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Credit: Busch Gardens Tampa BayBusch Gardens Tampa Bay confirmed some sad news today.
Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort may steal most of the attention in Florida, but Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is one of the OGs of the state’s theme park scene.
Years before Walt Disney started scouting out land for his next project, the park opened in 1959 as a simple brewery tour offering free beer samples. The park was originally called “The Dark Continent” and was designed to give visitors a taste of Africa through animal exhibits and gardens.
Over the years, the park’s African theme became its defining feature. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay expanded significantly, adding iconic attractions like the Serengeti Express train and the Skyride, which gave guests an aerial view of the park’s vast African-themed landscapes (and, controversially, now charges guests extra for the honor as of 2024).
At the same time, it started adding thrill rides and roller coasters to attract a broader audience while still (loosely) sticking to its original theme. The park introduced its first major roller coaster, the Python, in 1976, marking the beginning of its transformation from a serene garden into a full-fledged theme park.
By the 1990s and early 2000s, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay was a fully-fledged adrenaline destination.
New attractions like Montu, one of the tallest and fastest inverted coasters in the world, and SheiKra, a floorless dive coaster, gave it an edge compared to its rivals, establishing it as a destination for both thrill enthusiasts and animal lovers alike, much like the recent direction for SeaWorld Orlando (which, like Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, is owned by United Parks & Resorts).
Fast forward to 2024 and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is home to 10 roller coasters. Some of its original thrill rides, such as Python, are long gone. Soon, another one will join the lineup, as the park has today confirmed the permanent closure of another ride: Scorpion.
Having opened in 1980, Scorpion is the oldest operating roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. As of September 2, however, it will cease operations for good to make way for a new attraction.
Time’s ticking! Don’t miss your LAST CHANCE to take a ride on the iconic Scorpion roller coaster before its final run on the track on Labor Day, 9/2. 🎢 And stay tuned… this closure paves the way for future thrills.
Time's ticking! Don't miss your LAST CHANCE to take a ride on the iconic Scorpion roller coaster before its final run on the track on Labor Day, 9/2. 🎢 And stay tuned… this closure paves the way for future thrills. pic.twitter.com/gbiv9xT9ge
— Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (@BuschGardens) August 23, 2024
A separate notice has also been posted on the ride’s page on the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay website.
Scorpion will be closing on Sept. 2 Busch Gardens Tampa Bay invites guests to take a final ride on the iconic Scorpion roller coaster before it takes its last run on the track. After thrilling guests for over 44 years, the final day of ride operation will be Labor Day, Monday, September 2.
The Scorpion® is one of only three roller coasters of its kind remaining in the world today, yet its sting is every bit as effective at instilling thrills through every twist and turn. Scorpion pulls you through a 360 degree loop and speeds of 50 miles per hour! Guests between 48” and 54” must be accompanied by a supervising companion 14 years of age or older who is at least 54” tall.
The announcement gives guests just over one week’s notice to schedule their last ride on the 44-year-old steel roller coaster. Unsurprisingly, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay fans aren’t happy about the short notice. Several users responded to the park’s X (formerly known as Twitter) post to criticize the last-minute announcement.
“Less than 2 weeks notice?” wrote @amusementhunt. “That’s kind of rude. Do you not want anybody to have time to get a last ride? I’m more mad that I won’t have time to make the trip than I am that it is closing.”
Meanwhile, @erincsulli wrote: “Only giving a ten day closing notice for a coaster…. you guys suck.” Similarly, @EricLaino wrote, “So thoughtful of BGT to give people a little over a week to visit… massive L for the park and the community.”
There was just as much outrage on Instagram where one user wrote, “Y’all this is not the way to announce not just a ride closure but the closure of the oldest coaster in the park. You need to give your visitors more than a week.” It was the lack of courtesy that upset fans more than the actual ride closing. As one user wrote, “Smart decision. Terrible execution. Give people more than 1 week to get their last ride.”
As of yet, there’s no update on what will replace Scorpion. The coaster currently sits in the park’s Timbuktu area, where it reaches a maximum height of 60.7 feet and a maximum speed of 41 miles per hour – a comparative baby next to the likes of SheiKra, which reaches maximum heights of 200 feet and speeds of 70 miles per hour.
@kalieden86 Rollercoaster ride from he11 #rollercoaster #whoops #ohno
It previously made headlines when a mother shared a TikTok showing her daughter allegedly nearly slipping out of her seat mid-ride on the roller coaster. “Looking back, this is definitely a learning experience,” said TikToker @kalieden86, who explained that her daughter lost consciousness, and while she came to right away, she bumped her nose on the safety restraint.
She was then forced to grab her daughter with her arm and her leg because the roller coaster has loops and goes upside down, “and I was terrified [at] that moment that if I wasn’t holding on to her, she was gonna fall out and die.”
What’s your favorite roller coaster at Busch Gardens?