I actually really like the new crocodile theme because a gwazi is a lion-tiger hybrid, but crocodiles are the only animals that can eat lions and tigers, just like how Iron gwazi ate the old gwazi structure
That actually makes complete sense. It's like how "Steel Vengeance" is "Mean Streak" seeking revenge, with a new steel track (any reason why I am getting Wolverine vibes?)
I still prefer Velocicoaster ever so slightly due to its length, setting/theming, and greater variety of elements, but Iron Gwazi's relentless and powerful nature makes it an easy Top 3 coaster for me behind SteVe and Veloci.
Velocicoaster to me is a one trick or element pony (mososaurus roll) which is one of the best if not the best element out there. We can all agree that the theming of the ride really hides the average layout of the ride. I personally prefer Pantheon’s layout as well as elements (except for the Mososauraus roll) over Velocicoaster. In fact, pantheon’s layout should’ve been the preferred design for the raptor theme.
@@peacefulthrillseeker velocicoaster I find to be more intense outside of IG drop. I’ve rode both rides a lot, and velocicoaster has better airtime the IG, without a doubt. Gwazi is faster and crazier but I would say more intense outside of the drop.
Great review as always. It was great to meet you and ride this incredible ride with you and so many other of my favorite youtubers (I was the guy in the purple shirt - I hope I didn’t come off as too much of a dork!). This is my first and only RMC but I could tell from all the hype from the much more seasoned enthusiasts in the line that this was something special. I will corroborate your point that the train itself is more forgiving than the test seat. As a larger guest (6”1’, 270lbs) I could not get the restraints closed on my own. But the ops were very happy to give the extra push I needed to ride. Although these are not the most forgiving restraints, I was still happy to ride and it was an incredible experience. For all of my fellow larger enthusiasts it’s worth it to keep exercising and eating right to get to experience this ride! You can do it!
I rode Iron Gwazi 6x in two days back in April and this coaster is phenomenal. It’s unbelievable how this coaster just rips through the layout. Especially after it warms up and you ride it in the afternoon or evening, it’s amazing how fast it goes. You really have to witness it in person to see just how relentless it is. After watching the POVs prior to its opening, I was not expecting IG to have the speed it has and it almost looked a little dull with all the overbanks and wave turns. But thankfully I was proven wrong when I rode this thing. It may be the wildest coaster I’ve ever been on and it is my #1 overall coaster.
This is my favorite RMC, it’s way more diverse than other RMC's, featuring airtime, hangtime, laterals and even positives! I was also getting kinda sick of the basic red track on RMC's, so it’s refreshing to see a unique purple!
Gwazi: Operated between 1999-2015 Gwazi: SBNO between 2015-2019 Gwazi: converted into Iron Gwazi between 2019-2020 Iron Gwazi: SBNO between 2020-2022 Iron Gwazi: Operating since 2022
I've been on all three iterations of (Iron) Gwazi: original trains, Millennium Flyers, and RMC. I'm so happy with what they've created now. It really is the best coaster in Florida IMO, even better than Velocicoaster (which I rode in Oct 2021). The only thing I wish was different was a March 2020 opening date!
It was my first RMC and I was in the back car. It was absolutely insane. I have never lost my voice marathoning a ride. I did on Iron Gwazi. Please do yourself a favor and ride this at night. It is already an unhinged experience during the day, but the head choppers and the ride performing at its absolute best after running all day turned it into an almost demonic experience. The demon of thrills rides with you and you're not sure what the hell just happened when you hit the break run, but you will be very satisfied. Thank you Busch for delivering this beast to us Floridians (but I still wish someone would bring a class action suit against the Sea World company for essentially lying about the opening date). I don't really know what they can follow this up with other than a Fury 325 style Giga (since Sea World views SWO and BGA as sister parks and probably won't just put a fully airtime focused B&M in).
how do you ride this at night before it opens? I looked up the passholder preview window and it is from 12pm-6pm but I would really like an opportunity to ride at night.
When the park is open til 8 on Friday, will they keep Iron Gwazi open until closing? The preview states that it ends at 6, but I would love it if they keep it open til 8.
I just rode both velocicoaster and gwazi for my first time within a month of each other and I also prefer gwazi. Veloci is absolutely fantastic but it does have some slow moments. Iron Gwazi on the other hand just has the most incredible layout! It has zero dull moments and a constant barrage of ejector airtime. Its my first RMC and it renewed my love for coasters. I’m used to coasters being mostly positive g-force which I really don’t care for, so rides like this with amazing airtime and ejector sensations is a revelation to me. Now I really wanna ride lightning rod and steve.
@@CanobieCoaster i just rode velocicoaster again and wow. It was more intense than I remembered. The funny thing is my sunglasses gave me an interesting comparison. On gwazi my glasses stay comfortably in place but on velocicoaster they feel like theyre going to fly off several times. So gwazi is a smoother ride while velocicoaster jerks you around more and gives an intense out of control feeling. I no longer know which one is my favorite lmao. Theyre both just so good.
Both Iron Gwazi and Veloci are different rides. I’m not sure what I like better-a ride that does everything well or one that exceeds in a few categories. Awesome review!
I have been on ArieForce One, and because of that, this is now my number 1 bucket list coaster in the U.S. even though most people still prefer ArieForce One (that I have seen)
The only thing I want Busch to do now is to add trees to the area so it feels like Kumba going through the forest. I couldn’t imagine how insane it would be to rush by trees while doing all of these insane manuvers
Prior to Iron Gwazi, it's incredible how BGT had such an impressive coaster lineup but somehow lacked that signature coaster; their lineup is now stronger than ever. RMC really knocked it out of the ballpark with Iron Gwazi, I would love to see more like it start popping up at other SeaWorld parks.
I Got 2 Rides on it Opening day of premium pass preview, rows 4 and 7. Because of technical difficulties and them honoring those that were already in line, my second ride was a night ride! it was Amazing, cant wait to get back soon and get front and back!
