Ok, as a Tampa resident, I made this my first new attraction of the year and got my first ride on today.
First off, I am a part of the camp who hates snakes and doesn't want to be anywhere near them. Having said that, I braved out the queue and I must say that there is little to worry about. Unless I missed something, there was only one tiny viewing area that you likely won't spend more than 5 minutes in front of. So if you don't like snakes but can handle a glimpse of them, you'll be fine.
As for the queue itself, it is far and away the best in the park. The entrance is very impressive in person and probably awesome looking at night. The story was kind of hard to follow, but the idea is that you'll be riding as recruits to help a crane remove the head of the Snake King (whose name I missed). The theming is top notch for a SeaWorld park and really feels like an temple expedition with crates, artifacts, and whatnot. Before you reach the end, you'll reach a room with a 3D carving of the Snake King that comes to live and tells his story via projection mapping. The concept is cool and I saw two different versions (I believe there are 5), but towards the end of each scene, the room lights up, which kind of ruins the effect. However, it also gets bonus points for using AC, something lacking in all the other rides.
When it came to the ride, I timed each dispatch of 8 people at 30 seconds, so there will indeed be some pretty long wait times when Quick Queue is in full effect. Unfortunately, due to the uneven weight distribution my car had with only 3 people, we didn't get a full revolution during the free-spin portion. Also, there was nothing that really stood out during the rest of the ride. However, it was still a very fun ride and definitely one I'll do again. Families will love it.
The gift shop was pretty standard fare with toy snakes, liquid "venom candy", and archaeologist gear. The on-ride photos weren't up and running just yet, but I'm sure they'll be ready for Friday. The outside area is a delight with the nearby games and area getting a much-needed facelift. There's even a water panning for little ones to play with while waiting for the rest of the family to get off. Like the new Hulk flavor at Universal, I did notice a new Cobra's Curse flavor for the Coke Freestyle machines, but I didn't get a chance to try it.
Final Scores:
Queue: A
Ride: B-
Surroundings: A-
Overall: B+, a solid family addition to a park full of headlining attractions.