Get ready adrenaline junkies, because Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is constructing another thrill ride. Cobra’s Curse, the newest addition to Busch Garden’s fun-filled lineup of rides, is set to be a unique experience from the queue line to the exit line.

“This exhibit will give our guests an unforgettable experience,” said Jeff Andrews, Vice President of Zoological Operations.

The highlight of Cobra’s Curse is its revolutionary rotating cart technology. After being vertically lifted seventy feet to the starting point, the ride consists of three parts: a forward portion, a backward portion, and a free spin finale. Riders start off going forward until they reach a point in the ride where they stop and move backwards. The free spin finale involves an unlocking of the cart so that it freely rotates as you continue down the rails.

“We will unlock you, sending you free spinning through the rest of the ride. The intensity of spin depends on how weight is distributed in the cart,” said Andrew Schaffer, Project Manager of Design and Engineering.

According to Schaffer, having an unequal distribution of weight will result in a faster spin, while having a more equal distribution of weight will make riders feel as if they are drifting around corners.

This ride signals a major shift in Busch Garden’s repertoire of roller coasters as the rider experience does not begin when seated in the cart, but as soon as you step foot in the queue line.

Passengers will experience a story as they progress through, and some special serpent friends will aid in overall experience.

“Guests will find themselves walking through a modern-day archaeological dig site of a 2,000 year old temple dedicated to the snake king who will cause havoc with curses he places on passengers,” noted Jeff Hornick, Regional Director of Design and Engineering. “You’ll also encounter a large snake habitat where we’ve got over four species of snakes.”

According to Hornick, the queue line will also contain projection technology that enables passengers to be immersed in the story of the snake king before they step foot on the ride.

With a ride time of over three and a half minutes, a max speed of 40mph, and a lineup of snakes including the Angolan Python and Gaboon Viper, Cobra’s Curse should live up to the hype being put out by Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Riders will get a chance to test it out themselves when the ride opens this summer.

“Busch Gardens is good at many things. Two of those things are showing off animals and showing off rides. We have two of the greatest things here in this ride experience,” Jeff Vaccaro, Busch Gardens Zookeeper, stated.