20 in 2025: SheiKra at Busch Gardens Tampa

We continue our “20 in 2025” series highlighting coasters that debuted in 2005 (just like Coaster101 did!) with a stop at Busch Gardens Tampa for SheiKra — North America’s first Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) dive coaster.

Now, let’s dive into the history of SheiKra at Busch Gardens Tampa.

Before there was SheiKra, there was Oblivion at Alton Towers. The prototype B&M dive coaster opened at the height-restricted park, touting a 65-foot-tall lift hill that stayed below the tree line, followed by a 180-foot-tall drop underground.

The coaster was a “one-trick pony” of sorts with a modest total track length of 1,222 feet. But it set the stage for SheiKra and other dive coasters that would follow.

Years later, the idea behind SheiKra began with a simple concept: a coaster that would make riders feel as though they were plunging over a waterfall. Mark Rose, Busch Gardens Tampa’s then-vice president of design and engineering, envisioned a 160-foot-tall coaster with a splash element. But Busch Gardens leadership wanted something more thrilling.

Following their feedback, Mark upsized the coaster concept’s height to 200 feet, with a vertical drop, inversion and splashdown finale. That was much closer to the SheiKra we know and love today.

In October 2004, Busch Entertainment filed the trademark for “SheiKra,” named after the shikra, a swift African-Asian hawk.

Later that month, Busch Gardens Tampa officially announced SheiKra. Standing 20 stories above the Stanleyville section of the theme park, SheiKra would boast a 200-foot, 90-degree vertical drop. Riders would dangle over the edge of the towering plunge thanks to a holding brake mechanism. The coaster would reach a top speed of 70 mph along its 3,188-foot-long course.

But that wasn’t all — SheiKra would be far from a one-trick pony. The 200-foot plunge would lead the 24-seat train (three rows of eight riders seated abreast) into a 145-foot-tall Immelman inversion.

The coaster would then spiral upward into a mid-course brake run before plunging into a 138-foot drop into an underground tunnel.

After speeding through an overbanked turn, the train would careen into a splashdown pool. Two funnel-like attachments on the back of each train would act as a natural brake, slowing the train and soaking onlookers near the splashdown pool.

Track began arriving in late 2004, and vertical construction began soon thereafter.

By January 2005, the highest section of the track was completed, commemorated with the traditional “topping off” ceremony and evergreen tree.

In April, test runs were underway, and on May 21, 2005, SheiKra opened to the public.

SheiKra Goes Floorless in 2007

In 2007, Busch Gardens Tampa announced a major upgrade: SheiKra would be converted into a floorless coaster, making it the world’s first floorless dive coaster.

The transformation was relatively quick—the ride closed on May 28, 2007, and reopened on June 16, 2007, with new floorless trains.

Riders’ legs now dangled over the edge of each drop. The station was retrofitted with retractable floors to support loading and unloading.

SheiKra’s success paved the way for many more B&M dive coasters in the US and abroad. Griffon opened at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 2007.

SheiKra at Busch Gardens Tampa On-Ride POV

Watch an on-ride POV video of SheiKra below:

Learn more about the other coasters in the “20 in 2025” series here.

Have you ridden SheiKra at Busch Gardens Tampa? What did you think of the ride, and how does it compare to other B&M dive coasters? Let us know in the comments section below.