Our Florida Roller Coaster Family Vacation
Corrie Krpejs4.14.19Our Family always enjoys spending a week in Florida. This year we decided to try something a little bit different, and opted for a Thrill-Seekers vacation. Taking advantage of SeaWorld Orlando’s 2-Park deal, we decided to add on Busch Gardens Tampa. This was a first for my coaster-enthusiast family, and we were very excited. Though there are lots of other things to enjoy while at SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa, I’ll be focusing on the coasters.
SeaWorld Orlando – The first major ride you come to here is Manta. This high-flying coaster can be a little intimidating for riders as you ride face-down. So be sure everything is out of your pockets! This ride features inversions, corkscrews, and a drop of about 113ft. It will even take you low to the ground to skim the water. For those not wanting to ride, take some time and enjoy the Aquarium. The entrance is beside the entrance for Manta.Next on our list was Kraken Unleashed. This ride was refurbished in 2017 to become a Virtual Reality coaster. Originally each seat had the option to wear the VR headsets or not. During our trip, though (July 2018), the headsets were not an option. Personally, I enjoyed this ride without any VR effects. This floor-less coaster has a drop of 144ft and sends you on multiple rolls and loops.Last but definitely not least is Mako. At this time, it is Orlando’s tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster. It reaches speeds up to 73 mph and goes up to 200ft high. This was my family’s favorite ride of the day and we were able to ride it multiple times. Mako opens up an hour after the park opens so be sure to be there for rope drop.
Busch Gardens Tampa – My first tip for this park is to get there early and head straight over to ride Cheetah Hunt, Montu, and Cobra’s Curse. This seems to be the busiest section of the park which therefore meant the longest wait times.We immediately rode Cheetah Hunt, which was my daughter’s favorite ride. It is a triple-launch coaster that was super smooth and quite a long ride. Immediately afterward we headed over to Cobra’s Curse. This was my favorite ride! It starts with a 70ft vertical lift and then takes you forward, backwards, and spinning through 2100ft of track. One of the most unique coasters that I’ve been on.
Next up was Montu. This inverted coaster features 7 inversions including a simultaneous loop and roll. Following that ride we took the Skyride to SheiKra. This ride is not for the faint of heart. It is a floorless dive coaster that goes 200 feet up, 90 degrees straight down. Have onlookers? Head to the end of the ride where you can get some great video and also drenched. Last but not least we rode, Kumba. With lots of spirals, 3 seconds of weightlessness, and tons of fun.If you are looking for a getaway filled with fun, thrills, and coasters, then contact me! I would love to put together an itinerary that is perfect for your thrill-seeking family.Corrie Krpejs – Wishes Family Travelcorrie@wishesfamilytravel.com336-682-8538