Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[coasterfreak101]

If SFA could just take the two Tiger trains off their hands...

[Jew]

Good riddance I say. The park tried almost everything (short of rebuilding the entire thing) to keep it running to no avail. Might as well scrap it and start fresh with a new attraction. I'd be OK with a rocky mountain or Intamin Gwazi 2.0!

[vacoaster09]

^ You mean Gwazi Hunt!

[Vigil]

Oh my God. I am so offended that you would name a ride after hunting Gwazis. I cannot believe you would hunt an endangered species.

[cfc]

^ You mean Gwazi Hunt!

 

How about "Gwazitaca"?

[markysharky17]

I'm hoping for the drop tower that we will have seats like Atmospher at Liseberg!

I so hope they get rid of Gwazi because it is so rough. I was hoping for a RMC treatment but I see that is not happening.... I most definitely would not like to see a Dark ride because every other park has one. I would like to see a new giant coaster replace it and I would like to see some cool flats. Maybe a Zamperla Giant Discovery or something around that idea. There is no need for a Dark Ride because there are so many of them. Florida does not have any Cedar Fair or Six Flags parks so that means BG is are only big coaster park. I hope to see a new coaster and a nice new drop tower very soon!

[HowieP]

I would not mind if Gwazi got torn down. When I rode it my only time in 2005, it was hell. Headache city! Too bad the MF trains didn't help the ride. I think a retracking BEFORE adding the new trains would've helped.

[Dinnwitted]

I'm hoping for the drop tower that we will have seats like Atmospher at Liseberg!

I so hope they get rid of Gwazi because it is so rough. I was hoping for a RMC treatment but I see that is not happening.... I most definitely would not like to see a Dark ride because every other park has one. I would like to see a new giant coaster replace it and I would like to see some cool flats. Maybe a Zamperla Giant Discovery or something around that idea. There is no need for a Dark Ride because there are so many of them. Florida does not have any Cedar Fair or Six Flags parks so that means BG is are only big coaster park. I hope to see a new coaster and a nice new drop tower very soon!

I wouldn't mind if the ride was an Acrophobia clone!

[jarmor]

I had a chance to ride gwazi with my god son last week. He aliked it, actually said it was better than cheetah hunt to him (he seems to have a personal vendetta against it), i couldnt wait for the ride to be over!

 

Do you think they can keep the side currently running and tear down the defunct side?

[coasterfreak101]

^I mean, whatever problems the park has with the ride aren't specific to one side or the other. I'd say, just a guess, that there's next to no chance we'll see one side go but not the other.

[jarmor]

but that makes me wonder, why stop one side if both sides are the issue?

[CoasterPrince]

I didn't think Gwazi was that rough of a ride. I actually enjoyed it. Sucks to hear its days are numbered but at least I got the credit

[markysharky17]

I'm hoping for the drop tower that we will have seats like Atmospher at Liseberg!

I so hope they get rid of Gwazi because it is so rough. I was hoping for a RMC treatment but I see that is not happening.... I most definitely would not like to see a Dark ride because every other park has one. I would like to see a new giant coaster replace it and I would like to see some cool flats. Maybe a Zamperla Giant Discovery or something around that idea. There is no need for a Dark Ride because there are so many of them. Florida does not have any Cedar Fair or Six Flags parks so that means BG is are only big coaster park. I hope to see a new coaster and a nice new drop tower very soon!

I wouldn't mind if the ride was an Acrophobia clone!

 

NO BALL BREAKER!!!!!

[VinTheAttendant]

I absolutely love Gwazi's layout. I'm not so much sad that the ride is (rumored to be) leaving so much as upset that I could not have gotten a ride on it that complements the beautiful layout. My first ride on it about seven or eight years ago was thrilling enough, but my ride last year was just torturous. If anything, I'm more upset that Gwazi has to step down like this, leaving me with such strong mixed feelings over it. Then again, when I get more of a thrill tracing the ride's layout on Google Maps with my finger than actually riding the ride, maybe it is time for Gwazi to retire.

