TAMPA, Fla. – The wait is now over for thrill-seekers at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
On Friday, the theme park officially opened its all-new record-setting roller-coaster, Iron Gwazi.
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For several weeks now, pass members have received the opportunity to ride the attraction that reaches top speeds of 76 mph.
The new ride is the tallest hybrid coaster in North America, and it is the world’s steepest and fastest. The coaster gets the hybrid title by having both wood and steel elements. Guests will plunge down a 91-degree drop and experience a dozen airtime moments, including three inversions along more than 4,075 feet of steel track.
Friday morning, guests lined up as park leaders cut a ribbon officially opened the ride to the general public.
Iron Gwazi was originally scheduled to open in 2020 but faced a number of delays due to the pandemic.
Iron Gwazi will be the 10th roller coaster to join Busch Gardens’ lineup of highly rated roller coasters and thrill rides, including Tigris, Florida’s tallest inversion, SheiKra, a 200-foot, 90-degree drop coaster, and Montu, recognized as one of the top 10 coasters in the country.
Next month, Busch Gardens will open two new water slides at its water park Adventure Island.
Iron Gwazi’s opening comes on the same day that the theme park is beginning its annual Food and Wine Festival.
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