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Kumba reviews

Theme Park Insider readers offer their ratings and reviews for Kumba, a roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa. (The minimum height to ride is 54 inches.)

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Posted: January 13, 2010

Kumba means 'ROAR' and it is a fitting name for this B&M steel coaster that was once the featured attraction in the park. Riders board 32-seat trains (8 rows, 4 across) that roar along almost 4,000 feet of track. The course features a 135' drop, a 114' tall loop, a dive loop, a zero-g roll, a cobra roll, and interlocking corkscrews. Seven inversions in total with a top speed of 60 mph. At full capicity the ride can service about 1700 riders per hour and was built in 1993.

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Readers' rating:

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37 votes, so far

Very underrated. At BGT it is, that coaster. The one in the back that never has a line. In a way Kumba is like buried treasure. Just give it a try, it won't seem like it's 20 years old at all. It's actually one of my favorite steel coasters ever. - Bradley Keith

Very good Roller Coaster in my opinion out of the three looper Roller Coasters in Florida this comes second behind Hulk. Kumba beats Kraken simply due to its longer and is more fun. I love the way a loop fly's over the lift hill. This ride is so good it is in my Top Ten Roller Coasters at 10th position. The major downside was when I rode the track looked very rusty and old which I am hoping Busch Gardens Tampa will sort out over the winter season. Overall awesome Roller Coaster in an awesome park and is a must ride! - Karl Dale

I thought Kumba was amazing the speed that you get on the inversions especially the zero-g roll! - Ben Goldby

LOVE this ride!!! I love how it seems to go all over the place. - brian newsome

Intense but smooth. I didn't count the number of loops and twists ! Really great ! - Stéphane Gamondes

Kumba is the ride that Drachen Fire should have been. Imagine if B&M had the resources in 1991-92 to be able to handle simultaneous builds? DF might still be running today. - Dan Barnes

Really good ride I always get out of the ride with a headache but still good.Wait line it's always low.5/10 - Giovanny Cruz

This ride was so smooth! It was odd that this coaster was so loud looking at it, I expected a ride like mean streak. Tbis is like the only BM sitter that isnt floorless (other than hypercoasters) Better than skekira. I dont know why this was the sister coaster of drachen fire when it was there. Drachen fire was better though. The only thing about drachen fire that it lacked was the drop. - Steven D

Impressive loops and it's really loud! Great coaster, but don't get on this in the rain...it hurts! 9/10 - D H

i like i but it hurts me to the core but still you got to love it - Manny Rodriguez

Had allergy issues so made me so dizzy I was sick to my stomach. I loved the ride though and cannot wait to go back when Im not sick! - Terri Pierce

Perfect Speed,length and smoothness. - Tyler Bell

Reminds me a bit of the Hulk coaster. Great ride and exceptionally smooth. - Terry R

This ride reminded me a great deal of Kraken at Sea World Orlando and was my favorite coaster in the park. I loved the constant roar that begins on the first drop and doesn't quit until the ride is over. - Carl Stovall

Good ride. Nice scenery, not the most intense coaster, but its pretty smooth for its age. - Formula 40

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