Montu’s Egyptian-Themed Trenches | Memorable Coaster Moments
Fly through Egyptian-themed trenches like you’re Luke Skywalker making that famous attack on the Death Star on Montu at Busch Gardens Africa (Tampa, FL). I’m no historian when it comes to BGA, but it appears to me that Montu was added to the park in a flat area close to the entrance that may have been a part of the parking lot. Rather than just plop the ride on the flat terrain (like many parks would do), Busch worked with Bolliger & Mabillard to spice up the ride’s layout. Other inverted coasters, like the Batman clones and Cedar Point’s acclaimed Raptor had no interaction with ground and plopping down a coaster on a plot of land had to be cheaper. But thankfully, Busch and B&M went the extra mile.
After the initial swooping drop (that’s a trademark of many B&M’s) and
the opening loop, Montu takes its first subterranean dive as it flies through a tunnel. Then after an immelmann and heartline roll, Montu performs a batwing inversion. Similar to a corkscrew (or wingover) the train rolls over and down into a short Egyptian-themed ditch (pictured above). Later in the ride, the train dips low several more times giving the feeling of Luke Skywalker in the attack on the Death Star.
What do you think of Montu and its theming? Leave a comment below.
July 27, 2008 at 17:17
I loved the montu. I can't exactly remember a lot of the details but it was my first rollercoaster ever (blame my brother and sister for dragging me on that as my first!) in 1999. I'm pretty sure I was scared to death on each of the 7 inversions. Though I am very happy to say when I road it, it still had the crocodiles under your feet!!! That was amazing and the thing that I clearly can remember about it. It's too bad that they had to move them. It really added to the thrill factor, but they were small when I saw them… I don't think I would want full grown crocodile underneath me.