As I stand at the top of the drop — 200 feet up — on SheiKra, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's dive coaster, I've got just one question for you: 

Why? Why am I here hanging out double carabiner-strapped to the handrails of a catwalk instead of snugly buckled into a seat on a car preparing for the infamous pause and plunge?

(Ok, fine, that's two questions if you want to nitpick, but it's really the same question.)

It's a multiple choice question:

a) I have no sense

b) I have no sense

c) People will pay to see this behind-the-scenes coaster tour that I'm now previewing

The answer, of course, is c. (And trust me, the Busch Gardens folks already knew I have no sense.)

Emphasis on safety

There are straps and harnesses and staff buzzing all around.

There are special boxes on the rides with buttons locked on a chain of multiple mini-deadlocks, preventing it from starting while anyone is working or touring.

There are signs, warnings and specific instructions.

Oh, it’s fun, but there are major safety precautions.

Getting to enjoy the view on the top of the drop for more than a few terrifying seconds is a pleasure.

Planes are visible taking off at the airport. Downtown Tampa is clear across the city, and I can see it, no problem!

And the only thing taller than us as far the eye can see is the 335-foot high Falcon’s Fury ride in the park.

Employees here walk this area every day, checking to make sure everything is as it should be. Now, you can check it all out, too.

Coaster King

"I actually opened this ride back in 2005," said Norman Snook, Assistant Supervisor of Operations.

If you want to learn the ins and outs of the coaster world, Snook's your man. He’s put in nearly 14 years at the park.

(Montu is his coaster, in case you were wondering.)

Snook is taking groups on a 3-ride tour—from the top of SheiKra to the bottom of Cheetah Hunt to the operator panels of Cobra’s Curse.

"I love coasters and love watching people enjoy coasters," Snook explains. "And I like explaining how they work to those that are curious."

On Cheetah Hunt, we learn that “Run 2” takes guests from zero to 60 in three seconds, all the way up, up, up, and into a “Figure 8.”

How does Cheetah Hunt provide such a smooth ride of terror? The simple answer: magnets.

Magnets make the cars go and magnets make the car stop.

Electricity and copper wires are also involved, which according to Snook generates a lot of heat. That’s why there are large pipes with cooled water along the tracks to keep everything at the optimum temperature.

What else is on the tour?

We also get a look in the maintenance barn, where employers are working on the ride cars.

On Cobra’s Curse, we learn that the station is in constant movement — the ride cars never stop. But from the operator's panel, we can see some them move in special trains for people who may need extra time to get set.

A bank of television screens show different vantage points on the ride, and computers relay where every cart is currently rolling.

Throughout the tour, you are learning and walking up and down stairs, but luckily there is a little rail car that carries you to the top of SheiKra.

And it all ends with a ride on Cobra’s Curse.

Happy touring with the Coaster King. You'll learn a lot, but it's not for the faint of heart.