I have a friend who has been bugging me for over 2 years to take him to the media event, if there is one, so he can ride this coaster for me. Coaster enthusiasts are so excited to ride the world’s fastest and steepest hybrid coaster, right here in Tampa, Florida.

About Iron Gwazi

Being North America’s tallest hybrid coaster, this ride takes thrills to new heights, plunging riders from a 206-foot-tall peak down a 91-degree drop and reaching top speeds of 76 miles per hour. Iron Gwazi is Busch Gardens’ tenth coaster and an exhilarating addition to the park’s collection of thrill rides. Riders will experience a dozen airtime moments, including three inversions, while racing along more than 4,000 feet of steel track. With a 48” height requirement, this invigorating attraction is a ride the whole family can conquer together.

“The incredible anticipation for Iron Gwazi is shared by both our guests and Ambassadors, and we are beyond excited to open this amazing coaster,” said Neal Thurman, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Park President. “Iron Gwazi diversifies our thrill ride portfolio and is an impressive addition to the Tampa skyline. Combining classic elements of a wooden coaster with a smooth, steel track will provide thrill seekers with an unforgettable experience.”

Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction, the newest addition at Busch Gardens is a wood and steel hybrid coaster design, combining the innovation of a steel coaster and the nostalgia of a wooden coaster. While elements of Gwazi, the classic wooden coaster, are integrated into the new ride, all-new thrill components and a reimagined track layout take Iron Gwazi to another level.

Busch Gardens Tickets

Buy a Busch Gardens Annual Pass and be among the first to ride the most anticipated hybrid coaster in the world!  For even more fun, guests can add Adventure Island to enjoythree new attractions across the two Tampa parks.  Along with priority access to Iron Gwazi and Adventure Island’s new attractions, Annual Pass Members also receive 12 months of visits with special benefits including exclusive ride opportunities, FREE parking, up to six free guest tickets, savings on merchandise, and more!

In addition to the unbeatable benefits of a Busch Gardens’ Annual Pass, guests can also take advantage of these all-new thrills with a 2022 Fun Card. Right now, guests can visit both parks again and again for just $120.99. Plus, thrill seekers can receive a complimentary one-time Quick Queue for Iron Gwazi when they purchase a Fun Card by January 30 and visit by February 20. Get your Busch Gardens tickets here.

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At about 11:00am we went back to the shark realm. Jordan got in line to ride Mako as an extra, media could ride as often as they wanted in the 2nd-last row to fill up the car for other media outlet’s videos. I had his phone so he couldn’t tell me what was going on. After waiting quite a while without seeing the coaster run at all, I asked the worker at the ride entrance and she said they were just in a rain delay but should be running again soon. I went and found a seat in the shade. About 20 minutes later there was a different person at the ride entrance. They said the crew was on lunch break and things should be running again soon! About 10 minutes later the coaster came by overhead and I heard Jordan yell, “Hi! Mom!” as they headed to the station.

Jordan is a man of few words but he did say that Mako is the best roller coaster he has ever ridden. He says is is fast (73 mph), long (4,760 feet-almost a mile), high (200 ft) and smooth. He said the worst park is the lift hill because you just keep going up and up and up! He loved all the air time that you get on Mako, there are 9 air time hills!

After his first ride we caught some other attractions and spent time in the shark realm. At 2:30 we headed back to Mako to check-in for Jordan’s video ride. He was in the queue for his ride when he was asked to fill a seat for another ride. They told him he wouldn’t lose his spot in the video line for helping out, so he rode again.

Jordan got back in his place in the video line and the tech crew was putting on his mic when it started to rain! This wasn’t just a passing sprinkle. It was a long lasting soaking rain. He waited on the platform for a while but then the call was made to un-mic Jordan, cover the cameras and call it a day. I was so unhappy. The whole reason we made this trip on this day was to get this video. Jordan even had to take the day off of work. By 3:30pm we were heading out of the park in the rain for the long, rainy drive home.

Thankfully Jordan got to do that extra ride because at least we got this ride photo-he is the one in the black shirt with his fists in the air.

That evening Jordan search YouTube for videos of the 2 rides he was on. He found this video of MouseSteps.com’s ride. Jordan is in the 2nd from the back row on the far side (black t-shirt). It isn’t what we had hoped for but it is the only video we have. Enjoy this ride on Mako.

More info about Mako:

Mako Surfacing at SeaWorld Summer 2016

SeaWorld Unveils Mako Ride Vehicle

Summer of Mako at SeaWorld Orlando

To buy your tickets or book your Central Florida vacation Email Me to start planning!

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Summer of Mako

This summer, thrill seekers and families alike can enjoy spectacular summer events at both SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica with all-new and returning summer festivities. From June 10 – August 7, SeaWorld will feature Summer of Mako, an all-new event that encourages families to explore, be inspired and take action to protect our one ocean. Whether you want to meet animal experts, dive deeper into an ocean of interactive games or experience Orlando’s tallest, fastest and longest coaster, Mako, Summer of Mako has something for everyone.

