Is Busch Gardens Removing Kumba? (RUMOR, NOW OUTDATED)

[@Tay_Sports]

Kumba is a phenomenal ride due to its speed and intensity. But, I rode it last week and it has gotten a bit rough over the years. Maybe getting the Hulk treatment wouldn't be so bad :)

[@kdean30]

It’s definitely a rough ride.

[@TonyKimtheamusementparkfan]

If they did do that, I hope B&M could profile the track like they did back in 1993 ~ I mean Hulk was retracked and the ride experience is still just as intense and feels just like it did in 1999, so I have no doubt that B&M can do that for Kumba.

[@certifiednucci6315]

It was rough in 2014 i cant even imagine how it is now

[@PineapplePoom]

busch gardens dont have the budget for that sadly

[@detroitdiezel7856]

The only real reason that IOA redid the Hulk coaster was because of the agreement with Marvel: in order to keep their licensing, they have to keep all of their Marvel themed attractions up to date. That's also why they updated their Spider-Man dark ride.

[@nickrawlings8436]

Considering I like Kumba more than Orion I would rather them keep it. It's a beautiful ride, so much fun, and the setting is incredible. Not to mention the roar which is unlike anything else.

[@ChristopherAdames]

its just a b&m floorless. i didnt like it that much more than bizarro

[@ThyPandora]

@@ChristopherAdames No, it's not floorless. It's a sitdown looper like Dragon Khan at PortAventura. An OG sitdown looper if that, built in 1993. This was built well before any floorless was even a thought.

[@Trahzy]

@@ChristopherAdames Kumba isnt floorless, it literally paved the way for that layout design, and still runs through the elements faster than any other close replica layout built since imo. The floorless replicas aren't nearly as intense or fast as kumba. It was the first of its kind .

[@ave0828]

@@ChristopherAdames Bet you haven't even rode it with that ignorant comment..

[@JamesAC17GA]

@@ChristopherAdames R A T I O .

[@evanweston1837]

Kumba is one of the most important roller coasters of all time and remains one of B&M’s greatest creations to this day. It should be an ACE landmark, not up for removal.

[@TonyKimtheamusementparkfan]

Kumba is defintely very important, and it showed the engineering marvel and improvements over their standup coasters when they first started. It took them only 3 years to come up with something like Kumba, so it shows the improvement in ride quality.

[@Ryanishere78]

I disagree

[@pixelythegamer3260]

That’s still no excuse that it’s immortal, there has been 3 ace landmarks that have Been removed

[@madwolf8532]

I agree

[@drxym]

It sucks as a roller coaster these days unless you like being knocked senseless.

[@ThemeParkAvenue]

I’m sure it’s staying. It just doesn’t seem right for the park to remove a coaster right after Iron Gwazi opened. Maybe in a few years, but not before then.

[@Galistia]

They just repainted Kumba too I think, didn't they? If not just recently, it was recently enough, and that costs a pretty penny I'm sure.

[@ThemeParkAvenue]

@@Galistia I know they did Montu and think they did Cheetah Hunt but I don’t know if they did Kumba.

[@matthewmiller7207]

@@Galistia That didn't stop SFGAdv from removing Great American Scream Machine.

[@Chuckatory]

@@ThemeParkAvenue Kumba was repainted in 2019

[@ThemeParkAvenue]

@@Chuckatory thank you.

[@metraking192]

I personally don’t feel Kumba will be going anywhere anytime soon as it really wouldn’t be a smart business decision. It still runs fine, doesn’t have much downtime and people still love it. I’d say move the employee lot elsewhere & start using that empty plot of land and put in a Giga & and maybe a GCI Woodie

[@louierivera8028]

business wise it probably wouldn’t matter. just cause us coaster enthusiasts love it doesn’t mean it would effect them. we make up probably less than 1% of their attendance

[@carminecdinoproductions]

I agree!

