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Busch Gardens Tampa: General Discussion

The park was busy and when arrived nearly got a quick queue pass, however decided against it and glad we didn't as while busy most ride queues were short. Montu was on two trains and was virtually walk on. Kumba was also also on two trains and 5-10 min wait. Sheikra was on 4 trains and less than 5 min wait. Biggest queues were cheater hunt with 4 trains was about 40 min and 30 mins for Falcons Fury. Certainly didn't feel like we was seeing Merlin penny pinching, expect maybe park only open until 6 despite being still really busy, but has always been same this time of year so nothing new.

However I do agree Seaworld there was Merlin style cutbacks and could tell the difference from last visit (wasn't helped by fact has been our only overcast and rainy day! Things always seem better in The sun!). If it wasn't for manta I would give seaworld a miss and might do if visit orlando again.
 
Fair enough - you obviously visited Busch on a busier day than I! If you can imagine how you felt about SeaWorld cutbacks and apply that to Busch you get a similar experience to what I had.

Having said that I understand why everything was on 1 or 2 (in the case of Cheetah and SheiKra) trains as it was very quiet. Yet it made what could have been walk on rides have 10-20 minute queues.
 
Managed to ride it on 16th August when I went - I was so lucky. It was shut when I got there but you could see they were testing with staff throughout the day. It had been a terrible day for rides, we'd been there 3 hours and not got on anything due to storms even avoid a parking charge due to "code purple" !

Soon got wind of the fact they were doing a soft opening, and was lucky enough to get on the second "batch". Was awesome, and the view from the top - even without my glasses was amazing!

I believe it was shut for a few weeks after that day, or at least not open every day so I was extremely fortunate!
 
Is it awesome because it's scary or awesome because the drop is intense/good?

This project has interested me very little.
 
I would say both, I am sure there is prob more intense drops out there but the unique way you drop creates a great feeling and is a very thrilling ride overall. I enjoyed it more than any other drop tower I have been on.

From what heard and seen since finally opening it seems to be a reliable ride, with not that many breakdowns for a new prototype ride (well after the delay in getting it open in the first place). I imagine this will be a success for Intamin.
 
BGT have confirmed to Screamscape that Gwazi will close at the start of February next year. It is not expected to be demolished until they have plans to redevelop the site though as they can't afford to just knock it down! I'm sure someone could lend them a stray match...

:)
 
Gutted. Sort of.

I'd wanted to ride this with the Millennium Flyer trains as I only rode in 2010 with the PTCs.

:(
 
It's one of very few coasters that gave me a banging headache and made me feel sick so I'm not at all fussed. I just hope they replace it with something good in 2016!

:)
 
Craig said:
You *really* didn't miss much ;)
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I quite enjoyed it in 2010. It was rough as hell but at least, unlike Stampida, the layout was half decent.

Oh well!

I am sure this is entirely down to cost saving...
 
I don't recall it being rough at all in 2010. Far from glass smooth but it was hardly the headbanger being described.

It should be down to being replaced by a new coaster, but as far as I'm aware the plan has now gone down the pan.
 
It's pants, nobody will miss it.

Writings been on the wall though since they closed half of it anyway!
 
Good, in October it was just plain bad. I'm sure at some point in history, it will have been a great coaster (particularly with both sides running) but neither the enthusiast nor the everyday guest can enjoy a ride as painful as Gwazi.
 
I throughly enjoyed it and will actually miss it. Perhaps I just find people's definition of rough to be exaggerated, as I fail to find Saw rough also.

The only positive I had in Gwazi's demolition was the various coaster rumours to replace it, but even that has now gone down the pan. With Falcon's Fury suffering a catastrophic start to its life and now this setback, I really hope Busch Tampa isn't going to seemingly succumb to the ways of Williamsburg.
 
In 2012 I tried it for the first time (both sides) and thought it was great fun.
Fast-forward to last month and it wasn't comfortable in the slightest; front or back. :/
 
Danny said:
The only positive I had in Gwazi's demolition was the various coaster rumours to replace it, but even that has now gone down the pan. With Falcon's Fury suffering a catastrophic start to its life and now this setback, I really hope Busch Tampa isn't going to seemingly succumb to the ways of Williamsburg.
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If new coaster plans have gone down the drain then I fear they already have. I feel that were the ever growing investments from parks in Florida BGT are really due a big new coaster in 2016, especially with Gwazi closing.

However SeaWorld Parks & Entertainments appear to be in dire straits at the moment, moreso than Merlin. I get the impression that all their money is going on the improvements to whale environments at the SeaWorld parks living very little for anything else. The Busch parks deserve far far better.

:)
 
New from Screamscape of budget cuts at the park. Looks like Rhino Ralley is now dead and burried:
Screamscape said:
Are you ready for the latest attraction to get budget cut? This may be one that you already forgot existed, mainly because it has been a Summer only thing for the past couple of years. According to our source Rhino Rally is said to be no longer a thing and will no longer return for the busy summer season. According to one rumor, the big Jeeps themselves may have been sold off and removed from the property, but if any insiders can refute this last park and confirm that they are still there, I'd love to know as previously I believe they could be spotted from the Skyride.
It may be interesting to note that the Elephant habitat, an area that the ride previously traveled very close to, was recently said to be modified to allow for the park to add a new large addition (a large male Asian Elephant named Spike) to the herd. Given the costly nature of Rhino Rally operations that require a staff of many drivers plus, daily fuel, plus intense maintenance on the vehicle fleet, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Rally come to an end. More when we find out.
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Really pains me that the Busch parks are suffering so badly, SeaWorld P&E should sell them to someone who can actually afford to operate them properly. I fear that the days where the parks invested in top class thrill machines on a relatively regular are now over.

:)
 
It's been rumoured for such a long time now that Rhino Rally was going to face the chop, but I think that's been unavoidable since they demolished the highlight of the ride for Cheetah Hunt. It's a sad moment as for me, the ride was the signature attraction of the park when it was up to full standards.
 
Indeed, Rhina Ralley was great fun when I rode it in 2009. Brilliant for the whole family. I wish we had a new coaster at BGT to look forward to in 2016 but it doesn't look like that is going to be the case either.

:)
 
Wasn't running last September, in fact I didn't even know it existed until I read about it after returning home lol...

Bloody Blackstone.
 
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