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Montu (roller coaster)
Encyclopedia
Montu is an inverted roller coaster
at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa
, Florida
. Built by Bolliger & Mabillard
of Switzerland
, it is the park's second roller coaster
designed by the company after the success of Kumba
. When the ride opened on May 16, 1996, it was the world's tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster. The ride stands at 150 feet (45.7 m) and reaches 60 miles per hour (26.8 m/s). Previously, that record was held by the Raptor at Cedar Point
in Sandusky, Ohio
. Montu's record was short lived; one year later, it was succeeded by Alpengeist
at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
Montu is named after the Egyptian
god of war Monthu.
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Guests begin their experience on Montu entering through the park's Egypt section. A small midway of games on one end and a replica of Tut's Tomb
on the other end greets guests entering through the area. On the horizon, Montu looms ahead, along with a 50 feet (15.2 m) pylon that houses a gift shop and restrooms. The ride begins with a small dip turnaround out of the station; at one time, this section of the ride had live Nile Crocodile
living below. Because the animals eventually grew too large, they were moved to the park's animal habitat. After the dip comes the lift hill that takes riders 150 feet (45.7 m) into the sky.
The drop then twists down 150 feet (45.7 m) and into a 104 feet (31.7 m) vertical loop
, reaching speeds that go over 60 miles per hour (26.8 m/s). Following the vertical loop, an Immelmann loop comes next, and provides a 'foot chopper' element with the pylon. After completing the Immelmann, the train goes through a zero-G roll. Following the zero-G roll, riders are then flipped upside down twice during the Batwing element (a rare element found on inverted roller coasters, another inverted coaster with a batwing being Afterburn
at Carowinds). Following the Batwing, the trains slow down on the block brake before entering a twisting dive to the right and going through a second, 66 feet (20.1 m) vertical loop and then into sweeping arches finishing off with a corkscrew finale. A final turn brings the train into the brake run. In total, the ride has seven inversions: a 104 feet (31.7 m) vertical loop, an Immelmann loop, a Zero G roll, a Batwing (two inversions), a 66 feet (20.1 m) vertical loop, and a corkscrew.
Inverted roller coaster
An inverted roller coaster is a roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage. This latter attribute is what sets it apart from the older suspended coaster, which runs under the track, but "swings" via a pivoting bar attached to the...
at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Built by Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, it is the park's second roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
designed by the company after the success of Kumba
Kumba (roller coaster)
Kumba is a Bolliger & Mabillard sit down roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, in Tampa, Florida. Built in 1993, it stands tall and has a top speed of 60 mph. Kumba is one of the first in a line of multi-inversion coasters built by B&M, and featured B&M's first ever diving loop...
. When the ride opened on May 16, 1996, it was the world's tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster. The ride stands at 150 feet (45.7 m) and reaches 60 miles per hour (26.8 m/s). Previously, that record was held by the Raptor at Cedar Point
Cedar Point
Cedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
in Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
. Montu's record was short lived; one year later, it was succeeded by Alpengeist
Alpengeist
Alpengeist is a full-circuit inverted roller coaster, built by Bolliger & Mabillard, in 1997 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Alpengeist has an Alpine mountain region theme...
at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
Montu is named after the Egyptian
Egyptian mythology
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature...
god of war Monthu.
Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun , Egyptian , ; approx. 1341 BC – 1323 BC) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty , during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom...
on the other end greets guests entering through the area. On the horizon, Montu looms ahead, along with a 50 feet (15.2 m) pylon that houses a gift shop and restrooms. The ride begins with a small dip turnaround out of the station; at one time, this section of the ride had live Nile Crocodile
Nile crocodile
The Nile crocodile or Common crocodile is an African crocodile which is common in Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Gabon, South Africa, Malawi, Sudan, Botswana, and Cameroon...
living below. Because the animals eventually grew too large, they were moved to the park's animal habitat. After the dip comes the lift hill that takes riders 150 feet (45.7 m) into the sky.
The drop then twists down 150 feet (45.7 m) and into a 104 feet (31.7 m) vertical loop
Loop (roller coaster)
The generic roller coaster vertical loop is the most basic of roller coaster inversions. Specifically, the loop refers to a continuously upward-sloping section of track that eventually results in a complete 360 degree circle. At the top-most piece of the loop, riders are completely inverted.-...
, reaching speeds that go over 60 miles per hour (26.8 m/s). Following the vertical loop, an Immelmann loop comes next, and provides a 'foot chopper' element with the pylon. After completing the Immelmann, the train goes through a zero-G roll. Following the zero-G roll, riders are then flipped upside down twice during the Batwing element (a rare element found on inverted roller coasters, another inverted coaster with a batwing being Afterburn
Afterburn (Carowinds)
Afterburn is a steel inverted roller coaster at Carowinds. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, the roller coaster stands in height and reaches speeds of . When Afterburn opened in 1999, it was named Top Gun: The Jet Coaster.-History:...
at Carowinds). Following the Batwing, the trains slow down on the block brake before entering a twisting dive to the right and going through a second, 66 feet (20.1 m) vertical loop and then into sweeping arches finishing off with a corkscrew finale. A final turn brings the train into the brake run. In total, the ride has seven inversions: a 104 feet (31.7 m) vertical loop, an Immelmann loop, a Zero G roll, a Batwing (two inversions), a 66 feet (20.1 m) vertical loop, and a corkscrew.
Awards
| Golden Ticket Awards: Best Steel Coaster | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Ranking | ||||||||||||