COBRA’S CURSE COILS UP – 80-FOOT SNAKE AND HIGHEST PART OF THE RIDE INSTALLED
There’s a giant snake rising up against the Tampa skyline this week, as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay completes construction on the two highest points of Cobra’s Curse – a menacing snake king icon, weighing more than 13,000 kilograms and a 70-foot vertical lift that will take riders within inches of its 4 foot-long fangs.
Opening this summer, Cobra’s Curse is a family spin coaster which is the only one of its kind in the world, taking riders on a whirlwind adventure of exciting explorations.
Snake King Icon
Dozens of artists united to design, engineer, fabricate and thematically paint the snake icon, creating a centerpiece for Cobra’s Curse that will bring riders just inches from its fangs. Standing at 80 feet tall, with 4-foot-long fangs and eyes measuring almost a metre in width, the icon was constructed of nine stackable pieces with an internal steel spine and an outer shell composed of carved foam and fiberglass.
Vertical Lift
The 70-foot vertical lift functions similar to an outdoor elevator taking riders up in their coaster car and putting them face-to-fang with the snake icon’s mouth. The three-and-a-half-minute ride will also feature a second inclined lift that sets up for the free-spin finale of the ride. The trek will cover more than 2,100 metres of track at 40 mph.
Additionally, guests will be just inches away from the ride’s snake exhibit which will include Jameson’s mambas, Angolan pythons and rhinoceros and gaboon vipers. The design of the multi-level exhibit not only reflects the theme of the ride, but also features several animal husbandry and enrichment components designed with the snakes’ welfare in mind, including naturalistic design elements, controlled heat sources and humidity control.
Be the first to know about new events, special deals and future announcements by following the park’s blog at buschgardenstampablog.com, or “Like” the Busch Gardens Facebook page and follow @buschgardens on Twitter and Instagram.
