We ranked every Roller Coaster at Busch Gardens

With 8 roller coasters (and one kiddie coaster), Busch Gardens is arguably the roller coaster capital of Florida and is the premier park here for thrill ride junkies. My kids and I happen to currently be annual pass holders at this park, we’ve ridden all of these a bunch of times, so we decided to rank all of them in order of our worst to first favorite coasters in the park.

The panel here is me and my two high school age kids. And to come up with this ranking I asked them each to list all of the coasters at Busch Gardens in order of their least to most favorite. Then I took the average of each of our lists to create the final list here. In the case of a tie, I just picked the one that two of us had rated higher than the other. We also didn’t include Air Grover. Because it’s a kids coaster and because we didn’t want to do Grover dirty like that if his ride comes in last (and it probably would). And we didn’t include Falcon’s Fury on this list because while that just might be the scariest ride ever, it’s a drop tower and not a roller coaster.

And this didn’t really play out the way I thought it would and there a couple of surprises here.

Ok, hope that makes sense. Let’s get into it!

Scorpion

At number 8 is Scorpion, and that’s really no surprise. All three of us ranked Scorpion last.

Scorpion is a small, short steel coaster that’s been here since 1980. So this thing is pretty vintage and its age really shows. It starts with a 60 foot banked drop into a loop that will take you just over 40 miles an hour. From there, you’ll weave around through some spiraling helixes pretty close to the ground, and then the rough ride is quickly over.

There’s really nothing wrong with this ride, and it was probably great in the early 80s while it was still fresh, but now it’s just kind of a relic to an earlier but simpler time in roller coaster history. It feels and even looks more like the kind of ride you’d find at a traveling state fair carnival than a major theme park. I do like that it has lap bar restraints and not those over the shoulder ones because this ride does feel pretty janky and rough, and over the shoulder bars on this one would probably make it a headbanger.

This one has been here since 1980, but it has a small footprint and doesn’t take up much valuable real estate, so I don’t really foresee this one going away anytime soon either unless maintenance & parts become an issue. And I’m sure it has its fans just for the throwback nostalgic aspect too.

Tigris

At number 7 we have Tigris, which is a little bit of a surprise considering it’s only a few years old. Opening in 2019, Tigris is a steel launch coaster that has a pretty unique layout. It’s very compact with a small footprint in the park and it will launch you just over 60 miles an hour out of the loading station like a cannon. You’ll then fall backwards through the station, get launched up through it again, go through a very slow heartline roll, and then fall back to earth again where the ride abruptly ends.

It is very short, but VERY intense. This ride packs a LOT of punch into a very small package and does kind of make you feel like you’re being thrown around inside a laundry dryer. This one was collectively ranked just 7th by us but we all actually do like this one quite a lot and make sure to ride it when the lines are short.

But I think what contributed to its low ranking is that it is quite short and the line can move a bit slow here because there’s only one train on the circuit. The seating and restraints on this one are kinda awkward too, which can make riding this a little uncomfortable and hard to get in and out of. I feel like every time I come off this thing, I end up with a fresh new bruise on my right arm from whacking it against the side of the car when getting out. But that’s on me. I should know better than now!

We ranked this fairly low, but this one is worth riding though, so don’t miss it. It is very unique and not a lot of coasters out there are quite like this. Just make sure you secure your stuff or put it away in a locker before you ride. Tigris is notorious for causing lost and broken cell phones.

Kumba

At number 6, we have Kumba, which also might be a slight surprise considering how popular and well-regarded this one was for many years. This steel coaster opened in 1993 as an instant classic that was, at the time, the tallest and longest roller coaster in Florida that had the world’s largest vertical loop. Kumba was a mainstay of a lot of best roller coaster in the country lists for years, so it is a little weird to see it here as our 6th favorite ride here.

But we might not be the only ones who feel that way now because Kumba now often has very short lines. It’s a walk-on a lot of times when the park isn’t that busy, but I wonder if that’s because this ride is tucked far away into the back of the park and doesn’t have a lot of random foot traffic. You have to make a point to get to it.

I still think Kumba is a good ride, especially in the front row, it has a lot of really cool inversions and elements, and it’s a nice long ride, but it has earned a reputation as being a a bit of a rough ride these days with a lot of heads banging back and fourth against those restraints. It’s still a beautiful looking coaster though, and you have to come back here just for that iconic view of it corkscrewing right under the bridge.

Cobra’s Curse

At number 5, we have another relatively new-ish roller coaster. Cobra’s Curse is a steel spinning coaster that first opened in 2016. It’s what’s known in the biz as a “Family Coaster,” which means it’s going to be a big leap up from a kids’ coaster like our buddy Air Grover, but not a high-intensity scream machine either. Fun for everybody.

And I think Cobra’s Curse is a lot of fun. Don’t be too put off by the “Spinning Coaster” description. This isn’t going to spin you till you puke like the tilt a whirl on coaster track or anything like that, but the cars do rotate a little bit during the ride and have a bit of free swaying motion to them that only adds to the fun, I think. It also has one of the coolest lift hills anywhere. It’s actually like an elevator that takes you right up to the top, where you’ll get an up close look at Venomiss, the Snake King before the first smooth drop.

Cobra Curse has some pretty great theming too. Most of the roller coasters here at Busch Gardens don’t go over the top with theming like they do at Disney and Universal, but this one is the expectation. You get to go through a dark and spooky temple with real snakes on display, and there’s even somewhat of a pre-show before you ride.

Our rankings for Cobra’s Curse were kind of all over the place to be honest. I ranked this one one 6th, but my daughter ranked it as her 5th favorite while my son said it was his 3th favorite ride here.

