Travel: Busch Gardens Tampa Trip Report

Posted at 11:31 AM EDT (1531 GMT)

Jun. 28th, 2005 -- My trip reports always start out with a purpose. I’ve always meant to bring you an entire trips worth of details in a fun and informative way. I have realized that I myself cannot hold my attention long enough to do so in a satisfactory manner. So this TR will be limited to the awesomeness of Sheikra.

------------------------Sheikra--------------------------------------

First and foremost, I figured I would get the inevitable out of the way.  Sheikra is huge. When you see the lift from across the park near Rhino Rally, it doesn't even look real. It's one thing to see a lift that big, but this thing turns around and goes straight down from such an insane height. Looking up at Sheikra's lift hill against a blue sky is like looking at a painting. I cannot stress to you how massive and intimidating the height of Sheikra is. After passing by the log flume, just past Kumba, you enter what should be called "Sheikra Land." Everything else in a half mile radius is mere props to this beast that is the center point of the entire park. Not only are the paths woven in such a way that allows you to come oh so close to every inch of her track, but all the restaurants, gift shops and surrounding rides are all designed it would seem to draw all your attention to the twisted bright red and blue track. You can walk underneath the over bank turn, mere feet from the bottom of the first drop right next to the second drop, and you can enjoy a meal a few feet away from the splash down area. I didn't really notice any type of theming per se, other than "THIS IS SHEIKRA.......LOOK AT IT!"

We entered the queue to what surprisingly was only a 20 minute wait. The queue winds back and forth outside in a wall enclosed area underneath the station. Once inside a building, you climb 3 shallow flights of stairs on your ascent up to the fairly high in the air station. Along the way, there is a window where just out of arms reach, a Sheikra train rumbles by on its way up the lift. That's another thing. The lift is so insanely steep. You really would have to see it to believe it. I would venture to say it's at least 65-70 degrees. After viewing the trains through the window, you are greeted by an attendant who assigns you rows. These attendants were always nice enough, after I would politely ask; to let us choose what row we wanted every time we rode. Getting to the loading platform requires you to walk over these small dinky bridges 3 stories up. This proved to be the scariest part of the ride to me.

Sheikra’s trains are huge. 8 wide, 3 rows deep, 2 trains loading at once, and 5 separate trains, 4 of which are always stacked up nose to tail. It was organized chaos for the ride ops. But they got the people moving. Finally, it was our turn, and I took my favorite B&M seat, front row, far right. The seats were leaned back in a way that was the same as a floorless coaster. I decided to just kind of lay back, and I put my feet up on the handrail in front of me. I never saw anyone else doing this while I waited in line, so I figured it was against the rules somehow. None of the ride ops said a word, so there they stayed.

We were in the back of the two trains that were loading, so we moved forward onto this small patch of track that was past the queues, but held us while the train in front climbed the lift, also allowing two more trains to be loaded behind us. Finally, we shoved off and maneuvered a shallow u turn. Grab the outside seat folks...I can't stress this enough. There is absolutely no track underneath you, and with your feet up, it already feels like you are flying. Onto the lift.....I waved at the people through the window, as we tilted back, and began our ascent.

I would like to say the view was breathtaking, but I could not see a thing. When you are making a near vertical ascent into a bright Florida sun, visibility is at a low.

As we began to level out, the chain slowed to an agonizing click-click-click.....and we were onto the u-turn at the top. The view was amazing, and I swear, if I knew which way to look, I could see to Atlanta.

Now, this part of my story, no one seems to believe.......but if you have ridden Sheikra you can vouch for me. At the top of the lift, in the electrical box on the right side, I would have to say was the LARGEST wasp nest I had ever seen. Around it was NO LESS than I would say 60 wasps swarming around. Throughout the entire duration of the 180 degree turn, wasps were all over the passengers. People were freaking out, yelling, waving their arms....it was like torture. I just stayed very still and some of them touched my face, arms etc......this is the most absurd thing I have ever seen at a park. I couldn't believe it. The wasps followed our train around the turn to the drop.

ANYWAY.....we crept to the drop, and everyone was saying here we go....but I knew there would be a holding brake. What I didn't know, is that they would allow you to drop to almost 80 degrees...THEN hold you. If you are in the front row, you can see the bottom of the drop when they decide to stop you. It is innnnnnsane. Just hanging there, 200 feet up, for a good 6-7 seconds. All the little people looking up at you.......BAM too late to think now. It feels as if something shoves you down the drop, as you fly down....STRAIGHT down.

My hands up, my feet up, we plummet straight down into a valley. There is a lot of vibration going on at the bottom that was very awkward. It felt like we were going gravel. Up we curl into the largest loop in the world (if I'm not mistaken) into my favorite part of the ride.

The pacing of the loop is phenomenal. Just as you are losing all your speed, you curve over, get major hang time, them rocket back down just barely missing the brake run. Excellent hang time, plus one of the best head choppers around......Daddy likes! down down down into an almost completely sideways turn, again, more of that weird vibration thing. Back up twisting so violently but smoothly, you shrug off speed, level out, and lose your stomach just a bit. UP into the Mid Course Brake Run.

Lo and Behold...another hornets nest....not as big as the first one, but It's still hornets buzzing around your head on a rollercoaster. Something has to be done.

The brakes pull you to a nice slow speed, and you curve over and plummet into a tunnel. This hill got the crap end of the stick, because after riding the much bigger hill, it feels very unspectacular (even though It's still a 100 foot vertical drop) and the tunnel has far too much light in it to be too thrilling. Out of the tunnel we shoot, and take a nice meandering banked turn down down down into the splash down. While coasting over the splash down, you feel absolutely no slow in the pace or any loss of mph at all.....if you had never seen the ride prior, you would not believe it shot up water at all. up over a lazy hill, we had lost all our speed, and we did a slow lazy helix into a very smooth slow stop.

Afterwards, I distinctly heard a man say to the ride op something about the hornets. But for my other 4 times on it, they were still there.

Sheikra is a great ride. But one problem plagues it...It's just too short. Almost considered in my mind a drop ride rather than a true coaster. I expected it to be my 2nd favorite coaster, but putting it over so many great long rides would seem unfair. It did crack the top 5, as it is now my fifth favorite coaster, there is just not enough sustenance for a number 1 or 2 for me.

Side notes: Ride the back row. Airtime off the first and second hills.....that's all you need to know.

Sheikra has the best on ride picture system I've ever seen. You can adjust the angle, size, color of border, etc. on your pic.

Sheikra: 8/10

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I would also like to point out some things about Busch Gardens.

Kumba was a big surprise for me. Montu was kind of so, but Kumba blew me away. It was so damn forceful and intense.....at one point, while riding in the back row, I kept saying, SLOW DOWN!!! out loud. It was fast, wicked intense, and in my eyes, a flawless coaster. It was still smooth. Kumba has now jumped to my #4 spot.

An even BIGGER surprise was Gwazi. We rode it while heading for the exit as an afterthought. "Oh yeah, we didn't ride this one yet."

It was insane. I have never held on so tight on a coaster than this thing. I rode in the back row, and the whole time I was thinking "what the hell is going on?" We soared over dips, into banked turns, around bends and climbs that should not be possible with a wood coaster. I could not believe how relentless and hell bent Gwazi was. This is one of the most underrated coasters I've ever ridden.

Well, I had a blast at the park, and am looking forward to returning next year.

ThrillNetwork brings you news and information about amusement parks, theme parks, roller coasters and thrill rides. Here you will find up-to-date news and travel discounts on your favorite parks including, Six Flags, Cedar Point, Cedar Fair, Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Paramount Parks.