Sheikra

[J_Snow]

They have started advertising Sheikra on TV here in Orlando. Opening date is in May.

I'm going to try to get over there next week for some new pics, but if you havent checked out the latest pics at rcdb.com its worth a peek!

Cheers!

:noob:

[rct3x]

Tthis is going to be a great ride! Im going to Orlando soon, so i will be checking it out!

[RTCnoob384]

rct3x, Sheikra is in Tampa......

[rct3x]

i meant; i am going 2 stay at orlando, visit the parks there and then go to tampa.

[Hyde244]

Well, that'll be apretty long hull, being that they are on opposite sides of the state.

Anywyas, what is pretty mind boggling to think about is that Shiekra could be considered a Hyper coaster...except straight down.

[N8 the Gr8]

Already planned a trip down there. it's gonna be great

[alpengeist04]

Actually, it's only about a 75 min. drive to Tampa from Orlando.

P.S. Let us know how it is.:D I'm heading down in the fall after kids are in school.;)

[RCT2head]

wait, this is BGT's new ride?
why is it that they get all the new coasters and BGW gets all the stuff of lesser importance (Trappers, Ireland, Darkastle [not])

[Hyde244]

Because BGW isnt located in Florida. BGW is BG's flagship park, just like how CP is CF's flagship park. That is why it gets all the brand new snazy rides.

[soundgodz]

Originally posted by Hyde244
Well, that'll be apretty long hull, being that they are on opposite sides of the state.

Anyways, what is pretty mind boggling to think about is that Shiekra could be considered a Hyper coaster...except straight down.


Because BGW isnt located in Florida. BGW is BG's flagship park, just like how CP is CF's flagship park. That is why it gets all the brand new snazy rides.


As said, it's 75 miles, less if you're only driving to/from Disney. Keeping up with traffic, you should be able to do this in 80 minutes or less. Besides, even if it was clear across the state, east to west is about 100 at that point. Now, Jacksonville to Miami, that's a haul.

Regarding coasters being added to the Busch Gardens parks, BGW is at the disadvantage. They have two Arrow and two B&M. Admittedly, they're all good, even Nessie, but BGT has more coasters, and has for several years now.
Consider, Kumba is close to a one of a kind coaster (B&M steel twister). Gwazi, Great Coasters' first dueling woodie (counts as two), the transplanted mouse from BGW, Montu (one of the best B&M inverteds), two older beginner coasters , one Schwartzkopf and one Arrow, and the new Dive machine that also quaifies as a mega coaster and is the tallest in the south east. Most of those rides have been put in since 1995. I can't and won't take anything away from BGW, but AB Parks did when they removed the mouse and Drachen Fire without replacing them. Yes, I love Apollo's Chariot and Big Bad Wolf and Alpengeist, and Nessie impressed me, despite it's age, but that's 4 versus 8.

[RCT2head]

yeah... btw u forgot to mention the mouse is a mack, i believe if u read some thread last month or so, we have found a way for BGW to add spain/ new spain where drachen fire was

[soundgodz]

Originally posted by RCT2head
yeah... btw u forgot to mention the mouse is a mack, i believe if u read some thread last month or so, we have found a way for BGW to add spain/ new spain where drachen fire was
You are correct sir. My oversight.

[RCT2head]

shweet! ok whatever... too bad BGW doesn't put same company rides in about the same time BGT does... oh well, i don't have passes again this year anyways

[Squid2]

Um... realise that Curse of DarKastle probably costs as much as Sheikra, if not more. Dark rides are expensive , especially ones that claim to be one of a kind unique rides! I figure CODK probably cost around 12 million or so.

Squid2

[RCT2head]

i wasn't really basing it off of cost, but on the type... dark rides are cool, but even better, i think, are new coasters. they got tons of space @ BGW, it's all a matter of finding a usable theme

[J_Snow]

Well the weather was crap last week so I didnt go over to BGT. I'm travleing now and wont be able to get back over there until after Sheikra opens. So-if anyone else gets over there, please post pics!

[soundgodz]

We've got two Busch Gardens one day passes just begging to be used. All we need is the time to use them, between the house hunting, house repair supervision, and the planning for my 50th B'day trip to Disneyland, all in the next 3 months. But I feel the need, the need to coast!!!! Dania Beach Hurricane, here I come.

[RCT2head]

Dania Beach Hurricane... i don't remeber that at either AB parks or Disney... where's that?

[alpengeist04]

It's at Boomers, between the Ft. Lauderdale airport and Hollywood, Fl. I believe you can pay $10 and ride it as many times as you want.

[soundgodz]

The funniest part is where Boomers (formerly Malibu Grand Prix) is. On the other side of the street (Griffin Rd.) from the site of Six Flags Atlantis (water park), now the site of a shopping mall.

[goliath]

I live in California, and I am not the richest person, so I don't think I will ever be able to ride Shiekra. It looks like a great ride though. One thing I would go to Florida for is to watch a Green Day concert. I love their song American Idiot. I also like Jesus of Suburbia.

[RCT2head]

american idiot the cd is alright, but u have to let it kinda wear on u to like it... at least for me

[soundgodz]

Why do you have to go to Florida to see Green Day? It's not like you're following the Dead.