[@metraking192]

@@louierivera8028 sadly true. But if they did remove it. I wouldn’t mind them reusing the station for a Giga Coaster

[@madkydawg8540]

@@louierivera8028 I have alot of gp friends and they all hate the ride also it constantly has the lowest lines in the park

[@CentralJerseyRailfan]

I don’t see a reason for a GCI woodie given that Gwazi was converted recently. Rode it in 2016 and it’s an excellent ride.

[@jeremyAyeH]

Man this makes me sad to see this speculative video come out - I just rode it for the first time just over a week ago and I got off with my jaw dropped. I have NEVER felt such sustained and wild intensity as that beast of a coaster. Made sure to ride it immediately at least one more time after before I made my way back to the front of the park because it was that special and insane of an experience. I'll be sad if I never ride it again.

[@supremefan]

They don't make coasters like it anymore as people prefer airtime over intensity, but out of the looping models out there it's got to be the best I think.

[@JamesAC17GA]

@@supremefan I hate airtime people... INVERSIONS > AIRTIME!

[@HOwardMOody]

Kumba is not going anywhere 😂😂😂

[@FeedYourGreed]

Kumba has always been larger than life to me. Really love how photogenic it is. Still a great ride too - wouldn’t be mad with a retrack, but would make total sense for Busch Gardens to just remove and replace with something new and flashy. Either way, it’s a classic, there’s no doubt.

[@rapunzel1701]

Yeah, Kumba is pretty old but BGTB takes great care of her. Every time I ride I think, ok, that wasn't as rough as I expected. Whatever coaster they replace her with, please leave room for a nice dark ride.

[@kevinmerila3848]

Yeah! Could it be a interactive, trackless, 3d similar to transformers, VR or AR dark ride?

[@nickcervenka8756]

It's the only ride that makes me sick and hurts my head after multiple rides.

[@jaysoncowan4333]

The park commented on a post suggests it’s closing saying ‘why the fake news tho’ 😂

[@PigsRMyFrens1]

I can’t imagine it being gone. It’s an icon for the park.

[@robfassi3297]

It’s not going anywhere

[@andrewc1199]

Me either. Its roar is something else.

[@rue8929]

I wouldn't mind a Hulk treatment for Kumba, so long as they manage to keep the iconic roar. Hulk's roar was weakened by the retrack if I remember correctly, but it's a major reason why Kumba is a staple at Busch Gardens. I hope they don't get rid of it completely; it was one of my first big boy credits, I don't want it joining Python and Dueling Dragons in the nostalgic scrap heap.

[@HyperionFTW]

Honestly, this past weekend I rode Kumba twice and I didn’t get the head banging that other people talk about. But Montu almost knocked my head clean off in the front row.

[@KoasterKrieger]

Busch Gardens Tampa already made it official today that Kumba is NOT being removed

[@TonyKimtheamusementparkfan]

WHAT??? KUMBA BEING GONE???? This is one of B&M's most intense and best coasters, and I can't see this ride gone. It's so popular with the guests, and this ride has been so reliable for almost 30 years now, which is insane. Busch Gardens has kept this ride strong and has had no major issues, which is amazing for a 30 year old ride, and this news sounds like a lie :(

[@garywinthrope1259]

"It's so popular with the guest" is a little bit of a stretch

[@randalheller7460]

Its a walk on even on busy days last few years

[@abesan9254]

They should do the Hulk treatment, and later on, put a new roller coaster behind Jungala. Make the closed restaurant Orang Cafe the entrance and put the ride near the water in the back, there’s a lot of space.

[@TylerCoolGuy88]

While I hope they keep it, I do agree that if it was to be removed, they can get a B&M Giga. The one thing the park needs is a big major, non-looping coaster, as all their big rides has at least 1 inversion.

[@ItsSiebay]

I don’t think they’d remove this any time soon given its popularity.

[@jeffc1347]

Its not that popular it rarely ever gets a line anymore.

[@tylerkriesel8590]

@@jeffc1347 you even go to BG?

[@jeffc1347]

@@tylerkriesel8590 Yes i've been there probably 50x

[@tylerkriesel8590]

@@jeffc1347 then you know that the reason they don’t get a line, is because B&Ms are people eaters. 32 people per train, with 2 to 3 trains running. I never see half empty trains leave the station. Tigris has 1 train, that eats much less then kumba, (I think 16 people per car) and they never have a line. So what does that tell you?

