Busch Gardens or Good Old SeaWorld? Both parks are great and actually owned by the same company, but which one should you go to? I’ll touch on two things I love about each park and two things I don’t love about each park.
(Water rides will not be included)
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is located in Tampa, Florida. Busch Gardens has 9 thrilling roller coasters and is known for the fastest, steepest, tallest roller coasters in the country. The roller coasters are Tigris, Cheetah Hunt, Cobra’s Curse, SheiKra, Kumba, Scorpion, Montu, and most importantly Iron Gwazi. You might be asking, “Why is Iron Gwazi so special?” or something along those lines. I say that because Iron Gwazi truly, I feel put Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, well on the map. Yes, their other coasters are good such as Montu but personally, nothing beats Iron Gwazi.
Iron Gwazi
Iron Gwazi is the tallest, steepest, and fastest hybrid in North America. Iron Gwazi is 206 feet and the drop is 91 degrees with top speeds at 76 mph. Iron Gwazi wasn’t always this crazy insane hybrid we all know and I’m sure a lot of us love. It used to be a dueling wooden coaster called “ Gwazi “ with two separate tracks with development starting in July 1998. The ride was named after a fabled creature with a tiger’s head and a lion’s body. Trains riding on both tracks, respectively named Lion and Tiger, reached a height of 105.4 feet (32.1 m) and a maximum speed of 51 mph (82 km/h). Gwazi opened on June 18, 1999, and received positive reviews from critics and the public. Over time, the wooden roller coaster became difficult to maintain, resulting in the Tiger side closing in 2012. Following rising maintenance costs and declining ridership, the remaining side was closed in 2015. A roller coaster company called Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) was hired to retrofit the original wooden structure’s layout. RMC takes old wooden coasters such as Gwazi, and makes them into these insane and intense hybrid coasters, just like how Gwazi went to Iron Gwazi. I can say this roller coaster is the BEST roller coaster I’ve ever been on. Better than Cannibal at Lagoon, better than Velocicoaster at Universal Studios. If you have the chance to go on this crazy roller coaster, I 100% recommend it! 11/10 it broke the scale.
Montu
Montu is an inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, it is the park’s second roller coaster designed by that company following the success of Kumba, which opened 3 years prior. When the ride opened on May 16, 1996, it was the world’s tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster, a title it has since conceded to Alpengeist at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The ride stands 150 feet (46 m) tall and reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Something that gets me every time on this coaster is something called a “bat wing”. I don’t necessarily know how to describe this inversion but the force that it has is absolutely crazy and super fun too! I’m not a huge fan of the over-the-shoulder restraints but this coaster is definitely an exception! 9/10, I love this coaster!
Cons
There really aren’t many cons for the park as a whole but I’d say the main cons are the fact schools go there and the odd park layout.
I might sound a bit like a hypocrite but it is somewhat annoying when schools located in Florida go to Busch Gardens as a graduation celebration thing. The thing is that the park closes at 8 for everyone else but the schools get to stay until midnight. Like who wouldn’t want to stay at an amusement park until midnight? I just think it is somewhat unfair but I also just want to ride roller coasters the entire time so maybe don’t trust everything I say. Or do, I don’t care!
My last con of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is the odd park layout. The park has an odd park set up with lots of walking. It can get really tiring and exhausting to be walking and then standing in line for three years for one ride or something of the sorts. I just wish that the park had a bit of a better layout.
SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando is located in Orlando, Florida. SeaWorld Orlando has 5 intense and fun coasters. Those coasters are Pipeline, Kraken, Icebreaker, Mako, and Manta. My personal favorites are Mako and Manta but I do want to say that Pipeline is the first of its kind, being a modern standing coaster!
Manta
Manta is a steel-flying roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando. The attraction allows guests to encounter numerous species of ray before boarding a manta ray-shaped train that takes them on a 3,359-foot-long (1,024 m) roller coaster ride above the park, reaching top speeds of 56 miles per hour (90 km/h). Designed by Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard, Manta restrains riders in the prone position and features four inversions. The well-received attraction officially opened to the public on May 22, 2009. You’re obviously meant to be kind of like a manta ray! SeaWorld Orlando revealed the concept that was to become Manta to a gathering of travel industry representatives and community leaders on April 2, 2008, although it had been in the planning stages for years. The exact specifications were not immediately revealed, but the park said it would be its largest single investment in an attraction and that it would open sometime in 2009. The park also announced that the attraction would include a roller coaster, but that it would be more than just a roller coaster. Joseph Couceiro—vice president of sales and marketing—described the ride as “the next generation SeaWorld attraction” that would immerse guests in elements of marine life. Manta has something that is called a “pretzel loop” like the bat wing, I don’t really know how to describe it but with flying coasters, you are pushed against the vest restraint. But with pretzel loops, you are pushed to the back of your seat like you’re laying down but you’re also getting these crazy forces. Pretzel loops always get me with the crazy forces it has against you is crazy! 9/10 great coaster.
Mako
Mako is a steel roller coaster located at SeaWorld Orlando in Orlando, Florida, United States. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the hypercoaster model opened to the public on June 10, 2016. Mako is named after the mako shark and is located in the Sea of Mystery section of the park. It reaches a height of 200 feet (61 m), a maximum speed of 73 mph (117 km/h), and features a track length of 4,760 feet (1,450 m). In April 2015, SeaWorld officials began teasing an upcoming announcement of a new thrill ride for their flagship park in Orlando, Florida. At the time, the only detail revealed was that the roller coaster would be 200 feet in height and would become the longest, tallest, and fastest roller coaster in the city. A month later on May 13, 2015, SeaWorld filed a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the name “Mako” along with “Reef Hunter”. On May 27, 2015, SeaWorld officially announced the construction of Mako, which was named after the mako shark. The mako has been identified as the fastest species of shark in the ocean. Mako has so many airtime hills that in the back, you’re out of your seat for a solid 5 seconds! Airtime is the feeling created by negative g-forces which gives riders the sensation of floating on a roller coaster. 9.5/10 best ride at the park!
Cons
Again there aren’t many cons but my main ones are the weird layout and often keeps dolphins, whales, and other animals trapped with incompatible tankmates.
The park layout is just confusing to deal with. One thing is over there and the other is on the complete other side of the park.
Some animals are just paired with other animals they straight up shouldn’t be with. The tension leads to fights and even fatal injuries. Staff members drug some animals to try to relieve their endless frustration.
Which one wins?
I say that Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is better. To be honest, here, Iron Gwazi carries it to the victory line. If you are visiting Florida, you have to go to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. It is really just such a good amusement park and I think it has a lot to do and is just a great place to visit.
There you go! My personal opinion on which one is better is SeaWorld Orlando or Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. What do you say? Was I wrong or what other things do you wish I included? Say it down below and I’ll try reading them! Enough talking GO RIDE IRON GWAZI!