Specific Type: Inverted Coaster
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Busch Gardens Africa has been a thrill spot in Florida for nearly 35 years when Kumba opened and pulled in guests once again after not getting a coaster for 11 years. But competition got feirce in Florida as usual and Disney/MGM Studios, now known as Disney's Hollywood Studios, built Tower Of Terror in 1995, pulling away some guests to the nearby Orlando park. Busch Gardens silently begun digging trenches and working on drainage in an empty area of the park that was soon to become the new Egypt section. Busch contacted B&M to build the worlds tallest, fastest, longest, and most inverted coaster found on their popular Inverted coaster model. The result was Montu, opening as the record said a few words before. Originally going to be named Sphinx, Montu became the official name, which means the Egyptian God of War. After taking its first riders on May 16, 1996, it made Busch Gardens Tampa a thrill spot instead of the Family park it has been for years. The coaster was opening with rave reviews and some of the greatest themeing built, which included broken walls, plinths, kids play area, a replica of Tuts Tomb, and a 55' tall pylon with restrooms and gift shops inside, greets you to Montus entry area.
Guests go through the line house looking at heiroglyphs before boarding the inverted trains. You then board and begin to pull down the restraint before going down into the first trench with a dip before the lift. The first trench used to have crocodiles that made you think the animals were going to get at your legs, but removed in 2000 for the crocodiles health and safety. After going up the long lift, you take the long drop down to one of the biggest loops done by B&M, then dipping down into the tunnel where you get your picture taken and up the immelman which makes a great foot chopping effect against the giant pylon that greeted you to the entrance of this white knuckle thrill. After going through the Immelman, Montu goes through a nice and forceful barrel roll and dips again before going up one of Montus unique feature, the Batwing. The Batwing is rare on inverted coasters (only 2 having them) and the other one being on Top Gun: The Jet Coaster, now known as Afterburn, at Carowinds at the North/South Carolina border. The Batwing goes into another one of Montus trenches then heads back up into the midcourse brake run. After that you drop right into another trench with a loop and helix, when the ride eerily slows down on one of the trenches and dips again into the last trench into a Zero-G roll that is half underground, half over earth and goes up a turnaround into the final brakes knowing you have survived the force of the Egyptian God of War, Montu. When you exit, many people will want to go on this classic again, and again, and again and go down to the gift shop inside the pylon to see how their faces looked on ride, thus completing your experience on the Southeasts biggest overall inverted coaster. When you go to Busch Gardens Africa, be sure to ride Montu, its an experience and adrenaline rush that you will never forget. |
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