[@ThyPandora]

@@tylerkriesel8590 The crew operating the ride is efficient, outside of it being a people eater. Have to consider the crew running it, because capacity is one thing but the crew running it adds to how rides like Raptor, Kumba, etc. eat people. Same is the case for non-B&M coasters such as Magnum at Cedar Point, it's a people eater, but because of not only the trains... but the crew running it and keeping it efficient to crank in and out all those people.

[@crocky2228]

When I rode Kumba in 2019 I personally found it really rough, but I know lots of people enjoy it so it would be sad to see it go

[@Jakebtw]

Same here one of the worst b and ms I’ve ridden

[@brianschultz9798]

I just rode Kumba for the 1st time last week and I have to say I was absolutely blown away! It would be a crime to remove such a masterpiece. In my opinion, it was just as smooth, exciting, and forceful as most of the more modern coasters I have ridden. I suppose Iron Gwazi was the most impressive coaster at the park for me, but it was so intense, I can honestly barely remember the ride. I really thought Montu was going to be my favorite Busch Gardens coaster but Kumba really was the one I found most enjoyable. Between Fury, Orion and Leviathan, we do not need another B&M giga. These sit down loopers are becoming a thing of the past. It would be very sad to loose such a gem.

[@SplashAnimationCo]

I personally think Scorpion would go first before Kumba (if Kumba ever goes away). The RMC single rail concept would work in Pantopia's Scorpion area far better than in the back of the park. Busch Gardens Tampa is a huge park, and you need a good reason for people to travel to the back. Kumba is not enough by itself(hence the short lines), but add a Giga along with it and it will make the entire park spice up. Busch Gardens also need to fix up the reliability of the Skyride. Most of the time I've gone to Busch (btw, my home park), the Skyride is closed. This makes traveling to the back of the park more difficult.

[@jaball77]

Yep. They need more reasons for people to go to the back of the park! Jungala is mostly useless and with Kumba being so rough now that's not much of a draw. The only thing people go back there for is the river rapids. Back of the park needs some serious love.

[@Roberta_Esposito]

🏠mabry

[@andrewcelmer]

So the reason why they shut down the skyriders because people fell off of it and there's a lawsuit for it some college kids were messing around and fell off of it I highly doubt it's going to reopen but I agree miss it being open you could get around the park easier with it.

[@Twderp98]

Actually I went today and seen them fixing up the sky ride can’t wait

[@ameadowz12]

A giga would be cool, but the city of Tampa has a height limit on the park, the only way they can build a giga would be to have it on a much lower elevation than the rest of the park, and that’s not realistic down here in Florida

[@george-pi5mo]

i really hope they retrack it like hulk and nemesis rather than remove it :/

[@samcrandall3094]

Loved the subtle “tear something out and replace it with nothing” along with the shots of King’s Dominion lol

[@Cje_-yj8ov]

The irony of seeing this video pop up as I get my phone from the Kumba locker lol

[@mr.rollercoasters]

Busch Gardens Tampa confirmed itself that it's staying

[@mightymouse447]

Agree on all points! I love me some Kumba but it’s age is definitely starting to show. A Giga in Tampa would be an amazing attraction! I see them doing something with the area in a few years after they get their profit back from Iron Gwazi’s construction.

[@Ldog0914]

I’m kinda immune to roughness. I love the ride and I don’t even notice the rattle because I’m focused on how good the ride is. If it’s a bad ride *cough cough vortex carowinds* then I will notice the roughness

[@suncoasterstv6512]

This has been a topic I've been discussing for a while now. As much as I love Kumba, it's time for it to be retired. It's usually a 5 minute wait and it is getting rougher to ride. Rebuilding it is a nice idea but not worth it in the long run. I too have been waiting a giga in Florida and I think this is the perfect time and perfect place to do it. If not a giga then a S&S Axis, a Jersey Devil clone, or a B&M wing coaster would be my top picks.

