8 Of The Scariest Roller Coasters At Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens is the place for you if you are a thrill-seeker with a death-defying need for speed and adrenalin. All the roller coasters will get your blood pumping and have you rushing to do it again or looking in anticipation for the next mind-blowing ride. But some roller coasters are faster and scarier than others, so what are the scariest roller coasters at Busch Gardens?

The scariest roller coasters at Busch Gardens are the SheiKra, Montu, and Iron Gwazi. Each has its qualities that make them scary. Iron Gwazi is the scariest because of the speed and drops experienced in the ride, but all rides at Busch Gardens have something to offer thrill-seekers.

The roller coasters at Busch Gardens come in many different shapes and sizes. From launch coasters to lift coasters and everything in between, there will be a roller coaster for you. 

Even if you don’t want the high-speed thrills of the top three, there are plenty of other roller coasters in the park to blow your hair back! 

Keep reading for the list of the scariest to the tamest roller coasters at Busch Gardens.

1. Iron Gwazi

Undoubtedly, Iron Gwazi tops the list of most spine-chilling roller coasters at Busch Gardens. This wooden dueling coaster opened to the public in early 2021 and is a high-speed, thrilling ride that will leave any thrill seeker exhilarated!

Taking over the name of the original Gwazi (1999-2015) at Busch Gardens, this retrofitted coaster is one of the fastest roller coasters in Florida. 

This sensational coaster can reach a maximum speed of 76 miles per hour, but its real thrill lies in the death roll, three loops, 200-foot drop at 91 degrees angle, and non-stop motion!

So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready for an adrenaline-pumping roller coaster ride! 

2. Montu

In second place, but still, a terrifying roller coaster, is the Montu. This inverted coaster reaches a top speed of 60 miles per hour. It gives riders a jam-packed ride with a zero gravity roll, two vertical loops, one corkscrew, one Immelmann loop, and a batwing. 

There is certainly something to keep you happy throughout the ride!

Busch Garden’s visitors are enthralled with the ride due to its intense nature, notwithstanding its lack of an Egyptian mythology theme. 

The Montu coaster has seven inversions, putting it on a simultaneous loop and roll that will excite and please any daring rider.

3. SheiKra

SheiKra takes adrenalin to the next level. This was the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster when the park first opened.

The incredible 150-foot drop at the beginning of the ride sets the tone for the rest of the ride. Added to this is that the coater stops at the top of the 90-degree drop to allow riders to see and anticipate what is about to happen. 

This makes the drop more intense and adrenalin pumping.

Riding the floorless coaster gives an exhilarating feeling of flying, as you can see every twist and turn while you’re soaring through the air. Every part of the ride is visible from this perspective, giving you an unparalleled experience. 

Add a splashdown and an inversion, and you have the making of one unforgettable ride!

4. Cheetah Hunt

Cheetah Hunt is a thrilling roller coaster ride that will exhilarate even the most novice of thrill seekers.

At a whopping 4,429 feet long, Cheetah Hunt is Busch Garden’s longest roller coaster. The ride has a zero gravity roll, a 130-foot drop, three launches, and a top speed of 60 miles per hour.

The ride zig-zags through many open plain areas and past waterfalls to tell the story of the African Planes. All this, put together, packs a punch that most families will enjoy.

The other unique feature of this roller coaster is that once the ride is over, you can visit a cheetah habitat next to the ride that houses more than a dozen cheetahs!

5. Kumba

With an impressive height drop of 135 feet and a top speed of 60 miles per hour, Kumba is an iconic adrenalin-inducing roller coaster.

The name Kumba translates as “Roar” in the African Congo language, and the sound this roller coaster makes will stay with you all day. 

Not only the roar in your ears but the force on your body is incredible. The interlocking corkscrews and the seven inversions on the ride make you feel the twists and turns in your hands and feet.

The track spans almost 4000 feet and is one of Busch Gardens’ most intense roller coasters. Don’t miss it.

6. Tigris

A relatively new addition to the roller coaster line-up at Busch Gardens, this 2019 ride has quickly become a favorite of visitors.

This launching coaster pushes riders forward and backward at different times and reaches a top speed of 62 miles per hour. So even though the track is only 863 feet, riders get to travel at least 1800 feet in total.

On this thrilling journey, you’ll be lifted 150 feet and experience the thrill of a barrel roll, an unforgettable zero gravity roll at its peak, and an incredible non-inverting loop.

The force of the launches may come as a shock to anyone who has never ridden the coaster before. Some people have commented that the overhead comfort collar and tight seating make the ride uncomfortable, but it is still worthwhile.

7. Cobra’s Curse

Cobra’s Curse is a themed and unique experience like nothing else at Busch Gardens. It is a firm-family-favorite with enough exciting features and excitement to keep everyone happy.

The beginning of the ride takes you on a vertical lift hill right into the face of a giant cobra at the top. From there, the coaster faces forward, then rotates to face backward, and ends with a section with some thrilling free-spinning.

The variety and story of this roller coaster offer a great 40-mile-per-hour ride at heights of up to seventy to eighty feet. There are no steep drops or unexpected movements, just a constant ride of thrills. 

This is a great ride to get you into the mood for other thrill-seeking rides at Busch Gardens.

8. Scorpion

Over the last forty years, the Scorpion has been thrilling and flipping riders without stopping. This is the oldest, shortest, and slowest roller coaster at Busch Gardens, but this classic is still a brilliant ride!

The coaster reaches a top speed of 41 miles per hour, and the intense loop gives you that feeling in your stomach that makes a roller coaster worth the ride. 

The number forty is vital for this ride as the lone loop stands nearly forty feet tall, enough to get anyone’s adrenalin pumping!

The seat’s lap bar secures you into the ride and gives you an old-school sense of adventure. The dive, triple helix, and loop are great. The Scorpion is also a family favorite that anyone can ride. Either way, don’t miss it.

Final Word

Undoubtedly, the scariest roller coaster at Busch Gardens is the Iron Gwazi, but don’t skip the queues of all the other rides in the park! 

The amusement park has several thrilling rides that will entice you to come back again and again! 

The park has something to offer thrill-seekers and families alike. From roller coasters to carousels, you’ll find plenty of fun activities to make your day memorable. 

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Sources

https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/busch-gardens-iron-gwazi-opening-date

https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/Iron_Gwazi

https://buschgardens.com/tampa/roller-coasters/montu/