Photo Gallery: Falcon's Fury Arrives at Busch Gardens Tampa

TAMPA – In June, Busch Gardens Tampa announced that it would be taking thrills to new heights with Falcon’s Fury, North America’s tallest freestanding drop tower. Set to open in spring of 2014, construction has been underway ever since. The Busch Gardens design and engineering team is almost ready to start putting the pieces together.

While smaller components of the 335-foot drop tower have been arriving from several countries in Europe, including Slovakia, Switzerland and Germany, the cylinder sections arrived last week. The vertical tower is comprised of nine sections, each up to 20 feet in diameter and weighing up to 95 tons, or 190,000 pounds.

Falcon’s Fury

No bird can match the speed of a falcon in its hunting dive. The falcon is the fastest animal on Earth, reaching speeds of 200 mph. Designers were inspired by this bird of prey during the development of Falcon’s Fury.  Falcon’s Fury will stand at 335 feet and take riders soaring 60 mph straight down. Located in the Timbuktu™ area, Falcon’s Fury will be visible from any location in the park and even across the Tampa Bay area.

At the ride’s highest point Busch Gardens has added an element of surprise.  Like its bird of prey namesake, riders will pivot 90 degrees in midair to a face-down dive position. An instant later they'll plunge 60 mph at 3.5 Gs straight down with speed and power like they’ve likely never experienced before.

For more updates about Falcon’s Fury at Busch Gardens Tampa, go to FalconsFury.com.