Get Caught in the Cobra's Curse at Busch Gardens Tampa in 2016

© Busch Gardens Tampa

As promised, today Busch Gardens Tampa let the cat out of the bag and announced Cobra's Curse, an exciting new family roller coaster for the park's 2016 season that will be located in the Egypt themed area.

The attraction will be an only-one-of-its-kind spinning coaster designed by Mack Rides.  The company is known for its brand of spinning coasters, however Cobra's Curse appears to be unique in several ways.  First, the trains are two linked four seater cars - with riders all facing forwards.  The company's previous spinning rides utilized back-to-back seating and individual cars.  The new trains, at least in concept art form, resemble wild mouse cars that are able to freely spin around.

© Busch Gardens Tampa

The ride is also unique in that it starts with a 70 foot tall vertical elevator-stye lift hill.  At the top of the lift, and depicted above, riders will be faced with an 80 foot tall cobra statue, quite an imposing start to the adventure.

The coaster will hit a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour as it moves over 2,100 feet of track - a very decent size considering rides like Verbolten are 2,800 feet long.  The ride time is stated to be three and a half minutes, also longer than many rides.  From the announcement it sounds like Cobra's Curse will feature sections where the cars are only facing forward, a backwards section, and of course spinning parts as well.  There will be a second lift and several below grade trenches incorporated as well.

© Busch Gardens Tampa

Cobra's Curse will utilize eight separate trains, with each train seating a total of 8 riders at a time.  That means the ride can theoretically hit 1,000 riders per hour which should keep the line moving.  The overall Egyptian theme can be seen in the concept art above for the ride's station area - I love how the cars disappear out through a hole under the operator's booth.  The ride's colors are similar to Mako at SeaWorld Orlando, only reversed, with blue/teal track and purple supports.

Busch Gardens Tampa also released this teaser video for the new ride, showing off some on-ride animation that's worth checking out.  The layout is hard to gather from it, but I will enjoy the mystery for now.  Between the unique features, low 42 inch height requirement and cool theming, Cobra's Curse will be a ride not to miss in 2016.