Mako

SeaWorld Orlando is upping the thrills this summer. Mako will be the tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster in Orlando. 200 feet high, 73 mph and a track that’s nearly a mile long. Mako is a hypercoaster, which means it’s all about speed, tight turns and that weightless feeling you get at the top of each hill. Its design and engineering was inspired by the real mako shark – one of the ocean’s fastest shark species. Mako’s two-acre surrounding realm will be fully themed to sharks, inspiring guests to learn about and care for this mysterious species which needs our help to survive. If you’re bored and you want to read something shark-related, you can try articles like Jimmy John Shark.

Shark Touch Pool

Guests who have ever dreamed of touching a shark will have the opportunity to do so this summer at SeaWorld Orlando. The Relaxation Station located near Wild Artic will be home to a brand-new educational experience where guests will have the chance to learn about and interact with brownbanded bamboo sharks, whitespotted bamboo sharks and epaulette sharks.

Interactive Games

Join the frenzy as you race around SeaWorld Orlando to find some of the tallest, fastest and longest creatures that call our oceans home.
Guests up for the Mako Challenge can make a difference by participating in a park wide text message-based scavenger hunt. Those who complete the Mako Challenge will have $1 donated to the SeaWorld Busch Gardens Conservation Fund on their behalf, benefiting a variety of conservation projects all over the world.

Animal Experiences

Throughout the park, even more animal ambassadors, educators and animal experts are stationed to share information and stories about the animals in our care and provide up-close meet and greets, scheduled feedings and fun surprises. Park guests can pick-up a Summer of Mako guide and park map for specific times and locations.

Mako Treats and Exclusive Summer Offers

Summer of Mako will offer several limited time in-park specials and culinary offerings including a honey vanilla mako shark cookie; a SeaWorld exclusive Coca-Cola Freestyle mix, Mako Blast; a specialty alcoholic beverage only available at Shark’s Underwater Grill; and Mako American Red Ale, a SeaWorld exclusive brew available in several locations around SeaWorld.

Shamu’s Celebration: Light Up The Night

Beginning June 18, experience this returning fan-favorite, a high-energy show featuring original music, amazing production elements and SeaWorld’s majestic killer whales. Shamu Stadium will transform with stylistic lighting and colorful backdrops to create a social and celebratory atmosphere ending with a fireworks finale spectacle.

Block Party

When the sun goes down, the fun starts up with a nightly Block Party along SeaWorld’s Waterfront. Celebrate summer and dance the night away with high energy music and street entertainment that is sure to provide non-stop fun for all ages.

Evening Coaster Thrills

SeaWorld’s coasters are a whole different experience when the sun goes down. Guests can experience Mako, Orlando’s tallest, fastest and longest coaster, Kraken, a floorless coaster with seven inversions, and Manta, a facedown, headfirst coaster where riders fly like a manta ray.

SeaWorld Orlando’s 4th of July Weekend Celebration

Weekend Concerts

On July 2 and 3, guests can enjoy performances from Country music icon Lee Greenwood at Bayside Stadium. Greenwood has more than 30 albums to his credit and has received numerous industry awards including Grammy Top Male Vocal Performance and Male Vocalist with Country Music Association. Concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. and are included with park admission. Reserved seating available for $15, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com for details.

Fireworks Display

This Fourth of July, families and friends can enjoy one of Orlando’s most magnificent fireworks displays at SeaWorld Orlando. The night sky will light up as bursts of bright colors fill the air during this spectacular, patriotic-inspired show featuring the 13th Army Band, Florida National Guard. Fireworks are included with park admission and can best be viewed from Bayside Stadium, show begins at 10 p.m.

Military Appreciation Morning

On July 1, SeaWorld Orlando will be opening the park gates one hour early for U.S. active duty military, veterans and up to three guests. Spin, glide, skim and fly on Manta or brave Orlando’s tallest, fastest and longest coaster, Mako during exclusive ride time before park opening. Advance ticket and military ID required; visit WavesOfHonor.com for current active duty and veteran ticket offers.

Island Nights at Aquatica, SeaWorld’s Waterpark

Beginning July 8, Aquatica heats things up with Island Nights presented by Coca-Cola® – an evening celebration of summer, taking place every night through August 6. Guests can enjoy a special Island Nights soundtrack, extended park hours, a daily happy hour from 5-7 p.m., an evening menu sizzlin’ with flavor at Waterstone Grill and evening kick-off parties with a DJ and dancers on Friday and Saturday nights. Event included with park admission to Aquatica.

Plan Your Vacation Now!

Guests can enjoy Summer of Mako and Island Nights for just $99 with the purchase of a single-day admission to both SeaWorld and Aquatica. Florida residents can purchase an Annual Pass to SeaWorld and Aquatica with EZpay for only $16/month.

