Record Breaking Iron Gwazi Roars Into Busch Gardens Tampa in 2020

Today was the big reveal for Busch Gardens Tampa's new for 2020 Rocky Mountain Construction hybrid conversion of the dueling Gwazi wooden roller coasters... which will now be a single track ride named Iron Gwazi.

The coaster will be North America's tallest hybrid coaster, and the world's fastest and steepest hybrid coaster.  The statistics that allow Iron Gwazi to hold that record include a first hill of 206 feet tall, a top speed of 76 miles per hour, and a first drop at a harrowing 91 degrees, one degree steeper than vertical.

© Busch Gardens Tampa

Iron Gwazi will be themed around the mighty crocodile, with amazing looking lead cars that feature the face of one of the largest living reptiles on the planet.  Elements of the former wooden Gwazi roller coasters will be used in Iron Gwazi, but all new purple steel track will allow for twisted elements that the former ride could not dream of.  Iron Gwazi's track will feature three separate inversions and 12 airtime hills spread among 4,075 feet of track.

“Iron Gwazi is the evolution of a classic wooden coaster into a modern icon,” said Stewart Clark, Park President of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. “From the bones of the original Gwazi, a new legend rises, reaching taller heights and faster speeds, delivering the next-level thrills that our coaster fans crave and expect from Busch Gardens.”

This teaser video for Iron Gwazi was released along with today's announcement, and while it doesn't give a full view of the layout it does show many of the elements previously discovered.  We've already seen a large descending barrel roll and a stall element, with one more inversion hiding in the layout as well.  I'm sure it won't be long before the park releases a full look at what Iron Gwazi will offer.

No doubt, coaster fans will want to make Busch Gardens Tampa one of their stops once the ride opens in 2020!