MONTU

Busch Gardens Tampa

Montu has done more to enhance my appreciation of suspended looping coasters than any other coaster I have ridden.  (Although I hated Alpengeist, which features similar elements, I suspect that I would like it now that I have come to appreciate multiple inversions.)   From start to finish, the ride is replete with thrills.   After making a left turn out of the loading area, the train climbs 150 feet, plummets 151 feet on a curve and rockets the riders into a 104-foot vertical loop.   The ride features a total of 7 inversions, including 2 vertical loops, Immelmann loop, zero-g roll, Batwing and corkscrew.   The inversions are intense, especially the Batwing, the airtime insane. (Although the maximum g-force is 3.8, less than that on some other coasters I’ve ridden, it feels like more.)  As to the Batwing – a double rollover sort of like a cobra roll in reverse – I loved it, loved it,  loved it!  Another high point of the ride was the low point, when the train was travelling at 65 mph close to the ground.   For this type of coaster, Montu is probably about as good as it gets.  4  out of 5 stars.  First photograph taken by Suedepop, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.  (As you can see, my own photograph is less than optimal because it was taken at dusk.)   For more information about rides at Busch Gardens Tampa, visit seaworldparks.com/buschgardens-tampa/