Busch Gardens Tampa Bay announced online today that the last chance for guests to ride Gwazi will be February 1st. This is great news, as the coaster was aging horribly and it takes up a large expanse of prime real estate right in the center of the park and just off the entrance.
The real question is, what will be the fate of this coaster? I am assuming it will be torn down and replaced, but I haven't heard as much yet. They could certainly install a large steel coaster, or even POSSIBLY something more interesting. Maybe a follow-up to an Antarctica-like experience that is far more more compelling? Who knows, but initially this news is very interesting.
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Well that's too bad. It would be far preferable for them to not shut down a ride until a replacement was on the way, but it makes total sense given their financial situation. Truthfully, BGT is a well-run park, and you don't get the sense at all that the park is not getting the maintenance and attention it deserves.
It does seem natural that a roller coaster would go in Gwazi's old spot, but I wonder what else they could do with this space, especially if maintenance and operational costs are an issue. Maybe they'll finally create a Rhino Rally that is not half of a ride!
I was at BGT a couple of months ago and rode Gwazi against my better judgement, but I wanted to ride all of the roller coasters, regardless. It is awful, and the lines were non-existent. I can understand it making a lot more sense to simply close the ride right now and save money on upkeep, seeing as how it's a painful ride that almost nobody cares about. Gwazi looks good for the skyline of the park, but I wouldn't mind it being out of operation for a few years, before being replaced by something that is actually worth something.
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Considering the financial uncertainty of Sea World Parks and Entertainment, they probably won't be doing anything with the coaster for at least a year. The reasons cited for shutting it down were maintenance and operational costs. If they don't have the money to fix and run a woodie, what makes you think they have the money to build something new.
I wouldn't expect anything to happen to Gwazi, aside from it being shuttered, until late this year or early 2016. BGW still hasn't officially announced its new roller coaster even though it's practically completed, so even if movement is made on the Gwazi real estate, don't expect an announcement for a while.