It's Official: Busch Gardens' Mach Tower Open

By Eric Pesola Saturday, August 20, 2011

After an unofficial launch Thursday, Busch Gardens’ latest thrill ride — Mach Tower — is officially open.

The ride features a 240-foot plunge, and will shoot riders into the sky at six feet per second as the cabin rotates around the tower pole for a panoramic view of the park. Riders will then reach the top of the pole and plummet to the bottom.

“We know our guests have been eagerly awaiting the debut of Mach Tower,” Park President Carl Lum said Friday in a press release. “During the manufacturer’s initial testing, some mechanical issues were discovered that caused the delay. Now that the ride is open, we are excited to share this amazing experience with our guests.

“We allowed our guests a sneak peek earlier this week and the overwhelming comments have been, ‘It’s been worth the wait.’”

Those who were lucky enough to ride the Mach Tower Thursday flooded Facebook and Twitter with positive postings. A Busch Gardens fan Twitter feed (@bgwfans) announced the unofficial opening yesterday.

Technical problems delayed the planned May 27 opening of the ride. The park eventually ordered replacement parts from the ride’s Italian manufacturer in order to fix these problems.