[@AMagicProduction]

B&M sit down coasters are so rare, if we lose Kumba what do we have left in the states…. Hulk and Wildfire ? Someone needs to build a new one if we lose Kumba

[@OklahomaCoasterFan]

Wildfire isn't even a true sitdown. It's pretty much a floorless train; it just doesn't remove the floor for the ride, and it has a lead car.

[@markvolpe2305]

Busch Gardens confirmed in a tweet that Kumba isn't going anywhere. During my one and only visit 10 years ago, the ride was a walk-on and my sister and I rode it twice, it's a good ride.

[@curlesscoasters8279]

Btw bgt earlier today confirmed (on instagram) that it wasn’t going anywhere. So thankfully we get to keep this classic b&m

[@Koasterking212]

Keep in mind though. Kings Island said that about Vortex. Then a year later they announced it was closing.

[@AceAviations2]

@@Koasterking212 I'd take that with a grain of salt, it and Volcano's sudden removal came out of the blue, it seemed like an outlier honestly.

[@CristinaF_LTHP]

BG confirmed on their official Twitter that Kumba isn’t going anywhere. Thank goodness! A retrack wouldn’t hurt tho.

[@jardins43]

I’d be more than satisfied if they transferred this roller coaster to my home park (Kentucky Kingdom). It definitely meets the height requirements. Nice review!

[@wickedsickfunkyfreshroller2037]

Ay yo, I think most parks would be happy to take Kumba off their hands.

[@casemode9696]

If they did, it wouldn’t be called kumba.

[@illumynarty]

I hope this doesn't go anywhere anytime soon, it was my favorite ride in the park when I last went (2019). The ride got a repaint back in that year too, and the colors looked really good. Here's to hopefully many more years of Kumba, cheers!

[@jonathandeans6701]

Screamscape just updated the article saying it's shutting down in Gwazi-style SBNO fashion after Howl-O-Scream ends...dang this one hurts different.

[@demitryzafra5713]

Kumba was running one cart today 😭

[@UwePieper]

I still feel Nemesis is somewhat strange. That coaster is not operating all year. And even when the park is open on most days it's operating like 4-5 hours...

[@ElectriKong-]

Apparently the setting may have caused Nemesis to experience more wear and tear than usual.

[@jwcoasters7354]

It would be sick if bgt and bgw both got gigas the same year

[@AirtimeThrills]

Scary to consider all these B&Ms, especially the bigger ones, may be biting the dust soon. We finally reached that point 30 years later

[@CoasterStudios]

Indeed. If Kumba is the first of that 'wave' to go, I wonder which ones will follow. Will be interesting (and sad) to see

[@wildearth3992]

@@CoasterStudios Raging Bull, Appolo Charriot, Nitro and Silver Star. These are hyper coaster were the force can get really strong. Especially Silver Star after the first drop that already have fondation issues.

[@gregg5958]

@@CoasterStudios Some of the Batmans? Riddlers Revenge?

[@thescopitonetapes5017]

Unpopular opinion but having ridden them back-to-back this past weekend, I think Kumba runs better than the new Hulk! It's got a few rough patches but it's in remarkably good condition considering its age, and it was my favorite ride in the park after Iron Gwazi and Montu. A new giga in Florida would be great, but it's still bittersweet to hear that Kumba might not be long for this world after just getting a great ride on it.

[@eguyer1521]

Also too I could be wrong but it looks like wet lands behind Kumba. Idk if they would be able to build a structure on that land, like I said could be wrong

[@detroitdiezel7856]

Nonsense. Hulk blows this hunk of junk away by a mile!

[@hedgehogcoasters7239]

Hulk is smoother imo, but kumba should definitely stay

[@eguyer1521]

@@detroitdiezel7856 I personally disagree. Hulk is a smoother experience but I like the elements more on Kumba. If Kumba got a re-track it would destroy Hulk imo

[@OklahomaCoasterFan]

I have always thought that. Kumba has a shuffle going into & out of the first corkscrew, but other than that, it is a smooth ride. At least one of the trains (can't remember which) didn't even have those shuffles. Hulk, on the other hand, always has had a noticeable rattle on all my rides, but not enough to ruin it by any means.

