The end is coming for Kumba, a roller coaster that has run at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay for more than three decades. The final day for the ride is Aug. 2, the park announced Tuesday.
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It will be replaced by a “next generation” version of coaster called Kumba’s Revenge. Details and a timeline were not announced about the new ride.
“Kumba has inspired generations of thrill seekers and earned its place as one of the world’s most iconic roller coasters,” Jon Vigue, president of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, said in a news release. “As we celebrate its incredible legacy, we’re also looking ahead. Kumba’s Revenge will honor everything guests loved about the original while delivering an entirely new level of thrills.”
Kumba, located in the Congo section of the theme park, debuted in 1993. The ride, a Bolliger & Mabillard product, was touted as the state’s fastest (60 mph), tallest (135 feet) and longest (3,978 feet) roller coaster. It features seven inversions.
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It’s not the first time Busch Gardens has swapped and enhanced coaster names. Gwazi, a wooden coaster that ran at the park from 1999 to 2015, eventually was replaced by a new and completely different ride named Iron Gwazi in 2022. Its latest addition was family-friendly Phoenix Rising, which opened in 2024. Once Kumba closes, its oldest coaster will be Montu, which was rolled out in 1996.
The Kumba change, Vigue said, is part of a $100 million investment in enhancements, which will cover new attractions and park-wide improvements. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is owned by Orlando-based United Parks & Resorts, which also operates SeaWorld Orlando, Discovery Cove and Aquatica water park.
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