After 33 years of roars, loops and leg‑shaking drops, one of Tampa Bay’s most recognizable thrill rides is about to take its last lap. Kumba, the steel roller coaster that has been a staple at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay since 1993, will run its final public rides this summer, with the park marking August 2 as the coaster’s official last day in operation. An exclusive send‑off for annual pass members is set for the morning of August 1.
Park statement and final rides
In a statement to Creative Loafing Tampa, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay president Jon Vigue credited Kumba with helping define the park’s thrill‑ride identity. “Kumba has inspired generations of thrill seekers and earned its place as one of the world’s most iconic roller coasters,” Vigue wrote, adding that the park will replace it with a new attraction titled Kumba’s Revenge. The new project, he said, will “honor everything guests loved about the original while delivering an entirely new level of thrills.”
According to the outlet, pass holders will get a special window to say goodbye on August 1, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. The park has listed August 2 as Kumba’s last official day in operation.
Kumba’s legacy in Tampa
Built by manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard and opening on April 21, 1993, Kumba stands 143 feet tall, features a 135‑foot drop and hits roughly 60 mph while sending riders through seven inversions. Those specifications are detailed on the ride’s Wikipedia entry and match information on the park’s own ride page.
When it debuted, Kumba leaned on then‑headline‑grabbing elements, including interlocking corkscrews and a vertical loop wrapped around the lift hill, design choices that helped shape a new era of modern steel coasters. For many Tampa Bay locals, it became a rite of passage ride, the coaster you graduated to when you were finally ready to test your nerve.
What comes next for the park
The closure arrives as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay undergoes a broader refresh. In June, the park’s parent company said the property is in the middle of a more than $100 million program of new attractions and enhancements, part of a multi‑year effort to update rides, animal habitats and entertainment offerings across the park.
That investor announcement framed upcoming additions as strategic upgrades to the guest experience but offered few technical details about Kumba’s Revenge. For now, the park is pitching the new attraction as an extension of Kumba’s legacy, without releasing full design information or naming a manufacturer.
How to say goodbye
For anyone planning a farewell run, expect the pass‑holder send‑off to be busy and keep in mind that Florida weather and routine maintenance can still affect operations on those final days. Visitors are advised to check Busch Gardens Tampa Bay for current park hours, ride alerts and any last‑minute changes to event timing.
Longtime fans and coaster enthusiasts say the announcement finally ends years of speculation about Kumba’s fate and will almost certainly trigger a last‑minute rush of riders looking to squeeze in one more loop before the park removes the classic coaster.
