| Cheetah Hunt | |
|---|---|
| |
| Park | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay |
| Park section | Crown Colony Plaza |
| Opening date | May 27, 2011 |
| Closing date | Unknown |
| Height | 102ft |
| Drop | 130ft |
| Speed | 60mph |
| Replaced | Unknown |
| Replaced by | Unknown |
Cheetah Hunt is a launched steel coaster currently operating at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
Ride history[]
Before Busch Gardens Tampa announced their plans for Cheetah Hunt, the park released a teaser campaign which slowly revealed Cheetah Hunt's details across the summer of 2010. Five teaser videos were released to the public which featured cut scenes of the ride's point-of-view video. On October 13, 2010, park president Jim Dean announced Cheetah Hunt to the general public. Construction then began within weeks of the announcement. By November 18, several steel supports that hold Cheetah Hunt's track today were placed. By mid-December, the famous figure-8 portion of Cheetah Hunt had its footers placed and several portions of the track. Then, the ride opened on May 27, 2011, along with Cheetah Run, an exhibit showcasing cheetahs that neighbors the ride.
Ride synopsis[]
After guests board their vehicles, the train launches at 35mph out of the station and around a large left turn followed by a small dip before entering the second launch. The train is launched at 60mph before ascending up a 102-foot hill and entering the ride's famous figure-8 element, in which the train enters a series of helixes to form a figure 8 before dropping 130 feet into a small tunnel. Riders then change directions via airtime hill and then enter the ride's one and only inversion: a heartline roll. After exiting the heartline and its following brake run, the train then stays low on the ground and enters a series of small turns through rock fixtures, simulating several "near misses". Then, the ride launches guests for one final time at speeds of 45mph over hills and turns before entering the final brake run and slowly pulling back into the station.
Trivia []
- The attraction is one of two rides located in the Crown Colony Plaza area of the park, the other being the Cheetah Run exhibit.
- To promote Cheetah Hunt before its May 2011 opening, several cheetahs arrived at the park in late January in time for the exhibit's opening.
- The ride is similar to Verbolten at Busch Gardens Tampa's sister park, Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
- Cheetah Hunt's track is 4,429 feet long.
- One cycle on Cheetah Hunt lasts about 3 and a half minutes.
- The coaster is the newest of eight coasters currently in operation at Busch Gardesn Tampa.
Awards[]
Golden Ticket Awards: Best New Ride in 2011[]
- At the 2011 Golden Ticket Awards, Cheetah Hunt was nominated "Second Best New Attraction" for 2011, losing out to the New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas.
Photo Gallery[]
