Busch Gardens closing down Scorpion roller coaster
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay theme park says it is closing Scorpion, its oldest standing roller coaster. The final day to ride will be Sept. 2, aka Labor Day. A replacement was not announced.
“This closure paves the way for exciting new future attractions, with more details about what’s coming to be revealed soon,” reads a news release distributed by Busch Gardens on Friday morning.
The thrill ride, located in the park’s Pantopia section, was opened in 1980 and was the park’s second coaster. It joined the previously constructed Python, which was closed in 2006.
Scorpion’s stats are mild compared with several other, more modern, Busch Gardens rides. Its top speed is 41 mph, and its maximum height is 60.7 feet, according to the online Roller Coaster Database. The ride time is 90 seconds. Distinguishing factors are a 39-foot-tall loop, achieved without shoulder harnesses, and a bright orange paint job. It has a 48-inch height requirement.
Once Scorpion’s run ends, the oldest coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will be Kumba, which opened in 1993. Next in line is Montu, which debuted in 1996. Earlier this year, Busch Gardens added a coaster named Phoenix Rising that moves above the Serengeti Plain.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is part of Orlando-based United Parks & Resorts, which includes the SeaWorld theme parks. The oldest currently operating coaster at SeaWorld Orlando is Journey to Atlantis, a hybrid ride with water segments that opened in 1998. Kraken started rolling there in 2000.
Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.