I am one of the people who bought a seas platinum pass in late 2019 with the expectation of getting to ride all of these spectacular new additions. Sadly Texas Stingray was the only one that I was able to ride. However, BGT has thrown some of us a consolation free one day ticket to come and ride Gwazi during previews. I am flying to Tampa tonight to ride it tomorrow. Unfortunately SWSD did not do this, and it’s my home park. A coaster trip two years in the making, I am extremely excited to finally be able to ride this.
Just rode it yesterday as my #10 roller coaster and its was really fun going through all of the elements and the intensity felt perfectly spot on, it wasn’t to intense that it will make you lightheaded or dizzy but also intense enough to be extremely fun. Currently i placed it on my number 1 and Probably going to be on my top 10 for the rest of my life
Rode this a half dozen times in late January/early February 2023. I appreciate that the ride ops do not staple you, allowing the rider to fully experience all the wonderful forces on this coaster. Must have caught this on lucky days, because I never waited more than 5 minutes, and one time even got a re-ride. Didn't expect to enjoy the front row the best, but wow, that was something else. Still think Steel Vengeance is better than this, but I understand the argument for those who say Iron Gwazi is the #1 RMC Hybrid.
Yeah I have around 44ish rides on this and its easily my favorite coaster. Have rode Steve or Lrod yet but honestly it'll be hard to beat Iron Gwazi because even after 44ish ride im still speechless when I hit that break run.
As a “larger person” I appreciate that you covered the issue of maybe not being able to fit. Also I heard that with the slowdown on iron rattler lift hill was just a bug in programming and people actually liked it so it still sometimes does it
I rode Gwazi’s tiger side in its last operating year. It’s hard to remember a whole lot considering it was 7 years ago, but remember it being at the very least tolerable. It was rough, but I still remember enjoying it. Sadly, the lion side was permanently not operating by the time I got to BGT, and I haven’t been back since. Now that they have 3 new coasters, I really have to get down there
If it rode as "rough" as Hershey's Wildcat, as stated in the video, then it probably wasn't very bad at all. I find Hershey's Wildcat to be a very tolerable roughness. I wish I could've ridden the old Gwazi. My first visit was in 2017, and somehow, I didn't even notice the wooden structure at all.
You did it again! By far the best review on this coaster as you usually do. I am surprised that Iron Gwazi has 5 sustained ejector moments and 4 ejector pops for a total of 9 Ejector airtime moments. 2 more sustained ejector airtime moments then Steel Vengeance’s 3. Even though Steel Vengeance has 6 more ejector pops, again quality over quantity. I prefer Iron Gwazi over Steel Vengeance. @Canobie Coaster can you please answer these 2 questions. After the 3 sustained airtime hills on Twisted Timbers are there any other sustained ejector airtime moments or are the rest ejector pops? Also after the drop on Lightning Rod are there any sustained ejector airtime moments and if yes how many?
Twisted Timbers is mostly ejector pops after those 3 camelbacks. The turnaround hill is semi-sustained. Lightning Rod is more about very strong ejector pops. A few hills in the middle can sustain the ejector for a bit though.
WOW! This ride is so incredible, far exceeded my expectations! On the pullout of the drop, I partially greyed out on every ride, and I don't grey out on much. On my first several rides, I partially greyed out on the 2nd pullout as well. The entire ride was so powerful, so aggressive, so strong! It is high quality elements with great variety. I got 13 rides in total today, taking a midday break. The wait was 10-15 minutes for awhile, growing to 20-25 near the end. From the looks of your videos, I can see I got lucky. The line never went passed the station today. We didn't even have a grouper early on. Of course, last week, a lot of schools were on Spring?Mid-Winter?Something?? Break, and they flooded Florida. They're back home this week, which is why I chose this week. Compared to other RMCs, it's hard to say at this point. I felt like this has the aggressiveness and strength of Twisted Timbers, with the huge elements of Steel Vengeance's 1st half. A combination of my top 2 coasters is certainly high praise from me! Certainly my new favorite in Florida. That first ride was mind blowing, especially since I had avoided all POVs and had no clue what most of the elements were.
About the crocodile theme, there are alligators at an exhibit very close to the ride, so it fits in that regard. Also, having two rides with predominantly tiger themes could have been weird. I’ve gotta thank Airtime Thrills for telling everyone what a Gwazi is.
Iron Gwazi looks to be RMC's closet thing to a perfect ride! I have yet to ride it but the general consensus seems to be that the ride has exceptional pacing and not a lot of super sustained airtime
Rode it for the first time Saturday and omg the first drop back row is like no other and the pacing is amazing and like he said this is quality over quantity, I got off saying wtf just happened 😂
Before Cheetah Hunt opened, the original Gwazi was my favorite ride in the park. There was one time where I only rode this ride the whole day and nothing else because of how great it was and I wasn't a fan of upside down rides (which was all the rest of the rides were in 2003). They claim it got rough as the years went by but it never bothered me personally although I do think the Millennium Flyers helped significantly when they were added in 2011. I was a little disappointed when I heard RMC wasn't keeping this as a dueling coaster but never the less I am really looking forward to trying this out in the future.
I was there in July and it was an amazing ride I only got 1 back row at 1 in the afternoon and it rode amazing and I missed out on a night ride because of a lightning storm. I am still mad. Going to go back out tho hopefully in a few weeks to get re rides
You're so lucky you're able to go all these parks and ride the amazing rollercoasters. Iron Gwazi looks so good. I can't really say how it'll ride since I've never ridden an RMC. The zero car reminds me a bit of untamed.
I might be doing this in the summer in 2025. Looks hella Fun! This might be my #1 bucket list coaster at the moment. I’ve done Twisted Cyclone wave turn is awesome, but the one on Gwazi looks more powerful due to the higher speed.
In my opinion, Zadra and Iron Gwazi are SUPER close, but I slightly prefer Iron Gwazi as my number one, and Zadra as my number 2. Zadra has better pacing, but Iron Gwazi has better elements overall.
