Florida Welcomes Two New Coasters in 2020 — Iron Gwazi and Ice Breaker

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originally posted on 9/24/2019

Photo: Courtesy Busch Gardens Tampa. View full-sized image.

For three solid years, coaster fans dreamed and wondered what would become of Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida. After its closure in 2015, the coaster stood dormant for an extended period before any type of plan was revealed to the public. In early 2019, a limited amount of information was released, putting the final nail in the coffin for the iconic dueling wooden coaster that fans had either loved or hated: Gwazi would be reborn as a new Rocky Mountain Construction IBox track coaster.

On September 12, Busch Gardens released the remaining details of this new massive roller coaster. Iron Gwazi will be themed with its animal/conservation tie-in and inspiration being the slender snouted crocodile. The new hybrid coaster, with unique purple IBox track, will break height records in North America and stand at 206 feet. It will also break world records for being the fastest and steepest hybrid coaster. Iron Gwazi will reach speeds of 76 mph and hold a beyond-vertical drop at 91 degrees.

Photo: Courtesy Busch Gardens Tampa. View full-sized image.

During the announcement, Busch Gardens President Stewart Clark commented that Iron Gwazi is “the most powerful coaster in the park and will highlight one of the most powerful animals we have to showcase, the crocodile.” He further explained that keeping the Gwazi name was important for the park: “We wanted to keep that name and pay tribute to it, but obviously, this ride is much more than Gwazi … this ride has evolved to become a top ride anywhere in the world.”

Iron Gwazi offers more than just a typical conversion of a standing wooden coaster. Much of the original Gwazi structure has been completely dismantled, and mostly all new supports are now seen. Andrew Schaffer, director of design and engineering for Busch Gardens, provided some insight on how much of the original Gwazi remained.

Photo: Michael Christopher. View full-sized image.

“If you count the station and the footers, only about 20 to 25 percent of the original Gwazi will remain,” said Schaffer. He later explained that every single footer from the original Gwazi will be reused, but many more footers had to be added owing to the size of Iron Gwazi.

Currently, there is only a single, small section of the wooden supports left over from the iconic dueling coaster. Most of the coaster will be brand new once its 4,075-foot-long course is completed. The new design will feature three inversions.

Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Iron Gwazi is currently under construction at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and is set to open to the public sometime in the spring of 2020.

Down Interstate 4, a second coaster for Florida was announced as well. SeaWorld Orlando revealed the addition of its sixth coaster, Ice Breaker, a multilaunched, family-style coaster manufactured by Premier Rides.

Photo: Courtesy SeaWorld Orlando. View full-sized image.

After dispatching from the station, the train will utilize a horizontal transfer track to place the train into position for the launch. This new coaster will then feature a quadruple sling-shot-style launch, twice forward and twice backward, to create speeds up to 52 mph. The launch will be the first to contain air-time elements at both the beginning and ending of the launch track. Before the final forward launch, riders will race backward up 93 feet on Florida’s steepest vertical drop at 100 degrees.

The ride continues forward into a top-hat element followed by multiple airtime and low directional changes. Ice Breaker will feature a family-friendly 48-inch height requirement and can operate with multiple trains. Located in the Wild Arctic plaza of the park, this new coaster will complement the nearby arctic-themed wildlife attractions and exhibits.

Photo: Courtesy SeaWorld Orlando. View full-sized image.

SeaWorld continues its conservation efforts by introducing its partner for Ice Breaker, the Alaska Sea Life Center. This partner is the only facility in Alaska dedicated to rescue, rehabilitation and education of sea-life animals. SeaWorld plans to announce further details about its conservation partner soon.