Specific Type: Sitting Coaster
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Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, better now known as Busch Gardens Africa, did what was unprecedented at the time and contacted Bolliger and Mabillard of Monthey, Switzerland to design and manufacture a steel coaster over twice as large, much faster and packed with over three times as many inversions as any coaster that had gone before it at the park. Kumba, or 'Roar', as translated from African Congo language, was an instant success for Busch Gardens Tampa bay upon opening in mid-Spring of 1993. The practically 4,000 feet of swirling and diving teal steel rails proved a smash hit and introduced new inversions and elements never seen before on any other coaster. Composed of seven thrilling inversions packed into a ride length of three minutes, Kumba's yellow and green sit-down trains (another rarity for Bolliger and Mabillard) swiftly speed along nearly 1,700 thrillseekers every hour of operation.
First engaging on the lift chain after a turn out of the boarding station, Kumba travels over 14 stories into the Florida sky before the train lifts over the top. Traveling down a 135-foot dive to the ground, Kumba then soars over the top of a vertical loop curling around a portion of the lift. Then, riders enter the first of it's kind Dive Loop on any coaster and then speed through a trench. Flying up above the crowds, riders twist through another first for Kumba, the Zero-G Roll where passengers experience negative g's while spiraling head-over-heals. Diving back to earth again, another rare upon opening maneuver spins the train inverted - twice, while twisting around a walkway through the Cobra Roll. Rising back up, a set of trim brakes briefly guides the train into the next half of the ride, diving back down into another trench and entering yet another world record, the first interlocking corkscrew beginning with the first flip and a diving left-hand curve into the second identical maneuver. Speeding back up, a traditional helix soon brings the ride to an end with a bang. Nomatter what you like most about coasters, Kumba undeniably packs a punch with nearly every variation of g-force, inversion and surprise. |
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