@@CanobieCoaster that’s Fair SteVe is a masterpiece and I actually wanted to share this tip on how to marathon Steel Vengeance. So Cedar Point has a specialty ticketed event called Wild Frontier Nights which runs in the month of June. In 3 hours, I was able to lap SteVe 12 times and Maverick 8 times because there was no line at all and there was a few instances of me having Steve’s train all to my self which was definitely a unique experience. Plus, the food was really good but night rides on Steel vengeance absolutely magical 💯
My sister rode this last year and immediately texted me how awesome it was since she knows how much I love roller coasters. Wildcat's Revenge is the only RMC hybrid I've ridden so far and watching pov videos back to back, I do think to myself, "hmmm, Gwazi has the height and speed but is it better?" What are your thoughts on the two? It's also interesting to me how quickly the early GCI coasters aged compared to the newer ones. I personally don't think this is entirely the fault of them running PTC trains because I've ridden a number of wooden coasters that use their trains and run very well. Granted, they're probably maintained better. I think the company was just starting out and getting their build quality together so their first few coasters weren't perfect.
Rode in back & up front back is wild up front seemed like we were flying through elements, non stop. Track riding videos do no justice to this thing. My top coaster 😍 RMC killed it with Gwazi
The first drop is simply insane. Most intense drop I've every been on, and I've ridden pretty much most everything. Prefer velocicoster because of the theming and overall it is much less intense, in my opinion.
Gwazi was fun, I managed to ride both sides... funnily enough, I re visited the following year and my ride was coming the very next cycle, but some Karen complained as she got off that she hurt her wrist of all things, and they shut it down for the day LOL. Was decent though when I did ride it, not wonderful but fun, but what RMC have done with it just looks incredible!
Oh my luck with ride closures, first apocalypse, then skyrush, then steel eel, and then this. This is the main reason I was coming to bgt, and it’ll be the main reason I return to Tampa later this year. Better not get burned again!
I got a back row ride with a lot of room between me and the lap bar and I was getting some of the most insane airtime I’ve ever seen. Like my thighs were slamming against the restraint like on magnum xl 200 at cedar point
I got 26 rides on it. I did 1 in the front, 1 in row 3, 2 in row 8, and the remaining 22 rides in the last 3 rows. It is a back row ride for me. In fact I only rode Kumba once, and none of the other coasters (Montu was closed) during my visit. I have Iron Gwazi as the third best RMC behind Steel Vengeance and Lightning Rod of the 16 I've been on, and it is my #3 overall coaster. Velocicoaster is my #5 overall coaster. I think Velocicoaster last inversion is slightly better than the Death Roll. My favorite parts of Iron Gwazi were the wave turn, which I thought it challenged Twisted Cyclone for the best wave turn, The first drop which is better than all other RMC's other than Iron Rattler's, and the Death Roll. The one element I thought could be better was the stall. I found you just flew through the stall so quickly. I think this speaks to how great the pacing is on Iron Gwazi which may be it's biggest overall strength. This is a great addition to BGT!
As just a ride, no other things considered, I prefer Iron Gwazi. As a whole experience (theming, line, story etc), Velicicoaster is slightly better. They are the 2 best in Florida, no question and both top 10-15 in the world
Here it comes, the big review! Iron Gwazi looks like the best coater in Florida in my opinion. It may not have Velocicasters theming but it has a tiny bit better ride experience and that's what I want. THe death roll seriously looks like one of the whippiest elements out there, also that outerbank turn is insane whip in and out. And that drop, and wave turn, and so on so forth. There isn't one bad moment on this ride, I think I will really like it cues its unique and focuses a lot more on whippy elements than airtime. But it still has the crazy aggressiveness, I cant wait to ride this in a couple of weeks!
Pacing is the biggest strength of Iron Gwazi. Velocicoaster has a moment or two where you can catch your breath. That isn't the case with Iron Gwazi. I do slightly prefer the last inversion on Velcocicoaster to the death roll. It is close.
Got on it with my dad but at night in the back row it took forever to get on this because of it being so busy and the ride times I got a long sleeve Iron Gwazi shirt before I left today
My number one coaster is lrod and if any ride can beat it I think it’s this one. The pacing and quality of the layup looks perfect and I can’t wait to see how it is when I ride it this may
I’m watching this in the line of Iron Gwazi, and I’ll say… I like it more then Velocicoaster after only 2 rides, and truly debating if it’s better than ArieForce One which I have 102 rides on😅
Have ridden velocicoaster a bunch and gwazi twice - front and back (preferred back). For me #1 velocicoaster #2 gwazi tho they are both great and it is close - i think it comes down to personal taste really. Two things tho - velocicoaster IS intense lots of ejector feel like i get thrown out more than on gwazi. Gwazi is more intense for most am sure tho some are really freaked by the free restraints of velocicoaster. Second i had been looking forward to gwazis death roll the most but it did not stand out for me - more so the relentless fast paced blur. The mososoraus roll on the other hand haha i think about it a lot between rides - it is hands down the better roll if you are looking at just those two elements - so fun being whipped laterally and upside down above the water. I have not ridden gwazi after dark. Both give great post adrenaline rushes.
I saw Coaster Studios did a video where they interviewed a lot of coaster enthusiasts riding Iron Gwazi and asked if they preferred Iron Gwazi or Steel Vengence at Cedar Point and almost all of them said Iron Gwazi. Which do you like better? Steel Vengence or Iron Gwazi?
You've got me a little worried. I'm 6'4 280 and barely fit in just about every coaster. So far the most restrictive I've ridden in Florida has been Cheetah Hunt and Hagrid's. I sure hope Iron Gwazi isn't tighter.
I have to admit.. A traditional coaster lift hill slowing to a crawl at the top is one of my most deeply hated occurrences. I can't even put into words how much I hate it lol. I hope they change this like Six Flags did with Rattler. The absolute only coaster type I can deal with it on are dive coasters, but I don't get anything out of those anyway. Admittedly incredibly fatigued after a 14 hr flight to los angeles that arrived in the afternoon, a layover then the last flight to Florida, which of course is hours ahead so was very early morning when we got there, to then drive to Tampa from MCO and go straight to Busch Gardens.. well.. I fell asleep on Sheikra. One of the first riders of it in its opening year in 2005 and I literally fell asleep before the drop, and I woke up at the bottom and said, "Oh, it went"? My friend said he never laughed so hard on any ride LOL.
