Top Five Rides In Florida
So summer is here again, and for those lucky enough to be heading to Florida this year, this article will be of specific interest to you.
Florida is the home of over 100 of the best and most exciting rides in America. With everything from Three Dimensional experiences to simply jaw dropping dangerous drops and twists, it has everything the average adrenaline junky needs.
It is common knowledge that Florida is one of the number one destinations because of Disney Land, but the rides there are a walk in the park compared to the parks you can access with the much cheaper tickets for any of the Orlando theme parks.
With the fee of $215 you can obtain access to five parks for 14 consecutive days. This also, just for those who love getting wet, includes a couple of water based parks too!
However, our concern is with the land based parks of Sea World, Islands of Adventure, Busch Gardens and Universal Studios.
Sea World has only one ride, but for those who are not too dedicated to thrill seeking, there is plenty to do other than Kraken.
With a spacious lay out and plenty to do for children, it is hard to see the whole park in one day, and many grant themselves a return visit during there stay.
Islands of Adventure and Busch Gardens are all about the big rides. Universal has the reputation for doing things big, and is often not enjoyed by those who have no interest in scary rides.
Busch Gardens, owned by Busch Entertainment Corporation (who employ 26,000 Citizens), has a renound reputation for including all the family.
For those too young or too old for the rides, there is the lengthy Zoo. For the Parents, there are Safari Journeys with just enough excitement to satisfy even those not that interested in the Animals.
However, for those addicted to big thrills, it is also the home of Kumba, a monster of a coaster rolling round a track of 3,978 feet, pulling at its best 3.8 G force.
Universal Studios however is the most technologically advanced park. Here it is less about the drops and spins, but more about fear inducing experience, which is clear from the all famous terminator Three Dimensional Cinema.
However, our number one ride in this top five guide is sitting dormant (or so it seems) deep underground in this theme park. Read on, if you dare…
Located in Sea World is our number five best ride in Florida. It goes by the name of Kraken, and has an amazing seven inversions.
Based on the myth of the giant Sea Creatures which also share the name “Kraken”, and being the only roller coaster in Sea World, it is easy to under estimate the ‘Power of kraken’.
With a One Hundred and Forty Five foot drop, straight into a Loop, this Out and Back roller Coaster has the capability to not only push your head back against the seat, but rip the air from your lungs whilst peeling the skin off your face.
What makes Kraken worse is it is one of only a few Floorless Coasters. When you board Kraken, the first thing you notice is that the floor is not joined to the Coaster.
When it sets off, this floor pulls away leaving your little feet hanging on for mercy as you pull Three point Nine G’s around the track that lasts an astounding two minutes and two seconds.
One of the peaks of this coaster is near the end, as it happens just when you think you are safe and sound, and almost back on dry land.
There is a feeling of sudden lift, and then Kraken Hurls you in a classic (but much more vigorous) Cork Screw fashion, creating a weightless inversion which, even to the most hardcore roller coaster riders, is a little frightening.
So, what does the ride the Kraken actually involve? Let me walk you through what to expect for those brave enough to embrace the experience.
After a tiny drop and a then a long and drawn out climb, you are slowly pushed over the first drop at a cracking speed, pushing your head back at three point eight G’s.
Next comes a loop, reaching almost as high as what you have already dropped. Then another loop, but one which inverts you back almost parallel to the track you have just travelled down.
Then the first Corkscrew takes place. This is not half as bad as it looks, but due to the speed you are now travelling at, well worth being on the front row for.
This is because small inversions like this are not felt as powerfully if you find a seat only on the middle.
After a couple more twists and mid air turns, you are brought back to a reasonable pace. That is, until you are thrown head first straight back down a hill.
To top it off after this drop comes the weightless feeling on the first Corkscrew and a nice smooth inversion before the ride harshly breaks and comes to an end.
Two minutes does not seem like a long time to be sat on a roller coaster. However, take the more timid Rita: Queen of speed, found in Alton Towers.
You thought that was bad going? Well, believe it or not, that ride lasts only a mere Forty Nine seconds.
This means that Kraken rides more than double the time that Rita does, even if it has less G force, as the Kraken does not have an accelerating start like Rita.
Where the myth of the Kraken is reportedly famous for attacking vessels, I am afraid this one will attack right where it hurts… your heart!
