Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[coasterbill]

I can't believe there's gonna be a giant kickass RMC at the same park as Cheetah Hunt, Kumba, Montu, Falcons Fury and Sheikra.

 

[DoinItForTheFame]

I’m still LOLing at it being 1ft taller than Steel Vengeance.

[A.J.]

At least based on the concept art, the purple / dark green / light green / yellow color scheme looks really good. It'll be fascinating being able to keep up with the construction of an amazing new coaster for once, since I go to Busch Gardens pretty often.

[pǝʇɹǝʌuı]

2020 may just be the year I make a trip to Florida; these rides are gonna be great! Ngl, tho, all the park guests are gonna think Gwazi means crocodile. Definitely an interesting choice of name.

[WolfBobs]

I doubt the average park guest knows or cares what Gwazi means. Or Kumba or Montu for that matter. It's just a name for a ride.

[better_by_design]

48" height restriction is great, glad to see something else in the park under the B&M's. I can't wait to take my kids next year for the first time!

 

YES! This exactly! My kiddo is way past Rollerskaters, but it'll be a couple more years before we get to 54", let alone him wanting to do 7 loops... but he is going to be super excited about Ice Breaker!

[better_by_design]

I can't believe there's gonna be a giant kickass RMC at the same park as Cheetah Hunt, Kumba, Montu, Falcons Fury and Sheikra.

 

 

It's a heck of a collection!

[jschmitty]

God, that name is horrible. Either come up with something new or just leave it as Gwazi.

 

Exactly! I'm so confused how a crocodile is the theme of Iron Gwazi. Gwazi means Tiger's head and Lion's body. So....

 

An African Swahili name meaning beast or something similar would have been better. Like how Kumba means roar.

 

Busch Gardens has failed at naming ever since Cheetah Hunt, which should have been named Cheetaka. Their branding fits so much better with one word names. Their next coaster will be named "Hang Gliding Safari Adventure" and the theme will be a Flamingo, lmao

[jschmitty]

I doubt the average park guest knows or cares what Gwazi means. Or Kumba or Montu for that matter. It's just a name for a ride.

 

It's poor marketing and doesn't fit their brand. Makes it look like they hired a marketing team from craigslist. I mean, at least have the logo and theme be the old Gwazi logo but in a steel shiny emblem so it looks like it's made of iron.

[Ed Farmer]

I can't believe there's gonna be a giant kickass RMC at the same park as Cheetah Hunt, Kumba, Montu, the pretzels by Falcon's Fury, Falcon's Fury, and Sheikra.

 

[jschmitty]

To keep in line with their African inspired names, such as Montu, Sheikra, Kumba, etc., a better name would have been Twisted Mamba since Mamba in Swahili means crocodile and their theming this after a crocodile. There's no sense in naming it Iron Gwazi (NOT saying I don't like the name because I do) when it's being themed after a crocodile and Gwazi was themed around being a hybrid of a tiger/lion creature haha but, I do love that they're paying homage to the original coaster by keeping it's original name, nonetheless. I'm totally digging what we could see of the trains and the logo looks awesome, too! That purple track with the green trains is going to be a sick contrast. This is gonna be a HUGE hitter for BGT! It looks bad ass for sure. I'll definitely be making my way down there next year!

 

Totally agree. The crocodile doesn't make sense. Iron Gwazi isn't a bad name, but at least make the logo an iron looking version of the original Gwazi logo. The logo for Iron Gwazi looks so low quality. As a graphic designer of almost 20 years experience, including designing for Orlando theme parks - I'm disappointed in the logo. Like, all their other coaster logos look awesome. I don't understand what happened with the marketing for this.

[coasterbill]

Nobody is going to care about the name or logo once the ride opens. People just get used to it, associate it with the ride and move on. I know I've used this example before but there is currently an honest-to-god ride at an honest-to-god theme park in Ohio named "Mystic Timbers" and people are just totally okay with that and act like it's normal and it's a normal and fitting name for a thrill ride. Once you get used to the name, nobody cares or even thinks about it (good or bad).

Edited September 12, 2019 by coasterbill

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

^Exactly. And even though most enthusiasts hate the name "Cheetah Hunt", in my summer spent at Busch Gardens I don't recall even once hearing a camper, employee, or GP say, "That name sucks, they should have gone with something more in theme."

[robbalvey]

FFS people. They announce this super kick ass looking coaster and everyone is bitching about the name. OK, fine, the name isn't amazing, BUT... I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision of "going with something totally new" like Steel Vengeance or sticking to the roots of the coaster and tying that in with the original name. Honestly, we have been all been calling it "RMC Gwazi" or "Gwazi 2020" for almost TWO YEARS now, so why change that?

