Cheetah Hunt is a
steel
Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
launched roller coaster
The launched roller coaster is a modern form of roller coaster. A launched coaster initiates a ride with high amounts of acceleration via one or a series of linear induction motors (LIM), linear synchronous motors (LSM), catapults, tires, chains ...
at
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a animal theme park located in Tampa, Florida, United States, with the entire park landscaped and designed around themes of Africa and Asia. Owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, the park opened on Ju ...
in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...
. The roller coaster was manufactured by
Intamin
Intamin Amusement Rides is a design and manufacturing company in Schaan, Liechtenstein. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The Intamin brand name is a syllabic abbreviation for "international amusement ins ...
and designed in collaboration with Mark Rose. Cheetah Hunt opened to the public on May 27, 2011, alongside a
cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
exhibit called Cheetah Run. Cheetah Hunt features three
linear synchronous motor
A linear motor is an electric motor that has had its stator and rotor "unrolled", thus, instead of producing a torque (rotation), it produces a linear force along its length. However, linear motors are not necessarily straight. Characteristicall ...
(LSM) launches and a single inversion. The roller coaster reaches a height of , with a maximum speed of and a total track length of .
Cheetah Hunt is located in the
Edge of Africa section of the park and navigates through the Serengeti Plain section. The Cheetah Run exhibit replaced the Budweiser Clydesdales stable area with an space and a sprint track. The roller coaster utilizes the former monorail station and
Rhino Rally water section for its track. Upon opening, Cheetah Hunt received positive acclaim from the public, and ranked as the 2nd
Best New Ride of 2011 by the
Golden Ticket Awards
''Amusement Today'' is a monthly periodical that features articles, news, pictures and reviews about all things relating to the amusement park industry, including parks, rides, and ride manufacturers. The trade newspaper, which is based in Arli ...
.
History
The concept for the roller coaster, later to be known as Cheetah Hunt, took seven years from conceptualization to completion.
Cheetah Hunt was designed by Mark Rose, vice president of design and engineering at
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a animal theme park located in Tampa, Florida, United States, with the entire park landscaped and designed around themes of Africa and Asia. Owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, the park opened on Ju ...
.
Rose was inspired by a scene in the
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
film ''
Return of the Jedi
''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...
'' where the protagonists navigated the forests of
Endor Endor or Ein Dor may refer to:
Places
* Endor (village), from the Hebrew Bible, a Canaanite village where the Witch of Endor lived
* Indur, a Palestinian village depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
* Ein Dor, a Kibbutz in modern Israel
Fi ...
on
speeder bikes.
The attraction was also inspired by
SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando is a theme park and marine zoological park, in Orlando, Florida. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. When combined with its neighbor Discovery Cove and Aquatica, it forms SeaWorld Parks and Resorts Orla ...
's roller coaster
Manta
Manta or mantas may refer to:
* Manta ray, large fish belonging to the genus ''Manta''
Arts and entertainment Fictional entities
* Manta (comics), a character in American Marvel Comics publications
* Manta (''Uridium''), a spaceship in the Br ...
with its combination of animal habitat and attraction.
Rose initially thought of using a
lift hill
A lift hill, or chain hill, is an upward-sloping section of track on a roller coaster on which the roller coaster train is mechanically lifted to an elevated point or peak in the track. Upon reaching the peak, the train is then propelled from th ...
to reach the speed he wanted, but after realizing the height of the lift would be too tall, he incorporated the design to include a
linear synchronous motor
A linear motor is an electric motor that has had its stator and rotor "unrolled", thus, instead of producing a torque (rotation), it produces a linear force along its length. However, linear motors are not necessarily straight. Characteristicall ...
(LSM) system.
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard, officially Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers, Inc. and often abbreviated B&M, is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabil ...
, among other manufacturers, were considered for the latter attraction, with
Intamin
Intamin Amusement Rides is a design and manufacturing company in Schaan, Liechtenstein. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The Intamin brand name is a syllabic abbreviation for "international amusement ins ...
ultimately being chosen because of the manufacturer's technology development and the park's expectations.