Iron Gwazi and Mako are Florida's top traditional roller coasters, whereas Velocicoaster isn't as tall and fast as either Mako or Iron Gwazi but it has two launches and is longer in prime ride time duration than either. Mako is also long, tall and fast and also qualifies as one of Florida's three best coasters. I'd agree that the two back rows of Iron Gwazi are equal because they're in the same car; the only reason row 11 has less of a line than row 12 is probably this: even many back seat coaster enthusiasts don't realize that the difference in forces within any coaster train depends on the different CAR one is riding in, not which ROW one is riding in. Furthermore; the view is slightly better in row 11 since there's a break in between you and the people sitting in the row directly in front of you. I would also agree that Iron Gwazi must have the best drop of any coaster in Florida since at 206' it's not only bigger than Mako's drop (which is exactly 200'); but more importantly it's closer to 90 degrees than Mako's drop is, which while admittedly doesn't have a published max angel of descent; it cannot be more than Candymonium which has a drop of 77.3 degrees. Iron Gwazi places somewhere between the top 2 though top 6 best RMC along with Zadra, Lightning Rod, Wildfire and Hakugei. The drop looks better than SVs and more importantly the outward banked turn look better than SVs too, but overall I think SV is still the best RMC. The best three coasters in Florida are definitely Iron Gwazi, Velocicoaster and Mako. Thanks for posting this review!
I rode Iron Gwazi and Velocicoaster within the span of a week and vastly preferred Velocicoaster, but Iron Gwazi is still great definitely not the best coaster in Florida in my opinion though
I actually really like the new crocodile theme because a gwazi is a lion-tiger hybrid, but crocodiles are the only animals that can eat lions and tigers, just like how Iron gwazi ate the old gwazi structure
But lions and tigers are even more likely to kill crocodiles, so maybe the old Gwazi will eventually come back. 🧐🤔🙄
Oh interesting.
@@StamfordBridge lol
That actually makes complete sense. It's like how "Steel Vengeance" is "Mean Streak" seeking revenge, with a new steel track (any reason why I am getting Wolverine vibes?)
Does that David and Goliath can eat an iron wolf?
I still prefer Velocicoaster ever so slightly due to its length, setting/theming, and greater variety of elements, but Iron Gwazi's relentless and powerful nature makes it an easy Top 3 coaster for me behind SteVe and Veloci.
I can understand why others would prefer Velocicoaster still.
Velocicoaster to me is a one trick or element pony (mososaurus roll) which is one of the best if not the best element out there. We can all agree that the theming of the ride really hides the average layout of the ride. I personally prefer Pantheon’s layout as well as elements (except for the Mososauraus roll) over Velocicoaster. In fact, pantheon’s layout should’ve been the preferred design for the raptor theme.
@@peacefulthrillseeker velocicoaster I find to be more intense outside of IG drop. I’ve rode both rides a lot, and velocicoaster has better airtime the IG, without a doubt. Gwazi is faster and crazier but I would say more intense outside of the drop.
Great review as always. It was great to meet you and ride this incredible ride with you and so many other of my favorite youtubers (I was the guy in the purple shirt - I hope I didn’t come off as too much of a dork!). This is my first and only RMC but I could tell from all the hype from the much more seasoned enthusiasts in the line that this was something special.
I will corroborate your point that the train itself is more forgiving than the test seat. As a larger guest (6”1’, 270lbs) I could not get the restraints closed on my own. But the ops were very happy to give the extra push I needed to ride. Although these are not the most forgiving restraints, I was still happy to ride and it was an incredible experience. For all of my fellow larger enthusiasts it’s worth it to keep exercising and eating right to get to experience this ride! You can do it!
There were definitely a ton of enthusiasts there and it was nice to meet you!
I just rode it yesterday with my brother. This roller coaster is beyond great. It is special!
It really is!
Awesome review! I’m glad the ride makes up for the length with a unique, intense, ad perfectly paced ride experience.
Thanks!
I rode this 2 days ago and I completely agree with your observations! It was my 169th coaster and simply ASTONISHING!!!!
Nice!
Loved every second of this. You did my favorite ride justice 🥃🐊
Thanks!
Truly fantastic review. Best GWAZI review, so far, on TH-cam!
Thanks!
I rode Iron Gwazi 6x in two days back in April and this coaster is phenomenal. It’s unbelievable how this coaster just rips through the layout. Especially after it warms up and you ride it in the afternoon or evening, it’s amazing how fast it goes. You really have to witness it in person to see just how relentless it is. After watching the POVs prior to its opening, I was not expecting IG to have the speed it has and it almost looked a little dull with all the overbanks and wave turns. But thankfully I was proven wrong when I rode this thing. It may be the wildest coaster I’ve ever been on and it is my #1 overall coaster.
It really has incredible pacing.
This is my favorite RMC, it’s way more diverse than other RMC's, featuring airtime, hangtime, laterals and even positives!
I was also getting kinda sick of the basic red track on RMC's, so it’s refreshing to see a unique purple!
It does have a strong layout.
Best review of this coaster by a long way.
Thanks!
Gwazi: Operated between 1999-2015
Gwazi: SBNO between 2015-2019
Gwazi: converted into Iron Gwazi between 2019-2020
Iron Gwazi: SBNO between 2020-2022
Iron Gwazi: Operating since 2022
Interesting history for sure.
I just rode this a week before spring break an this ride is a ducking beast it’s crazy:)
Nice!
I've been on all three iterations of (Iron) Gwazi: original trains, Millennium Flyers, and RMC. I'm so happy with what they've created now. It really is the best coaster in Florida IMO, even better than Velocicoaster (which I rode in Oct 2021). The only thing I wish was different was a March 2020 opening date!
The wait was worth it though.