Be prepared for a quick jump start if you ride this one after dark, which, I guess, is never advised for those who have not ridden a more timid coaster after hours.
So you have rode Kraken, but what next. Off we go to another Theme Park, Universal Islands of Adventure, for out next thrill.
Standing graciously at the entrance to Universals Islands of Adventure is the roller coaster adaptation of Stan Lee’s “The Hulk”.
With the 3,700 feet of track laden with a tantalizing green colour, the Hulk looks very odd to say the least.
This coaster, more than any, is the one that most people will visit America to ride, and many will ride only once.
Let us take a step by step guide to what happens when you dare to step aboard one of Americas most prestigious creatures.
Placed in a standard carriage, you are fastened in and then sent about ten percent of the way into an almost vertical tube.
Here, you are warned that the Gamma tests that are present in the Hulk films have failed, and lights flash, while a women screaming “warning” is loudly rattled into your ears.
All of a sudden you are shot at Forty miles an hour, a speed gained in about two seconds, out of the top of the tube into a Zero Gravity roll, which is immediately followed by a heart stopping drop.
Before reaching the end of the Coaster, which quite frankly, is like any other coaster here, you get to experience what it is like to ride into the darkness. This is because you are shot down at roughly 67mph into a pit of mist, and ferociously back out of the other side.
After that, the ride breaks and it is pretty much easy going from there. However, the beginning is really quite something.
Let’s talk about the prize bit of the ride, the launch from the tube. When you are sat in there, you can only see the end of the top of the track, and because the inversion faces down, this is restricted from your view.
So, as you guessed, the Hulk is like being thrown into mid air at Forty Miles per Hour, only to be pulled back down by an invisible force and thrown sideways meanwhile.
The ride was designed by ride genius Werner Stengel, who also later created Ohio’s “Top Thrill Dragster” ride, reaching one hundred and twenty miles per hour.
As you can imagine, Werner took no risks with his reputation on the Hulk, and yet again proved to deliver a quality product.
Werner Stengel actually celebrated his 500th roller coaster in 2007, when he opened “Maverick”, a Roller Coaster with a death defying Ninety Five degrees drop. Now that’s impressive.
I believe however that it is the very start of the ride, before you even accelerate, that makes the Hulk such a memorable experience.
Many rides have shouting parts and warnings, but little had as much effect as the Hulk. This is because before you have been on the ride, you do not know quite what to expect.
Before the ride accelerates, the flashing lights do not do much to create a sense of comfort, despite the fact you being told to get out of there as quick as possible. You know this can only mean one thing.
And when this one thing happens, and of course, we mean the race towards the sky, no one is disappointed, and I guess even if you are a grown man, it is ok to scream, because everyone does.
It is also fair to say that the ride itself is quite memorable because of the view, as you exit the first drop, you are held high for a very long time, or so it seems.
This is long enough to take a glance at Florida, which is very peaceful even on a coaster of such velocity.
Most people who I have encountered that have visited Florida feared only one thing about their holiday. This one haunting aspect of their journey to America goes by the name of “The Duelling Dragons”.
Duelling Roller Coasters do not come much more action packed than this one, being the only duel rollercoaster on the planet that adopts the inverted style.
The ‘inverted style simply means that the track is above your head, in opposition to the standard style, where the track lays underneath your feet.
When you approach the ride, you are given a choice of which coaster to brave: Be it the ferocious fire themed ride or the equally thrilling ice carriages.
The top speeds of both these carriages have an average of 57.5 mph, meaning that even if you only get to ride one, you are bound to be impressed.
Don’t just take my word for it! It is common knowledge that during one of three near impact places on the rides, you are only a matter of inches from touching feet with the warriors on the other track.
Including three different types of inversions (which includes the terrifying Immelmanns style drop) on the fire, and an equal amount of other forms of inversions on Ice, this ride has become one of the most notorious attractions for those who are looking for the most intense rollercoaster in the world.
If the ride itself is not scary enough to look at, just wait until you hear the audio effects before the ride even moves.
Take for example: “If you continue along this path, you will face the dragon’s wrath”; which is bellowed at you whilst queuing in the dragons lair themed entrance.
It does not simply end there however, with the ride attendants warning you that “Once beyond the castle gate, there is no turning back”.
