Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders Karen Bittinger, Elisa Eichbauer, Darla Faye Nolan, Milly Figuereo, Kelli Jones, Meagan Praden, Lauren Rasys and Amber Rehman took a break from the sidelines to visit Howl-O-Scream 2011 at Busch Gardens over the weekend.
During their evening at the nationally ranked event, the cheerleaders toured the brand-new Zombie Mortuary, Nevermore and Ultimate Gamble: Vampire Casino haunted houses and met several of The Dark Side of the Gardens’ zombie hoards, including the event’s infamous cheerleader zombies.
General admission for Howl-O-Scream is $77.99 plus tax. Reduced advance-purchase rates and special offers are available for Busch Gardens Pass members at TheDarkSideOfTheGardens.com. Savings on general admission tickets are available in advance at participating Publix Supermarkets or with promotional codes found on select Pepsi Max and Mountain Dew products and at participating Taco Bell, Applebee’s and Lifestyle Family Fitness locations in Central Florida.
The event runs Thursday through Saturday nights, October 20-22 and 27-29. Operating hours are 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. during Freaky Preview and on Thursday nights. Friday and Saturday hours are 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.
For guest information, visit TheDarkSideofTheGardens.com or call 1-888-800-5447.
Over the last 24 hours a lot of people have asked me about “Splash! Animals” after seeing them on the video I posted on this blog about the opening of “Cheetah Run” and “Cheetah Hunt.”
Splash! Animals is a live art experience committed to the conservation of endangered animals. It is an award-winning conservation focused live art experience that combines art, music, choreography and features endangered species. Based in Southern California (San Diego), Splash! Animals performs all over the United States and internationally at fundraisers, theme parks, zoo, schools and many other venues and events.
Splash! Animals made its debut at the World Famous San Diego Zoo in June 2007 as the nighttime entertainment and regularly appears at Downtown Disney in Orlando and California on weekends. The focus of Splash! Animals is to connect the audience to endangered animals emotionally through an inspiring performance while educating them about the importance of conserving wildlife.
The show always starts with a blank “canvas,” painted black, and in less than 10 minutes, beautiful portraits of endangered animals are revealed by the performing artists. It’s pretty amazing and following on from the feedback from the performance we featured on our “Cheetah Run and Cheetah Hunt Opens at Busch Gardens Tampa” video, we’ve created another video that shows both of the paintings the Splash! Animals team produced at the Busch Gardens VIP party. Enjoy!
I went to Busch Gardens Tampa last night to take another look at Cheetah Run and Cheetah Hunt ahead of the official opening this Memorial Day. A lot has changed since my last visit and it certainly all looks very impressive. Gone are the construction walls, the bulldozers and the construction noise and now it’s a pretty tranquil venue only punctuated by shrieks and shrills from the passing roller coaster, Cheetah Hunt.
As you enter the new area, the first thing that strikes you is the 1.5 acre area known as Cheetah Run. On your right, as you walk in from the main park entrance, is a glass wall where you’ll get your first look at the magnificent animal that is the cheetah. Fourteen cats occupy the area and they will often be seen lounging around or playing with each other as well as doing scheduled sprints down a 250-foot track.
The habitat faces the mammoth, twisting roller coaster, and it was noticeable how quiet it is on its track… in fact it’s only the shrieks from riders and the “whoosh” sound as it goes by at some 60 mph that makes you notice it’s there. Of course, this makes you wonder how the cheetahs react but they seem completely nonplussed by it all and have obviously been trained well by park keepers who have played recordings of ambient theme park noise to get them used to things.
Naturally, there will always be some critics to the new attraction, not least of all because the cheetahs are penned in but the fact remains that they are an endangered species with just 12,400 left in the wild. Busch Gardens, as always, aims to educate people with a conservation message and the habitat will also include interactive screens containing facts about the cheetah.
Cheetah Hunt. meanwhile, is a 4G steel roller coaster and a very worthy addition to the roller-coaster lineup at Busch Gardens. It is Florida’s first triple-launch coaster and it uses state-of-the-art technology to deliver three adrenaline-fueled surges of speed all inspired by the world’s fastest land animal.
With a ride time of more than 90 seconds from first launch to final brake, Cheetah Hunt’s 4,429 feet of steel track holds the record as Busch Gardens’ longest coaster, and its 13-acre footprint makes it the most expansive thrill-ride in the park’s history. Its series of magnetically controlled surges fling passengers up and under and through several of the theme park’s other environments. One of these pushes takes riders on a long straight that is aimed directly at a steep upward hill at 60 mph. The vehicle then goes up that incline and goes into a figure-eight motion at the top, where riders are given a great view of Busch Gardens, most notably the Gwazi wooden coaster that is otherwise hard to see from other vantage points in the park.