@@CanobieCoaster Absolutely. It's my # 1b coaster. (Montu is my # 1a for nostalgic reasons)
It was my first RMC and I was in the back car. It was absolutely insane. I have never lost my voice marathoning a ride. I did on Iron Gwazi. Please do yourself a favor and ride this at night. It is already an unhinged experience during the day, but the head choppers and the ride performing at its absolute best after running all day turned it into an almost demonic experience. The demon of thrills rides with you and you're not sure what the hell just happened when you hit the break run, but you will be very satisfied. Thank you Busch for delivering this beast to us Floridians (but I still wish someone would bring a class action suit against the Sea World company for essentially lying about the opening date). I don't really know what they can follow this up with other than a Fury 325 style Giga (since Sea World views SWO and BGA as sister parks and probably won't just put a fully airtime focused B&M in).
how do you ride this at night before it opens? I looked up the passholder preview window and it is from 12pm-6pm but I would really like an opportunity to ride at night.
When the park is open til 8 on Friday, will they keep Iron Gwazi open until closing? The preview states that it ends at 6, but I would love it if they keep it open til 8.
Busch Gardens has been opening Iron Gwazi with the park and keeping it open until close.
I just rode both velocicoaster and gwazi for my first time within a month of each other and I also prefer gwazi. Veloci is absolutely fantastic but it does have some slow moments. Iron Gwazi on the other hand just has the most incredible layout! It has zero dull moments and a constant barrage of ejector airtime. Its my first RMC and it renewed my love for coasters. I’m used to coasters being mostly positive g-force which I really don’t care for, so rides like this with amazing airtime and ejector sensations is a revelation to me. Now I really wanna ride lightning rod and steve.
Both are amazing. I don't mind the few slower bits on Velocicoaster since it's themed.
@@CanobieCoaster i just rode velocicoaster again and wow. It was more intense than I remembered. The funny thing is my sunglasses gave me an interesting comparison. On gwazi my glasses stay comfortably in place but on velocicoaster they feel like theyre going to fly off several times. So gwazi is a smoother ride while velocicoaster jerks you around more and gives an intense out of control feeling. I no longer know which one is my favorite lmao. Theyre both just so good.
Both Iron Gwazi and Veloci are different rides. I’m not sure what I like better-a ride that does everything well or one that exceeds in a few categories. Awesome review!
Both are excellent.
Glad someone acknowledges the greatness that is the death roll
It's insane.
I have been on ArieForce One, and because of that, this is now my number 1 bucket list coaster in the U.S. even though most people still prefer ArieForce One (that I have seen)
I've seen people go both ways. Both are elite.
The only thing I want Busch to do now is to add trees to the area so it feels like Kumba going through the forest. I couldn’t imagine how insane it would be to rush by trees while doing all of these insane manuvers
That would be sick.
Prior to Iron Gwazi, it's incredible how BGT had such an impressive coaster lineup but somehow lacked that signature coaster; their lineup is now stronger than ever. RMC really knocked it out of the ballpark with Iron Gwazi, I would love to see more like it start popping up at other SeaWorld parks.
It's incredible how deep their lineup is now.
Prior to iron gwazi, I always thought kumba was their signature coaster. It's the one that started it all
Yesssss about the drop! I feel all of that extra degree every time thanks to that sweet profiling
Yes, the pullout occurs super late.
Just got home from riding this beast 11 times in one day. It's sooooo good, way better than any other coaster in FL and yes I've rode them all.
Nice!
rmc killed it! They knocked it out of the park!
Absolutely
I Got 2 Rides on it Opening day of premium pass preview, rows 4 and 7. Because of technical difficulties and them honoring those that were already in line, my second ride was a night ride! it was Amazing, cant wait to get back soon and get front and back!
Nice!
Might be biased as I work for Universal however VelociCoaster stands as my favorite Florida Coaster with this being a nail-bitingly close second.
That’s fair. Both are amazing. Also, it’s cool that you work at Universal!
Both are excellent.
I am one of the people who bought a seas platinum pass in late 2019 with the expectation of getting to ride all of these spectacular new additions. Sadly Texas Stingray was the only one that I was able to ride. However, BGT has thrown some of us a consolation free one day ticket to come and ride Gwazi during previews. I am flying to Tampa tonight to ride it tomorrow. Unfortunately SWSD did not do this, and it’s my home park. A coaster trip two years in the making, I am extremely excited to finally be able to ride this.
The crazy thing with Texas Stingray is that it also probably would have been delayed had it not opened pre-covid.
Just rode today and it's my new #1
Nice!
Just rode it yesterday as my #10 roller coaster and its was really fun going through all of the elements and the intensity felt perfectly spot on, it wasn’t to intense that it will make you lightheaded or dizzy but also intense enough to be extremely fun. Currently i placed it on my number 1 and Probably going to be on my top 10 for the rest of my life
Nice!
This is what I’ve been waiting for!
Enjoy!
Thanks for the awesome review Canobie! I cannot wait to experience IG!
Have fun!
Just rode this today, so this review is what I need 🙏🏻
Enjoy!
Rode it two weeks ago, 3 times. Liked it better than Lighting Rod. Faster, smoother...just all around fun.
Both are in my top 3.
Rode this a half dozen times in late January/early February 2023. I appreciate that the ride ops do not staple you, allowing the rider to fully experience all the wonderful forces on this coaster. Must have caught this on lucky days, because I never waited more than 5 minutes, and one time even got a re-ride. Didn't expect to enjoy the front row the best, but wow, that was something else. Still think Steel Vengeance is better than this, but I understand the argument for those who say Iron Gwazi is the #1 RMC Hybrid.
Weekdays during that time of year are usually quiet.
Yeah I have around 44ish rides on this and its easily my favorite coaster. Have rode Steve or Lrod yet but honestly it'll be hard to beat Iron Gwazi because even after 44ish ride im still speechless when I hit that break run.
The pacing on this ride is matched by few rides.
just rode iron gwazi for the first time yesterday and it was definitely worth the wait😩😩
Sure is.
As a “larger person” I appreciate that you covered the issue of maybe not being able to fit. Also I heard that with the slowdown on iron rattler lift hill was just a bug in programming and people actually liked it so it still sometimes does it
I bring it up when I see a lot of people denied, especially people who've ridden similar rides at other parks.
