But Rhino Rally wasn’t just about searching for Scooter. At first, the ride had a water portion, and riders would splash through waterways, dodging imaginary crocs and feeling a mist on their faces. The excitement grew so fast that the park created an express line just to handle the massive crowds. Even with all the hype, things didn’t always go as planned. Let’s just say, keeping fifteen-ton vehicles dry and running was harder than wrangling actual rhinos.
Mother Nature-and maybe a little mischief-caused a few bumps along the way. There was that infamous day in June 2001 when one of the cars flipped over because a driver got a bit too goofy on a narrow track. Thankfully, everyone was okay, but the park quickly reworked the pathway and the ride vehicles to keep things safer (and less upside-down).
Over time, those tricky water features proved too watery for their own good, especially as Busch Gardens prepped the area for new thrills like Cheetah Hunt and now Serengeti Flyer. The adventure may have ended in 2014, but for more than a decade, Rhino Rally was Tampa’s wacky, bumpy, totally unpredictable safari-and there’s still a bit of wild magic in the air right where you’re standing.