[@borregoimages8117]

I'd demolish scorpion before kumba. Great video!

[@coreyprosise1392]

Kumba is my favorite Rollercoaster. Literally #1 on my list of ~350 credits. I would really hate to see it leave, though I do think you're right regarding the general public. However if they moved the employee lot and added more to the park, Kumba could still see a resurgence since as it currently stands it's a massive dead end so some people may skip it if it's already been ridden. With more traffic moving past Kumba, it would get more love as there's now more of a reason to go to that back corner then to ride a ride "I've ridden it at least 10 times".

[@samffailla]

Just to be aware, bgt themselves confirmed Kumba isn’t going anywhere

[@scottyjbd]

The answer is no, they are not removing it. They’ve directly responded to this rumor.

[@Tomneom]

I think that kumba will stay, another thing is that they can wind the new coaster round it.. or like anywhere else in the park

[@Savlawr02]

Bgt needs to bring attendance to the area of kumba in some way. It sits off from the rest of the park along with the congo river rapids, kumba never has a wait, maybe 20 min at max when the park is busy but they need to draw attendance to that area.

[@dobieshep]

Rode Kumba during the IG opening weekend, and it was perfectly fine! It’s seriously one of the best loopers out there. IMO, it’s not really positioned properly. It’s basically a dead end at the park. BGT could honestly just build something massive in that plot of land while still keeping Kumba. Making that area more pedestrian friendly would boost Kumba’s ridership.

[@casemode9696]

True. Kumba is very hidden in the park. When you build an attraction you want it to be visible from almost every area that of the park.

[@ashleighelizabeth5916]

Exactly, this is something I've pointed out elsewhere in this comment section. Kumba is A.) at the very back of the park and B.) difficult for a novice park goer to find. When you couple that with how efficiently they are able to run dispatch it's not at all surprising to me that the lines are not long for it.

[@carltonreese4854]

@@ashleighelizabeth5916 Kumba and Montu always have shorter lines than the others and both have something important in common: 32 riders per train. Cobra's Curse is not even half the ride of those two mentioned and its lines are painful, and it's because you get only 8 riders per train. Whatever they do, I hope whatever is put in is one that carries a lot of passengers per ride.

[@ashleighelizabeth5916]

@@carltonreese4854 I believe I touched on the train capacity for Kumba as being one of the reasons why it had the shortest lines in the park. I was giving a multiple point rebuttal to the idea that because Kumba's lines were always short it made it an unpopular ride and one that was ripe for replacement.

[@ColorStaticOfficial]

Dude this video is badass! Prime Coaster Studios with that land analysis and overlaying existing rides for scale 👌🏼👌🏼

[@ryancarter2537]

fake coaster news made a prank regarding about the closure of Kumba and the actual park made a comment saying that they are not removing it anytime soon so that rumor is now dead.

[@connorswain1181]

Just met Scott and Anthony tonight! We rode Iron Gwazi with them for a night ride ❤️ Great meeting them!!

[@rafalarios]

1) I’m glad to hear that Kumba is here to stay. 2) If Kumba were to be re-tracked, would it be the same experience? Yeah we would still have this OG in the park but would that signature roar still be a thing? Would the intensity still be there? I feel like a re-track would be BG’s riskiest move

[@jayfitmob8645]

I'm going to be pretty upset about that

[@thecoastergnome8603]

Prett sure this was confirmed to not be true.

[@chadmanmartin4090]

Literally when you said you had one coaster in mind I said out loud "Giga"😂

[@MaJoRMJR]

The big one at Blackpool Pleasure Beach (UK) has had parts of the track replaced over the last three off seasons, they are testing the latest update, the longest retrack yet, before the mid-break, sounds quieter through that section. The idea behind the retracks is to prolong the life, without replacing the whole track, saving a bit of money/spreading the cost over multiple seasons. With most coasters there are parts of the track that will wear out more than others, so replacing sections is the cost-effective way to keep a ride going without having to totally replace the whole track.