I rode Gwazi’s tiger side in its last operating year. It’s hard to remember a whole lot considering it was 7 years ago, but remember it being at the very least tolerable. It was rough, but I still remember enjoying it. Sadly, the lion side was permanently not operating by the time I got to BGT, and I haven’t been back since. Now that they have 3 new coasters, I really have to get down there
I was having that discussion with my GF while we were in line for it! its the best theory we could think up
If it rode as "rough" as Hershey's Wildcat, as stated in the video, then it probably wasn't very bad at all. I find Hershey's Wildcat to be a very tolerable roughness. I wish I could've ridden the old Gwazi. My first visit was in 2017, and somehow, I didn't even notice the wooden structure at all.
Wildcat at Hershey is fine in the front row, but it's brutal further back.
You did it again! By far the best review on this coaster as you usually do. I am surprised that Iron Gwazi has 5 sustained ejector moments and 4 ejector pops for a total of 9 Ejector airtime moments.
2 more sustained ejector airtime moments then Steel Vengeance’s 3. Even though Steel Vengeance has 6 more ejector pops, again quality over quantity. I prefer Iron Gwazi over Steel Vengeance.
@Canobie Coaster can you please
answer these 2 questions.
After the 3 sustained airtime hills on
Twisted Timbers are there any other sustained ejector airtime moments or are the rest ejector pops?
Also after the drop on Lightning Rod are there any sustained ejector airtime moments and if yes how many?
Twisted Timbers is mostly ejector pops after those 3 camelbacks. The turnaround hill is semi-sustained. Lightning Rod is more about very strong ejector pops. A few hills in the middle can sustain the ejector for a bit though.
@@CanobieCoaster Thank you 🙏🏼
WOW! This ride is so incredible, far exceeded my expectations! On the pullout of the drop, I partially greyed out on every ride, and I don't grey out on much. On my first several rides, I partially greyed out on the 2nd pullout as well. The entire ride was so powerful, so aggressive, so strong! It is high quality elements with great variety.
I got 13 rides in total today, taking a midday break. The wait was 10-15 minutes for awhile, growing to 20-25 near the end. From the looks of your videos, I can see I got lucky. The line never went passed the station today. We didn't even have a grouper early on. Of course, last week, a lot of schools were on Spring?Mid-Winter?Something?? Break, and they flooded Florida. They're back home this week, which is why I chose this week.
Compared to other RMCs, it's hard to say at this point. I felt like this has the aggressiveness and strength of Twisted Timbers, with the huge elements of Steel Vengeance's 1st half. A combination of my top 2 coasters is certainly high praise from me! Certainly my new favorite in Florida. That first ride was mind blowing, especially since I had avoided all POVs and had no clue what most of the elements were.
I'm glad you liked it! Even after watching the POV, I was still disoriented by the ride's layout.
This thing is insane! I don't know any other way to describe it.
Indeed
This ride looks incredible! It looks like the most aggressive RMC. I'm not sure if Lightning Rod looks better though.
I prefer Lightning Rod. I think Lightning Rod is more violent and aggressive.
And Lightning Rod's the world's best ride.
About the crocodile theme, there are alligators at an exhibit very close to the ride, so it fits in that regard. Also, having two rides with predominantly tiger themes could have been weird. I’ve gotta thank Airtime Thrills for telling everyone what a Gwazi is.
That's true.
Your I'm depth reviews are great. Finally got to ride it,and it's hard to pick whether prefer it to Steel Vengeance
Glad you like them!
I thought I saw you there. Glad you had a good time.
Yes I was there last weekend.
Iron Gwazi looks to be RMC's closet thing to a perfect ride! I have yet to ride it but the general consensus seems to be that the ride has exceptional pacing and not a lot of super sustained airtime
Rode it for the first time Saturday and omg the first drop back row is like no other and the pacing is amazing and like he said this is quality over quantity, I got off saying wtf just happened 😂
The pacing on this ride is top notch.
Before Cheetah Hunt opened, the original Gwazi was my favorite ride in the park. There was one time where I only rode this ride the whole day and nothing else because of how great it was and I wasn't a fan of upside down rides (which was all the rest of the rides were in 2003). They claim it got rough as the years went by but it never bothered me personally although I do think the Millennium Flyers helped significantly when they were added in 2011. I was a little disappointed when I heard RMC wasn't keeping this as a dueling coaster but never the less I am really looking forward to trying this out in the future.
While I sort of wish I rode old Gwazi, this seems way better.
I was there in July and it was an amazing ride I only got 1 back row at 1 in the afternoon and it rode amazing and I missed out on a night ride because of a lightning storm. I am still mad. Going to go back out tho hopefully in a few weeks to get re rides
Glad you got on it at least!
The Back row is INSANE
Yes it is.
Best in the world!
One of the best.
love this ride it is in my top 3 for sure
Makes sense.
You're so lucky you're able to go all these parks and ride the amazing rollercoasters. Iron Gwazi looks so good. I can't really say how it'll ride since I've never ridden an RMC. The zero car reminds me a bit of untamed.
Hopefully you can get on one soon!
Most useful review of all concerning larger guests! I'm afraid but I have made lightning rod a credit so hopefully all is good 🤞
My friend got on Lightning Rod (2 years ago), but not this.
Great content dude!! Just subscribed👍
Thanks!
I might be doing this in the summer in 2025. Looks hella Fun! This might be my #1 bucket list coaster at the moment. I’ve done Twisted Cyclone wave turn is awesome, but the one on Gwazi looks more powerful due to the higher speed.
It's an awesome maneuver.
I've always been curious how it would compare to Zadra which I loved.
They have very little in common aside from the first drop & the designer/manufacturer.
I prefer Iron Gwazi.
In my opinion, Zadra and Iron Gwazi are SUPER close, but I slightly prefer Iron Gwazi as my number one, and Zadra as my number 2. Zadra has better pacing, but Iron Gwazi has better elements overall.
Best Coaster in the 🇺🇸 hands down 💯
One of them.
