One of the original roller coasters from when I used to come here. Originally opened in 1993 and goes 60 mph. The ride goes upside down 7x and is the longest coaster at the park. Wow does that bring back memories. I used to ride this thing all the time when I'd come here in high school. I don't ride these today however now my daughter does! She loves this one and has to ride it every time we come here. My complaint about it is that it never seemed like the seat harness fit me very snug. Being a thinner person I would alway lift out of my seat when taking the loops. read more

Kumba - Amusement Parks Near Me - Tampa, Florida

This is one of the oldest rides. I rode this one time and only had one train running. The wait was not too bad, but operations here can be a little slow, but we had to wait around 20 minutes and we waited for the front just to experience this. This ride definitely needs to go as when we rode it, it was shaky and rattle quite a bit. It was definitely showing its age. I think if they retracked it, the ride would be smooth and not so bad. Anyways I rode this once, but did not ride this again the 2nd day I went here as this was something I would avoid. read more

Threading the needle of a loop before you take it is one way to start a rollercoaster:) This coaster is powerful and full of loops and twists that are sure to get your blood pumping. I say powerful because the car itself feels heavy and you feel the pull towards the earth with every drop. Being at the northern point of the park, you can often ride this with very little wait. read more

This should be my favorite ride at Busch Gardens. Great first drop. And it just flips you over and over in loops, corkscrews, I think a batwing. So much fun. The downside is this is not a smooth ride. Bangs you up a bit. Wish they could somehow make it a bit less rough. read more

Omg Kumba. This review is 4 stars if you ride it once, but I rode it three times today and I have to say that it's rough. It's an incredible ride, but you can feel every bump and it gave me a crazy headache. It's still awesome as heck though. I think it's what, seven inversions, nearly four minutes of ride time, and a great drop at the beginning. This is a great ride! To think that last month I stood on the bridge wishing I had the guts to ride this guy. I will be riding Kumba often this coaster season. read more

It was 1995 - I was in 5th grade and we took a school field trip to Busch Gardens for an overnight trip. There were a couple of firsts on this trip...some of which I would like to share. 1) This was the first time I heard Bone Thugz & Harmony's hit song Crossroads. My buddy AJ had a discman CD player (don't try to age me) with him and he let me take a listen. Became one of my favorite songs. 2) This was the first overnight school field trip that I ever took - and the only one that didn't include me and my buddies plotting how to sneak in booze (it was a simpler time in elementary school - though high school was a lot more fun haha). 3) This was the first time I ever rode Kumba. And the second, third, fourth and possibly fifth - if memory serves me correctly. Kumba will always hold a special place in my heart. Even riding it in recent years I get flashbacks to this field trip and while it's often overlooked by the brand new, shiny rides that have been added since 1995 - it still holds it's own! It is nearly 3 minutes long - has 7 inversions - top speed of 60 MPH and the color combination of the track is one of the best you will see. That aqua and yellow (with some red) is iconic at this point. A quick search turns up that even though it's pretty old as far as coasters go - it's still consistently ranked in the Top 50 (most recently #33) on roller coaster rankings. You've done well old friend. I hope they never decommission you - cause if they do...I guess I'll meet you at the crossroads.............. read more

Kumba is a classic, award-winning roller coaster that has yet to wear out its welcome at Busch Gardens. It's one of the older park attractions yet stands the test of time with its smooth design, intensity, and various roll styles. I always aim for the front half of the train because the back can be a rough ride. read more

This is a damn ride. Ironically the best ride in Busch gardens from a technical perspective is also one of the oldest, as Kumba was built in 1993. It's 144ft tall with a top speed of 60mph and features a diving loops, a zero G roll, a cobra roll, and two interlocking loops. And as if that wasn't awesome enough, another thing this great oldie but goodie has going for it is that it was built...by B&M, today's number one coaster maker in the world b&M is known for making coaster that are smooth as silk and that move like water. They flow naturally, heavily and they feel like a dream, even when they are as fierce as Kumba, trying its very best to tear your senses out of your body. This is, 20 years later, still, in my opinion the best full on sensory overload at Busch Gardens. 5 out of 5 stars for Kumba read more

