Cheetah Hunt at Busch Gardens Tampa – Early Reviews & a Video
My pick for the most anticipated roller coaster of 2011 opened this past weekend. The opening wasn’t as smooth as Busch would have wanted and I’m not referring to how it tracked.
According to Tampa Bay Online, Cheetah Hunt was down from 9:30 AM until about 2 PM on opening day due to a sensor malfunction. Thankfully, the issue was resolved and the Cheetah was rocketing riders across the Serengetti throughout the rest of the day. I was eager to find out what some of the early reactions and reviews would be. Here’s a sample of reviews from around the coaster web with a particular focus on some local flavor.
Adrenaline Junkies vs. Theme Park Realists: The Eternal Battle Rages On – BGTNations Forums
A long-running argument is being played out once again as enthusiasts react to Cheetah Hunt’s opening. There are those who feel let down because it wasn’t an intense white-knuckle adrenaline rush. And there are those enthusiasts that consider it a good addition to fill the gap between the kiddie rides/less intense rides like Scorpion and the larger rides like Montu and SheiKra. Reviews here on Florida Thrills Net described it as ”faster than it looks”, “good airtime”, “good hang-time” (during inversion). Other reviewers 
here said “it does not deliver speed” and mentioned “many sections of track that are straight and boring.” Check out BGTNation’s full coverage.
Behind the Thrills Experiences a Break Down
Rachel and Erik from Behind the Thrills posted a myriad of photos and two on-ride videos from Media Day. They received two rides taped by the Cheetah Cam because during one of their rides, the coaster stalled before the final launch section. Rachel said:
“…it was a fun ride. While it wasn’t the most thrilling coaster I’ve ever been on, it was exciting and thrilling all at the same time.”
Check out their first video below and more Cheetah Hunt videos and photos.
And here’s an official POV video of Cheetah Hunt at Busch Gardens Tampa:
My Take
I’m not sure what to say about the extreme vs. fun controversy. The launches looked sort of intense in the animated videos, but it make sense that it’s more of an exciting (not intense) roller coaster. Generally, the most intense rides aren’t so heavily themed and the most themed rides aren’t so intense. If the launches were more intense you’d fly by all those themed areas and you wouldn’t have a chance to see the park from those new vantage points.
I’d love people to compare and contrast Cheetah Hunt to Cedar Point’s Maverick. I haven’t been on either, but I’d imagine that they’re the most easily comparable rides as they’re both Intamin multi-launchers.
What’s Your Take?
Are you one of the lucky ones that has ridden Cheetah Hunt? Let us know what you thought. Vote in the poll below and leave a comment or mini review. Image 1 courtesy of TampaBayOnline, Image 2 courtesy of Behind the Thrills
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May 31, 2011 at 09:55
This roller coaster looks so fun I've been to Bush Gardens in both Tampa and Williamsburg I liked them both, but I want to go back to ride this roller coaster. My favorite part is when they go over that nice river and do the curves very nice and scenic! Looks great!
May 31, 2011 at 11:57
That ride looks so awesome! I wish i could go down to BGT. It seems similar to maverick with all those launch sections and tight turns. And the launches look like they have a very fast acceleration. Looks like a really good ride.
May 31, 2011 at 12:12
I'm surprised that the third launch has enough gusto to return to the station. But they still need to change the name.
May 31, 2011 at 12:35
Can you please do a ROLLER COASTER SHOWDOWN between MAVERICK and CHEETAH HUNT
AND WINDSEEKER AND STARFLYER
June 1, 2011 at 16:06
Oh that would be a good showdown Maverick and Cheetah hunt!!! O_o I agree!!!
August 15, 2011 at 18:37
Maverick vs Fahrenheit would be a good match up, but cc has not ridden maverick, fahreheit, or cheetah hunt.
May 31, 2011 at 12:39
The first bank dosen't look as forceful as I would hope it to be, but POV's don't always do a ride (or ride element, in this case) justice.