@@CanobieCoaster that’s Fair SteVe is a masterpiece and I actually wanted to share this tip on how to marathon Steel Vengeance. So Cedar Point has a specialty ticketed event called Wild Frontier Nights which runs in the month of June. In 3 hours, I was able to lap SteVe 12 times and Maverick 8 times because there was no line at all and there was a few instances of me having Steve’s train all to my self which was definitely a unique experience. Plus, the food was really good but night rides on Steel vengeance absolutely magical 💯
My sister rode this last year and immediately texted me how awesome it was since she knows how much I love roller coasters. Wildcat's Revenge is the only RMC hybrid I've ridden so far and watching pov videos back to back, I do think to myself, "hmmm, Gwazi has the height and speed but is it better?" What are your thoughts on the two?
It's also interesting to me how quickly the early GCI coasters aged compared to the newer ones. I personally don't think this is entirely the fault of them running PTC trains because I've ridden a number of wooden coasters that use their trains and run very well. Granted, they're probably maintained better. I think the company was just starting out and getting their build quality together so their first few coasters weren't perfect.
I think the PTC trains and early designs both contributed.
great video! I can't wait to ride.
Thanks!
Rode in back & up front back is wild up front seemed like we were flying through elements, non stop.
Track riding videos do no justice to this thing. My top coaster 😍
RMC killed it with Gwazi
Glad you loved it!
The first drop is simply insane. Most intense drop I've every been on, and I've ridden pretty much most everything. Prefer velocicoster because of the theming and overall it is much less intense, in my opinion.
I think Gwazi is more intense, but both are awesome.
Gotta say that BGT now has a top 3 roller coaster line up for me, right behind Cedar Point and Six Flags Magic Mountain.
Hersheypark is another one of my favorites.
@@CanobieCoaster haven't been there in like 15 years, gotta go back
Gwazi was fun, I managed to ride both sides... funnily enough, I re visited the following year and my ride was coming the very next cycle, but some Karen complained as she got off that she hurt her wrist of all things, and they shut it down for the day LOL. Was decent though when I did ride it, not wonderful but fun, but what RMC have done with it just looks incredible!
Oh no!
Oh my luck with ride closures, first apocalypse, then skyrush, then steel eel, and then this. This is the main reason I was coming to bgt, and it’ll be the main reason I return to Tampa later this year. Better not get burned again!
Sorry! I know that closure was announced late.
Iron Gwazi and Wildcats Revenge have perfect pacing
Both are amazing in that department.
I got a back row ride with a lot of room between me and the lap bar and I was getting some of the most insane airtime I’ve ever seen. Like my thighs were slamming against the restraint like on magnum xl 200 at cedar point
Wow!
Does this run slow in the morning? If so then how long does it take to warm up? Also does steel vengeance run slow in the morning?
Both those rides will get faster after the first hour or so.
Wow so this is a top 5 coaster for you? Nice!!
16:32, thats pretty much how we all feel XD
Yes it is.
I got 26 rides on it. I did 1 in the front, 1 in row 3, 2 in row 8, and the remaining 22 rides in the last 3 rows. It is a back row ride for me. In fact I only rode Kumba once, and none of the other coasters (Montu was closed) during my visit. I have Iron Gwazi as the third best RMC behind Steel Vengeance and Lightning Rod of the 16 I've been on, and it is my #3 overall coaster. Velocicoaster is my #5 overall coaster. I think Velocicoaster last inversion is slightly better than the Death Roll. My favorite parts of Iron Gwazi were the wave turn, which I thought it challenged Twisted Cyclone for the best wave turn, The first drop which is better than all other RMC's other than Iron Rattler's, and the Death Roll. The one element I thought could be better was the stall. I found you just flew through the stall so quickly. I think this speaks to how great the pacing is on Iron Gwazi which may be it's biggest overall strength. This is a great addition to BGT!
I agree that stall doesn't quite have the same excellence as others from RMC, but it's still a fun element.
As just a ride, no other things considered, I prefer Iron Gwazi. As a whole experience (theming, line, story etc), Velicicoaster is slightly better. They are the 2 best in Florida, no question and both top 10-15 in the world
Florida is getting some amazing coasters as of late.
Talk about being yeeted, yanked, levitated and more.
My top 5 for sure as of Feb. 28.
Nice!
I wish canobie lake got something like this because that is my home park
Unfortunately their height limit will prevent a ride of this scale.
I really enjoyed the back row on VelociCoaster. I'm not sure I got that same feeling on this, but I flip flop on the day.
Both are excellent.
Tryna get on it but being 15 and not being able to get to places is hard asf
I've definitely done way more traveling since graduating college.
Here it comes, the big review! Iron Gwazi looks like the best coater in Florida in my opinion. It may not have Velocicasters theming but it has a tiny bit better ride experience and that's what I want. THe death roll seriously looks like one of the whippiest elements out there, also that outerbank turn is insane whip in and out. And that drop, and wave turn, and so on so forth. There isn't one bad moment on this ride, I think I will really like it cues its unique and focuses a lot more on whippy elements than airtime. But it still has the crazy aggressiveness, I cant wait to ride this in a couple of weeks!
Pacing is the biggest strength of Iron Gwazi. Velocicoaster has a moment or two where you can catch your breath. That isn't the case with Iron Gwazi. I do slightly prefer the last inversion on Velcocicoaster to the death roll. It is close.
The pacing is insane.
Got on it with my dad but at night in the back row it took forever to get on this because of it being so busy and the ride times I got a long sleeve Iron Gwazi shirt before I left today
This line can back up on a busy day for sure.
How do you think it compares to Zadra? When it comes to pacing, layout, intensity etc?
Pacing is similar. I thought Iron Gwazi had more elements though.
My number one coaster is lrod and if any ride can beat it I think it’s this one. The pacing and quality of the layup looks perfect and I can’t wait to see how it is when I ride it this may
SV, Untamed, Hakugei, maybe a few more are arguably better than LR
@@bustersales6921 I’ve been on lrod and Steve and I liked lrod better
I still prefer Lightning Rod, but this ride has similarly relentless pacing.
