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Swing, soar, scream


As Busch Gardens Tampa Bay gets set to take guests to new heights on Serengeti Flyer, Park World’s North American Editor, Susan Storey, reports.


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or many, a backyard or playground swing was their first attraction experience. It was easy to imagine soaring up into the clouds with each swish back and forth. Now, with Serengeti Flyer, Busch Gardens Tampa


Bay truly takes the childhood classic to incredible new heights – and back. Neal Thurman, park president of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure


Island, wants guests to reminisce about early playground experiences as they prepare to take on the park’s new thrill ride. He sets the scene vividly: “Think about a swing set that you enjoyed as a kid, especially when someone gave you a big push. Now, amplify that experience in ways you thought were only possible in your imagination. At speeds of 68 miles per hour, Serengeti Flyer is the ultimate swing, soaring further than any backyard or playground dream could ever go.” S&S Worldwide partnered with Busch Gardens to create an attraction that


added an element of thrill, while at the same time celebrating the park’s incredible landscape. The experience provides unbelievable views of the park’s wildlife, as guests brave enough to keep their eyes open during this incredible ride can catch glimpses of the giraffes, zebras, antelope and more that inhabit Busch Gardens’ 65-acre Serengeti Plain. Andrew Schaffer, corporate director of project management for SeaWorld


Parks and Entertainment, and the project manager for Serengeti Flyer, explains: “You can see pretty much the entire view of the park sitting on one side, like Cheetah Hunt, Gwazi – you can even see downtown Tampa – and then from from the other side, you can see all of the animals that are out there, 65 acres of animals on the other side.”


A record-breaking ride “We have an extensive ride portfolio,” says Thurman. “A new attraction like the Serengeti Flyer is the perfect complement to our guest experience. It’s


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an exhilarating option that also serves as a stepping stone toward our most thrilling roller coasters and rides.” While Serengeti Flyer is the world’s tallest and fastest ride of its kind, the


height requirement of only 48 inches (1.2 metres), makes it an accessible attraction that families can enjoy together. Guests experience multiple negative G moments as the ride swooshes back and forth, headed toward its maximum height of 135 feet (41 metres). It might not be for the faint of heart and those without a head for heights,


but the Serengeti Flyer gives guests an incredibly smooth experience as it soars back and forth through the air. This a ride which combines exhilaration with an exquisite elegance – despite its impressive size. 40 guests at a time can share the swing ride – way more than any


playground could ever offer. Guests sit 10 in a row, back-to-back on each of the ride’s two gondolas. From there, the twin duelling arms start to soar, progressively flying higher with each swoop. The smoothly alternating and passing gondolas provide a graceful ballet of steel, soaring in opposite directions while remaining in perfect sync.


A unique experience Sister parks SeaWorld San Antonio and Busch Gardens Williamsburg have debuted similar swing attractions with Tidal Surge in 2022 and Finnegan’s Flyer in 2019, respectively. The popularity of those attractions helped the Tampa team determine what to introduce to its Florida guests. And while the 90-second experience on Serengeti Flyer nearly mirrors the other two rides, the vast views of the park’s animals are uniquely and exclusively Busch Gardens. For more than 60 years, Busch Gardens has welcomed millions of guests. The destination seamlessly blends both ride experiences and animal


FEBRUARY 2023


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