May 31, 2011 at 12:42
Looks fun!
May 31, 2011 at 14:52
The reviews so far are exactly as I expected, something really fun yet not terribly extreme. Hopefuly during the offseason or something I can make the long trek down to Florida and check it out.
May 31, 2011 at 18:51
I rode Cheetah Hunt on opening day and day 2 and i intend on riding it every time I go back to BGT (i am a passholder)
Prof.BAM the name cheetah hunt is based on the fact that cheetahs SPRINT when they hunt which means they take off fast and slow down then sprint again. So the name of the ride is completely fitting
June 4, 2011 at 05:44
I think Prof. is saying that the name sound as if it's suggesting 'Hunting a Cheeta" instead of "A cheeta on The Hunt".
May 31, 2011 at 18:59
Who in their right mind gave this a 1!?!?!?!?!?
Anyway, I haven't ridden it yet (too busy), but all of my friends have. Most of them say it's one of the best, if not the absolute best coaster in the park. I'll give my two cents on it soon…
June 1, 2011 at 03:14
It was good, but i prefer Maverick over this. I also thought Kumba and Montu were also better.
June 1, 2011 at 16:08
When I went to BGT I was younger and thus not the required 54 inches so I couldn not ride those. They looked sooo much fun!!! Cant wait to go back in the future!
June 1, 2011 at 05:56
I haven't ridden Cheetah Hunt, but I really doubt it's comparable to Maverick, aside from the obvious stuff-same manufacturer, launch coaster, etc.
Maverick is a violent, wild ride that only someone who truly enjoys thrill rides is going to get off on. I've read more than one enthusiast complaint about Maverick being too rough, and as much as I love it, I totally understand where they're coming from.
Cheetah Hunt looks to be a comfortable and fun ride, the lowered height of 48" seems to support that as well. I have no doubt that I would enjoy Cheetah Hunt, possibly even as much as Maverick, but I don't think it's rational to think of these stablemates as being horses of the same breed.
June 1, 2011 at 13:18
While I haven't rode Cheetah Hunt after riding Maverick this past week it seems you have summed this up perfectly. They might both be Intamin and Launched but not the same beast
June 1, 2011 at 17:12
They're the same type of coaster and they have many similar elements. Cheetah Hunt is probably a toned-down version because Busch wanted a family-thrill (still thrilling, but more broadly appealing). I can't think of any other Intamin launchers except maybe California Screamin that also fit into this category. And Cheetah Hunt looks much better than CA Screamin. Maverick is more comparable to iSpeed or Storm Runner. So yeah, they're pretty similar, but it wouldn't be the best comparison.
June 3, 2011 at 03:26
Thanks for the analysis Aric. I was wondering how they compared. I haven't ridden Maverick, but I don't remember anyone using the word 'family' to describe it.
Now I'm even more curious about BGW's Verbolten. From the theming that's being described I'd have to imagine it'll be closer to the Cheetah Hunt end of the spectrum.
March 16, 2012 at 18:04
Well now that I've actually had 9 trips on Cheetah Hunt I have to say it was by far my favorite coaster of my Florida trip to BGT and the Universal Parks. For me this ride had a little bit of everything. You get some launches, you get themeing, you get airtime, unique figure 8 element, nice twisties that weren't too intense and a beautiful heartline roll. I have to say I loved this coaster. It is extremely fun and something you can ride over and over again. If you look at rides like Maverick and Intimidator 305 they can be so intense that people cannot enjoy them. Cheetah Hunt is basically a toned down version of these rides. I don't really know anyone who has rode this but the letdown seems unusual to me. How many coasters out there are super intense rides? It seems that they are in the minority as most coasters aren't that intense but mostly enjoyable. I know I don't consider Apollo's Chariot or any B&M hypers to be extremely intense but they are my favorite type of coaster. I think I rode a total of 11 coasters on the trip and only one of them was 200ft. I hope we see more coasters like this and I would have loved to see an intamin like this at BGE. Verbolten has a lot to live up to iin my opinion.
