Re: My Orlando trip report: Part 3
Monday 10th September
So this was our day that we had booked to visit Busch Gardens. Even though we had to reserve our free transport online, nobody asked for any info regarding any kind of booking/reservation. It was here that I saw someone who looked a like Peep!
Despite bineg ridiculously excited, the journey went fairly quick and we soon arrived at the Busch. This was probably the park that I was most looking forward to visiting on this trip. However, it did disappoint.
I loved pulling into the car park and seeing Montu standing proud. Cheetah Hunt by the entrance looked a little less impressive.
The parks entrance wasn't exactly grand.
Chunt was closed to begin with, so we opted for some Montu. Such an awsome coaster, and that Batwing was just incredibly forcefull!
And it was walk on! Which was a running theme for the day really, except for Cheetah Hunt. In the morning it had a 40 min queue, but come the afternoon that had gone down to 10 mins - so theres a tip, dont go to Cheetah Hunt first.
Which we did... but not long after it had reopened, so we didn't queue too long. It was here where I saw the Peep lookalike again! Could it really be him? what are the chances? I hadn't seen him mention it on CF, and he was in the States earlier in the year.... nah, it wasn't him!
Not going to lie, I didn't think much to Cheetah Hunt, at all. It was such an incredibly average coaster, which only just pokes the 'fun' boundary. The launches are weak, and the whole coaster is 90% force less, apart from the good airtime hill after the final launch. It just doesn't feel like its doing anything, just so bland. I really wanted to love it, but I just couldn't.
We then circled the park getting in all the coasters - which sounds like a cred run, but in reality, there really isn't much at the park beyond the coasters. Plus the operations at the park can be a bit iffy, and I really didn't want to miss out on some big ass coasters!
I loved Scorpion, these are just fantastic little coasters. Though I dont quite see why its here...
Well ok, this one was a cred grab!
Kumba was walk on, with only 1 train, which often left 3/4 empty - which shows just how empty the park really was!
So, my first B&M sitdown....I liked it. It was VERY intense, which can make it a little unpleasent - and add that to horrible grinding feeling that you get through-out the ride, where the train feels like it has no rubber on the wheels, and its just metal grinding along on metal (lots of juddering, too). I liked the coaster, but it wasn't overly comfortable
After Kumba we went through the Tiger walk through, which was prett good.
Lolz at the squirrels over there, they actually let you touch them!
Woop!
I liked Shiekra, not much else to say really. I really hated the pointless sound effect in the tunnel after the second 'drop', it was pointlessly loud and just annoying (same can be said for similar 'effects' on Space Mountain and Hulk)
We then did the Log Flume - Stanley Falls. It wasn't very good tbh.
Before going back for more Shiekra!
And then we stumble across a cred...
With Gwazi just around the corner.. Tiger was spiting though </3
Tbh, I couldn't even find the entrance for the tiger side...
Its certainly an impressive looking coaster!
Not the most popular though!
Despite the lack of queues, it was still running with 2 trains! Which was a running theme for the holiday. No queues, yet coasters running with multiple trains! Not going to complain though.
It was my first GCI, and its was horrific! I would imagine its actually a really good coaster, the layout was quite good, but the trains.... or track.... I dunno.... The pre-lift section was painful enough really.
We then found ourselves back near the entrance, this was where I found out that American cheese cake is nothing like english cheese cake. It was literally like a lump of mature cheddar in a cake!BLURGH!
Anyway, after that disaster, we circled the park again, this time taking more time to get some better pics.
I gave Cheetah Hunt a few more chances, and my opinioned stayed the same. 6/10 from me. But on the other hand....
It was here where I encounted the famous Busch operations first hand, when they stopped running Montu due to the inclement weather - which was no where to be seen. 20 mins later, it reopened. Someone mentioned in another thread that they do this for staff breaks, but that cant be right as all the staff stayed by the coaster, and I over heard one of them speaking to another guest saying that all the big rides have now closed. Luckily it didn't last too long, and it didn't happen again.
We then wondered around the African animal bit, before trying out one of them Turkey legs that are EVERYWHERE.
It was gross.
These guys took care of the turkey leg for us...
I was glad to get on Scorpion, as I was majorly spited by Loudoun Castle!
It was now that we starting to realise why this park isn't actually that good. As good as some of the coasters are, thats basically all there is to do! Whilst the park is in a good location for guest numbers, its also in a bad location for people who that this thing seriously. Disney and Islands of Adventure (and even Seaworld) have an amazing variation of attractions, including world class dark rides, and IMO dark rides can really make or break a park for me, and this park is a good example of how it breaks.
When we return to Florida, if there is nothing new here, we wont bother visiting again. Why would we, when theres the likes of Islands of Adventure on our doorstep?
After more Kumba rerides, my opinion didn't change. Its a good, forcefull coaster, but its just unpleasent to ride.
We had a look at the Rapids, they didn't look particualry good, so we gave them a miss. The Log Flume was average at best, so we thought we probably wouldn't be missing out on much.
We also went on the train ride, which had the most ANNOYING commentator/speaker I have ever come across! He basically ruined the whole thing for us, which really annoyed us! But then we saw he only had one arm and we felt bad!lol
So we left with mixed feelings of the park. Made worse by the fact that I was really looking forward to it!
Bye byez Montus!
Heading back, we went through an almighty storm!
Luckily it cleared up by the time we got back to Seaworld, so the the short walk to the hotel was a ncie dry one.
We then opted for tea at Dennys.... It was ok, the Village Inn was much better IMO.
And that was it for our forth day. I was so disappointed with how I felt about Busch, but even worse was to come the following day...
