The ride
Phoenix Rising is a steel inverted roller coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard on its Inverted Coaster – Custom platform at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Pantopia, Florida, having opened to the public in 2024. After 2 seasons of operation it remains one of the defining attractions on the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay midway, drawing repeat riders who track every subtle change to its trains, restraints and station soundtrack.
On paper the ride is a serious thrill machine. It climbs 80 ft above the park before pitching forward into its first descent. Trains reach a top speed of 44.0 mph before the first turnaround, where the layout opens up into a sequence of lateral and vertical elements. In total the track stretches 1,831 ft, giving the experience a distinctly long-form feel rather than the punchy one-and-done character of many modern compact coasters. enthusiast trip-planning resources
Coasters from Bolliger & Mabillard have a recognizable signature in track shaping, train design and the way transitions are paced. Riders familiar with other Bolliger & Mabillard installations will pick up on the same DNA in Phoenix Rising's layout, particularly through its station design and the sound profile of the running gear. As a Inverted Coaster – Custom, it sits within a recognizable family of attractions and benefits from years of refinement applied to similar installations elsewhere.
Plan to ride Phoenix Rising early in the day or during the final hour before park close, when standby waits at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay typically drop. Single-rider lines and early-entry ticketing programs, when available at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, are usually the fastest ways to get repeat rides on a busy day. broader coaster community archives
In CoasterVault's ranking tables, Phoenix Rising currently appears in our 29th position for longest tracks lists, reflecting where its core stats place it among operating coasters in the United States. These rankings move whenever a new installation opens, so the position should be read as a snapshot rather than a permanent record.