- Mar 13, 2024
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A theme park-industry-changing Busch Gardens ride is closing FOREVER.
©Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Kumba, the 33-year-old roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, is set for its last day of operations on August 2nd. However, the park has confirmed that a sequel is coming!
First opening in the park’s Congo section in 1993, Kumba was a collaboration of the park and roller coaster manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard. Spurred by the desire to build a modern thrill coaster to better compete with Disney and Universal, this coaster featured a 114-foot-tall vertical loop (the world’s tallest up to that point), a 135-foot drop, a dive loop, a zero-g roll, a cobra roll, and a pair of interlocking corkscrews.
©Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Upon its opening, Kumba — which translates to “roar” from a Kongo language — was the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in Florida when it opened, and put the park on the map as a thrill destination. As the park continued to add new coasters, Kumba’s popularity and wait times dwindled. Finally, in 2026, Busch announced that the coaster would be closing just a few months after its 33rd birthday. However, at the time of the closure announcement, Busch Gardens ALSO announced that they would be building a sequel attraction, Kumba’s Revenge.
As part of the announcement, the park said in a statement, “Busch Gardens is dedicated to thrilling the next generation of coaster enthusiasts by continuing the Kumba story. This new attraction is a part of our $100 million investment that will elevate Busch Gardens as Florida’s thrill leader and enhance our guest experience.” The company has yet to provide details on whether Kumba’s Revenge will be a retrack or rebuild of the current Kumba or an entirely new construction.
©Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
After more than 30 years in operation, Kumba’s last operational day is August 2nd. Stay tuned to Magical Guides for updates on Kumba’s Revenge!
Have you ridden Kumba? Will you miss it? Let us know in the comments below.
©Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Kumba, the 33-year-old roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, is set for its last day of operations on August 2nd. However, the park has confirmed that a sequel is coming!
First opening in the park’s Congo section in 1993, Kumba was a collaboration of the park and roller coaster manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard. Spurred by the desire to build a modern thrill coaster to better compete with Disney and Universal, this coaster featured a 114-foot-tall vertical loop (the world’s tallest up to that point), a 135-foot drop, a dive loop, a zero-g roll, a cobra roll, and a pair of interlocking corkscrews.
©Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Upon its opening, Kumba — which translates to “roar” from a Kongo language — was the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in Florida when it opened, and put the park on the map as a thrill destination. As the park continued to add new coasters, Kumba’s popularity and wait times dwindled. Finally, in 2026, Busch announced that the coaster would be closing just a few months after its 33rd birthday. However, at the time of the closure announcement, Busch Gardens ALSO announced that they would be building a sequel attraction, Kumba’s Revenge.
As part of the announcement, the park said in a statement, “Busch Gardens is dedicated to thrilling the next generation of coaster enthusiasts by continuing the Kumba story. This new attraction is a part of our $100 million investment that will elevate Busch Gardens as Florida’s thrill leader and enhance our guest experience.” The company has yet to provide details on whether Kumba’s Revenge will be a retrack or rebuild of the current Kumba or an entirely new construction.
©Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
After more than 30 years in operation, Kumba’s last operational day is August 2nd. Stay tuned to Magical Guides for updates on Kumba’s Revenge!
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Have you ridden Kumba? Will you miss it? Let us know in the comments below.