SeaWorld Parks & Resorts Orlando offers a wide variety of hotel and vacation packages that are perfect for a weekend getaway with the entire family. Packages include free admission to Aquatica and waves of other benefits including in-park discounts, signature show seating, and a fifth hotel night free. Guests can choose from several options including “Eat Free” providing one day of All-Day-Dining at SeaWorld and Aquatica for the whole family, and “Kids Free” offering up to two free child’s admissions to SeaWorld and Aquatica. To book, Email Me an we will start planning!

New this year, families can consider a one-of-a kind vacation experience where they can swim with bottlenose dolphins, feed tropical birds, play inches from a family of otters, and experience an underwater walking tour of a coral reef with a Discovery Cove hotel package. Guests can plan a perfect trip that will include unlimited admission to SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica for the length of their stay (up to 14 days). Events and times are subject to change. Follow SeaWorld on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest Summer of Mako and Island Nights information. Join the conversation with #SeaWorld and #SummerOfMako.

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Five cheetahs recently arrived at the park in accordance with the international cheetah Species Survival Plan. Next spring, Steelman, a 12-year-old male, Ngoma, a 10-year-old female, and littermates Jagati, Iraja and Juno – all born in October 2009 – will be part of Cheetah Run, the innovative new habitat opening alongside the Cheetah Hunt launch coaster that will bring guests face to face with these agile predators and teach them about cheetahs’ plight in the wild.

During the Endangered Species Safari encounter, guests will learn that while these five cats came from the White Oak Conservation Center in Jacksonville, FL, their wild cousins are highly endangered. There are less than 10,000 cheetahs left in the world, and repopulation is made difficult by low birth rates and many natural and man-made threats to their survival.

Busch Gardens’ zoo educators will also talk about the efforts of the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, which has donated almost $100,000 to cheetah efforts in Africa since 2005 and also helps fund conservation programs for white rhinos, marine animals and many other species around the world.

The 45-minute Endangered Species Safari also includes up-close encounters with giraffes, zebra and rhinos on the 65-acre Serengeti Plain. The experience is $39.95 per person, plus tax, and park admission is required, but not included.

I haven’t personally been on this safari, yet…but I would love to go! To book an Endangered Species Safari, click here or call 1-888-800-5447.

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Now, the next generation of thrills emerges from the crossroads where up-close animal encounters and awe-inspiring rides come together. This spring, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will introduce a new mega-attraction that introduces guests to join the hunt for excitement and experience a new breed of speed.

Cheetah Hunt The centerpiece of the new attraction is Cheetah Hunt, a Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) Launch Coaster that uses the force of repelling magnets to launch riders from 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds – not once, but three times.

This one-of-a-kind, multiple launch-point coaster will board in Busch Gardens’ historic monorail station, which has been completely renovated as part of the new attraction.

The first launch propels the train out of the station and into the grasslands that surround the new area. Moments later, a second burst of speed accelerates riders to 60 mph and up into the ride’s signature tower element that climbs more than 10 stories above the African landscape before plunging 130 feet into a subterranean trench.

Cheetah Hunt covers a lot of ground, setting a new distance record for Busch Gardens’ roller coasters at 4,429 feet of track. After leaving the Crown Colony Plaza area, it races across a portion of the Serengeti Plain, staying close to the ground to give guests the experience of a cheetah sprinting across the plains. Elements such as over-banked turns, air-time parabolas and a heart line roll inversion imitate the agile creature chasing its prey, leaping and pouncing into the Nairobi area, where the train twists through a rocky gorge that was formerly part of Rhino Rally.

At the far end of this three-quarter-mile path, a third burst of speed rockets the train back across the plain toward the station in a thrill-ride experience unlike anything Busch Gardens’ guests have ever experienced.

Cheetah Run But this one-of-a-kind coaster experience is only a portion of the new realm. Building on Busch Gardens’ unrivaled ability to combine thrills with immersive animal encounters, Cheetah Run will set a new standard for bringing nature and humans together in a really unique way.

Located in the area that formerly housed the Budweiser Clydesdales, this expansive new habitat will give visitors the opportunity to get closer to cheetahs than ever before with elevated, glass-paneled viewing areas. Even more exciting will be the chance to witness the world’s fastest land animal in action. Busch Gardens’ trainers will conduct daily sprints with the cheetahs for an awesome opportunity to see one of nature’s true wonders in full form!

Families can also explore interactive touch screens to learn even more about these big cats and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment’s work on their behalf. Through the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, the adventure parks have been helping wild cheetahs since 2005.

The Realm While thrill-seekers race across the plain on Cheetah Hunt, and even non-riders appreciate the beauty and grace of the cheetah in Cheetah Run, the realm surrounding this new mega-attraction offers many more opportunities for adventure and exploration.

Built at the crossroads where Morocco, Egypt and the Edge of Africa all come together, the plaza will be a bustling, colorful celebration inspired by the sights and sounds of the cultures that feed into it. Busch Gardens’ famous Crown Colony House Restaurant will remain a focal point of the area as well with a new, terraced entrance that will feature additional outdoor seating and natural landscaping.

Cheetah Hunt and Cheetah Run open in spring 2011. Together, they form a unique experience – the kind you’ll only find at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

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