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This ride, Standing at 140 feet tall, will take you thru a fun, inversion filled ride. With its 7 inversions, including interlocking corkscrews, will have you having good fun thrills. The reason this ride isn't 5 stars is due to its loudness. It's not very rough, but it's horribly loud. The tunnels and ditches hurt my ears, so I would plug your ears during them. Other than the loudness, this is a great ride. I know kumba means roar, which this coaster sure does. I guess your can say it's "theming" . I liked this ride but the loudness really killed the ride. read more

Super fun roller coaster! Surprising and excited! I recommend the front row at least once. It was a tiny bit rough on my head compared to other rides, but I had quick queue and rode it twice and loved it! read more

Good thrilling ride with all the hoops and turns and speed, but that harness can be hard on the ears, physically. Your head rests between the thick harness and all the vibrations and turns makes your head bounce between these causing pain. I try putting my hands on my head to steady and minimize the bounce. That works better. read more

Kumba is one fierce mf. I didn't know B and M could make a coaster with such balls! I rode it 3 times in a row. (It was basically a walk-on, like all the coasters at Busch Gardens on the day we went.) The first time I came off pretty dizzy, which doesn't usually happen to me on coasters, even those with 7 inversions. I seemed to have acquired a tolerance after that, as I didn't get nearly the case of the head spins on my next 2 trips. The third time my father joined me, a cause of some concern for me and a lot for my mother. I recommended to him holding his head slightly forward to avoid headbanging. He held it way forward with his eyes closed the whole ride! He made it through all right, though he complained of the same dizziness I experienced. The third loop on Kumba is a doozy. All in all I loved Kumba, though it rides a bit too rough for my taste, just enough to keep it out of 5 star range. It's the most intense and the roughest Bolliger and Mabillard coaster I've ever ridden, easily. I guess it's like an early album from some indie rock band that sold out to do nice, clean, polished commercial work. Rough around the edges, but rocking out with exurberance. read more

Kumba is the Old Man of the roller coasters at Busch Gardens, since this steel roller coaster was first opened in 1993. At the time this was the tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster in Florida, but of course those records have since been bestowed upon other coasters long after Kumba was up and running. Even though this is a steel roller coaster with a "smooth" track, I still find this ride to be jarring, and it does have a bad habit of making people nauseous. I've watched people with motion sickness totally lose the contents of their stomach on this ride, and the BG crew seems to be constantly cleaning up "biological spills" after Barfing Bertha crawls off this ride on her hands and knees. The name Kumba supposedly derives from the translation of the word "Roar" in an African dialect, but I prefer to think that it's more closely derived from the word "Barf"..... (see above). Kumba begins with a right-hand, 90-degree turn out of the station which leads into a 143-foot-tall chain lift hill. From there you drop off to the left and then launch into a vertical loop around the lift hill. You'll go through a total of 7 inversions including interlocking corkscrews and a zero gravity roll that leaves many people's stomachs wayyyyyyyyy behind. The coaster zips along at 60 mph for just shy of three minutes, and you'll pull 3.8 G's on this ride. It's not my favorite ride in the park, as the coaster tends to slam you back and forth against your padded headrest, and the loops and twist can be very disorienting and bang you around in your seat. Try this ride at night for a very different experience! read more

At one point this was my favorite roller coaster at Busch Gardens and it is still good but not as smooth as it once was, but it still has a lot of great elements and is a lot of fun. I would recommend riding in the front and make sure you keep you head back or you may bang your ears/head against the shoulder restraint. At one point this was the longest coaster on the East Coast, not sure if it still is.. read more

Zumba is a must while visiting the park. We waited in line for maybe 10 minutes and then helped ourselves to a nice seat. Comfortable and smooth ride. We would ride it more than once if we had time. read more

This is the perfect coaster for me because it's high speed with lots of loops and no steep drops. It's my second favorite in the park, after Cheetah Hunt. Lots of sudden twists and turns and at one point it twists so low to the ground you feel like you could touch the grass. Worth waiting in line. read more