Other highlights of the ride are a loop over and around the Skyride wire and gondolas … an unusual, exciting and disorienting maneuver … that circles near a water hazard and finally into a low-riding series of curves that have a ski slalom feel to them.
Overall, Cheetah Hunt runs very smoothly and there’s only one inversion that might trouble some riders. It’s a refreshing change because its sister coasters Montu, Kumba and Gwazi can jar your body, mind and soul! great for the young…not so great for the older brigade!
From a safety aspect, riders enjoy the open air feeling and gliding motion effect as the over-the-head harness isn’t too padded around the head area. Overall the coaster isn’t too extreme but it does offer a lot of fun and it’s sure to be popular with riders for years to come. Make sure you check it out when you next visit Busch Gardens Tampa.
Here’s some video and more pictures are available at Facebook.com/FloridaLeisure… make sure you click the “LIKE” button.
Have you made your vacation plans for the Summer? If not, you’ll want to check out what’s going on in Orlando as there’s lots of new stuff going on at the theme parks this year. There’s a killer whale show, a new roller-coaster, a cheetah habitat, a zip-line ride over alligators and there’s also the chance to get close to sharks by wading through a coral lagoon with a special diving helmet
It’s a great place to be as Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Busch Gardens, Gatorland and Legoland Florida – opening in October, all have a lot of new things to do.
SeaWorld
The home of Shamu the killer whale is now the venue for One Ocean, an incredible show involving all the park’s majestic orcas. Replacing the Believe show, One Ocean brings new staging, music and special effects to showcase the talents and special co-ordination of SeaWorld’s trainers and their killer whales. Fountains, video screens and clever lighting all combine for a spectacular 25-minute experience.
Discovery Cove
SeaWorld’s swim-with-dolphins sister park debuts it’s new Grand Reef attraction in June, giving its 1,000 visitors a day a chance to swim and snorkel with thousands of tropical fish and graceful rays. There will be an underwater walking tour, SeaVenture where for an extra $59 per person guests can don special diving helmets and venture beneath the surface to handle sea urchins and star fish, and stand among huge schools of feeding fish as well as observe some fierce looking sharks.
Busch Gardens
Just an hour away in nearby Tampa, Busch Gardens boasts America’s most dynamic and eye-catching ride this year, Cheetah Hunt. With a fast-launch start that blasts from 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds and more than 4,429ft of track that twists, turns and dives underground, it features a 130ft drop as well as a figure-of- eight loop in its three-and-a-half-minute duration.
Themed to feel like a cheetah hunting its prey, it will also offer a short stretch where the park’s eight cheetahs will be able to sprint alongside the ride as they chase a special lure as part of their exercise regime. The attraction is due to open on May 27.
Gatorland
Although it’s not one of the mainstream parks, this is Orlando’s oldest, dating back to 1949, and from early June it will offer the Screamin’ Gator zip-line ride, a high-flying adventure taking riders up and over the park’s residents – more than 1,000 alligators and crocodiles. The series of four zips, nature walk and swinging bridge take 45 minutes at a height of up to 56ft and speeds of 30mph to give a new perspective on this collection of flora and fauna. It costs $69.99 per person, including all-day entry to Gatorland.
Legoland Florida
Opening in October the latest member of the worldwide Lego family will offer 150 acres of fun and rides for the two-to-12 age group in classic brick-building style in ten distinct ‘lands’ but all with natural overtones as it is built on the site of the former Cypress Gardens, on the shore of Lake Eloise in Winter Haven, 40 minutes south of Orlando.
Walt Disney World
Star Tours II is Disney’s big offering for 2011, a revamped, version of the classic Star Wars simulator ride that now blasts off for Tatooine and Coruscant, plunging riders into the Boonta Eve Classic pod-race (from the film Star Wars I), in high-definition 3D from May 20 at Hollywood Studios.
The Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun is the new daily parade with all the favorites from films such as Up, Ratatouille, The Incredibles, Toy Story and others. Disney Junior – Live On Stage is now open for pre-school fans of programs such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins and the new Jake And The Never Land Pirates. Finally, at the Animal Kingdom park, guests can enjoy a three-hour Wild Africa Trek, a small-group journey through the animal savannahs for an extra $189 per person.
You’ll also want to check out what’s going on at the smaller parks and attractions.
Fantasy Surf is a new opportunity to try surfing on an indoor FlowRider system. It is great for novices and experienced surfers alike. Check out this video :
In Orlando city centre you can check out the Skyline Tour (from the Visitor Centre on Orange Avenue) and learn about the 19th Century ‘boom-town’ from a 16th-floor vantage point while nearby, the Orange County History Centre has more insight into Central Florida’s past, some 12,000 years of it, including the area’s Native American heritage and the huge cattle industry, with its own cowboys known as ‘crackers’.
Check out the video below of the chic suburb of Winter Park which features more natural charms, with its own boat tour through the local lakes plus, for art lovers, the unusual Morse Museum of American Art, which boasts one of the largest glass collections by Tiffany in the United States.
