Kumba is a phenomenal ride due to its speed and intensity. But, I rode it last week and it has gotten a bit rough over the years. Maybe getting the Hulk treatment wouldn't be so bad :)

Kumba is one of the most important roller coasters of all time and remains one of B&M’s greatest creations to this day. It should be an ACE landmark, not up for removal.

Considering I like Kumba more than Orion I would rather them keep it. It's a beautiful ride, so much fun, and the setting is incredible. Not to mention the roar which is unlike anything else.

Man this makes me sad to see this speculative video come out - I just rode it for the first time just over a week ago and I got off with my jaw dropped. I have NEVER felt such sustained and wild intensity as that beast of a coaster. Made sure to ride it immediately at least one more time after before I made my way back to the front of the park because it was that special and insane of an experience. I'll be sad if I never ride it again.

I’m sure it’s staying. It just doesn’t seem right for the park to remove a coaster right after Iron Gwazi opened. Maybe in a few years, but not before then.

I personally don’t feel Kumba will be going anywhere anytime soon as it really wouldn’t be a smart business decision. It still runs fine, doesn’t have much downtime and people still love it. I’d say move the employee lot elsewhere & start using that empty plot of land and put in a Giga & and maybe a GCI Woodie

Kumba has always been larger than life to me. Really love how photogenic it is. Still a great ride too - wouldn’t be mad with a retrack, but would make total sense for Busch Gardens to just remove and replace with something new and flashy. Either way, it’s a classic, there’s no doubt.

Yeah, Kumba is pretty old but BGTB takes great care of her. Every time I ride I think, ok, that wasn't as rough as I expected. Whatever coaster they replace her with, please leave room for a nice dark ride.

The park commented on a post suggests it’s closing saying ‘why the fake news tho’ 😂

I can’t imagine it being gone. It’s an icon for the park.

I wouldn't mind a Hulk treatment for Kumba, so long as they manage to keep the iconic roar. Hulk's roar was weakened by the retrack if I remember correctly, but it's a major reason why Kumba is a staple at Busch Gardens. I hope they don't get rid of it completely; it was one of my first big boy credits, I don't want it joining Python and Dueling Dragons in the nostalgic scrap heap.

Busch Gardens Tampa already made it official today that Kumba is NOT being removed

I personally think Scorpion would go first before Kumba (if Kumba ever goes away). The RMC single rail concept would work in Pantopia's Scorpion area far better than in the back of the park. Busch Gardens Tampa is a huge park, and you need a good reason for people to travel to the back. Kumba is not enough by itself(hence the short lines), but add a Giga along with it and it will make the entire park spice up. Busch Gardens also need to fix up the reliability of the Skyride. Most of the time I've gone to Busch (btw, my home park), the Skyride is closed. This makes traveling to the back of the park more difficult.

WHAT??? KUMBA BEING GONE???? This is one of B&M's most intense and best coasters, and I can't see this ride gone. It's so popular with the guests, and this ride has been so reliable for almost 30 years now, which is insane. Busch Gardens has kept this ride strong and has had no major issues, which is amazing for a 30 year old ride, and this news sounds like a lie :(

I just rode Kumba for the 1st time last week and I have to say I was absolutely blown away! It would be a crime to remove such a masterpiece. In my opinion, it was just as smooth, exciting, and forceful as most of the more modern coasters I have ridden. I suppose Iron Gwazi was the most impressive coaster at the park for me, but it was so intense, I can honestly barely remember the ride. I really thought Montu was going to be my favorite Busch Gardens coaster but Kumba really was the one I found most enjoyable. Between Fury, Orion and Leviathan, we do not need another B&M giga. These sit down loopers are becoming a thing of the past. It would be very sad to loose such a gem.

Honestly, this past weekend I rode Kumba twice and I didn’t get the head banging that other people talk about. But Montu almost knocked my head clean off in the front row.

I don’t think they’d remove this any time soon given its popularity.

While I hope they keep it, I do agree that if it was to be removed, they can get a B&M Giga. The one thing the park needs is a big major, non-looping coaster, as all their big rides has at least 1 inversion.

When I rode Kumba in 2019 I personally found it really rough, but I know lots of people enjoy it so it would be sad to see it go

The irony of seeing this video pop up as I get my phone from the Kumba locker lol

i really hope they retrack it like hulk and nemesis rather than remove it :/

Busch Gardens confirmed in a tweet that Kumba isn't going anywhere. During my one and only visit 10 years ago, the ride was a walk-on and my sister and I rode it twice, it's a good ride.

