Gwazi Closing Forever Next Year at Busch Gardens
One of the biggest (and most painful) wooden roller coasters in the Southeast area of the United States will close for good at Busch Gardens Tampa in 2015. While there has been no official announcement yet, Screamscape was able to get an exclusive confirmation directly from a representative of the park. While that will sound like a positive news to many, the confirmation of the coaster's closure was followed by a not-so-exciting rumor.
Screamscape sources tell us that GWAZI will be the latest item cut from the company budget. I’m told that the last day for guests to ride GWAZI will be Sunday, February 1st, 2015. After that it will silently close, but don’t look for it to be demolished anytime soon... as that will cost money that the park doesn’t have. Instead Gwazi will sit as a silent sleeping giant until the park is ready to redevelop the site for a new future attraction. I have reached out to the park for an official comment on this, but so far have heard nothing back to officially confirm this. So for now, it is a rumor, but you’ve got a few weeks left to get your last rides in before GWAZI goes extinct.
UPDATE - Screamscape has confirmed with Busch Gardens Tampa that they do plan on closing GWAZI on or around February 1st, 2015. The exact date may change between now and then however, but the park does plan to make an official announcement with a confirmed final date near the start of the new year.
Guests visiting Busch Gardens Tampa have just over a month to enjoy their last few rides on this monster coaster, but all of us will then have to wait a few years before seeing a new attraction fill that massive area of the park. Early rumors pointed to the possibility of having a new Hyper Coaster replacing Gwazi, but the recent economic developments that have plagued the company may have had an adverse effect on those plans.
That being said, it does not mean that Busch Gardens Tampa has no new additions planned for the next few years. We are sure we will be hearing additional information about them in the near future.
That being said, it does not mean that Busch Gardens Tampa has no new additions planned for the next few years. We are sure we will be hearing additional information about them in the near future.
As someone who only visits maybe once every 8 or 9 years, im not aware of much. would someone please tell me what is going on at the park?
ReplyDeleteTo me i think its an amazing park even tho it could use a few family rides.
also what made Gwazi so rough? i remember it as a fun rride(when both tracks were working. also why did one side stop?
The picture is wrong - Cheetah Hunt
ReplyDeleteCarlos, the picture is actually representing Busch Gardens Tampa as a whole. That said, we are going to change it for clarity purposes. Thanks for sharing that with us.
ReplyDeleteThe original trains tore up the track and even though they added millennium flyer trains a few years ago it was too late,I just rode it about 10 days ago and it was beyond rough.They should seriously reconsider a RMC topper track refurbishment instead of just letting it sit there.If they want to go with a dark ride or hyper to replace it that's fine but hopefully its not 5 years from now.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just Busch gardens but sea world as well both are having trouble making a profit. They know they ain't in the same league as Universal and Disney.
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