My Farewell To Gwazi

It was July of 1999, a month after a wooden monstrosity named Gwazi was opened at Busch Gardens Tampa. Like any traditional roller coaster, I had to sit in the front row for my first ride. After a long 2 hour wait, the time has come. Alone in the front row, sitting deep in the seats, with a traditional crossbar across my lap that you do not see in modern coasters today, I awaited the release. I remember doing the sign of the cross and the person overhead behind the window laughed with me and gave me a big thumbs up. The coaster was released and I felt the familiar rumble of the wooden coaster I have not felt since I lived up north. The chain then grabbed onto our train and we slowly rose to the top of that first hill. Finally achieving that 100 foot plus height I looked down in that slight overhang before the rest of the train releases and we start the plummet down. The coaster took over and this was the beginning of many fond memories of Gwazi!!!! I remember that first flyby, seeing the faces of the 2 people in the front car of the opposing train. Another flyby, and another!!!  WOW!!! Gwazi will be here to stay.

Many years later in the midst of Summer Nights at Busch Gardens when the park was open til midnight. I wanted to ride the infamous Gwazi at night. My mother decided she wanted to ride also. We awaited a short line near closing and it was our turn. We climbed deep into the seats and once secured we were rolling out. The rush of the air, the darkness of the night, the unexpected turns because you are not seeing them. It was getting to be a rough ride at this time, but it was also a great memory. This ride was the last time my mother ever rode a roller coaster. May the memories serve her well as it did for me that evening.

In 2011 Gwazi had what appeared to be new trains on the tracks. The Millenium Flyer trains have arrived. This will be the cure to the rough rides everyone has been complaining about on Gwazi. This will be the reason the lines will start up again to ride this wooden creature in Tampa, Florida. I climbed in once again. Rode Gwazi with the enthusiasm I always have with a Busch Gardens roller coaster. IT WAS A SMOOTH RIDE!!!! I rode Gwazi 5 more times that day. I fell in love with Gwazi once again.

July of 2014, Gwazi has succumbed back to its reputation of a very rough ride. I ride it every once in a while, but not as often as the others. I was in the park with my best friend one Thursday afternoon and she wanted to ride Gwazi. She wanted to relive some good memories of Gwazi from times past. We were in the front row. The ride was very very rough. My back was screaming for it to stop, yet, I never wanted it to stop. My best friend and I got off the coaster and looked back. She was like "that is rough."  I smiled in silent agreement, but there was something else in my mind that day. That was the last time I ever rode a roller coaster with my best friend to this day. The memory will live forever.

Christmas day of 2014. Busch gardens is packed. I ran into a waitress of a restaurant I frequent and she was there with her parents. Her father wanted to ride Gwazi after hearing the rumors it will be torn down. We rode that rough ride Gwazi now had a reputation for now. We got off after that 2 1/2 minute ride. Her father said he will be first in line to help tear this coaster down. I smiled again silently in agreement. I now had a new memory of Gwazi I shall remember always.

I am a lover of roller coasters and I am always sad to see them go, even though it usually makes way for something bigger and better. I WILL be there on Febuary 1rst when Gwazi makes its last run. I HOPE to be one of the privileged few to be on that train when Gwazi makes its last run. Will it happen? ONLY BUSCH GARDENS CAN MAKE THAT POSSIBLE, but even if not, I will have made another memory on Feb 1rst remembering that last ride.

What might come in its place here at Busch Gardens......for now we can only speculate. I am confident it will be something HUGE. For now, thanks Busch Gardens; thanks Gwazi Lion and Tiger; thanks to all of the employees that helped make this ride possible; and most of all, thanks to all of the aforementioned people that helped make Gwazi a memory I will always think of with a smile. May Gwazi rest in peace within everyones memories forever.   

RIP GWAZI

I am David "Thrills" and I am an avid goer to Busch Gardens. As always, if you have any questions I may be able to help you with, or just want to hear my updates and live in-park tweeting, follow me @TampaAmazeMe or email me at TampaThrillMe@gmail.com . The two landscape pictures from Gwazi Field are courtesy of CwWhosthatgrl , whom shares fond memories of Gwazi also.