- Cheetah Hunt
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Cheetah Hunt 
One of Cheetah Hunt's trains descending from the figure 8 element. Location Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Park section Crown Colony Plaza Coordinates 28°2′3″N 82°25′12″W / 28.03417°N 82.42°WCoordinates: 28°2′3″N 82°25′12″W / 28.03417°N 82.42°W Status Operating Type Steel - Launched Manufacturer Intamin Model Custom Lift/launch system LSM Height 102 ft (31 m) Drop 130 ft (40 m) Length 4,429 ft (1,350 m) Max speed 60 mph (97 km/h) Inversions 1 Duration 3:30 Capacity 1370 riders per hour Max G force 4 Height restriction 4 ft 0 in (122 cm) Trains 5 trains with 4 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 16 riders per train. Launches 1. 30 mph (48 km/h)
2. 60 mph (97 km/h)
3. 40 mph (64 km/h)Website Official website Cheetah Hunt at RCDB Pictures of Cheetah Hunt at RCDB 
Amusement Parks PortalCheetah Hunt is a steel launched roller coaster currently open and operating at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. It opened to the public on May 27, 2011[1] alongside a new cheetah exhibit - Cheetah Run.[2][3][4]
Contents
History
Before the ride was officially announced, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay ran a teaser campaign which slowly revealed details of the attraction across Summer 2010. Five teaser videos were released which featured cut scenes of the ride's point of view video.[5][6] The attraction was officially announced on October 13, 2010 by park president, Jim Dean.[3][4] Construction of the ride began almost immediately. By November 18, some supports for the ride were already in place.[7] By mid December, the supports for the 102-foot (31 m) tall figure 8 element were complete with some pieces of track also installed.[8]
Ride
Cheetah Hunt is an Intamin launched steel roller coaster.[2] The ride's station is located in the former monorail station which was decommissioned in the 1990s.[9] Guests board one of five, 16 passenger trains.[3] The ride begins with a 30-mile-per-hour (48 km/h) launch out of the station and around a wide left turn followed by a gradual dip before approaching the second launch. This launch accelerates riders to their top speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) before climbing an 102-foot (31 m) hill. A figure 8 element is located at the top of this hill where riders weave through a series of helixes before dropping 130 feet (40 m) into a trench. Riders then proceed over a directional changing airtime hill before completing the ride's only inversion, a barrel-roll. Upon exiting the barrel-roll and its subsequent brake run (the only one on the ride), the ride remains low to the ground and goes through a series of short banked turns through a rock fixture simulating several "near misses". This leads the ride into its third and final launch which accelerates riders to a speed of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) to navigate its way back to the station. During the journey back there are airtime and directional changing hills (one of which passes over the park's Sky Ride), before entering the final brake run.[2][3][10]
Cheetah Run
This ride is inspired by cheetahs. To go alongside Cheetah Hunt, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay also opened an animal exhibit called Cheetah Run. The exhibit features glass-paneled viewing areas which allow visitors to watch the world's fastest land animal sprinting across plains. In late January 2011, five cheetahs arrived on site in preparation for the opening of the exhibit. Educational touch screen panels complete the exhibit.[3][4][11][12]
Busch Gardens Williamsburg counterpart
See also: Busch Gardens WilliamsburgBusch Gardens Tampa's sister park, Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia also has a planned coaster that will likely be similar to Cheetah Hunt. Williamsburg's attraction has now begun construction. The ride will be named Verbolten. It is due to open in 2012. This is the Busch Gardens parks' sixth attempt on creating a similar roller coaster at both parks.[2][13]
References
- ^ Albright, Mark (February 18, 2011). "Busch Gardens' Cheetah Hunt coaster in sprint to May 27 completion". St. Petersburg Times. Tampa Bay. http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/retail/busch-gardens-cheetah-hunt-coaster-in-sprint-to-may-27-completion/1152269. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Marden, Duane. "Cheetah Hunt (Busch Gardens Tampa)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/9456.htm. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e "Busch Gardens Tampa Bay & Discovery Cove in Orlando announce 2011 additions". SeaWorld Parks Blog. October 13, 2010. http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/busch-gardens-tampa-bay-discovery-cove-orlando-announce-2011-additions. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
- ^ a b c Garcia, Jason (October 13, 2010). "SeaWorld unveils new reef for Discovery Cove, new coaster for Busch Gardens". Orlando Sentinel. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-discovery-cove-busch-gardens-rides20101013,0,3348255.story. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
- ^ Albright, Mark (October 13, 2010). "Busch Gardens' Cheetah Hunt coaster to launch riders to 60 mph three times". St. Petersburg Times. http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tourism/busch-gardens-cheetah-hunt-coaster-to-launch-riders-to-60-mph-three-times/1127882. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
- ^ "Insider Update: Cheetah Hunt Has Gone Vertical". SeaWorld Parks Blog. November 18, 2010. http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/insider-update-cheetah-hunt-has-gone-vertical. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
- ^ "Cheetah Hunt: Construction Update". SeaWorld Parks Blog. December 13, 2010. http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/cheetah-hunt-construction-update. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
- ^ Roseboom, Matt (January 28, 2011). "Photo Finds: Construction update for Cheetah Hunt roller coaster at Busch Gardens". Attractions Magazine. http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2011/01/28/photo-finds-construction-update-for-cheetah-hunt-roller-coaster-at-busch-gardens/. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
- ^ "Upcoming Events Pictures & Videos: Cheetah Hunt Virtual Ride". Video. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. http://www.buschgardens.com/bgt/Gallery/Default.aspx?tag=Upcoming+Events. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
- ^ Roseboom, Matt (February 2, 2011). "Cheetahs arrive at Busch Gardens in anticipation of new attraction". Attractions Magazine. http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2011/02/02/cheetahs-arrive-at-busch-gardens-in-anticipation-of-new-attraction/. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
- ^ "Cheetahs arrive at Busch Gardens". Tampa Bay. http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/blog/118/cheetahs-arrive-busch-gardens/. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "unknown (Busch Gardens Williamsburg)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/9463.htm. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
External links
Roller coasters at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Current Past PythonMorocco Rock A Doo Wop • Gwazi • Gwazi Flyers • Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy • Myombe ReserveBird Gardens Critter Castaways • Lory Landing • Garden Gate Cafe Entertainment • Walkabout WaySesame Street Safari of Fun Air GroverStanleyville Jungala Jungle Flyers • Wild Surge • Treetop TrailsCongo Congo River Rapids • Kumba • Serengeti Express Train • Ubanga Banga Bumper CarsTimbuktu Sesame Street Film Festival 4-D • Pirates 4-D • Sand Serpent • Phoenix • Scorpion • Busch Flyers • Dance to the Music • The Sandstorm • Carousel CaravanNairobi Rhino Rally • Serengeti Express Train • Curiosity Caverns • Jambo JunctionCrown Colony SkyRide • Cheetah Run • Busch Gardens Through the Years Museum • Cheetah HuntSerengeti Plain Serengeti Safari Tours • Edge of AfricaEgypt Tut's Tomb • MontuCategories:- Roller coasters introduced in 2011
- Steel roller coasters
- Launched roller coasters
- Intamin roller coasters
- SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment roller coasters
- Roller coasters in Tampa, Florida
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
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