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After pandemic delay, Busch Gardens teases upcoming roller coaster Iron Gwazi

By Fox 13 News staff
Published  November 12, 2020 12:11pm EST
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
FOX 13 News

Busch Gardens releases point-of-view video of upcoming Iron Gwazi roller coaster

Busch Gardens is giving fans a sneak peek of what to expect when they ride Iron Gwazi, their upcoming hybrid roller coaster set to open next year.

TAMPA, Fla. - Busch Gardens is hyping up roller coaster enthusiasts about Iron Gwazi, its much-anticipated ride that has been delayed nearly a year by the coronavirus pandemic.

Back in March, Busch Gardens began test runs on Iron Gwazi, a hybrid wood-steel ride that will be the theme park's 10th roller coaster.

Iron Gwazi was originally set to open in the spring of 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic brought those plans to a screeching halt. The park closed for three months, but upon reopening to the public, they did not announce new plans for their upcoming roller coaster.

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Busch Gardens now says Iron Gwazi will open in the spring of 2021, but has not yet set a specific date. The theme park posted a point-of-view video to its social media pages to get fans excited for the ride.

Busch Gardens performs test runs on Iron Gwazi, its newest roller coaster

Iron Gwazi, which replaced the wooden 'Gwazi,' underwent testing back in March, prior to the theme park closing for several months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The roller coaster replaces its wooden predecessor, which was simply called Gwazi, and operated from 1999 to 2015.

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According to Busch Gardens, the updated iron version will have riders 206 feet above the ground, reach speeds of 76 miles per hour, and experience a 91-degree drop. The height, theme park officials said, will make it the tallest hybrid wood-steel roller coaster on the continent – surpassing Cedar Point’s 205-foot Steel Vengeance.

"It's North America's tallest and the world's fastest and the world's steepest hybrid coaster," Andrew Schaffer, the Director of Design at Busch Gardens, said in January.