Iron Gwazi, Hybrid roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Florida, USA
Iron Gwazi is a hybrid roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida that combines wooden supports with a steel track and rises to 206 feet (63 meters). The ride accelerates to 76 miles per hour (122 kilometers per hour) and features multiple inversions and steep drops along its circuit.
The structure opened in 1999 as Gwazi, a wooden dueling coaster with two tracks named Lion and Tiger. After years of planning it was rebuilt and reopened in 2022 as a hybrid model.
The name comes from an African word for crocodile and reflects the park's connection to wildlife conservation efforts. Educational displays in the queue area explain reptile behavior and the role these animals play in their natural environment.
The attraction requires minimum height standards and is suitable only for riders without certain health conditions. Queue times can reach several hours on weekends and during holiday periods, so arriving early is advisable.
The renovation preserved about a quarter of the original wooden framework while adding new elements like inversions and a barrel roll drop. This blend of old and new engineering is relatively uncommon in roller coasters of this scale.
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