When was the last time they repainted Kumba? If it wasn't long ago, then they may be intending to keep the ride for several more years

Agree on all points! I love me some Kumba but it’s age is definitely starting to show. A Giga in Tampa would be an amazing attraction! I see them doing something with the area in a few years after they get their profit back from Iron Gwazi’s construction.

BG confirmed on their official Twitter that Kumba isn’t going anywhere. Thank goodness! A retrack wouldn’t hurt tho.

Btw bgt earlier today confirmed (on instagram) that it wasn’t going anywhere. So thankfully we get to keep this classic b&m

Scary to consider all these B&Ms, especially the bigger ones, may be biting the dust soon. We finally reached that point 30 years later

I’d be more than satisfied if they transferred this roller coaster to my home park (Kentucky Kingdom). It definitely meets the height requirements. Nice review!

Kumba is not going anywhere 😂😂😂

Literally when you said you had one coaster in mind I said out loud "Giga"😂

Unpopular opinion but having ridden them back-to-back this past weekend, I think Kumba runs better than the new Hulk! It's got a few rough patches but it's in remarkably good condition considering its age, and it was my favorite ride in the park after Iron Gwazi and Montu. A new giga in Florida would be great, but it's still bittersweet to hear that Kumba might not be long for this world after just getting a great ride on it.

I hope this doesn't go anywhere anytime soon, it was my favorite ride in the park when I last went (2019). The ride got a repaint back in that year too, and the colors looked really good. Here's to hopefully many more years of Kumba, cheers!

Just met Scott and Anthony tonight! We rode Iron Gwazi with them for a night ride ❤️ Great meeting them!!

Bgt needs to bring attendance to the area of kumba in some way. It sits off from the rest of the park along with the congo river rapids, kumba never has a wait, maybe 20 min at max when the park is busy but they need to draw attendance to that area.

Kumba isn’t getting removed. Period.

I still feel Nemesis is somewhat strange. That coaster is not operating all year. And even when the park is open on most days it's operating like 4-5 hours...

Busch Gardens said on Twitter the roar is never leaving.

This has been a topic I've been discussing for a while now. As much as I love Kumba, it's time for it to be retired. It's usually a 5 minute wait and it is getting rougher to ride. Rebuilding it is a nice idea but not worth it in the long run. I too have been waiting a giga in Florida and I think this is the perfect time and perfect place to do it. If not a giga then a S&S Axis, a Jersey Devil clone, or a B&M wing coaster would be my top picks.

Take a lesson from Nemesis/Alton Towers....give Khumba its rightful rebirth

Kumba is my favorite Rollercoaster. Literally #1 on my list of ~350 credits. I would really hate to see it leave, though I do think you're right regarding the general public. However if they moved the employee lot and added more to the park, Kumba could still see a resurgence since as it currently stands it's a massive dead end so some people may skip it if it's already been ridden. With more traffic moving past Kumba, it would get more love as there's now more of a reason to go to that back corner then to ride a ride "I've ridden it at least 10 times".

I think that kumba will stay, another thing is that they can wind the new coaster round it.. or like anywhere else in the park

I definitely do think the park needs a big coaster in their skyline without inversions. I know that kinda sounds weird but I think there is just something off when every single major coaster here goes upside down. Like what up someone just wants floater or to ride something big but don't want to go upside down? A hyper would definitely be a great fit. Mako is to close for them to go with B&M but what about like Intamin or Mack?

Busch Gardens Tampa confirmed itself that it's staying

Rode Kumba during the IG opening weekend, and it was perfectly fine! It’s seriously one of the best loopers out there. IMO, it’s not really positioned properly. It’s basically a dead end at the park. BGT could honestly just build something massive in that plot of land while still keeping Kumba. Making that area more pedestrian friendly would boost Kumba’s ridership.

Prett sure this was confirmed to not be true.

1) I’m glad to hear that Kumba is here to stay. 2) If Kumba were to be re-tracked, would it be the same experience? Yeah we would still have this OG in the park but would that signature roar still be a thing? Would the intensity still be there? I feel like a re-track would be BG’s riskiest move

I love Kumba, but let's be honest, the ride is not popular anymore. If the ride is leaving, I would also love to see a giga. Particularly something Fury style. It would for sure stand out in Florida and would be very marketable! Either way, I definitely see BGT getting at least one more coaster in the next few years with the way SeaWorld is going. Especially since BGW is is definitely getting one, maybe two more.

I loved Kumba back in the day. At one time, I thought B&M's were indestructible. My ride on Kumba last summer was not fun tho. Ride was rough as hell and we didn't want to ride it again. Montu is starting to need some rehab, too.

