I don't have a ton of details yet, but I'm under the impression BGT is looking to replace the Jungala area with a new attraction for the 2025 season. I'm unsure how the (relatively) nearby sinkhole impacts this, but keep your eyes on this space...
Rumor Busch Gardens Tampa Project 2025 (?): Jungala Updates/Replacement
- Thread starter Python_Survivor
- Start date
Seeing this land dormant for years screams something planned in the near future. I believe if not for covid we'd be experiencing an attraction there right now. Without a ride removal, this is the only area of the park that could be developed into a major coaster. I must say, when Islands of Adventure debuted in 98 BGT countered with Akbars Adventure Tours. I'd love to see their thought process be anywhere near that vicinity come UEU 2025...
Allegedly a family woody was being tossed around, but I doubt that would come to fruition
Not to sound like a total thoosie, but what are the odds this could finally be that Giga Coaster long rumored for the park? Especially with Epic Universe opening, they need something to compete with Universal
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Having recently visited BGT for the first time since 2011 and being profoundly disappointed in how much the park experience has deteriorated, I can confidently say BGT does not need another coaster anytime soon. The park is severely lacking in variety in its attraction lineup.
Since my 2011 visit, BGT lost many different types of family attractions:
- A family safari ride in Rhino Rally
- A long, scenic boat ride in Tanganyika Tidal Wave
- A sprawling family play area and collection of animal encounters in Jungala
- A walk-through attraction in Tut’s Tomb
- Various animal exhibits including Curiosity Caverns
- Any atmospheric or thematically relevant live entertainment
By midday at the park, my GP friends — all of whom enjoy coasters — were bored. Their complaint: there was nothing to do but ride coasters. We enthusiasts anppreciate even the subtlest differences in types of coasters, but at the end of the day, they’re all just trains hurtling around a steel track.
BGT used to be a world to experience. Now it’s a park to ride coasters. And now they’re adding yet another coaster! Before they even think about adding the next one, they need to remember that a key ingredient to a great theme park — especially one as much built on adventure and exploration as BGT — is variety.
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I could not agree more! They have coasters, two water rides and two fairly extreme "flat rides". And now two transportation rides again, which is fantastic!
They have ZERO typical flats anymore that i saw in December. Plus as you mentioned reduced animal experiences. And their coaster lineup cannot handle the crowds. They need to fix Jungala as a second kid location and open several flat rides/ dark rides/ or even walk through experiences.
We need some kind of source or specific info, otherwise this is just another rumor
"Confirmed" was a weird word to use in that context, but I think @Akbar97 is really just passing along a rumor. Nothing wrong with that.
I'm unable to disclose the person or position, don't want to risk anyone's well-being. But I did want to share with you some information I was recently told. Not much detail was given, but this has never been told to me before. I have a close relationship with this person and they have no reason to embellish or make this up. This source has been accurate on both phx rising and skyride reopening date. Obviously take it with a grain of salt, but I can assure you those words weren't without merit.
I've only been to BGT twice during regular season and I agree with the park does not need another coaster. All 3 east coast parks do not need more coasters, they need decent flat ride packages. The killing off of dark rides for coasters is not cool.
If someone has some sort of evidence they can't post publicly but want to have the information validated on the public record, we're always happy to do that. In this case though, it sounds like @Akbar97 has just had a rumor relayed to him and he just wanted to pass it along here. Nothing wrong with that.
Rumors of all kinds can prove correct. You all wouldn't believe some of the people/places who have provided good info super early on to me previously. Just make a mental note of what @Akbar97 said and keep it in mind over the next couple years. @Akbar97 gets bragging rights if he was right and, slowly, if that keeps happening, people should probably start seriously listening to what @Akbar97 is hearin'. That's how reliable insiders are eventually IDed by the community.
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"Big" and "dark" might not be a guarantee but I'm going to hope against hope that this really does mean some form of dark ride (at least some sort of indoor ride) is coming soon. As others have emphasized, this park has virtually nothing to do whenever it rains--which occurs 178 days (49%) of each year--and next to nothing for non-coaster riders to do even in good weather. That's just an unacceptable state for any theme park to be in, and it's really sad that BGT has devolved to this level after so many years of having an excellent variety of quality rides, entertainment, and atmosphere catering to every type of guest.
Rant aside, it'll be interesting to see if/how this rumor factors into the future of Jungala. I'd hate to see the park lose such a unique land that provided an excellent place for kids above Sesame Street age and below thrill ride age, so hopefully anything new in the area still preserves the parts that were executed well like the play area and builds something strong in place of the parts that were forgettable *cough* Chick-fil-a
Rant aside, it'll be interesting to see if/how this rumor factors into the future of Jungala. I'd hate to see the park lose such a unique land that provided an excellent place for kids above Sesame Street age and below thrill ride age, so hopefully anything new in the area still preserves the parts that were executed well like the play area and builds something strong in place of the parts that were forgettable *cough* Chick-fil-a
From Midway Mayhem’s latest video: we officially have our (first?) survey marking in Jungala.
This area has to be next, its long overdue. But I understand they are trying to fix up each area of the park one at a time so you have to be patient.
Hate to sound like this thoosie but I’m still hopeful for the giga. Last I’ve heard from folks I know well who are very plugged into the future plans of the park (and work there), it is very much still on the table as the next coaster the park intends on adding, and Jungala is the very obvious place to build it to get more foot traffic back in to that area of the park. I don’t know if the sinkhole that occurred out on the retention ponds changes the calculus at all but I’ve heard it’s still possible.
Don’t take this as confirmation that a giga is absolutely happening, but I do have faith. Beyond that, I’m not sure of any potential manufacturer, opening year (2025/2026), layout path/potential stats. My tinfoil hat theory (that I remember reading about awhile back somewhere but can’t remember where and don’t want to quote anybody on) is that SEAS has a multi-coaster deal with B&M in place agreeing to add all of these prototype models to their parks (Pipeline/Penguin Trek/Phoenix Rising/BGW 2025) as incentive for a discount on a colossal addition like a B&M Giga and potential other major additions to other parks. We all know how much this chain loves saving money and it does make a lot of sense.
That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised whatsoever if this ends up just being a general refresh of the area, maybe a few flats here and there and just giving Jungala a major facelift. This park needs to improve in many different aspects outside of their coaster lineup, and breathing new life into Jungala would be a great place to start. But if the Giga prevails, I don’t see anywhere else in the park it could be added other than here.
Don’t take this as confirmation that a giga is absolutely happening, but I do have faith. Beyond that, I’m not sure of any potential manufacturer, opening year (2025/2026), layout path/potential stats. My tinfoil hat theory (that I remember reading about awhile back somewhere but can’t remember where and don’t want to quote anybody on) is that SEAS has a multi-coaster deal with B&M in place agreeing to add all of these prototype models to their parks (Pipeline/Penguin Trek/Phoenix Rising/BGW 2025) as incentive for a discount on a colossal addition like a B&M Giga and potential other major additions to other parks. We all know how much this chain loves saving money and it does make a lot of sense.
That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised whatsoever if this ends up just being a general refresh of the area, maybe a few flats here and there and just giving Jungala a major facelift. This park needs to improve in many different aspects outside of their coaster lineup, and breathing new life into Jungala would be a great place to start. But if the Giga prevails, I don’t see anywhere else in the park it could be added other than here.
B&M
Greater than 325
This giga is *probably* a prototype model in and of itself from what I've heard...
Keep your eyes out in this area....