear induction motors (LIM), linear synchronous motors (LSM), catapults, tires, chains, or other mechanisms employing hydraulic or pneumatic power, along a launch track. This mode of acceleration powers many of the fastest roller coasters in the world.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a 335-acre (136 ha) animal theme park located in Tampa, Florida, United States, with the entire park landscaped and designed around themes of Africa and Asia. Owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts, the park opened on June 1, 1959. The park has an annual attendance consistently exceeding 4 million, often ranking second among United Parks & Resorts parks behind SeaWorld Orlando.
Kumba is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened in 1993. It stands 143 feet (44 m) tall and has a top speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Kumba features a total of seven inversions across the 3-minute ride. It is Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's oldest roller coaster that is still operating, following the closure of Scorpion in 2024.
Montu is an inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, it is the park's second roller coaster designed by that company following the success of Kumba, which opened 3 years prior. When the ride opened on May 16, 1996, it was the world's tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster, a title it has since conceded to Alpengeist at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The ride stands 150 feet (46 m) tall and reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h).
SeaWorld Orlando is an animal theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Although separately gated, it is often promoted with neighboring parks Discovery Cove and Aquatica as well as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, all of which are owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts. In 2022, SeaWorld Orlando hosted an estimated 4.45 million guests, ranking it the 10th most visited amusement park in the United States.
Iron Gwazi is a steel-track hybrid roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, a theme park in Tampa, Florida, United States. Development of the original Gwazi began in July 1998, when Busch Gardens announced that it would build a wooden roller coaster on land formerly occupied by the Anheuser-Busch brewery. Great Coasters International (GCI) built Gwazi, a wooden dueling roller coaster with two separate tracks. The ride was named after a fabled creature with a tiger's head and a lion's body. Trains riding on both tracks, respectively named Lion and Tiger, reached a height of 105.4 feet (32.1 m) and a maximum speed of 51 mph (82 km/h).
Loch Ness Monster is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia. Manufactured by Arrow Development and designed by Ron Toomer, it was the first roller coaster in the world to feature interlocking loops. The roller coaster was opened within the park's Scottish hamlet, Heatherdowns, on June 2, 1978, and relates to the legend of the Loch Ness Monster. The roller coaster reaches a maximum height of 130 ft (40 m), with a maximum speed of 60 mph (97 km/h), and a total track length of 3,240 ft (990 m).
Scorpion was a steel roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Built by Anton Schwarzkopf and designed by Werner Stengel, it opened on May 16, 1980, as the second roller coaster at the park. The roller coaster was added as part of the newly constructed Timbuktu section during the second-phased opening, being surrounded by the Congo and Nairobi sections. The roller coaster reached a maximum height of 60.7 feet (18.5 m), with a maximum speed of 41 miles per hour (66 km/h), and a total length of 1,817.6 feet (554.0 m).
Sand Serpent was a Wild Mouse roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. The ride originally operated at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia as Wild Izzy in 1996 and later as Wilde Maus from 1997 to 2003. When the roller coaster was relocated to Florida, it was renamed Cheetah Chase from 2004 to 2011 before receiving its last name change.
Python was a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay theme park in Tampa, Florida. Built by Arrow Development and opened on July 1, 1976, it was the first roller coaster at Busch Gardens since the park opened in 1959. The roller coaster was located in the Congo section of the park near Stanley Falls Flume and later the Congo River Rapids. After 30 years of operation, Python closed on October 31, 2006, and was eventually replaced by Jungala, a now-defunct family section of the park.
Legoland Florida Resort is a vacation destination in Winter Haven, Florida. The resort features the Legoland Florida theme park itself, the Legoland Water Park, three on-site accommodations and a separately-ticketed on-site park based on the British children's animated series Peppa Pig that opened on February 24, 2022.
Cheetah Hunt is a steel launched roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. The roller coaster was manufactured by Intamin and designed in collaboration with Mark Rose. Cheetah Hunt opened to the public on May 27, 2011, alongside a cheetah exhibit called Cheetah Run. Cheetah Hunt features three linear synchronous motor (LSM) launches and a single inversion. The roller coaster reaches a height of 102 feet (31 m), with a maximum speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and a total track length of 4,429 feet (1,350 m).
SheiKra is a steel Dive Coaster roller coaster at the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay amusement park in Tampa, Florida, United States. The roller coaster was proposed by Mark Rose, vice-president of design and engineering for the park, and designed by Bolliger & Mabillard. The ride was planned to be 160 feet (49 m) high, but the park's executives rejected this and the height was changed to 200 feet (61 m). SheiKra reaches a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) and has a total track length of 3,188 feet (972 m). It first opened on May 21, 2005, and was converted to a floorless roller coaster on June 16, 2007, following the opening of its sister Dive Coaster Griffon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg that year.
Falcon's Fury is a free-standing Sky Jump drop tower attraction at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay amusement park in Tampa, Florida, United States. Manufactured by Intamin subsidiary Intaride, the ride reaches a maximum height of 335 feet (102 m), making it North America's tallest free-standing drop tower. Riders experience about five seconds of free fall, reaching a speed of 60 miles per hour (100 km/h). The ride's name was chosen to invoke a falcon's ability to dive steeply at high speed to capture prey.
Cobra's Curse is a steel spinning roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida, United States. The roller coaster, opened in 2016, was manufactured by Mack Rides, features an elevator-style lift, and was the first new ride to open at the park since Falcon's Fury opened in 2014. Cobra's Curse presents a fictional story about the ancient Egyptian ruler the Snake King Venymyss and his curse upon his lost kingdom. The roller coaster has a track length of 2,100 feet (640 m), reaches a height of 70 feet (21 m), and has a maximum speed of 40 mph (64 km/h).
Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is a multiple-launch steel roller coaster located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade section of Universal Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando. Manufactured by Intamin, the attraction opened to the public on June 13, 2019. The partially-enclosed motorbike coaster operates both indoor and outdoor, and it is the sixth Harry Potter-themed attraction created for the resort. Universal marketed the ride as "a highly-themed roller coaster" that focuses on "a different corner of the wizarding world".
Electric Eel is a steel launched roller coaster at SeaWorld in San Diego, California. The coaster opened in 2018 as the park's then-tallest and fastest, until the opening of Emperor in 2022. The ride is loosely themed around the electric eel. An educational area and informational exhibit on electric eels can also be found by the attraction and near the queue.
Phoenix Rising is a family inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida, United States. The roller coaster was manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), and officially opened on July 21, 2024 as the park's tenth roller coaster. Phoenix Rising mimics the sensation of the legendary phoenix taking flight. The roller coaster reaches a height of 80 feet, and has a maximum speed of 44 mph (71 km/h) during a 1-minute 26 second duration.