Retracks are relatively cheap in the scheme of things. I'm surprised more parks don't do them. All your infrastructure and support structure is already in place a paid for.

The one argument I can see for keeping Kumba is that it's SO integrated into the terrain and landscape of that section of the park. From the channels cut into the hills, the double dive under the bridge (not to mention the bridge itself), the terrain going into the tunnel... It's all so integrated. Flattening all of that would take more time and money than bulldozing a coaster off of a flat parking lot. If I had my way they'd not only re-track the original layout, but bring the loading station across the train tracks so it's right near the Ubanga Banga Bumper Cars. That way the entrance is more visible and guests can see it from a well-traveled area.

“ You don’t just rip it out and put nothing in its place”. Love the Kings Dominion shade thrown.

Great theory video on Kumba's potential removal! I would be fine with it getting the Hulk retrack, but at the same time, I would not want to see it go either. Such an icon for BGT :)

They should do the Hulk treatment, and later on, put a new roller coaster behind Jungala. Make the closed restaurant Orang Cafe the entrance and put the ride near the water in the back, there’s a lot of space.

This is literally the best coaster I’ve ever ridden! And this is coming from a Virginia resident who’s ridden El Toro, i305 and Kingda Ka. I last rode Kumba on December 31 2021, and it’s still relatively smooth for its age. Still runs FAST and INTENSE! I’ve even seen it get a 50 minute wait. So it’s still well received, and it doesn’t have much downtime, aside for closing for a week or two each year for annual maintenance. It would surprise and devastate me if this was removed. This should be awarded the ACE coaster landmark, as it was the coaster that put both B&M AND Busch Gardens on the map! Please give this thing a landmark award, not consider it for removal.

I love Kumba and would love to see them retrack the ride and replace the trains with floorless trains. I know there is Kracken in Orlando but Kumba's ride layout and intensity are AWESOME!!!

Loved the subtle “tear something out and replace it with nothing” along with the shots of King’s Dominion lol

I haven’t ridden this since 1993! I gotta go back as it wad my first extreme coaster ever ridden

The big one at Blackpool Pleasure Beach (UK) has had parts of the track replaced over the last three off seasons, they are testing the latest update, the longest retrack yet, before the mid-break, sounds quieter through that section. The idea behind the retracks is to prolong the life, without replacing the whole track, saving a bit of money/spreading the cost over multiple seasons. With most coasters there are parts of the track that will wear out more than others, so replacing sections is the cost-effective way to keep a ride going without having to totally replace the whole track.

Dude this video is badass! Prime Coaster Studios with that land analysis and overlaying existing rides for scale 👌🏼👌🏼

6:59 kings Dominion: 👁👄👁 i would like an MACK extreme spinner

It doesn't deserve the axe. It would be the most missed defunct coaster of all time by a long shot.

It’s not just the coaster. It is the most picturesque coaster in the SeaWorld chain! To replace that would have to be a monumental task!

Nothing beats the roar of kumba it’s like the hulk scream at the start of hulk

NO!

No! No Kumba replacement! I love that ride and it fits so well in the park and area. Just retrack it and build around it.

Planning to go to Busch Gardens Tampa for the first time next month, always crossing my fingers that everything is open, but now I'll cross them twice for Kumba just in case!

I got on Kumba 2 days ago, it’s an amazing ride but i wouldn’t always wanna ride it when i go to the park, it’s a rough ride but maybe retracting could help. I would prefer them to add a giga what you said since their isn’t one in Florida.

The next few years will be very interesting to see what happens to these older B&Ms. The Batman clones, Raptor, etc are all of similar age.

A giga would be cool, but the city of Tampa has a height limit on the park, the only way they can build a giga would be to have it on a much lower elevation than the rest of the park, and that’s not realistic down here in Florida

IIRC, Incredible Hulk reached something like 3.6 million cycles in the 16 years before the refurb. While Kumba definitely doesn't cycle as many trains per day, I think it's reasonable to assume that it is probably approaching that number given that the ride will be 30 years old next year. Therefore, while I'm skeptical the ride is in immediate danger, I do think it will likely be retired in the next five years. As for a replacement, I'd love a giga, but preferably an Intamin in the same vein as Kondaa rather than a B&M to better differentiate it from both Mako and other mega/giga coasters in North America.

that paint job is incredible

If I was bgt, I would definitely do what they did to hulk with the full retrack, because not only would it stay for years to come , but also would become smoother to people who think it’s rough

I went to bgt today and it was awesome!! Floater airtime on cheetah hunt is insane!