😉Noticed the Iron Gwazi que music in the video
I love the soundtrack.
I’m watching this in the line of Iron Gwazi, and I’ll say… I like it more then Velocicoaster after only 2 rides, and truly debating if it’s better than ArieForce One which I have 102 rides on😅
All 3 of those rides are amazing.
@@CanobieCoaster I got a front and back row night ride, it’s for sure my favorite coaster now!
Have ridden velocicoaster a bunch and gwazi twice - front and back (preferred back). For me #1 velocicoaster #2 gwazi tho they are both great and it is close - i think it comes down to personal taste really. Two things tho - velocicoaster IS intense lots of ejector feel like i get thrown out more than on gwazi. Gwazi is more intense for most am sure tho some are really freaked by the free restraints of velocicoaster. Second i had been looking forward to gwazis death roll the most but it did not stand out for me - more so the relentless fast paced blur. The mososoraus roll on the other hand haha i think about it a lot between rides - it is hands down the better roll if you are looking at just those two elements - so fun being whipped laterally and upside down above the water. I have not ridden gwazi after dark. Both give great post adrenaline rushes.
Both are exceptional, but I prefer Gwazi.
Sounds like I got some slower rides on this coaster, I need to get back on ASAP!
It was hauling and faulting for overspeeding a few times.
I saw Coaster Studios did a video where they interviewed a lot of coaster enthusiasts riding Iron Gwazi and asked if they preferred Iron Gwazi or Steel Vengence at Cedar Point and almost all of them said Iron Gwazi. Which do you like better? Steel Vengence or Iron Gwazi?
Steel Vengeance. It has better airtime and more length.
That death roll looks absurd I can only imagine what it feels like
It's amazing.
11:12 I would love to know what this element is called as well
Not sure!
The snap at 11:18 was so crazy
Yes it is.
You've got me a little worried. I'm 6'4 280 and barely fit in just about every coaster. So far the most restrictive I've ridden in Florida has been Cheetah Hunt and Hagrid's. I sure hope Iron Gwazi isn't tighter.
Have you been on any other RMCs?
@@CanobieCoaster Lightning Rod, Steel Vengeance, Twisted Cyclone, Storm Chaser, Twisted Timbers and Outlaw Run.
Finally riding this in December
Enjoy!
I’m hoping to ride it this year
Hopefully!
THIS REPLACED GWAZI
Yes
Do you know if joe draves designed this
He works for S&S, why would he have designed this...?
@@bustersales6921 Alan schilke is retiring and if you look at Arie force one on RCDB then you would see joe draves as the designer
@@arloproduction4795 ....this coaster began being designed like half a decade ago, or a shade under that...
I think Joe Draves was involved, but Alan Schilke is still credited with this one.
“Least accommodating coaster in FL”
*icebreaker entered the chat*
Ice Breaker is cramped, but I see more people denied from Gwazi.
@@CanobieCoaster I hate premier trains so much.
The reason the wave turn has ejector is because the ride turns left while banking to the right, and creates negatives
That makes sense.
I have to admit.. A traditional coaster lift hill slowing to a crawl at the top is one of my most deeply hated occurrences. I can't even put into words how much I hate it lol. I hope they change this like Six Flags did with Rattler. The absolute only coaster type I can deal with it on are dive coasters, but I don't get anything out of those anyway. Admittedly incredibly fatigued after a 14 hr flight to los angeles that arrived in the afternoon, a layover then the last flight to Florida, which of course is hours ahead so was very early morning when we got there, to then drive to Tampa from MCO and go straight to Busch Gardens.. well.. I fell asleep on Sheikra. One of the first riders of it in its opening year in 2005 and I literally fell asleep before the drop, and I woke up at the bottom and said, "Oh, it went"? My friend said he never laughed so hard on any ride LOL.
I don't mind crawling over if the drops still pack a punch like this one.
Les go first to be here been awhile
Nice!
That pre drop caught me off guard
That dip before the lift has some bite.
Iron Gwazi and Mako are Florida's top traditional roller coasters, whereas Velocicoaster isn't as tall and fast as either Mako or Iron Gwazi but it has two launches and is longer in prime ride time duration than either. Mako is also long, tall and fast and also qualifies as one of Florida's three best coasters. I'd agree that the two back rows of Iron Gwazi are equal because they're in the same car; the only reason row 11 has less of a line than row 12 is probably this: even many back seat coaster enthusiasts don't realize that the difference in forces within any coaster train depends on the different CAR one is riding in, not which ROW one is riding in. Furthermore; the view is slightly better in row 11 since there's a break in between you and the people sitting in the row directly in front of you.
I would also agree that Iron Gwazi must have the best drop of any coaster in Florida since at 206' it's not only bigger than Mako's drop (which is exactly 200'); but more importantly it's closer to 90 degrees than Mako's drop is, which while admittedly doesn't have a published max angel of descent; it cannot be more than Candymonium which has a drop of 77.3 degrees. Iron Gwazi places somewhere between the top 2 though top 6 best RMC along with Zadra, Lightning Rod, Wildfire and Hakugei. The drop looks better than SVs and more importantly the outward banked turn look better than SVs too, but overall I think SV is still the best RMC. The best three coasters in Florida are definitely Iron Gwazi, Velocicoaster and Mako. Thanks for posting this review!
Eh I prefer the B&Ms at BGT and Hulk to Mako tbh. Maybe even Hagrid’s.
@@triple7marc You prefer Sheikra to Mako?
On some rides, there can be a difference in the same car. But I didn't notice one on Gwazi.
@@filetofish7688 Probably tbh haven’t ridden SheiKra in a few years tho
This coaster seriously feels like a giant version of El Toro and Skyrush with its intensity
Fair!
11:07 The next element is NOT considered by the park to be an inversion.
Ah ok.
How steep is that Overbank
I rode Iron Gwazi and Velocicoaster within the span of a week and vastly preferred Velocicoaster, but Iron Gwazi is still great definitely not the best coaster in Florida in my opinion though
I think people may be split.