Busch Gardens Tampa Iron Gwazi Passport to Thrills Event, 2/11/22

[Yoshi]

After almost 20 trips to Busch Gardens Tampa since the middle of last year, and looking at Iron Gwazi waiting for it to open, the day was finally here that it was time to ride.

 

The original Gwazi was the worst wooden coaster I have ever ridden. Only the Tiger side was running and it was so rough that had the Lion side been open on my visit in 2012, I would have skipped it.

 

Friday was the Passport to Thrills Event. You had to visit the park 3 times from September to December and then RSVP with a day and hour time slot. Checking in at the ride plaza you got a booklet with spots on the card to be punched. One for the ride, a free photo, First Rider button, soda and bag of popcorn. I thought that meant that you would only be able to ride once but I later found out that meant you could use the Quick Queue line once and then wait in the regular line for more rides. It didn't matter as the ride was a walk on except for the front or back rows. There was also free face painting and a DJ playing music.

 

After a turn out of the station there is the very steep lift hill that slows down as you get to the top of the hill and up to the 91 degree drop. After that there is an overbank. Later on is the death roll which reminds me a lot of Twisted Timber's first drop. The wave turn where you are sideways was another interesting element. There is so much air time throughout the ride just like El Toro. The ride is extremely smooth and fast paced. It is forceful but not so forceful that it isn't re-rideable. I got 4 rides in before going to other coasters in the park.

 

Out of Twisted Timbers, Twisted Cyclone and Iron Gwazi, Iron Gwazi is the best RMC coaster I have tried and also the best coaster in the park. I'm going to have to decide if I like it more than Mako as my favorite coaster in the state but it's going to be in my top 5 steel list.

 

It is a great addition to a park that lacked a coaster with a lot of airtime and I expect it to be a huge hit for the park.

 

After Cheetah Hunt and Cobra's Curse, I saw Cobra's Curse had broken down a few minutes after I rode. Cobra's Curse seems to have a lot of downtime with all the components of the ride like the elevator lift and the cars turning around to face backwards after the first section of the ride.

 

Overall I'm really excited to have a coaster as great as Iron Gwazi is just 30 minutes away and look forward to going back soon for more rides during the annual pass previews before it opens to the public.

 

 

 

 

Montu's new paint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[29yrswithaGApass]

Great to hear that you got on the new Gwazi especially since it seems lines grew dramatically in the following days.
 

This new version is so different from the original that I don’t see how they can consider it the same ride.  They removed so much of the superstructure that it almost seems they should’ve leveled it all and started new.  
 

 

[Yoshi]

I couldn’t believe the pictures I saw on Twitter yesterday of the line to the park’s entrance. 
 

I went back today for a few hours it was under 10 minutes every time I rode. I got 5 more rides in and after 9 rides total I still don’t know what element is coming next.

 

I wonder if they are using the name for marketing or nostalgia even though the ride didn’t have the greatest reputation. The gift shop at the ride’s exit had more Gwazi retro shirts and hats than Iron Gwazi themed items.

 

 

[The Master]

I rode the original Gwazi and it was pretty rough. Can't remember which side I rode.