This ride was not for me. It is not a smooth ride so you will bang your head throughout. It was three of us and everyone felt dizzy afterward. This one got me a little sick actually. So if you are a kind of person who gets motion sickness on some rides, Kumba is not for you. If you like lots of loops, twists and G-force, and have very strong balance towards crazy motions, then you will definitely enjoy this roller coaster. read more

An oldie but a goodie, Kumba was once known for having one of the largest inversion loops in the country. It's pretty cool to watch, as it roars around you on the entrance bridge. I advise against the back for those who get nauseous. This coaster has lots and lots of loops that make it super fun. It's also amazing in the dark, as it adds to the fun disorientation. read more

The first time I rode this coaster, it made me sick as a dog. I got off the coaster and tried to act like a He-Man in front of the kiddies who seemed to have had not issue with the ride, while all the while I wanted to find a place to puke and curl up in a ball. The second time I rode this, I enjoyed every moment of the ride and felt fine afterwards, so I am not sure what the difference was. This ride has a large number of inversions and corkscrews and is fast. It is a little bumpy for a steel coaster but I really enjoyed it. read more

Solid coaster. Not the smoothest of the looping coasters at Busch Gardens, but a fun time! It had some large, sweeping loops, fun twists and good speed! Busch Gardens has some newer coaster, which I end up ranking higher on my list of faves but I'd still make time to ride this coaster each trip! read more

This is the first ride I rode on arrival to the park. As my friends said it was one of the best in the park. We waited in line about 15 minuets to get on the ride. I thought the ride was short but the climb is nice and the loops are fun and fast. I will ride this ride again but I would save it for last. read more

Here we go folks, number four on my list of favorite rides here at Busch Gardens is Kumba! This is what I would consider the perfect "normal" roller coaster. No gimmicks, just a fun, fast steel coaster with a smooth ride and tons of excitement. At 143ft tall with a top speed of 60mph, it sits in a perfect sweet spot of exciting enough for the coaster addicts, but not so scary that the family would shy away from riding. There are several inversions throughout, but most are big sweeping corkscrews, with only one true loop. The way every turn goes into the next is so well designed and every single motion is smooth as glass. I didn't feel uncomfortably shaken at all during my ride, something certain big coasters can do. I didn't believe it when i looked it up but this is a 25 year old coaster! I does not show its age at all. I had never been to this park before so I kind of assumed it was a new addition. Kumba is hidden over in the Congo area of the park, but its worth a little exploration as it is a must ride on your visit. read more

This is a great coaster and one of my favorites at Busch Gardens. The ride is very thrilling as it has several loops and it goes very fast. My only issue with Kumba is that the large shoulder harness that you pull over your body rests too high up. My head comes right between it so that my ears bang against the harness at every sharp turn. This can lead to a bit of a headache after the ride. read more

Loved this coaster. Lots of speed, twists, turns, loops. Also liked that my feet weren't dangling - sitting firmly on the floor of the car. I did feel a bit like my brains were knocked around in my skull when all done - I guess everything it should be! read more

Everything you expect from a roller coaster, is here. We rode it after Sheikra, so that's probably why I didn't give this 4 stars. But definitely worth the ride. Ride if if you love coasters. You won't be disappointed! But try to ride it first! read more

Kumba is showing her age, but every time I walk across the entry bridge and the coaster goes whirling around me - I remember their ad slogan for so long - "Feel the Roar". LOVE love love this coaster and one of my happiest memories of high school was coming to BG with my physics class. Kumba was still pretty new and BG provided us all sort of data to allow students to take time measurements and calculate speeds, car weights, etc. We also had some awesome "hands on" activities asking us to try and lift our feet, etc. at various points during the ride and then explain the physical forces at work. I still think Kumba has one of the best track designs/layouts of any coaster and the "thrills" are perfectly paced to really make you feel it! read more

This roller coaster is a whirlwind of action packed fun. A ton of twists and turns that will make you forget which way is up! If you consider yourself a roller coaster aficionado, then give this one a try. read more

We started our evening on this coaster at HowlOScream. The line was short and we had a thrilling ride. It was fun and got our adrenaline pumped up for the rest of the night. A good place to start and worm your self up a bit because it is a bit shorter ride than some of the others. read more