In the early planning and construction stages, the roller coaster was initially called "Cheetaka", as a trademark was filed on April 18, 2010, for the name by
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is an American theme park and entertainment company headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The company is a subsidiary of SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. and owns and operates thirteen recreational destinations in the Unite ...
, parent company of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
After the park realized that the name was too hard to pronounce and didn't describe the ride, the trademark was abandoned.
Construction walls and
survey stakes
{{engineering-stub
Control of alignment and grade during construction is established through the use of survey stakes. Stakes are generally made of wood in different sizes. Based on the use of the stake they are called ''alignment stakes'', ''o ...
were observed in April 2010 within the Edge of Africa section, with the
Serengeti Express
The Serengeti Express, formerly known as the Trans Veldt Railway, is a narrow gauge heritage railroad and amusement park attraction located within the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay amusement park in Tampa, Florida. Opened on July 3, 1971, the railw ...
closed to reposition railroad track. In the same month, a cheetah
topiary
Topiary is the horticultural practice of training perennial plants by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, whether geometric or fanciful. The term also refers to plants w ...
was observed near the
Budweiser Clydesdales
The Budweiser Clydesdales are a group of Clydesdale horses used for promotions and commercials by the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company. There are several "hitches" or teams of horses, that travel around the United States and other countries that rem ...
stable alongside construction taking place in the aforementioned Edge of Africa. Trenches were beginning to be dug out in May. By June, the transportation gondola,
Skyride, was closed for the rumored attraction.
During that month, the park launched a teaser campaign revealing details of the attraction.
The campaign featured a website that showcased videos describing the attraction's main characteristics, updates from park officials, and cutscenes of the ride's
point-of-view shot
A point of view shot (also known as POV shot, first-person shot or a subjective camera) is a short film scene that shows what a character (the subject) is looking at (represented through the camera). It is usually established by being position ...
video from June to August.
The park released a photo on its social media account of the roller coaster's track on September 10.
The construction of the foundations was completed in October 2010. The day prior to the announcement of the ride on October 12, a second trademark was filed under the name of "Cheetah Hunt". Cheetah Hunt was officially announced on October 13, alongside a new "Cheetah Run" habitat.
Temporary pathways were erected during the construction of Cheetah Hunt behind the former Budweiser Clydesdales stables to reroute foot traffic.
By November, vertical construction began and some supports for the ride were already in place.
By mid-December, the supports for the figure 8 element were complete with some pieces of track also installed, including the first launch section being complete.
Track work was taking place around the decommissioned
Rhino Rally water portion in January 2011. The park announced on February 17 that the attraction would open in late May. The roller coaster's trains arrived on February 28. Track work for the roller coaster was completed on March 14. It was observed that the park was completing "walk-through tests" on the track, a measure to ensure the trains could safely clear obstacles, in late March. Testing began for the roller coaster with water dummies in late April. Cheetah Hunt opened to the public on May 27.
Another roller coaster in the park,
Cheetah Chase
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
, was renamed Sand Serpent to reduce confusion between the two roller coasters.
Ride experience
The ride begins with a linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch out of the
station and around a wide left turn followed by a gradual dip before approaching the second launch. The second launch accelerates riders to their top speed of before climbing a figure-eight element (also known as a Windcatcher Tower).
Riders weave through a series of
helixes before dropping into a trench, then proceed over a direction-changing
airtime hill crossing over the Skyride, before completing the ride's only inversion, a
heartline roll
Roller coaster elements are the individual parts of roller coaster design and operation, such as a track, hill, loop, or turn. Variations in normal track movement that add thrill or excitement to the ride are often called "thrill elements".
Com ...
. Upon exiting the barrel-roll and its subsequent
brake run
A brake run on a roller coaster is any section of track meant to slow or stop a roller coaster train. Brake runs may be located anywhere along the circuit of a coaster and may be designed to bring the train to a complete halt or to simply adjust ...