Aviation enthusiasts will enjoy a visit to Fantasy of Flight which hosts an amazing collection of vintage aircraft and daily flying exhibitions put together with real artistry by millionaire collector Kermit Weeks.
And no one should leave without seeing something of the real Florida. Enjoy an airboat ride from Boggy Creek Airboats, the area’s specialists, offering a variety of trips that get off the beaten track for personal, up-close encounters to capture the spirit of the Sunshine State.
One thing’s for certain: you’ll never be short of something to do in Orlando!
Construction crews have now installed the final piece of track that completes Cheetah Hunt’s epic 4,429-foot run – a record length among Busch Gardens Tampa’s coasters. Busch Gardens’ design & engineering team also lost no time in getting the mega-attraction’s trains on the track for the first round of testing and last at the end of last week they began the slow process of using cranes and pulleys to drag the car around the track. This initial testing is the park’s way of making sure the car glides smoothly along the entire length of the ride, as well as checking that the “ride envelope” – the space around the car and rider with arms fully extended – has plenty of clearance.
The final section of the track, which completes the “jump” over the Skyride’s cables, was bolted into place just before 9:30 p.m on 14th March and even with the completion of the track,the work is far from over in preparing the new mega-attraction for its May 27th grand opening. Crews will spend the next two months finishing the intricate sculpting – or “theming” – of the coasters’ surrounding architecture.
Construction also continues on innovative Cheetah Run habitat, which will house more than a dozen of the highly endangered cats and offer guests unique opportunities to get up-close and witness a cheetah’s speed first-hand during daily sprints.
Busch Gardens’ animal care team has something new keeping them up at night – a four-week-old baby cheetah that requires regular feedings and 24-hour care.
The new cub was born at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens to a mother who wasn’t able to care for him. When zoo keepers saw that the baby was not eating and having trouble gaining weight, they made the decision to hand-raise him. Now, at a little more than two pounds, the cub is eating well, getting stronger and eagerly exploring his new home.
Cheetahs are regulated by the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which tracks a species’ genetic lines in zoos and animal parks around the world and makes recommendations as to where specific animals should be placed for successful breeding opportunities. It was on the SSP and Jacksonville Zoo’s advice that the new baby was brought to Busch Gardens.
Once he is old enough, he will join the group of cheetahs living in Cheetah Run, the innovative new habitat opening alongside the Cheetah Hunt launch coaster that will bring guests face to face with these agile predators. Upon reaching maturity, he may also become an important part of Busch Gardens’ plans for a cheetah breeding program that will help boost the population of these critically endangered animals.
Cheetahs are included on both the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list of vulnerable species as well as on the US Endangered Species Act list of threatened species. Only approximately 12,400 cheetahs remain in the wild.
Busch Gardens supports the conservation of and education about cheetahs through the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, which has donated nearly $100,000 to cheetah efforts in Africa since 2005 and also helps fund conservation programs for white rhinos, marine animals and many other species around the world.
Busch Gardens’ announced yesterday that the new Cheetah Hunt triple launch roller coaster will be up and running during Memorial Day weekend, along with it’s Cheetah Run exhibit of live cheetahs. I went along yesterday to take a look at the progress so far as Mark Rose, Busch Gardens’ vice president for design and engineering, led a group of reporters, news crews and photographers on a tour of the coaster’s construction site.
The Cheetah Hunt coaster will feature five trains seating 16 people each and each will race along the 4,429-foot track, allowing 1,200 to 1,400 riders per hour to experience one figure eight, one turn upside down and three magnetic-propulsion launches that will increase the coaster’s speed to 30, 60 and 40 mph in just two seconds. Riders can also expect a peak-drop of about 120 feet and several seconds of weightlessness after the third propulsion.
Rose said “This is all about the celebration of the cheetah,” and that the world’s fastest land animal had inspired the steel coaster’s three-and-a-half minute long ride. “Busch Gardens has many roller coasters that have gravity as a source of energy. This will be very different because we use magnets to actually launch the coaster in three different places as you propel yourself around the track.”
Riders will board Cheetah Hunt in the former monorail building, race over the Clydesdale stables housing 14 cheetahs and plunge past Rhino Rally’s shallow river canyon. Busch Gardens has spent the past year-and-a-half repurposing the monorail, the Clydesdale stables and part of the Rhino Rally jeep tour to accommodate the exhibit and the coaster’s seven-acre span.
Cheetah Run will showcase both male and female cheetahs, adults and cubs, languishing in the shade or racing in shifts along a narrow stretch bordering the coaster. Both Cheetah Hunt and Cheetah Run open to the public at 9 a.m. on May 27. More photo’s are at www.Facebook.com/FloridaLeisure … make sure you click “LIKE” and here’s a short video from yesterday’s visit :