As pathetic as this sounds, when you are standing in the line to experience fire, a ride focused on speed and power, it really does begin to get to you.
It is therefore not rare, and also, for once, not pathetic, to exit the ride from one of many fire exits on the way.
So which ride should you embrace? Well, both if you get the chance, but if you have to pick one, I would recommend fire.
This is because of this special upside drop you experience. However, Ice is just as thrilling, but I would recommend sitting right on the front to get the most out of this Dragon.
The ride is also eerily quiet. As you hurtle round the track you feel like you are moving at the speed of light, but it sounds like you are shifting at a pace no faster that Thirty miles per hour.
With the highest amount of rides per day only reaching 64 for one person, you can tell the real strain that this rides has on the human body, as it turns you over faster than you can understand what the hell is really happening to your body.
The height of this ride however is also phenomenal. Despite the vast amount of twists, turns and drops, the ride still manages to kick off from a grand One hundred and Twenty Five feet.
This also seems much higher, because the fact that your feet are dangling will leave them feeling tingly, or for those with bad circulation, or those sensible enough not to be used to such feelings, just that little bit numb.
As with all big rides today, of course there is a Zero G roll. Also, to add to the horror, there is a cobra roll too!
To sum this up, it is a rise that turns into a corkscrew, and then another corkscrew that throws you straight back towards the ground… much quicker than you expect.
To sum the Duelling Dragons up, this ride has everything in it you want from a roller coaster. It’s a must see.
To reach the Second most horrific ride in Florida, we must travel across Florida to Tampa Bay. Here, boldly standing is the freak of nature we call Sheikra.
Built very much in the nature of Alton Towers Oblivion, Sheikra takes that design and does with it what America does with everything; makes it faster, more ferocious and a Million times as deadly.
In nature, for those who care, a Sheikra is a wise Hawk that hunts by spotting its prey whilst it is high up in the air, and then plummeting down towards it vertically to catch it.
Believe it or not, that description of what happens is in no way a form of comfort or preparation to the intense drop included on this ride.
Before reaching the highlight of most rides, an Immelmanns loop, you are held over a Two Hundred foot drop for what seems like an eternity.
Following this is an astounding Ninety degrees drop towards the place you will remember as Earth, at a speed that is close to seventy whole miles per hour.
The following aspects of the ride, which includes a tantalising splash down area not long after the first drop and Immelmanns section, and a second much less frightening drop, are quite timid compared to the start.
To get the chance to ride this Roller Coaster is not an opportunity to take for granted, as there only a handful of other Coasters like it.
The only other shocking part after the drop actually is the One Hundred and Forty foot Immelmanns loop, as mentioned, which takes you almost ¾ of the distance you dropped, but straight back into the air!
Initially opened with a space to place your feet on the carriage, it was later closed for roughly half a month for the capability of the ride to be flawless to be imposed. This could only make the ride a lot better!
The ride is the biggest of the lot for pulling an extreme amount of G force so far. This ride, on the first hill only, claims to pull approximately 5 whole G’s.
This of course seems a lot more however once you have been dangling, with your feet hanging loosely beneath your harness, for about the time it would take to decide to get off this ride and pick something a little more timid.
However, it would be a little too late for that as you are about to experience what it would be like if God had made you into an animalistic Hawk instead of an easy going human being.
Before Sheikra was built, Busch Gardens already had a reputation for fast and nasty roller coasters. This is why many knew that they would not be disappointed by the new instalment of Sheikra back in May 2005.
As far as straight up Roller Coasters go (not including those all special 3-d and 4-d experience ones), this one has been open roughly four years now, and it has still not been topped, despite all the new advancements made.
On the Busch Gardens website, out of the options of “For Coaster Enthusiasts”, “for easy rides” and “for kids”, it is the first of these specific options that has been given the most points.
Undoubtedly, this is one intense ride that I would not advise those who did not like oblivion much to ride, as this is about has a 20 foot extension in the drop.
Also, due to the oblivion going underground, it only needs to rise to Sixty five feet, and I can tell you now, it is the very steep ascension to the top of Sheikra that is what scared me most.
I rode with a fellow family member, and I actually admitted to him that I was more scared on the way up than I was hanging over the end.
