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Python
Python's double-corkscrew element (chain lift and first drop in background).
Location	Busch Gardens Africa
Park section	Congo
Type	Steel
Status	Demolished
Opened	July 1, 1976
Closed	October 31, 2006
Manufacturer	Arrow Dynamics
Designer	Ron Toomer
Model	Steel Corkscrew coaster
Track layout	Custom
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	70 feet (21.3 m)
Length	1,250 feet (381.0 m)
Max speed	50 miles per hour (80.5 km/h)
Inversions	2
Duration	1:10
Capacity	480 riders per hour
Height restriction	48 inches (121.9 cm)
Python at RCDB Pictures of Python at RCDB
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Python was a steel corkscrew roller coaster at Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa. Built by Arrow Dynamics in 1976, it opened as the first roller coaster since the park's opening in 1959. At the time of its closing, it was the second smallest roller coaster at Busch Gardens Africa. The smallest is Scorpion. It was located in the Congo section of the park, nearby Stanley Falls Flume and Congo River Rapids.

The ride received a repaint in 2003, along with the trains repainted with the park's current logo from the classic Python logo.

Python was permanently closed on October 31, 2006, and demolished for scrap shortly after. Busch Gardens officials have yet to announce what would replace Python. However, the removal of Python is a part of the park's renovation of the Congo section (the largest renovation in Busch Gardens history).

Along with Python, the area's Tiger's Den gift shop, and Python Soft Serve have been torn down as a part of the Congo renovation.

Python was a stock model roller coaster made by Arrow Dynamics, which was a clone of Knott's Berry Farm's now defunct Corkscrew roller coaster (which now operates at Silverwood amusement park in Athol, Idaho).

The ride began when the train slithered out of the station into a short U-turn. Following the turn was the seventy foot tall lift hill. Once the train was at the top of the hill, the train dipped down again into a banked turn. The banked turn then took riders down toward the first drop, which gave a sensation of airtime. Following the drop, the train then ascended a small hill and goes down a turn towards the double corkscrew element.

Following the signature double corkscrew element, the train then went through another U-turn into the brake run.

The land formerly occupied by Python will be used for the park's Jungala expansion

Once it opened, Python was promoted with the tagline "I challenged the Python and lived!" A few weeks after it opened, a 6-foot-6, 340 pound, 39-year-old heart patient challenged the python, and died. The campaign was quickly pulled after the incident.^{[citation needed]}

• Busch Gardens Africa

• RCDB's entry for Python
• CoasterForce's article for Python

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