We got a peek at Busch Gardens Tampa’s new rollercoaster, Phoenix Rising

TAMPA — At first glance, Busch Garden’s latest thrill ride Phoenix Rising appears daunting. With a 1,831-foot track that brings riders to the brink of flipping upside down on an over-banked curve, it reaches an 80-foot maximum height before launching into a series of twists and turns.

The theme park’s 10th coaster, which opens to the public on July 21, mimics the sensation of the legendary phoenix taking flight, complete with echoing “caws” during the experience that lasts one minute and 26 seconds.

Also: The average five-year-old can ride it.

With a height requirement of only 42 inches, Phoenix Rising is a big kid initiation coaster of sorts.

Located in the park’s Pantopia section, it will be first Busch Gardens coaster to have a musical soundtrack as riders fly over the Serengeti Plain. The attraction is themed around four different phoenixes representing various realms: fire phoenix, ice phoenix, jungle phoenix and sea phoenix. Each ride brings a slightly different experience, with audio changing depending on which mythical creature guests encounter.

“We try and fill all the voids of all the age groups that come to the park, which we have a whole range because of us having animals and rides at this park,” said corporate director of project management Andrew Schaffer. “So this is definitely one of those ‘next step rides’ that we’re hoping the kids are going to really enjoy.”

In a state whose biggest theme parks tout Mickey Mouse and Butterbeer, how does Busch Gardens stand out? The amusement park-meets-zoo has more roller coasters than any other park in Florida, relying on animals and thrill-rides to cater to all ages.

“Tampa Busch Gardens is somewhat of a hybrid park which caters both heavily to the local markets ... and into the visitors who come to Orlando to go to Disney, Universal and SeaWorld,” said Dennis Spiegel, aka “Mr. Theme Park,” the chief executive operator of International Theme Park Services, Inc.

Evie and Fiona LaVecchia, who are seven and six-and-a-half years old respectively, have gone upside down on a roller coaster only once before. The Tampa residents attended a media preview event with their parents at Busch Gardens on Tuesday.

Before they boarded Phoenix Rising, operators doublechecked they were tall enough to ride against the height stick. They passed, though the braided pigtails on the top of their heads may have helped.

“(The park) realized early on in their life that the rides were important — the big heavy rides — because they weren’t going to be able to compete, from an investment standpoint, with Disney,” said Spiegel.

Fiona’s mother, Melanie, reached up to pull the lap bar down over her youngest daughter. Riders’ upper bodies remain relatively unrestrained. Fiona’s feet, clad in pink Crocs with Minnie Mouse ear-shaped charms, dangled. She was a little nervous. She and her sister had graduated from the park’s Sesame Street area.

Cat-eye sunglasses safely secured in the loading area, the sisters were ready to feel the wind in their pigtails.

“One of the biggest things about Busch Gardens is they have such large rides, but the height requirements, you have to wait until your kiddos are a lot older,” said their dad, Kirk LaVecchia. “Now we have Phoenix Rising to rope drop, which is really exciting for us. I think this opens up this park for more guests with younger kids to be able to ride.”

The flight was exhilarating.

“Even though the ride height was 80-feet, it’s a lot more thrilling than you’d expect in terms of height,” said Kirk.

Fiona kept an iron grip on the lap bar’s handles for the entire ride.