Ride Profile
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Cheetah Hunt A new breed of speed
If you were to conceive a new attraction that combines exotic animals with fast paced thrills, what would you do? If you're Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, you place a rollercoaster next to a pride of cheetahs, so that riders can mimic the quick starts and blinding speed of nature's most graceful predator. Paul Ruben reports
F
rom IntaRide LLC (Intamin's sister US company), Cheetah Hunt is Florida's first triple-launch coaster. It uses Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) technology to deliver a succession of adrenaline- fuelled surges of speed.
Riders accelerate to speeds up to 60 miles per hour (97km/h) as they climb a 102-feet (31-metres) “Windcatcher Tower,” down into four subterranean trenches, over Busch Gardens’ historic Skyride (cable car), around a rocky canyon and through a heartline inversion. One of the highlights of the ride is a precision high speed thread through a double S- curve.
"Because of its location in the park, Cheetah Hunt’s construction was probably the most watched, documented and photographed project we’ve ever completed," observes Jim Dean, president of Busch Gardens and its neighbouring Adventure Island waterpark. "Crowds of onlookers watched daily as the
track segments were connected and the iconic tower was erected. We wanted to build a coaster inspired by the movements of the Cheetah and that delivered the best experience for the rider. A launch coaster was thought to be the best solution, and Intamin is known for launch technology. They have not disappointed."
Ground Hugging With 4,429ft of steel track and a ride time of more than 90 seconds from first launch to final brake, Cheetah Hunt grabs the record as Busch Gardens’ longest coaster. It is fast, smooth and well-paced, more ground-hugging graceful than ferocious. Its 13- acre footprint also makes it the most expansive thrill- ride in the park’s history.
“Cheetah Hunt will be an iconic coaster for Busch Gardens," promises Dean, using that word again. "It’s the longest coaster yet, and families are sure to enjoy its repeatability.”
Park president Jim Dean 32 JULY 2011
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