August 5, 2012 at 23:07
Yeah, I don't think all coasters have to be super intense to be fun. I have love for some of the less intense thrill machines out there for sure. I really want to get back down to Tampa and ride Cheetah Hunt soon.
August 6, 2012 at 07:48
Part of it may just be that coaster fans hear the words "Intamin launch coaster" and assume that the thing ought to be some sort of monster, rather than just a fun family ride. But that's just a case of misplaced expectations.
June 1, 2011 at 08:02
I rode the Cheetah Hunt and think it's awesome. BUT … the proximity of the ride to the cheetah exhibit is mind blowing. The screaming riders, the loud music on the loudspeakers, loud musicians roaming through the area, the high decibel noise of the guests and the cheetah keeper on the microphone will drive those cats to an early death. I could barely carry on a conversation at the exhibit! Captive cheetahs are notoriously stressful animals and to have them in this environment borders on cruelty. Just because they were hand raised does not mean they can live healthy lives in an amusement park. But who's going to listen to me? It's all about guests and profit.
June 3, 2011 at 13:06
Considering that BGT doubles as a zoo, meaning that there are animals near rides all over the park, I haven't heard about any cruelty complaints relating to the park. Busch has experience in these matters, not to mention that they're in a glassed-in exhibit, which should help the noise concern at least somewhat. If worst comes to worst, the cheetahs could be removed (BGT removed the crocodiles under Montu when it was determined to be too stressful).
June 3, 2011 at 18:09
This coaster has been criticized for being so close to many animal exhibits. I believe it was shown on another site that the lions have a nice little view of Cheetah Hunt and that one Lion was even attempting to chase the coaster. However, I agree with OSM that Busch has plenty of experience dealing with exactly this.
June 3, 2011 at 03:43
I never got to ride the cheetah hunt as i had to fly back to the UK before it opened to the public but i spent quite a lot of time watching it on a test loop… the first concern i had was it's speed, it didn't appear to live up to the hype and seemed to barely make it around the figure of eight… i am going back next year and will ride cheetah hunt but i still think that Busch Gardens has done what Alton Towers did with Thirteen and over-hyped a moderate family ride to be more than i really is…
June 3, 2011 at 17:55
I went opening weekend. I have been on many coasters around the US and I was not impressed. It is not much more than a big kiddie ride. Since Cheetah can reach 70+ mph, so should this coaster. Also, unless you are a child, the train car is cramped.
Fun yes. Great no. Since I live nearby, I will ride it again, but it needs a few changes.
June 4, 2011 at 05:52
Yeah, I think that 70 mph would be a bit more appropriate. As for the train, similar issues are found on the majority of Intamin's coasters, so there's no real suprise there.
June 4, 2011 at 13:12
Busch executives said in an interview on media day that they wanted to keep the ride slower than an actual cheetah. This would show that even though the ride is fast, the thing the ride is based on is faster. A little stupid if you ask me, but it seems Busch did this to give guests a whole new appreciation of the animal.
June 5, 2011 at 11:52
Just rode on Cheetah Hunt this morning as BGT has a VIP hour for passport holders going on each weekend in June. I actually enjoyed it a lot, but I have to say that the launches are quite overrated. Each of the three launches are EXTREMELY short-lived. But in turn, there may have been a benefit to that. RIDE SPOILERS FOLLOW!!!
The first launch out of the station gives you a good jolt, but the gentle hill after the first turn kills all of your speed. BUT, the drop off the first hill into the trench is surprisingly fun due to the slow speed. The second big launch is through the trench and up the tower, but again, by the time you reach the top of the tower all of your speed is killed yet again, although you get a bit of airtime as the train crests on top of the tower. The figure-8 is as slow as it looks on the videos. The GOOD thing though is that since you're going so slow, you feel every moment of the drop back down into the trench. My favorite part of the ride hands down (plus photo op at the bottom of the trench!).
