Busch Gardens Tampa is one of the world’s premier destinations for roller coasters. Home to Cheetah Hunt, Sheikra, Montu, and much more, it’s become a staple with many enthusiasts. Yet, one coaster sits alone with visitors, Gwazi.
It’s been a few years since anyone has had a chance to ride Gwazi. The coaster shut down and hasn’t been operating since. This begs the question of what the future of the ride is. Some believe it will re-open, others say it’s getting demolished. But some have a feeling it could be getting a visit from a certain coaster manufacturer called RMC.
With Busch Gardens Williamsburgh opening GCI manufactured, Invadr, this year, many have wondered when Busch Gardens Tampa would make a decision on their classic woodie. As Gwazi sits, the coaster world wonders as to whether RMC will be making an appearance at Busch Gardens Tampa in the near future.
Like Invadr, Gwazi is a GCI coaster. Opened in 1999, it’s not an old coaster by any means ( At least when you compare it to other classic wooden coasters ). Although, as with any wooden coaster, the name RMC gets thrown around quite a bit. And with the hype around the RMC Mean Streak at Cedar Point, Busch Gardens Tampa might want to join in on the fun.
There are no RMC coasters in the state of Florida, or for that matter, much of the South at all. Being that Gwazi was a dueling coaster, the idea of possibly bringing not one, but two different RMC layouts on one coaster would be a big boost to the park’s attendance. Imagine an East Coast version of Twisted Colossus.
It’s all speculation as to what the future of Gwazi is. It’s strange that the coaster just sits with no plans for a future at all. Although, it’s possible Busch Gardens already has plans for the wooden coaster. It’s just unclear if the future of Gwazi has anything to do with RMC.