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Kumba (roller coaster)
Encyclopedia
Kumba is a Bolliger & Mabillard
sit down roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, in Tampa, Florida
. Built in 1993, it stands 143 feet (43.6 m) tall and has a top speed of 60 mph. Kumba is one of the first in a line of multi-inversion coasters (that is, those having six or more inversions) built by B&M, and featured B&M's first ever diving loop and interlocking corkscrews. It has seven inversions which, in order, are:
Kumba had the most inversions of any coaster by B&M until the opening of Dragon Khan
at PortAventura
in 1995.
. At the top, the 32 passenger trains pass through Bolliger & Mabillard's signature pre-drop element before making a swooping 135 feet (41.1 m) drop to the left, leading right into a 114 feet (34.7 m) vertical loop
, which wraps around the lift hill. After leaving the vertical loop, riders rise up into Bolliger & Mabillard's first ever Diving loop. Following this, trains rise up into a Zero-G roll, before dropping to the ground. After speeding along a short straight section of track and small hill, trains pass through a Cobra roll, flipping riders upside down twice. A footbridge crosses over the entrance and exit to the Cobra roll. Leaving the cobra roll, the trains rise up into the midcourse brake run.
The second half of Kumba begins as riders dive off the midcourse brake run and enter a pair of interlocking corkscrews (another first for a Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster). After the corkscrews, trains travel through a tunnel. The ride ends with trains passing through an upward helix before hitting the final brake run
, before making a right hand turn back into the station.
. The coaster itself mimics this definition with a distinctive roar that the train produces as it traverses the track. It is not known if this was a design feature or an incidental though appropriate aspect of the ride. Most likely, the cause of this roar is due to the track design. Similar to other Bolliger & Mabillard roller coasters, the track contains a hollow spine and rails, which are known to produce a roaring sound.
. B&M, a young company at the time, could deliver on the one for the Florida park but not the Williamsburg park. Busch understood and handed the contract for the Williamsburg coaster to Arrow Dynamics
. In 1992, a year before Kumba opened at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg unveiled its Arrow creation, the ill-fated Drachen Fire
, which closed in 1998 and was demolished in 2002.
Kumba, at the time of its opening, was said to have "set the industry standards".
When it opened, it had the record of the longest roller coaster in Florida, until 1996, when Bolliger & Mabillard constructed Montu
in the Egypt section of the park.
Suspended Looping Coaster .
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
sit down roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. Built in 1993, it stands 143 feet (43.6 m) tall and has a top speed of 60 mph. Kumba is one of the first in a line of multi-inversion coasters (that is, those having six or more inversions) built by B&M, and featured B&M's first ever diving loop and interlocking corkscrews. It has seven inversions which, in order, are:
- A 114 feet (34.7 m) vertical loopLoop (roller coaster)The generic roller coaster vertical loop is the most basic of roller coaster inversions. Specifically, the loop refers to a continuously upward-sloping section of track that eventually results in a complete 360 degree circle. At the top-most piece of the loop, riders are completely inverted.-...
, which wraps around the lift hillLift hillA lift hill, or chain hill, is often the initial upward-sloping section of track on a typical roller coaster that initially transports the roller coaster train to an elevated point or peak in the roller coaster ride... - B&M's first-ever diving loop
- Zero-G roll
- Cobra roll (two inversions that go over the Congo River Rapids bridge)
- 2 Interlocking corkscrews (also a first for B&M) immediately after the midcourse block brakeBrake runA brake run on a roller coaster is any section of track meant to slow or stop a roller coaster train. Brake runs may be located anywhere along the circuit of a coaster and may be designed to bring the train to a complete halt or to simply adjust the train's speed...
Kumba had the most inversions of any coaster by B&M until the opening of Dragon Khan
Dragon Khan
Dragon Khan is a steel sit-down roller coaster located in the PortAventura theme park in Salou, Catalonia, Spain. Dragon Khan boasts eight inversions; which was a world record until the opening of the ten-loop Colossus in Thorpe Park, United Kingdom in 2002...
at PortAventura
PortAventura
PortAventura is a theme park and a resort in Salou, Catalonia, Spain; on the Costa Daurada , approximately an hour drive south of Barcelona. It attracts around 3 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in Spain. PortAventura Park is also the 6th most visited theme park in...
in 1995.
Ride experience
The ride starts when the trains make a right-hand, 90-degree turn out of the station. Then, the riders climb the 143 feet (43.6 m) lift hillLift hill
A lift hill, or chain hill, is often the initial upward-sloping section of track on a typical roller coaster that initially transports the roller coaster train to an elevated point or peak in the roller coaster ride...