 

You also have to keep in mind your "average" park guest. People who are not in the know, or people who may have not visited the park in ten years are going to look at that wooden structure and think that is "Gwazi." So at least keeping the name Gwazi alive people will associate the wood structure with the location of that ride, just from a logistics standpoint. Giving it a new name like "Iron Gwazi" at least helps communicate "It's not the same Gwazi."

 

You have to remember that parks make decision based on many MANY different layers of guests that visit the park. Some not so educated about rides than other.

 

Case in point, even today, some of the "non-coaster press" were asking serious questions like "I don't see how this is different. Tell me what makes this different from the original ride." "Why is this not considered a wood coaster when it looks like a wood coaster." And these people are FROM THE MEDIA. So what do you think paying guests might think?

 

So before you go bitching about the name, just stop and think about WHY some of the choices were made. Sure, they probably could have come up with a better name, but who cares? The ride is most likely going to become the best ride in the park! Isn't that what is most important?

[RollerManic]

I think the name is dumb too and I also think that Steel Vengeance is a dumb name ... but Steel Vengeance is my #3 coaster overall and I think that Iron Gwazi has the potential to be an even better coaster (dare I say), so who cares?

[ytterbiumanalyst]

People, if you are inclined to get worked up, then before you get all worked up, take a minute to remember:

 

I can't believe there's gonna be a giant kickass RMC at the same park as Cheetah Hunt, Kumba, Montu, Falcons Fury and Sheikra.

 

This is what matters. This is why we go to theme parks. Theme parks are fun.

[RCjunkie]

FFS people. They announce this super kick ass looking coaster and everyone is bitching about the name. ...... Sure, they probably could have come up with a better name, but who cares? The ride is most likely going to become the best ride in the park! Isn't that what is most important?

 

Exactly. If your complaining about the name of a coaster you have missed the entire point.

 

On another note, very excited to ride this. Considering what RMC did for that torture machine called Mean Steak and how great that turned out this looks like it will be on the same scale or possibly even better. But hey, let's b*tch about the name some more.

[robbalvey]

Considering what RMC did for that torture machine called Mean Steak

And Hurler! People forget that in the last few years of Hurler that thing was UNRIDABLE!!! And considering that I still feel like when Busch Gardens Tampa closed Gwazi all they did was IMPROVE the overall quality of their coasters by removing it from the line-up. And now? Not only is Tigris a super FUN coaster for this year, but Iron Gwazi is just going to help make BGT have one of the best overall coaster collections in the world. I mean, there isn't a "bad" coaster, not anywhere close, in their line-up of rides.

[MrE12AX7]

I’m still LOLing at it being 1ft taller than Steel Vengeance.

Steel Vengeance: 205 ft tall with a 90 degree drop.

Iron Gwazi: 206 ft tall with a 91 degree drop.

[anonymouscactus]

that torture machine called Mean Steak

 

Mmmm....

 

 

[Superbatboy]

I’m still LOLing at it being 1ft taller than Steel Vengeance.

Steel Vengeance: 205 ft tall with a 90 degree drop.

Iron Gwazi: 206 ft tall with a 91 degree drop.

Too funny

[CarolinaJay]

....Case in point, even today, some of the "non-coaster press" were asking serious questions like "I don't see how this is different. Tell me what makes this different from the original ride." "Why is this not considered a wood coaster when it looks like a wood coaster." And these people are FROM THE MEDIA. So what do you think paying guests might think?....

 

Wait, someone seriously said they didn't see how Iron Gwazi is different than the OG Gwazi? ......... wow.

 

Anywho, no I totally get what you're saying completely, Robb. As I said, I love the name, I'm not bothered by it, I guess I'm more upset at the fact that by them keeping the name, they didn't stick to the Lion/Tiger theme that went along with it. Nonethless, I'm stoked AF to ride it next year It's really going to put BGT on the map big time and it's definitely a coaster they've been needing to really amp up the parks line-up as a whole.

[caleb.stone]

I love love love the color on this ride, and I'm super stoked that such a bad ass RMC to such an amazing park!

[Sluggo77]

Didn’t really release much new info today. Can’t wait to see the full POV. So awesome to see another incredible coaster added to BGT!

[Philrad71]

I can't believe there's gonna be a giant kickass RMC at the same park as Cheetah Hunt, Kumba, Montu, Falcons Fury and Sheikra.

 

I hear you...that is one awesome collection of thrills.

 

Think if they also threw in a Screaming Swing in a couple of years? This park would have one of the most well-rounded collections of thrill rides on the planet.

 

Oh wait, it already does.

 

 

God damn, I love this park.