SheiKra

About SheiKra

Prior to SheiKra, there were only two B&M Diving Machines in operation: Oblivion at Alton Towers in England (which opened March 1998) and the G5 in Taiwan (which opened March 2000). Both coasters featured drops that neared 90 degrees, at heights of about 180 feet and speeds of roughly 68 miles per hour.

Naturally, Busch Gardens wanted to top that. SheiKra would stand at a Florida record coaster height of 200 feet, reach speeds in excess of 70 miles per hour, and boast a maximum vertical angle of 90 degrees.

But BGT wanted to really one-up the competition. So they added a second drop, 138 feet tall at 81 degrees, plummeting underground before taking a banked turn into a splashdown area in a nod to the water theme of Stanleyville.

The advertising campaign says it all: 200 feet up. 90 degrees straight down.

SheiKra's coaster trains are a different design than your standard coaster. Each train has only three rows, but span eight seats across, carrying 24 passengers per train. There are five trains on the coaster and two can be loaded at once. This design increases guest capacity, reportedly accommodating approximately 1,500 guests an hour, barring technical difficulties.

The top of the lift hill grants guests a spectacular view of landmarks including downtown Tampa, Adventure Island and the USF campus before rolling right over the edge and pausing. The train holds for 5 nerve-testing seconds before being released down the vertical drop, zooming along the ground and back up into an Immelman inversion.

Coasting over the break hill, the train barely pauses for the second drop, which takes guests through part of the African jungle ruins, under the splashdown area and over the Zambia Smokehouse.

The underside of the last row of each coaster is outfitted with special pipes. These pipes launch the water in the splashdown up into the air and onto the heads of guests waiting near SheiKra and the Stanleyville train station. Although guests on the ground may get drenched, riders will walk off nearly completely dry. In the winter BGT takes off the round tubes and puts on square tubes so the splash effect is still there but the people below it dont get quite as wet. And if you get there at special times the tunnel and the surrounding area is filled with mist.

If that wasn't enough, now following the success of Griffon at Busch Gardens Europe, the cars have now been made floorless to add even more thrills to this incredible ride!!!
-- Last edited by Justin Kermgard

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Photos from SheiKra

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Readers' Opinions

Fun but, way too short. - Nicholas Kalscheuer

I have rode SheiKra many many times. I have rode in all rows and when it had a floor and when it didn't. I think this is one of the best rides I have ever been on. It has everything I'm looking for in a roller coaster: thrill, speed, hieght, smooth, and a lot of adredaline. - Joey Militti

I was so skeptical at once for riding this thing, but the day I wrote this review, I rode it for the first time and found it so thrilling - even during the stinging rain!!! - Tiffany Alfonso

great ride! front row edge is the best for feeling like you are going to fall out when you hang there before the awesome drop, and for the whole ride! the folding floor got stuck when we were in the front of a very long line, and sheikra didnt open for about two hours later because it kept on getting stuck. :/ besides this, the floorless sheikra is an awesome coaster! - Jake Gould

When I rode SheiKra it got stuck half way up and I was stuck for a while but overall a very smooth, fast fun ride. - Katie G-Desjardins

one of the best rollercoasters any where, truly. most of it is very quick but when they hang u at the top for those few seconds they feel much longer, still very good fun though and you must try it - Rob Chandler

10/10. This was so scary the first time I went on it. I didn't read the sign that said all the rows make you feel like you're in the front row. But every time I go to BG this is my first ride. - Nicholas Gammon

This ride was great. The drop was fun, although not as intense as i had hoped. The second drop was more intense in my opinion, due to the tunnel. My favorite part of the ride was the water, just because it looked awesome. all in all this is a great addition to the park. - Patrick Gorham

This was the only ride at Busch Gardens that I rode twice. It was extremly fun, and absolute perfection, (in my eyes, at least). I wished it would me longer, but I still l♥ved the ride. - Molly R

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