[@ronnberst8542]

Also keep in mind that screamscapes started this rumor and they aren't right about a lot of rumors (Same place that started Ride Of Steel Removal rumor)

[@nickcube4]

When was the last time they repainted Kumba? If it wasn't long ago, then they may be intending to keep the ride for several more years

[@illumynarty]

They repainted it back in 2019. I remember going to Busch Gardens that year and Kumba looked amazing with its restored colors

[@maxhagenauer24]

I definitely do think the park needs a big coaster in their skyline without inversions. I know that kinda sounds weird but I think there is just something off when every single major coaster here goes upside down. Like what up someone just wants floater or to ride something big but don't want to go upside down? A hyper would definitely be a great fit. Mako is to close for them to go with B&M but what about like Intamin or Mack?

[@detroitdiezel7856]

I agree wholeheartedly!

[@Raydz]

i recently went to busch gardens in february, kumba is incredible and was definitely one of my favorite rides there, maybe even in the world. it would be really sad for it to see this ride go, but at the same time would be awesome to be seeing a new attraction or two, especially a giga.

[@njt002]

I loved Kumba back in the day. At one time, I thought B&M's were indestructible. My ride on Kumba last summer was not fun tho. Ride was rough as hell and we didn't want to ride it again. Montu is starting to need some rehab, too.

[@itango1966]

I love Kumba and would love to see them retrack the ride and replace the trains with floorless trains. I know there is Kracken in Orlando but Kumba's ride layout and intensity are AWESOME!!!

[@Mr._Kagle]

I really don't see this happening. Taylor mentioned the issue of diversity between the two parks with installing a B&M flyer or hyper at BGT, and I see the same issue if Kumba were converted into a floorless. If you look at the order of the elements on Kumba and Kracken, they are very similar to each other, so it wouldn't add anything new between the two parks.

[@brycefourn2001]

Great theory video on Kumba's potential removal! I would be fine with it getting the Hulk retrack, but at the same time, I would not want to see it go either. Such an icon for BGT :)

[@joshuarexrode8533]

I love Kumba, but let's be honest, the ride is not popular anymore. If the ride is leaving, I would also love to see a giga. Particularly something Fury style. It would for sure stand out in Florida and would be very marketable! Either way, I definitely see BGT getting at least one more coaster in the next few years with the way SeaWorld is going. Especially since BGW is is definitely getting one, maybe two more.

[@wisforwinplays8570]

What I’m worried about is that they will put down another Orion, which speaking from experience, is a worse coaster than kumba. If they go with a giga maybe they could get intamin back in the game

[@kennethdowdell9162]

That would be amazing imagine a 300 ft version of Kondaa

[@ATLSloan]

Take a lesson from Nemesis/Alton Towers....give Khumba its rightful rebirth

[@MrCrash-hz8xy]

Man if this ride closes ima be crying for MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE NOT KUMBA

[@NorCalCoasterMedia]

Is Coaster Studios repeating everything Screamscape says? Why and what's next?

[@jaball77]

The one argument I can see for keeping Kumba is that it's SO integrated into the terrain and landscape of that section of the park. From the channels cut into the hills, the double dive under the bridge (not to mention the bridge itself), the terrain going into the tunnel... It's all so integrated. Flattening all of that would take more time and money than bulldozing a coaster off of a flat parking lot. If I had my way they'd not only re-track the original layout, but bring the loading station across the train tracks so it's right near the Ubanga Banga Bumper Cars. That way the entrance is more visible and guests can see it from a well-traveled area.

[@ajhummel9187]

IIRC, Incredible Hulk reached something like 3.6 million cycles in the 16 years before the refurb. While Kumba definitely doesn't cycle as many trains per day, I think it's reasonable to assume that it is probably approaching that number given that the ride will be 30 years old next year. Therefore, while I'm skeptical the ride is in immediate danger, I do think it will likely be retired in the next five years. As for a replacement, I'd love a giga, but preferably an Intamin in the same vein as Kondaa rather than a B&M to better differentiate it from both Mako and other mega/giga coasters in North America.