, the ride remains low to the ground and goes through a series of short banked turns through a rock fixture simulating several "near misses". This leads the ride into its third and final launch, which accelerates riders to a speed of to navigate its way back to the station. During the journey back, there are more airtime and direction-changing hills before the final brake run.
Characteristics
Cheetah Hunt was originally termed within the Crown Colony Plaza area of the park, now the Edge of Africa section. The roller coaster is inspired by the general species of cheetah.
The themed area features a mixture of concrete and
driftwood
__NOTOC__
Driftwood is wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea, lake, or river by the action of winds, tides or waves.
In some waterfront areas, driftwood is a major nuisance. However, the driftwood provides shelter and fo ...
cheetah statues and a large rock-shaped cheetah located within the queue area.
The themed land surrounding both roller coaster and exhibit uses a mix of architectural styles inspired by three of the park's themed lands: Africa, Egypt, and Morocco.
The roller coaster's queue area is themed to a collapsed
temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
.
Cheetah Hunt covers of land within Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
Cheetah Run
![Cheetah Run enclosure](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Cheetah_Run_enclosure.jpg)
To go alongside Cheetah Hunt, the park opened an animal exhibit called Cheetah Run that replaced the Budweiser Clydesdales interaction area.
The exhibit is located adjacent to the roller coaster's main launch sequence.
The exhibit features glass-paneled viewing areas which allow visitors to watch cheetahs sprint across a dirt track and educational touch screen panels.
Cheetah Run encompasses an area of and houses rockwork, a waterfall, and grassland among areas of a ruined temple.
The cheetahs are housed within the old stable building.
In February 2011, five
cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
s arrived on site in preparation for the opening of the exhibit. The cheetahs originated from the
White Oak Conservation Center located near
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
, and
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
.
During construction of the habitat, the cheetahs were accommodated to various sounds that would surround their enclosure.
Cheetah Run opened with the roller coaster on May 27, 2011, with 14 cheetahs.
Track
![Cheetah Hunt hill](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Cheetah_Hunt_hill.jpg)
Cheetah Hunt is an Intamin
steel
Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
launched roller coaster
The launched roller coaster is a modern form of roller coaster. A launched coaster initiates a ride with high amounts of acceleration via one or a series of linear induction motors (LIM), linear synchronous motors (LSM), catapults, tires, chains ...
manufactured by Intamin's United States distributor, Intaride LLC.
The track is colored green with the supports colored gold to reflect the habitat of the cheetahs in the section of the park. The ride's
station is located in the former
monorail
A monorail (from "mono", meaning "one", and "rail") is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or a beam.
Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurately, ...
station that was decommissioned in the 1990s and is housed within the same building that is occupied by the Skyride.
The station features a two-train loading system.
Cheetah Hunt is one of two roller coasters that feature a Windcatcher Tower element.
The track of the roller coaster extends into the
Serengeti Plain
The Serengeti ( ) ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa, spanning northern Tanzania. The protected area within the region includes approximately of land, including the Serengeti National Park and several game reserves. The Serengeti ...
section of the park,
and into the defunct water canyon section of Rhino Rally.
Four trenches were constructed for Cheetah Hunt to traverse under the Serengeti Plain as well as a pedestrian bridge.
In addition, the track traverses over the Skyride gondolas. The maintenance bay for the roller coaster is located on a lower level of the building.
The steel track is long.
Trains
Each train is colored yellow with
cheetah print, with the front piece of the train designed to appear as a cheetah's head.
Cheetah Hunt operates with five trains, each with four cars that are arranged two across in two rows, allowing for 16 riders per train.
The station allows for two trains to be loaded at the same time.
Each seat has an over-the-shoulder restraint. Each train on Cheetah Hunt exerts a maximum of 4.0
g-forces
The gravitational force equivalent, or, more commonly, g-force, is a measurement of the type of force per unit mass – typically acceleration – that causes a perception of weight, with a g-force of 1 g (not gram in mass measure ...
to its riders.
