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Busch Gardens Tampa | Tigris | Premier SkyRocket II

Matt N

CF Legend
I suppose an SRII will add a thrill coaster that goes backwards AND a semi-shuttle ride experience! So Busch are filling two more gaps (albeit minor gaps) in their lineup! Good stuff!

I'm personally not too bothered about them adding this. These are sort of like the Boomerangs and SkyLoops of the 2010s, in my opinion. Plenty of major parks added Boomerangs in the 1990s and 2000s and no one complained, so I don't personally see how this is much different. Admittedly, these are not being installed anywhere near as frequently as Boomerangs were, but you get my idea. Admittedly, I am a little sceptical of the capacity, as Busch gets around 4 million visitors per year, and I remember reading somewhere that Superman: Ultimate Flight, the original SRII, only hits 240pph as a theoretical throughput. Admittedly, this one does have an extra car, but that still only makes the theoretical 360pph. I can see queues being quite long!

But I don't see how this is any different to the multitudes of Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks that built Boomerangs. This ride is probably more of a filler attraction to tide BGT over until their next big icon, whenever and whatever that might be, and besides, these look like pretty fun attractions! Nothing that's going to make many top 10 lists or shatter the core of the enthusiast community, but they look like flat-out fun, and I hope this is a hit for Busch Gardens!
 

SilverArrow

Certified Ride Geek
Did Williamsburg's one the other day and it was pleasant enough so this is a decent enough addition. As they're not touching gwazi for it it still leaves that as a question mark as well so that could be interesting in the future. (Maybe; unlikely but still maybe!)
 

Hutch

Strata Poster
I suppose an SRII will add a thrill coaster that goes backwards AND a semi-shuttle ride experience! So Busch are filling two more gaps (albeit minor gaps) in their lineup! Good stuff!
I know you say they're minor gaps but honestly they're not really filling any gaps at all. Cheetah Hunt is already a multi launch coaster (and a better one) with the same kind of slow inversion. Going backwards isn't all that special. Actually Cobra's Curse briefly goes backwards.

I never really understood why BGW got one a few years ago and it still doesn't really makes sense here. They make a look of sense for smaller parks. I was actually excited when Lake Compounce announced they were getting one of these, as that's a tiny park with not much going on outside Boulder Dash. I just don't know what the thought process is behind this?

Like, when BGT wanted a nice family spinner, they didn't settle for some Maurer or Gerstlauer, they got an interesting Mack one. These sky rockets are just going to stick out like sore thumbs.
 

CrashCoaster

CF Legend
I think a SkyLoop would fit better here tbh.
^The throughput on these can exceed 500pph if they are operated well, not that that's great but it's better than 360pph :p
Only for the 3 car ones though. :)

I think 360pph is the theoretical, and 500pph is the maximum for the 3 car version. Although apparently Tempesto can pull 600pph somehow!
 

Ben

CF Legend
I thinkkkk he’s being sarcastic because all those things are the same on Cheetah Hunt ;)

Sky Loops are definitely better than these! Abismo is fab.

That throughput is revolting. As if it’ll be like oh you could go do Star Wars land, a new Potter coaster or... this heap of ****.
 

streetmagix

Mega Poster
^Cheetah Hunt also only has 1 inversion.

thatsthejoke.jpg
 
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