I think this one is probably the perfect roller coaster to introduce kids to who might be ready to graduate to some of the bigger kid rides. It’s very smooth, there are no big drops or inversions, and it’s simply just a fun crowd pleaser.

Sheikra

Alright now we’re getting into the real scary stuff! At number 4 we have the 200ft tall steel dive coaster Sheikra. This is one that really leans into trying to freak riders out.

The first drop is 200ft, straight down at a 90 degree angle, and the best part is that the ride will stop and just hang you over the side for a few loooong seconds before you take the plunge. This is one of of those that will have a lot of spectators hanging out under it taking pics and video and you’ll hear a lot of comments from people talking about how crazy anybody would be to ride it.

All of us in my family of thrill seekers all really do love this ride though. My daughter and I rated it as our 4th favorite coaster here, while my son actually gave Sheikra his number one slot. This is his is favorite coaster in the park.

After the insane 200-foot straight-down drop, this one will take you through one inversion and a few turns high in the air before a second, smaller vertical drop, followed by a splashdown into a pool that doesn’t get riders wet. But it does look really cool and actually acts as a way to slow the ride down before it returns to the station without using mechanical brakes.

Sheikra is very thrilling and very fun, and it’s tough to have anything really negative to say about it. But it is a little bit short, and since the big drop is the main attraction here, after that’s out of the way, the rest of the layout isn’t really that special, and then it’s all over before you know it. Definitely try to get the first row on this one too. It’s a special kind of feeling to see your feet dangling over that first drop. Pretty sweet view up there too!

Cheetah Hunt

Cheetah Hunt is a steel coaster that has three launches that are meant to simulate what it’s like to be a cheetah running after its prey. One of them hits a top speed of 60 mph, about the same top speed as an actual cheetah. So, they took the whole cheetah theming here to heart. We’ll have to give them a point for accuracy here.

For me, Cheetah Hunt really hits that sweet spot between thrills and fun. It’s very smooth and comfortable, the launches are really fun and, has a lot of really fun moments especially when you’re weaving through those little canyons close to the ground. I always come off this one with a smile and ready to go again. But it does tend to have some of the longer lines here too. It’s a popular crowd pleaser that’s also not that scary or intimidating for coaster newbies or kids either. I would describe this one as maybe a much tamer version of Universal’s Velocicoaster or a more intense version of Slinky Dog Dash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, if you’re familiar with either. It’s right in the middle of those other two launch coasters at the other parks.

I rated this my 2nd favorite in the park, while my son and daughter ranked it 3rd and 4th. I just really like launch coasters I guess. So all of us had this one in our top 4, and this is a popular favorite among all of us. I just wish the line moved a little faster. This one seems to always have slower loading times than I feel it should for some reason.

Ok, now we’re about to get to the one that’s going to have all the serious roller coaster enthusiasts yelling at their screens and writing nasty comments because they assumed this next one would top the list.

Iron Gwazi

Look, I know, I know. And I agree. My daughter and I both ranked this as our number 1 favorite coaster at Busch Gardens. I could even listen to an argument that it’s the best coaster in Florida. But my son put this down at number 7. Number 7, just above Scorpion, can you believe that?

I don’t know if he’s just trying to be a contrarian or whatever, but he says that the ride just isn’t very comfortable and too intense and rough at times to be fun.

And I actually don’t think he’s entirely wrong. Iron Gwazi is super intense. Possibly the most intense roller coaster I’ve ever ridden and certainly the most intense in Florida. This is not a roller coaster for beginners. It’s the tallest, steepest, and fastest wooden-steel hybrid roller coaster in North America, and it is absolutely relentless from the second it goes over that first 206-foot, beyond vertical drop. So they are really gonna lock you in tight on this thing.

The thing is though, and this is my only complaint too, is that the restraint system isn’t the most comfortable. Even your legs are restrained by the lap bar, so when you hit some of the airtime hills, you kind of get shoved upwards into them and it kinda hurts. Especially the ones toward the end of the ride. I’m one of those guys who likes to try and keep my hands up the whole time, but the last few hills on this one always have me holding on for dear life. But that’s probably the sign of a great ride. And it’s worth it though. This ride is fantastic and should be on top of any roller coaster lover’s list at this park.

And as much as my daughter and I love Iron Gwazi though, I think it’s kind of interesting that my teenage son, somebody who should theoretically love this one on paper ranked it as low as he did. Kinda proves that everybody has their own preferences and favorites, these lists are just subjective, and nobody is really right or wrong. He’ll still ride it with us, but he’s not as eager to re-ride it again and again.

And our number one, overall favorite roller coaster at Busch Gardens is:

Montu

Montu is a hanging inverted coaster that opened in 1996, and all these years later it’s still a big fan favorite here.
Montu is a nice long coaster with 7 inversions that takes you through one wild feature after another at a top speed of 60mph, with a great pace that hardly gives you a chance to catch your breath. And just when you think it’s over, it surprises you with one last finale. It also makes great use of the terrain, diving through these trenches that keep some of the best parts of the ride a secret from those who’ve never ridden.

All of us had Montu in our top three, with both my son and daughter placing it 2nd, so the overall average pushed this to number one. Mostly because my son decided to poo-poo on Iron Gwazi.
I’m not really going to argue against Montu at number 1 though. It’s probably more accessible for more people than Iron Gwazi, and it’s been a fan favorite for a few decades now. I will add though that this is a coaster that is much better in the front row. It’s worth waiting the extra few minutes if you can for the front row, and back rows might have a little bit of headbanging going on between those shoulder restraints, so just have a heads up for that! I’m not a big fan of getting a headache after a coaster, so that alone is a big reason I’ll head for the front. And it’s just a much better ride up there. I’d happily put this one in my top 2 if riding in the front.