[@MrYendor28]

If they removed Kumba I would legit cry. It's my favorite rollercoaster. Not because it's the best but because it was my first adult rollercoaster over 20 years ago. It's my first love and will always have a special place in my heart.

[@Aftermath779]

I myself rode Kumba last year and the ride was so great! It would be sad to see it go if it would.

[@christopherslocum9454]

I haven’t ridden this since 1993! I gotta go back as it wad my first extreme coaster ever ridden

[@packernation7275]

If I was bgt, I would definitely do what they did to hulk with the full retrack, because not only would it stay for years to come , but also would become smoother to people who think it’s rough

[@DavisBenjaminA]

“ You don’t just rip it out and put nothing in its place”. Love the Kings Dominion shade thrown.

[@AE0320]

Just saying BGT said that roar wasn’t going anywhere so… No.

[@TougeAttackAW11]

Kumba was the first ever rollercoaster I rode that made me truly understand and love steel coasters with inversions, coming from horrible experiences on the python (arrow double corkscrew) at the same park various times throughout my childhood. . After I rode kumba, it all clicked and I loved it ever since. Sure even then (18 years ago) it was rough, I had a headache, but still with 7 inversions and way more speed and height than the python, it beat me up about 1/4 as bad which was tolerable enough for me to actually enjoy the experience and want to ride again/different rides. . . After about 10 years of not going to theme parks/riding coasters, I got a bgt pass just out of something to do (local park) and rerode kumba within the last month, honestly got the smoothest ride I've ever gotten on it in my entire life, it was incredible. For this reason alone I believe the thing is still more than structurally sound and upkept well, at least within the last month. I look forward to many more rides soon.

[@carlzee3230]

Busch Gardens posted a tweet literally hours after this was uploaded that said “hear this roar? It’s not going anywhere.” So I’m guessing we’re not approaching the end of its life

[@austintayloradt]

Planning to go to Busch Gardens Tampa for the first time next month, always crossing my fingers that everything is open, but now I'll cross them twice for Kumba just in case!

[@jarretstroud1842]

Kumba isn’t getting removed. Period.

[@braddougan1919]

I visited BGT for the first time ever in December of 2020 and is now one of my favorite parks! Kumba was my favorite coaster at the park on my visit and had a phenomenal ride on it was smooth, intense, even came out of my seat a few times! If they were to take it out they a giga coaster in the form of the first RMC T-Rex would be the best fit back there!

[@kingpiniv]

Kumba is an icon. I really hope it can get the Hulk treatment. It would be really hard to replace. They can do it, but it would be really difficult

[@wickedsickfunkyfreshroller2037]

I sure hope not! This is one of my favorite rides in Florida. Sure it’s rough but come on! That layout is fantastic!

[@Ben-tg2uw]

The next few years will be very interesting to see what happens to these older B&Ms. The Batman clones, Raptor, etc are all of similar age.

[@Steven-zf7yp]

Thank you for the update

[@cedarflags3087]

(Not actually cedar flags) Short answer, no.

[@gregg5958]

No! No Kumba replacement! I love that ride and it fits so well in the park and area. Just retrack it and build around it.

[@porcelainthunder2213]

Retracks are relatively cheap in the scheme of things. I'm surprised more parks don't do them. All your infrastructure and support structure is already in place a paid for.

[@jeffc1347]

No they are definitely not cheap at all. To do it properly on a steel coaster you have to refabricate a whole new ride, remove the whole structure, and build a whole new structure. Its not worth it in 99% of cases as building the same ride is not going to drive attendance, not every company has Comcast money.

[@porcelainthunder2213]

@@jeffc1347 its cheaper than a new ride. And no, you do not need to replace any of the structure or even take the support columns apart. You just need to remove the track sections and replace those. But the supports stay. The Big One is being retracked right now, they take off a few pieces of it at a time, fabricate new track to line up with the support connections exactly, and put the new pieces on. And if there are computerized plans, its even easier. Vekoma has done a number of them. For instance, Great Nor'easter at Moreys Piers was $4 million for the retrack, as opposed to $7 million for the original cost of the coaster, and all the track was shipped from Europe. And its better than new. Much better.