The next bit with the S-type dive over the skyride and under the train tracks gives you some surprising floaty air time with the speed being relatively low (compared to the hype). The heart-line roll was also nice. However the brake-run followed by the trick-track section in the old Rhino Rally water area was probably the most boring part of the ride. Third launch had potential, but again you lose so much speed by the top of the airtime hill that it ends up being a letdown from what it COULD have been (although still a good amount of airtime). Rest of the course is standard fare with a bunch of curves and banks back to the station.
Overall, I'd give it a solid 8.5 and plan on riding it every time I'm out there. It could have easily been a 10 if it were allowed to have a bit more speed.
June 5, 2011 at 17:14
I just got back from Florida today and I got to ride Cheetah.It was a major letdown.It was the most highly anticipated coaster for me this year and I was let down.The ride is not anything like Maverick as far as the intensity goes.I would say that it is a family launched coaster that anyone can enjoy.This was confirmed for me when I got to speak to the enginer and designer of I-305 and we asked them about Cheetah and they said that they intended it to be more geared for the family as to just an all out intense coaster like I-305 or Maverick..
June 9, 2011 at 17:26
I went yesterday on my 8th Grade Field Trip and we went straight to this and it had a 60 minute wait. We put our stuff in the lockers and then it had an 80 minute wait. Then we used the restroom and it had a 90 minute wait. IT WAS WORTH IT!!!!!!!!! I sat in the back and experienced a lot of air-time! This has to be my favorite ride at Busch Gardens Africa, Tampa Bay, Florida with SheiKra being second (it's too short)!
June 20, 2011 at 07:53
Just rode Cheetah Hunt on Sat. 6/18. Just looking at the ride, my impression was to compare this against Universal's Rip Ride Rockit. I have ridded Sheekra enough times to know this wasn't at that level – but was hoping for another 'decent' coaster ride. Cheetah did not disappoint. I can honestly tell you it was a very satisfying ride with enough twist and turns to satisfy everyone. I love the launches into the vertical lifts – that was a major plus. I'm sorry to compare this to Rip Ride Rockit but they are somewhat similar on the "thrill" scale. Let me be honest, Cheetah Hunt is way ABOVE and beyond Rip Ride Rockit on the satisfaction scale. Another thing I loved was the restraints on Cheetah Hunt – nice and secure over the shoulders without suffocating me. And the handles on the lap portion are a major plus. Great job Busch Gardens on this ride – I will be back many times !!
June 20, 2011 at 16:51
Thanks for the review DG. I could see how Cheetah Hunt would be on a similar thrill level.
June 21, 2011 at 13:02
Rode Cheetah Hunt today. Let me just say, it is nowhere near as intense as Kumba, Montu, SheiKra, or even Gwazi. However, as my first Intamin it did not disappoint in a single way. It was very fun, and I loved the amount of airtime on it. The theming was incredible, and it feels much faster than it looks. So while it definitely was not a white-knuckle adrenaline rush, it is a great coaster and a wonderful addition to the park.
June 21, 2011 at 17:30
Having a gentle-ish ride is Important to the lineup of the good park IMO.
June 21, 2011 at 13:42
I have read many reviews of Cheetah Hunt and watched a few POVs and I know that a POV doesn't usually provide you with an accurate ride experience, however in all the reviews I've read no matter how mixed, they all state the obvious: Cheetah Hunt is aimed at families or guests seeking a moderate thrill. Now I said all that to say that maybe a Maverick vs. Cheetah Hunt "showdown" wouldn't really be necessary. Now before all you get enraged and start throwing things let's consider the obvious, Maverick was built with intentions on being intense. Unlike Cheetah Hunt, Maverick is not for guest seeking a mild, family attraction, it is a white-knuckle thrill machine. Just because they are both built by Intamin and are Multi-launching coasters doesn't mean that they were intended to provide a similar ride experience.