So if you like an extensive build up, a death defying drop of Two Hundred feet, and some not so bad following track that is enough to keep you entertained, then Sheikra is for you.
If this does not sound like your cup of tea, then steer well clear! Be sure you want to ride Sheikra before laying yourself before its mercy.
Now for the best in Florida…
Everyone has heard the myth. Most people have seen the film. Many have read associated books. However, not so many have dared the roller coaster / experience ride of their favourite History related film, “The Revenge of the Mummy”.
Created using the most recent technology, and crafted in a way that it will scare you so much more than the film, this ride is the most intense roller coaster to ever have its time in Florida, never mind the theme park it stands in, Universal’s Studios.
In a park more based around family attractions and big 3-d cinema, it is easily to be mislead into going on this ride thinking it is easy going.
The first few rooms of this ride include lots of fire and some tense music. This is used to explain that you are attempting to get out of the Crypt in which the Imhotep wishes to keep you for eternity.
After a short but very well hidden backwards drop, the coaster takes a half turn, only for the passengers to be faced with the most horrific moment yet.
This is Imhoteps face around the track in such a way, that when you launch off up the hill at Forty Five MPH, you fly right in-between his jaws.
Despite the ride including no upside down parts, the vast amount of creatures that jump out at the carriage will scare you enough.
Also, lets not forget, it is pitch black.
So the feeling that you could be turned upside at any point is enough to get you right on edge, and on this one, everyone grips on as tight as they can.
The ride then appears to finish, only for Imhotep to kill the ride attendant who is behind a screen, and then another ferocious section of the ride is undertaken.
After a 39 foot drop, the ride finished with the lead character from the Mummy being served a cup of his favourite drink by Imhotep, which is about the only light hearted place on the ride, just before you are allowed to exit.
Now, let me explain. No words will ever describe how frightening this ride can really be. For those not accustomed to this type of roller coaster, it can be one of the most intense feelings ever.
Linear Induction Motor technology is what makes this ride what it is. With most rides that launch you from a ‘standstill’, you get the sensation of a quick pulling back first.
However, LIM makes sure that the carriage is launched from a complete standstill, at exactly zero Miles per hour, making the rider very confused during the experiences because you are never sure what is going to happen next.
In the pitch black, you can see why 80 degrees banked turns spread over 2,200 foot of track is enough to make any roller coaster enthusiast bottle out in the queue.
And the waiting line is that phenomenal that you won’t mind the often long and drawn out wait for the ride.
With the scenery being an underground, dimly lit tomb, with things you can press to make others jump, the queue is well, kind of fun!
However, don’t let this put you off the idea that “The Revenge of the Mummy” will scare you to ‘death’, as from the very moment you step foot on the carriage, sit down and look into the black abyss, the ride will start to creep you out then.
After taking out a family ride, “Congfrontation”, to make this ride, expectations were high. When I boarded, I doubted that this ride would be even long enough to evoke the amount of fear the hype I had heard made me believe.
Little did I know that this epic Coaster went on for roughly Three minutes in length. If you visit the park do not miss the opportunity to ride!
Just to add to the atmosphere, it is now knowledge that a person actually fell four feet from the rides platform while boarding, and after some severe pain, died later in Hospital.
Considering the fact Thousands of people ride this attraction daily, it is a very rare thing to happen, so try not to let it put you off.
Of course, all of the rides in these parks are excellent. I mean, what is not good about American Theme Parks. They are Bigger, Better and the weather itself makes for a much more enjoyable experience.
It was very hard to narrow all the rides there down to five of the best and even harder to pick which order these would go in.
However, it is undoubted that “Sheikra” and “The Revenge of the Mummy” are the best. They will tear the guts from your body and then make you swallow them back whole as you are pushed back up at speeds, thrills and forces unknown to man before there invention.
I take my hat off to Manufacturer “Premier Rides” and “Bolliger and Mabillard” for there contributions to those who ride roller coasters for fun or as a part of there life.
So when you are faced with limited time in these parks, and you don’t have time for everything, if you make it to these five then I believe that you will have made the most of your stay.
Just remember to hold on and make sure Imhotep doesn’t catch you unaware when you ride Florida’s most exciting roller coaster.
Posted on August 6, 2009 | Filed Under Travel
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