[@spenserkahle1851]

First visit to BGT was this summer, Kumba also was my second favorite to IG. Happy i got to ride before they remove

[@RockyandTuck]

This is literally the best coaster I’ve ever ridden! And this is coming from a Virginia resident who’s ridden El Toro, i305 and Kingda Ka. I last rode Kumba on December 31 2021, and it’s still relatively smooth for its age. Still runs FAST and INTENSE! I’ve even seen it get a 50 minute wait. So it’s still well received, and it doesn’t have much downtime, aside for closing for a week or two each year for annual maintenance. It would surprise and devastate me if this was removed. This should be awarded the ACE coaster landmark, as it was the coaster that put both B&M AND Busch Gardens on the map! Please give this thing a landmark award, not consider it for removal.

[@carltonreese4854]

Kumba is not only a great ride -- better than many of the more recent coasters -- it is also a fun place to be in the park. You can stand in certain areas while the cars loop under and over you, making that loud roar. It's a fun experience even when you're not riding. Sheikra has some of the same charm. The new Gwazi, the most intense coaster around, lacks that element where the ride blends in with the park -- you don't experience the ride at all unless you are on it. If they replace Kumba, I hope they try to keep that element: non-riders enjoy the feel of the ride as well.

[@BigDCoasterFam]

It’s not just the coaster. It is the most picturesque coaster in the SeaWorld chain! To replace that would have to be a monumental task!

[@josephwatts2904]

No. I’d rather see Sheikra go away than Kumba.

[@Fllackito]

I got on Kumba 2 days ago, it’s an amazing ride but i wouldn’t always wanna ride it when i go to the park, it’s a rough ride but maybe retracting could help. I would prefer them to add a giga what you said since their isn’t one in Florida.

[@yourexperienceguide]

It would be a massive shame to see Kumba go but can completely understand why they might have to remove it.

[@Ultimatefighthq]

I went to bgt today and it was awesome!! Floater airtime on cheetah hunt is insane!

[@casemode9696]

Inspected kumba all over the park. Didn’t notice anything out of the unusual. It was running all day as usual however, I’ll point out that almost every ride had a wait time of over 100 minutes, Busch gardens was incredibly crowded last Thursday. I managed to get on Iron Gwazi and kumba. Kumba had a 20 minute wait, very concerning considering the parking lot has 94% full and it was a massive crowd!!

[@CatalystTKL]

As a Busch Gardens local. I personally bell Vekoma Launched coaster would be a good fit, we’ve seen that SeaWorld isn’t afraid to put multiple multi launch coasters in a park and it would be different enough from a Cheetah Hunt to bring in larger crowds.

[@outdoodled800]

I litterally just rode Kumba like 2 hours ago. This is the kid from the exit of Pantheon on Sunday. I met Theme Park Predictions at Iron Gwazi too.

[@humbapumba]

I saw Busch Gardens Staff testing FLY in Phantasialand, a few weeks after opening day. Maybe BG is interested in a Vekoma Flyer. I think this would be a nice choice, too :)

[@detroitdiezel7856]

I agree. But ONLY if BGT puts as much interactive theming in and around the coaster as Phantasialand did for F.L.Y.

[@AceAviations2]

@@detroitdiezel7856 this is literally the ONLY acceptable thing to replace Kumba in my eyes, otherwise it should stay.

[@detroitdiezel7856]

@@AceAviations2 nonsense.

[@think.culture]

Intamin giga a la Intimidator 305. Compact enough to fit in the space and intense enough to create a huge draw. Won't happen because i305 is seen as a failure, but I think it'd be perfect Edit: also, RMC T-Rex (maybe just not 500 ft)

[@OklahomaCoasterFan]

They could do a less intense version of Intimidator 305. Every enthusiast is always calling for B&M gigas to be everywhere. We have enough of those. I want more Intamin gigas!