Also keep in mind that screamscapes started this rumor and they aren't right about a lot of rumors (Same place that started Ride Of Steel Removal rumor)

First visit to BGT was this summer, Kumba also was my second favorite to IG. Happy i got to ride before they remove

The answer is no, they are not removing it. They’ve directly responded to this rumor.

I sure hope not! This is one of my favorite rides in Florida. Sure it’s rough but come on! That layout is fantastic!

B&M sit down coasters are so rare, if we lose Kumba what do we have left in the states…. Hulk and Wildfire ? Someone needs to build a new one if we lose Kumba

i recently went to busch gardens in february, kumba is incredible and was definitely one of my favorite rides there, maybe even in the world. it would be really sad for it to see this ride go, but at the same time would be awesome to be seeing a new attraction or two, especially a giga.

I’m kinda immune to roughness. I love the ride and I don’t even notice the rattle because I’m focused on how good the ride is. If it’s a bad ride *cough cough vortex carowinds* then I will notice the roughness

i have yet to visit busch gardens tampa and kumba was on my bucket list. So id like to experience that ride.

I myself rode Kumba last year and the ride was so great! It would be sad to see it go if it would.

Kumba is an icon. I really hope it can get the Hulk treatment. It would be really hard to replace. They can do it, but it would be really difficult

I'd demolish scorpion before kumba. Great video!

I litterally just rode Kumba like 2 hours ago. This is the kid from the exit of Pantheon on Sunday. I met Theme Park Predictions at Iron Gwazi too.

Intamin giga a la Intimidator 305. Compact enough to fit in the space and intense enough to create a huge draw. Won't happen because i305 is seen as a failure, but I think it'd be perfect Edit: also, RMC T-Rex (maybe just not 500 ft)

Kumba was running one cart today 😭

Thank you for the update

Just to be aware, bgt themselves confirmed Kumba isn’t going anywhere

If they removed Kumba I would legit cry. It's my favorite rollercoaster. Not because it's the best but because it was my first adult rollercoaster over 20 years ago. It's my first love and will always have a special place in my heart.

This will become the park's third roller coaster to close!

Kumba is the best ride going ! They can't take this away ! Wouldn't b the same ! Save our Kumba !!!!💜💜💜💜

Kumba is not only a great ride -- better than many of the more recent coasters -- it is also a fun place to be in the park. You can stand in certain areas while the cars loop under and over you, making that loud roar. It's a fun experience even when you're not riding. Sheikra has some of the same charm. The new Gwazi, the most intense coaster around, lacks that element where the ride blends in with the park -- you don't experience the ride at all unless you are on it. If they replace Kumba, I hope they try to keep that element: non-riders enjoy the feel of the ride as well.

Audio: "You gotta have something even better to take it's place." Video: Volcano followed by ... TUMBLINI Brain: "Alright, I'm out..."

Inspected kumba all over the park. Didn’t notice anything out of the unusual. It was running all day as usual however, I’ll point out that almost every ride had a wait time of over 100 minutes, Busch gardens was incredibly crowded last Thursday. I managed to get on Iron Gwazi and kumba. Kumba had a 20 minute wait, very concerning considering the parking lot has 94% full and it was a massive crowd!!

I don't think they can use the pond area because in Florida you have to have a certain size retention pond for paved area. They may be able to redesign but with the permitting time being delayed, almost a year for certain permits, I doubt they will use that area.

I hope Sea World San Antonio gets a new coaster. That parks deserves some love. It literally is a short drive to SFFT and that park is miles ahead. They need to step up there.

Why would they do that? To me, this is all a lie

I don't think Kumba is being removed, at least not with the information we have currently, but if it is the best replacement would be a Giga. BGT is very Positive heavy. You have Montu, Kumba, and Scorpion, like half of the major attraction lineup. What BGT has nearly none of however is Floater, the most you get is on Sheikrah's drops. A B&M Hyper would be too similar to Mako, the height would be underwhelming with two hypers already existing in the park, and a Mack or Intamin Hyper would likely have inversions when BGT already has plenty. In my opinion, a B&M Giga would be the best replacement. When taking out a fan favorite, you gotta go bigger and better. GP and thoosies alike would froth at the thought of Florida getting a 300ft roller coaster, it'd be an absolute people magnet and generate a lot of traffic to BGT, and specifically that area of the park. If BGT does replace Kumba however, I hope whatever they go with pays homage to it like how Iron Gwazi does its predecessor. Maybe give the ride Kumba's inverted colors? I think orange track amd teal supports has potential to look really nice. The support color would also blend in with the foliage giving the impression of a floating track maybe.

It would be a massive shame to see Kumba go but can completely understand why they might have to remove it.