New 'Phoenix Rising' coaster opens to guests at Busch Gardens Tampa
TAMPA, Fla. - More screams and excitement will now radiate through the skies of Pantopia at Busch Gardens Tampa, as the newest 'Phoenix Rising' roller coaster officially opened to parkgoers on Sunday.
"You get a great immersive ride, and one thing thats very special about this ride, is that you have onboard audio," said VP of Design and Engineering, Erick Elliot. "So as we're soaring out over through the park, you're going to have this live audio soundtrack that enhances the ride."
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FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez got to experience the thrill front row alongside Elliot, who slowly watched his creation come to life over the course of 18 months. Now, he gets to watch guests climb to a maximum height of 80 feet - before soaring and twisting on the wings of a Phoenix at speeds of up to 44 mph.
"The guest feedback and what we've seen so far has been great. It's actually what we thought it would be. We thought our guests would enjoy, so seeing this live has been great," Elliot said as he watched guests get harnessed in.
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With a minimum ride height of 42 inches, it gives more kids the opportunity to ride with adults.
"It really makes it a great experience for the whole family to enjoy," Elliot added.
Located in the Pantopia region of the theme park, it's now their tenth coaster on site, and now the tallest, longest inverted family roller coaster in North America.
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