On October 27th, everything changed.  It was confirmed that North America is finally getting its first dive coaster!  Named "SheiKra," it is so much more than just a Dive Coaster.  While it is taller and faster than any previous dive coaster ever built before, it is the addition of all the other traditional coaster elements that makes the huge difference.

After guest boarding and the restraint check, the three-row, 8-seats-wide train will ascend the 45-degree lift hill.  The additional row of seating will expand guest throughput by 50%, making it able to handle 1,500 thrill seekers per hour.  And everyone will experience the thrills in full view of people on the food terrace.

At the top of the lift, the track curves 180 degrees above the station and the train will stop to allow the riders take a deep breath for the 200-foot, 90-degree drop!  The stop is with the train actually hanging over the edge of the vertical drop.  The other Dive Coasters would then return to the station and ride would be over.  But Busch Gardens Tampa wanted more; a lot more.  After the first drop, there is an Immelman loop - the first inversion on a Dive Coaster.  And it's the tallest inversion in the world.

But they didn't stop there.  Then there is a climbing "carousel" turn, that takes riders back above the station and then they have another 138-foot 90-degree drop that takes them underground, below the splash pool!  The trains have attachments on the back row to generate "rooster" tales as the riders skim across the pond.  All this happens right next to the outdoor seating area beside the new restaurant.  This location necessitated some fine-tuning of the water cups to avoid drenching the food patrons seated close by the water.  The train's running gear will keep dry due to the track being in a trough through the pond.

When we returned in December, the track above the restaurant was finished and the appetizing smell of barbeque filled the air.  The pond had not been finished, but people were already enjoying the outside seating.  It is easy to see where the shore of the pond will be due to the changes in the surface of the concrete.  Work was progressing nicely on the station and the lift hill was climbing ever higher.

The refurbishment of the Stanleyville train station seemed near completion on the outside, but we couldn't see the inside of the building to gauge the progress.  Looking over the site, we were impressed with the compactness of the layout.  This ride will have non-stop action without any pauses between the elements.  Some of the "ancient ruins" theming was already complete; note the picture showing tower built around the supports.  The skilled artists of Busch Gardens Tampa produced all of the theming in-house.

From our perspective, it appears to be a great-looking roller coaster.  We will have to do another report when we finally get to ride our first Dive Coaster.  We can hardly wait!

- Scott & Carol