Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (BGT Discussion Thread)

[Homer]

Its been 3 1/2 years since the Midwest trip and I asked the GCI guys about Millennium Flyers on Gwazi. Now it finally happens. A smiley can't describe how happy I am, no, an image does:

[Zingoman]

I never got to ride gwazi with the Ptc trains but wildcat at hersheypark was one of my favs until the mf trains. I love rough rides!! You also have to consider that gwazi only closes for what a couple weeks per year? Woodies require far more care than that. Of course it was rough! I do hope these trains give it a better reputation though. By the way, are they going to give the new trains the same crazy graphics as the old ones? Those were the pimpinest trains ever!

[adavis]

Going to BGT in March, Gwazi was on my no-list. Not any more!

[jamesS]

I guess this makes Roar at SFA the only GCI without millennium flyer trains, good luck to that one, lol

[coastercrzyjames]

Hooray!! I'm excited to see this finally happening to Gwazi. I think it'll be a good improvement, they just need to make sure they give it plenty of track work to help fix what the PTCs did. I could see the ride getting gradually better over time with MFs though.

[10ryansmith]

Yay! Now I have another thing to occupy my three days here in the summer.

[Jay20016]

Hooray!! I'm excited to see this finally happening to Gwazi. I think it'll be a good improvement, they just need to make sure they give it plenty of track work to help fix what the PTCs did. I could see the ride getting gradually better over time with MFs though.

 

When we were there on the 12th of Janurary they had a whole slew of guys walking and working on the track, so one can only hope they've given it not just new trains, but some T.L.C to the track as well....

[CoasterWeasel]

I'm so happy to hear the great news. Went in 2007 and only took one lap because it was so rough. Planned to go visit my dad in August and get some rides on Cheetah Hunt, but now I have even more to look forward to. Hopefully over the next few years with some more retracking it will get even better.

[brattius]

I wanna go next Saturday!!!!!

[cfc]

I think I'm one of the few who thinks that Gwazi is OK, and I think the Flyers will be great improvement. I remember hearing bad things about Hershey's Wildcat with its old trains. Never experienced those, but I thought it was a great ride with the Milennium Flyers.

[deguy123]

Im not getting my hopes up to high.

 

Wildcat at Hershey was still rough. Gwazi isn't going to be turning into a B&M. Ha.

 

Wildcat while still rough isn't as bad as it was before. Glad to see Gwazi getting an update, never have been on it but will hopefully in the future!

[Josh Linn]

Overdue, but better late than never. I rode both sides in 2003, and man were they awful. Rough I can handle, bone-jarring...not so much.

[Ed Farmer]

It's great to see the range of opinions on Gwazi in this thread alone. Some people are ecstatic, while I'm crossing my fingers hoping it doesn't tame the strong ride it was capable of delivering.

[BeemerBoy]

It's kind of crazy that Gwazi would finally get Flyers, even before Voyage's TLs go into service.

 

I'm with Zach. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this move is what the ride really needed, and I can officially consider BGT's coaster lineup the best, and most complete in the country.....even before Poacher:The Ride opens.

[ginzo]

I rode Wildcat the season before they changed the trains and then the first season with the new trains. I didn't think the Flyers helped much at all.

[Skycoastin Steve]

I'm going to be in Florida all next week and Gwazi is opening the day after I leave. I love my luck!

[dragonskeep]

Wouldn't they have to start testing very soon to open on the 22nd? I will be there to check it out on Saturday. Can't wait to see the fully assembled train, I am curious if they will use the same logo.

[King]

It's been hit or miss with the dispatch of the trains... WHEN they have both sides open, sometimes they DO dispatch them together, when other times they just don't seem to care... But I've noticed that even when they DO dispatch them together, (at least recently) Lion somehow get quite a bit ahead of Tiger... Lion will be at the bottom of the first drop by the time Tiger is just going over the peak... so the dueling winds up being minimal at best...

 

...so hopefully with the Millenium Flyer's in place, not only with they hopefully run them together more consistantly... but hoping that both Lion and Tiger can keep up with each other... Either way, I'm super excited... the Tiger trains look wonderful (wish they had the Gwazi logo on the front, or a Lion head/Tiger head to differenciate... but that is nit-picking...) Cannot wait to ride once this sucker re-opens...

 

I was looking at the plain trains too, but I'm sure they'll add the designs before it reopens. I can't imagine Busch leaving them like that.

[redfoot12]

I liked Gwazi alright when I rode it--except for the fact that only the Lion side running. I guess this is even more cause for me to get back down there and get the Tiger side.

On a related note, I rode Wildcat with the MF's this past September and I thought it was terrible. I'm someone who loves Grizzly so I was surprised by how much Wildcat's roughness affected me.

[CCG2]

I haven't been to BGT since April 2008 and when i went i rode Gwazi Tiger (Both sides open, but non-dueling ) and i thought it was really good, but still partially rough. But hailing from the Toronto-area in Canada and having CW nearby means that im pretty much used to having my spleen rearranged every time i go. These Millenium Flyers look sweet though, i can just imagine the feeling of dueling against Gwazi Lion or Tiger with a new semi-open style coaster train . I'm heading down to BGT in June, hopefully Cheetah Hunt will be open by then and i can ride both those monsters excited!

[eddie200330]

I rode Wildcat the season before they changed the trains and then the first season with the new trains. I didn't think the Flyers helped much at all.

 

On a related note, I rode Wildcat with the MF's this past September and I thought it was terrible. I'm someone who loves Grizzly so I was surprised by how much Wildcat's roughness affected me.

 

Wildcat isn't so rough as it just seems balls out uncontrollably fast. The new trains helped a great deal. The last time I rode with the PTC trains I thought for sure I was gonna need a chiropractor. Definitely a great fit for Lightning Racer so I can see where Gwazi should come out a winner if the old trains didn't tear up the track too bad.

[coasterbear30]

I rode Gwazi for the first time in 2007 and it was pretty rough but still rideable. I went back and rode it again in 2009 and I only rode one side because it was so unbearable. It was as bad, if not worse, than Georgia Cyclone/Hurler roughness. I have been hoping all along that they would get MF's. I heard they were retracking the whole ride and if that is true, combined with MF trains this thing could be a top 10 wood contender. I guess we will see what happens! It makes me excited to ride it again!

[DBru]

Wildcat isn't so rough as it just seems balls out uncontrollably fast.

 

Really? I think its pacing kind of sucks...

[Wood Dragon 1988]

I rode Wild Cat for the first time in Spring 08, right after the flyers were put on, and thought it was pretty darn good. I rode again in fall 10 and thought the ride was terrible.

 

I've never been on Gwazi, but hopefully one day...

[jjune4991]

Finally some Flyers. I may need to renew my fun card for next saturday!