Incidents
On February 12, 2014, one of the trains, loaded with 16 passengers, stopped between the first and second launch on the roller coaster's banked crest. Park officials attempted to move the train backwards onto the launch platform but failed. The
Tampa Fire Rescue Department
The Tampa Fire Rescue Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services within the city of Tampa, Florida. The department is also responsible for the handling of hazardous materials, aircraft rescue at the ...
was called thereafter to rescue the passengers with a
cherry picker
An aerial work platform (AWP), also known as an aerial device, elevating work platform (EWP), cherry picker, bucket truck or mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) is a mechanical device used to provide temporary access for people or equipment t ...
and a ladder during inclement weather. All passengers were rescued without injury. The roller coaster remained closed the day after the incident for inspection by park maintenance.
Reception
![Cheetah Hunt inversion](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Cheetah_Hunt_inversion.jpg)
After the original name was changed upon the roller coaster's announcement, some theme park enthusiasts criticized the change, saying that "Cheetah Hunt" did not fit the roller coaster and pressing Busch Gardens to revert the name back to "Cheetaka". However, Busch Gardens responded saying that the name would not be changed.
Cheetah Hunt was mostly well-received by the public and critics. Sean Daly from the ''
Tampa Bay Times
The ''Tampa Bay Times'', previously named the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It has won fourteen Pulitzer Prizes since 1964, and in 2009, won two in a single y ...
'' said that Cheetah Hunt is not that scary and compared it to
SheiKra
SheiKra (, ) is a steel Dive Coaster roller coaster at the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay amusement park in Tampa, Florida, United States. The roller coaster was proposed by Mark Rose, vice-president of design and engineering for the park, and desi ...
and
Montu
Montu was a falcon-god of war in ancient Egyptian religion, an embodiment of the conquering vitality of the pharaoh.Hart, George, ''A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses'', Routledge, 1986, . p. 126. He was particularly worshipped in Upper ...
.
He was also surprised that, despite "three head-snapping launches", the ride was "curiously slow" at times, though he still praised the final launch stating, "
tsends you over a seemingly small parabola, a stomach-flipping surprise ending."
Dewayne Bevil of the ''
Orlando Sentinel
The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida, and the Central Florida region. It was founded in 1876 and is currently owned by Tribune Publishing Company.
The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is owned by parent company, '' Tribune P ...
'' positively highlighted the scenic tower, winding maneuvers, and low curves that were akin to
slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding discipline, involving skiing between poles or gates. These are spaced more closely than those in giant slalom, super-G, super giant slalom and Downhill (ski competition), downhill, necessitating ...
.
Bevil complimented the ride running smoothly with comfortable over-the-shoulder harnesses, overall stating it "isn't an extreme coaster, but definitely a fun one".
Staff of ''Attractions Magazine'' praised the roller coaster's combination of launches, airtime, and "zig-zag motion".
Awards
See also
*
2011 in amusement parks
This is a list of events and openings related to amusement parks that occurred in 2011. These various lists are not exhaustive.
Amusement parks
Opening
* Legoland Florida - October 15, replaced the former Cypress Gardens
* Rainbow MagicLand - Ma ...
*
iSpeed, another Intamin LSM Launch Coaster located at Mirabilandia
*
Maverick
Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to:
History
* Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick
Aviation
* AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design
* General Aviation Design Bureau ...
, another Intamin LSM Launch Coaster located at Cedar Point
*
Verbolten
Verbolten is a Zierer multi-launching steel roller coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia. The concept was jointly designed by the park's creative design team and by Zierer of Germany. "Verbolten" is a play on words of ...
, a Zierer family launch roller coaster at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg
References
External links
*
{{BGT Attractions
2011 establishments in Florida
Articles containing video clips
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Roller coasters in Florida