Phoenix Rising (roller coaster)


Phoenix Rising is a family inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida, United States. The roller coaster was manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, and officially opened on July 21, 2024 as the park's tenth roller coaster. Phoenix Rising mimics the sensation of the legendary phoenix taking flight. The roller coaster reaches a height of 80 feet, and has a maximum speed of 44 mph during a 1-minute 26 second duration.
Phoenix Rising is located in the Pantopia section of the park next to Falcon's Fury, Carousel Caravan, and Scorpion before its closure in September 2024. The trains contain on-board audio with echoing “caws” being heard during the experience, with four distinct thematic options, each representing a different phoenix. It is the most recent expansion and attraction at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

History

Planning for Phoenix Rising began in early 2022, with the aim of creating a family-friendly roller coaster that would stand out in the park's lineup. Construction officially began in late 2023, with the installation of the first support beams and track sections.
The ride occupies the land formerly used by the Sand Serpent wild mouse coaster and the Phoenix looping starship. The construction process involved significant groundwork, including the installation of concrete footers and foundations. By early 2024, the ride's track and support structures were completed, and testing began shortly thereafter.
The ride was one of the most anticipated roller coasters of 2024. On July 17, 2024, Phoenix Rising opened up to passholders and media members. The ride opened to the general public on July 21, 2024.

Characteristics

The 1,831-foot-long Phoenix Rising stands as North America's tallest and longest inverted family coaster. The ride features a series of twists, turns, an over-banked curve, and drops over the Serengeti Plain. Riders must be at least 42 inches tall. Stewart Clark, Park President of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, stated, "With a height requirement of just 42 inches, it’s an adventure the whole family can enjoy together". The ride operates with a single train, containing 10 cars, with each car seating 2 riders in a single row for a total of 20 riders per train.
Three screens in the dispatch station display an animated phoenix which flies around before the coaster starts. The animated phoenix is different each time and matches with the different colors from the banners in the queue. One of four animated phoenixes are selected randomly: Terra, Ignis, Glacius, and Aqua. A different on-ride soundtrack is played based on which phoenix is selected.

Ride experience

Queue

Guests enter the vibrant area of Pantopia, where the queue takes place. The queue begins with an outdoor area featuring switchbacks and a viewing area of the ride. Guests then navigate through a themed corridor adorned with murals depicting the legend of the phoenix. The dispatch station contains three LED screens to the right of the trains, which display an animated phoenix flying around before the coaster starts. The animated phoenix is different each time and matches with the different colors from the banners in the queue.

Layout

The train leaves the station with a small right-handed-turn, tracking towards the chain lift hill. Once at the top, the ride dives down into a twisty drop. Riders experience a series of additional twists and turns before the ride takes an over-banked curve that brings riders close to flipping upside down above the rides' entrance sign. The ride sharply swings right for several beats then swings left for another few beats before returning to the loading dispatch station. On-ride speakers allow riders to hear the flaps of a phoenix's wings. Phoenix Rising at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay contains no full inversions, following the family-friendly coaster theme.

Reception

When Phoenix Rising opened, a critic for Attractions Magazine wrote that the ride paled in comparison to some of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's larger roller coasters. Nonetheless, the critic wrote, "Though many of us desire the tallest, fastest, most thrilling attraction, theme parks need to be more than that. Phoenix Rising accomplishes this goal." The Tampa Bay Times wrote that "Phoenix Rising is a big kid initiation coaster of sorts."