Kumba (roller coaster)
| Kumba | |
|---|---|
 Kumba's interlocking corkscrews. | |
| Busch Gardens Africa | |
| Location | Busch Gardens Africa |
| Park section | Congo |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | April 20 1993 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Steel Twister coaster |
| Track layout | Custom |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Inversions | 7 |
| Duration | 2:54 |
| Capacity | 1700 riders per hour |
| G-force | 3.8 |
| Kumba at RCDB | |
Kumba is a roller coaster at Busch Gardens Africa (in Tampa, Florida). Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard and opened in 1993, it stands 143 feet tall and has a top speed of 60 mph. Kumba is one of the first in a line of multi-inversion coasters (that is, those having six or more inversions) built by B&M. It has seven inversions which, in order, are:
- 114-foot tall vertical loop, which wraps around the lift hill
- B&M's first-ever diving loop
- Zero-G roll (also known as a camelback)
- Cobra roll (two inversions that go over the Congo River Rapids bridge)
- 2 Interlocking corkscrews (also a first for B&M) immediately after the block brake
Kumba had the most inversions of any coaster by B&M until the opening of Dragon Khan in 1995.
“Kumba” means “Roar” in the African Kongo Language. The coaster itself mimics this definition with a distinctive roar that the train produces as it traverses the track. It is not known if this was a design feature or an incidental though appropriate aspect of the ride. Most likely, the cause of this roar is due to the track design. Similar to other Bolliger & Mabillard roller coasters, the track contains a hollow spine and rails, which are known to produce a roaring sound.
Initially, it is said, Kumba was to be part of a two-coaster project for Busch Entertainment. The company had contacted B&M to build two sit-down coasters at its Busch Gardens parks, one in Florida, the other in Williamsburg, Virginia. B&M, a young company at the time, could deliver on the one for the Florida park but not the Williamsburg park. Busch understood and handed the contract for the Williamsburg coaster to Arrow Dynamics. In 1992, a year before Kumba opened at Busch Gardens Tampa, sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg unveiled its Arrow creation, the ill-fated Drachen Fire.
Kumba, at the time of its opening, was said to have "set the industry standards".
When it opened, it had the record of the longest roller coaster in Florida, until Montu opened three years later.
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View of Kumba from the Skyride -
A train ascending the lift hill
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Other roller coasters with the same name
There is another roller coaster called "Kumba" at the 'Superland Park' in Israel. However, this roller coaster is a Suspended Looping Coaster built by Vekoma.
Awards
| Golden Ticket Awards: Best Steel Coaster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Year | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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