. At the top, the 32 passenger trains pass through Bolliger & Mabillard's signature pre-drop element before making a swooping 135 feet (41.1 m) drop to the left, leading right into a 114 feet (34.7 m) vertical loop
Loop (roller coaster)
The generic roller coaster vertical loop is the most basic of roller coaster inversions. Specifically, the loop refers to a continuously upward-sloping section of track that eventually results in a complete 360 degree circle. At the top-most piece of the loop, riders are completely inverted.-...
, which wraps around the lift hill. After leaving the vertical loop, riders rise up into Bolliger & Mabillard's first ever Diving loop. Following this, trains rise up into a Zero-G roll, before dropping to the ground. After speeding along a short straight section of track and small hill, trains pass through a Cobra roll, flipping riders upside down twice. A footbridge crosses over the entrance and exit to the Cobra roll. Leaving the cobra roll, the trains rise up into the midcourse brake run.
The second half of Kumba begins as riders dive off the midcourse brake run and enter a pair of interlocking corkscrews (another first for a Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster). After the corkscrews, trains travel through a tunnel. The ride ends with trains passing through an upward helix before hitting the final brake run
Brake run
A brake run on a roller coaster is any section of track meant to slow or stop a roller coaster train. Brake runs may be located anywhere along the circuit of a coaster and may be designed to bring the train to a complete halt or to simply adjust the train's speed...
, before making a right hand turn back into the station.
The name "Kumba"
“Kumba” means “Roar” in the African Kongo LanguageKongo language
The Kongo language, or Kikongo, is the Bantu language spoken by the Bakongo and Bandundu people living in the tropical forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Angola. It is a tonal language and formed the base for Kituba, a Bantu creole and lingua franca...
. The coaster itself mimics this definition with a distinctive roar that the train produces as it traverses the track. It is not known if this was a design feature or an incidental though appropriate aspect of the ride. Most likely, the cause of this roar is due to the track design. Similar to other Bolliger & Mabillard roller coasters, the track contains a hollow spine and rails, which are known to produce a roaring sound.
Drachen Fire
Initially, it is said, Kumba was to be part of a two-coaster project for Busch Entertainment. The company had contacted B&M to build two sit-down coasters at its Busch Gardens parks, one in Florida (which became Kumba), the other in Williamsburg, VirginiaWilliamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
. B&M, a young company at the time, could deliver on the one for the Florida park but not the Williamsburg park. Busch understood and handed the contract for the Williamsburg coaster to Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
. In 1992, a year before Kumba opened at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg unveiled its Arrow creation, the ill-fated Drachen Fire
Drachen Fire
Drachen Fire was an Arrow Dynamics roller coaster that operated from 1992 to 1998, at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.- History :Initially, Drachen Fire was to be designed and built by Bolliger & Mabillard. Busch Entertainment contacted the young company to build two multi-inversion sit-down coasters at...
, which closed in 1998 and was demolished in 2002.
Kumba, at the time of its opening, was said to have "set the industry standards".
When it opened, it had the record of the longest roller coaster in Florida, until 1996, when Bolliger & Mabillard constructed Montu
Montu (roller coaster)
Montu is an inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Built by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland, it is the park's second roller coaster designed by the company after the success of Kumba. When the ride opened on May 16, 1996, it was the world's tallest and fastest...
in the Egypt section of the park.
Other roller coasters with the same name
There is another roller coaster called "Kumba" at the 'Superland Park' in Israel. However, this roller coaster is a VekomaVekoma
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment...
Suspended Looping Coaster .
Additional information
- Kumba was delivered with four trains, but in regular operation, can only run three. A fourth train is always in storage, and used to allow three train operation when another train is taken out of service, allowing one as a spare.
- Kumba is one of two Bolliger & Mabillard roller coasters to feature a vertical loop that wraps around the lift hill. The other roller coaster with such a vertical loop is Riddler's Revenge, a Stand-up roller coasterStand-up roller coasterA stand-up roller coaster is a roller coaster designed to have the passengers stand through the course of the ride. These roller coasters are very intense, and generally carry taller height restrictions than other rides.-History:...
at Six Flags Magic MountainSix Flags Magic MountainSix Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
. - This was the first ride to feature a number of now-common Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster elements, including interlocking corkscrews and a diving loop.
- Riders must be 54 inches (1.4 m) tall to ride Kumba.
- The tracks were repainted in 2011.
Awards
| Golden Ticket Awards: Best Steel Coaster | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Ranking | |||||||||||