[goliath]

What I meant is if they ever have a concert there. I would go to any Green Day concert, if it is held in the U.S. I have also memorized every tune and word to every Green Day song, and I would kill to join them as the guitarist. So, in conclusion, I wolud be following Green Day if I had that kind of money.

[Porsmond]

I think http://www.bgtguide.com is a good site for pictures

I'm going to Florida in June so will hopefully be riding this on my visit, I really cant wait, it looks awesome :)

[Digicub]

Please, please, please report back on Sheikra when you get to ride it guys. I've been tracking it's development since day one on the net - BGT is one of my favourite parks and this coaster looks awesome. Being in the UK, I can't get over to ride it until 2007 ( Cedar Point in 2006 )...I'm sooooo jealous....:D

[soundgodz]

Try not to feel too bad. From what I understand, you have a whole continent of coasters at your own doorstep, none of which I have hopes of riding before 2007, assuming the world is still in one piece by then. If I read my maps correctly, you can string together about 6 parks in 8 days, the same as if you started at Cedar Point and finished at Great Adventure. Besides, how many more times can I really go to Disneyworld and Universal?

[Digicub]

But you guys in the US really know how to build 'em mate!

[soundgodz]

We might know how to build woodies here, but look at the roster of great steel coasters. B&M, Schwartzkopf, Vekoma, Intamin, they're all European. Sure there was Arrow and Morgan, but they don't seem to be doing much these days. Sometimes the grass really is greener.

[Digicub]

heh! good point man - but you still have the biggest and baddest - and generally the more 'themed' parks and also more parks and more of them closer to you than in Europe...

....it's true though, the grass always is greener on the other side of the fence buddy. :haha:

[J_Snow]

Originally posted by goliath2004
I live in California, and I am not the richest person, so I don't think I will ever be able to ride Shiekra. It looks like a great ride though. One thing I would go to Florida for is to watch a Green Day concert. I love their song American Idiot. I also like Jesus of Suburbia.

Green Day is touring the US right now. They will be in Orlando on 4/15 and in SFO on 9/24... Those are the only dates I know or. Visit their website for compelte details!

;)

[J_Snow]

More new photos showing testing have been posted at rcdb.

I got my press preview invitation but will be out of town.

:mad:

I'll have to just go when I get back... sucks...

edit: Official Opening Date is May 21st.

[BorisTheFish]

wow, that water splash looks damn impressive :up:

[J_Snow]

:)

I thought so too!

[BorisTheFish]

shame i won't be going to Florida for a while.....i am soon to enter the land of little cash...i.e University :(

[soundgodz]

I've got two passes to BGT in the drawer next to my (non-expired)Disney Park Hoppers. But, with a trip to Disneyland, Knott's, and Magic Mountain in early June and a house purchase looming on my horizon, I won't have time to get to Tampa much before October for Howl-o-scream. Unless...........
Oh, and Boris, you should look into the University of South Florida, located in spitting distance to Busch Gardens.

[BorisTheFish]

thats all well and good, but it's too late for me.....my Uni's a selected

and i'm in UK anyway, which would make things harder

[soundgodz]

Sorry Boris, I forgot you were in the UK.

[J_Snow]

Its opening day for Sheikra... I might head over there tomorrow if I can wake up early enough...

[J_Snow]

Going to try to go tomorrow.

For Platinum Passport holders, during the month of June the first hour the park is open Sheikra is only open for passport holders and not the GP.

Anyway, hoping the weather improves for tomorrow.

[soundgodz]

I'm beginning to think I'll try to get to Tampa in August. There's ads running either on my local cable system or on Travel Channel for Sheikra. The way things are going here, I'm going to be in serious need of a break. Meanwhile, planning for next week's west coast expedition continues. Time to call Disneyland and set those PSs already too. So, Intamin still didn't learn their lessons fron TTD. And with such a promising debut of Storm Runner last year, you'd think, but no, 400 feet is still hard to do consistantly.

[billybob513]

so....... has anyone here ridden it yet? I wanna hear what its like.

[J_Snow]

tomorrow is the day now... rain or shine we are heading over in the morning...

[J_Snow]

What can I say!

OMG! It was AWESOME! Def a front row ride. The airtime down the drops was great as was the airtime in the Immelman. Very smooth ride and surprisingly quiet. They are still working on the entrance queue so there is a bit of construction going on. Also nice that they load 2 cars at once-this should help with the notoriously inefficient ride operators at BGT-although this was still in evidence today.

2 thumbs way up for this bad bird!

:up: :up:

[billybob513]

Sounds great. Can't wait to ride it---I wanna go there now. Supposed to be bad weather this week though. I have to get there this summer.

[J_Snow]

We were only at the park for the hour of season pass holder ride time because during our last ride it started to rain and going 70mph in the rain is painful!

But it was well worth the drive over and back!

Oh I forgot to mention the splash run!

While riding its not very dramatic at all since you cannot see whats going behind you-But from the walkways it was cool to watch! One walkway gets totally drenched by the splash and the train roaring overhead after the run... Very cool-and will be very busy during hot days this summer I'm sure!