 

I'm curious about the potential Williamsburg woody rumor though.

[Philrad71]

Rebuild the brewery....with better beer.

 

Totally 100% THIS^!!!!

 

I am perfectly okay with them tearing this thing down. It certainly does not live up to ANY of BG's quality line-up of other coasters...at either park. Heck, I would have chosen to keep Python over that coaster!

[Jay20016]

So, with all of these rumors about its potential demise... who has some pickup trucks?

[Cyrbuzz]

Went to the park today, lite crowds very nice weather. I talked to an employee about Gwazi and they didn't know anything about it's fate. She did say the drop tower plans are possibly scrapped due to the ground being unstable for such a structure, whatever that means. So there you have it, Gwazi removal a rumor at this point until someone more reliable can verify one way or the other.

[necoastergp]

^ Most park employees won't tell the truth or confirm/deny rumors per park requests even if they really do know what the future entails attractions wise. Although it is entirely possible what they said is true but I'm guessing they really had no idea.

[Philrad71]

Unless of course, it came from THIS female employee...

Photo courtesy of Flickr

[necoastergp]

^True.

[Uberbluedragon]

You know what they could do that would blow our minds is tear down the tiger side and put in a intamin strata coaster in its place and put the iron horse treatment on the lion side with a lsm launch hill.

 

Also if any has rct3 or nolimits on their computer we need to recreate for posterity's sake since this was the only dueling wood coaster that wasn't a sidebyside design I would do it myself but my harddrive gave up the ghost and I don't have the money to fix it.

 

U.B.D. Over and out

[B&MBoy1982]

I believe the story about the ground not being stable enough for a tower ride.

 

Florida sits on top of an aquifer. The Floridian Aquifer is an underground system of water filled caves and caverns. This is where Florida residents who live in the country get their water. A long pipe is inserted into the ground, and a pump draws the water into the home. (During a storm, when the electric goes out, there is NO running water!)

 

Above the aquifer, is a limestone layer, then soil, then surface.

 

If you dig too deep in Florida, you will hit water.

 

Here is an example:

 

The limestone acts as a natural filter, and the water comes out like this:

 

Now, this did not stop Universal from building two towers side by side. Perhaps because BGT is so close to the Gulf coast, they may want to play it safe.

[televisedconfession]

I believe the story about the ground not being stable enough for a tower ride.

 

Florida sits on top of an aquifer. The Floridian Aquifer is an underground system of water filled caves and caverns. This is where Florida residents who live in the country get their water. A long pipe is inserted into the ground, and a pump draws the water into the home. (During a storm, when the electric goes out, there is NO running water!)

 

Above the aquifer, is a limestone layer, then soil, then surface.

 

If you dig too deep in Florida, you will hit water.

 

Be careful with this information... I can't speak for the Tampa Bay area and am no expert, but Florida is a VERY diverse state with differences in water sources. I'm not saying your information is wrong, but having gone to college in Tampa, and then transferring down to Southwest Florida, I know there are a lot of differences between not only the ecosystems but the land we're on. Gulf Coast vs. Atlantic Coast, North vs. South, coastal vs. inland, ect... It's all very different. That drawing seems too generic to be labeled for all of Florida. Though it's right saying if you dig deep enough you will spring water.

I know the Tampa Bay area has been in the news a lot for having a lot of problems with sink-holes, but I can't imagine that stopping them from building a tower vs. a 200ft Dive Coaster. I'm sure the same concerns have been brought up before. This isn't something new.

[Moose]

Also if any has rct3 or nolimits on their computer we need to recreate for posterity's sake since this was the only dueling wood coaster that wasn't a sidebyside design

 

Lightning Racer?

Stampida?

Dauling Dragons?

[linearinduction]

In regards to a Drop Tower and Soil Conditions. Couldn't they just Drive Piles to Bedrock like a lot of Coasters and Rides? Lagoon has 3 Coasters (one under construction) built on Piles...Wicked, BomBora, and their new "Mega" Coaster.

 

-Sid