Intensity of Iron Gwazi?

[Thegoatfeeder]

Hope this is the right forum to post this!

We are planning a trip over to Busch Gardens on our next FL trip, but I am a little nervous about riding Iron Gwazi and wonder how intense it is.

I love Velocicoaster at Universal, but it definitely borders on too intense for me, there are times on that thing where I genuinely feel like I am going to fly away . I am generally fine with inversions, but I wonder if it's the air time on velocicoaster that makes me really feel the intensity. From looking at Iron Gwazi it looks as if it is going to be even more intense, but I have ridden enough coasters in my life to know that size doesn't necessarily equal intensity.

So I just wondered if anyone had ridden both of these and could tell me how Iron Gwazi compares to Velocicoaster?

 

[sipnride]

Hope this is the right forum to post this!

We are planning a trip over to Busch Gardens on our next FL trip, but I am a little nervous about riding Iron Gwazi and wonder how intense it is.

I love Velocicoaster at Universal, but it definitely borders on too intense for me, there are times on that thing where I genuinely feel like I am going to fly away . I am generally fine with inversions, but I wonder if it's the air time on velocicoaster that makes me really feel the intensity. From looking at Iron Gwazi it looks as if it is going to be even more intense, but I have ridden enough coasters in my life to know that size doesn't necessarily equal intensity.

So I just wondered if anyone had ridden both of these and could tell me how Iron Gwazi compares to Velocicoaster?

So I haven't ridden iron gwazi, but I rode gwazi when it was all wood, and ridden several hybrid written coasters. I love roller coasters of all stripes, even some that get a lot of hate for being too intense, like the green hornet magic mountain before they toned it down and shipped it out, and I promise that thing was insane. With that and maybe a couple other exceptions though, I generally find most steel coasters to be less intense than wooden ones, even though wooden coasters rarely have inversions. Hybrid coasters are even more intense imo, as they can invert and drop and twist in ways that traditional wooden coasters cannot, but they

 

[Thegoatfeeder]

So I haven't ridden iron gwazi, but I rode gwazi when it was all wood, and ridden several hybrid written coasters. I love roller coasters of all stripes, even some that get a lot of hate for being too intense, like the green hornet magic mountain before they toned it down and shipped it out, and I promise that thing was insane. With that and maybe a couple other exceptions though, I generally find most steel coasters to be less intense than wooden ones, even though wooden coasters rarely have inversions. Hybrid coasters are even more intense imo, as they can invert and drop and twist in ways that traditional wooden coasters cannot, but they

I've not done a hybrid yet, we don't gave any in the UK sadly. So I do worry IG might be too much for me, and it is pretty much the main reason we would be going over to Busch Gardens because i've ridden all the other coasters over there.

 

[sipnride]

I've not done a hybrid yet, we don't gave any in the UK sadly. So I do worry IG might be too much for me, and it is pretty much the main reason we would be going over to Busch Gardens because i've ridden all the other coasters over there.

I see my post got truncated somehow. What I had written is that the hybrids I've ridden do have that wooden coaster vibe where it's like you're flying out of your seat, but again with the steel track giving you more g forces to deal with. Personally I find them more intense than the multi launch coasters like velocicoaster (that's not to say that I like hybrids better - those multi launchers are awesome). Having said all that, I read that iron gwazi was really smooth and less intense than, say, twisted colossus in magic mountain which ive ridden, and which was less intense than the joker in six flags vallejo. It was surprising because the old Gwazi was one of the tightest roughest coasters over ever been on.

 

[sipnride]

I've not done a hybrid yet, we don't gave any in the UK sadly. So I do worry IG might be too much for me, and it is pretty much the main reason we would be going over to Busch Gardens because i've ridden all the other coasters over there.

One last thing I would add is that you might consider a trip to Busch Gardens Virginia if you want to ride some new coasters. They have a multi launch in the velocicoaster style, a handful of really fun well designed inverted and floor less coasters, and verboten, one of the most unique coasters on the planet. and the park itself is beautiful, much nicer than the one in Tampa imo.

 

[Thegoatfeeder]

One last thing I would add is that you might consider a trip to Busch Gardens Virginia if you want to ride some new coasters. They have a multi launch in the velocicoaster style, a handful of really fun well designed inverted and floor less coasters, and verboten, one of the most unique coasters on the planet. and the park itself is beautiful, much nicer than the one in Tampa imo.

I'd love to get to BG in Virginia it looks stunning (and many other US parks!), the issue being that I am the coaster fan, and my girlfriend really isn't that fussed about the thrill rides, she's basically a Disney parks fan but outside of those, not too interested, so selling her on a trip to other big parks might be a challenge

 

[sipnride]

I'd love to get to BG in Virginia it looks stunning (and many other US parks!), the issue being that I am the coaster fan, and my girlfriend really isn't that fussed about the thrill rides, she's basically a Disney parks fan but outside of those, not too interested, so selling her on a trip to other big parks might be a challenge

BG Williamsburg is near Virginia Beach, if she's into beaches. If she's into historical and/or theatrical experiences Williamsburg has converted part of the town to recreating the colonial era. That's actually a bigger tourist draw than the amusement park though it's very common for visitors to do both, and just this past summer we spent a week out there, three days on the beach in Norfolk and 4 days at a resort near BG and CW. There's also a water park next to BG.

For more on colonial Williamsburg:

https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.or...NxETXa-jnDILdsdbZAgaAqT1EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

The theming there has no comparison I can think of. The performers are all very committed to the roles they take on, with many learning their respective professions using the techniques that would have been used in colonial times, and are prepared to demonstrate such. They will also use the precise dialect of the setting. The costume patterns are all authentic to the era, and of course many of the structures you would visit are homes and commercial buildings whose construction dates back hundreds of years. It isn't just a replica of the then governors Mansion, it is the actual Mansion of England's colonial governor. Most of the performance is experienced through self guided interaction (like visiting Batuu) but they also have a schedule with more than a dozen timed performances and presentations each day, and they are not the same each day, so it's pretty easy to spends two days visiting CW alone.

There are other attractions in the area but they all are tied to historical presentation so if she's not into that...

 

[sipnride]

Oh I almost forgot to mention that they have a wine and food festival at. BG that gives epcot a run for its money. Even if it's not F&W they have three permanent wine tasting sections in their France, Germany, and Italy sections and they're very good. They used to have a 4th in Canada serving ice wine but I think they now serve hard liquor tasting the of some kind. If you do go during F&W beware that there's wine and hard liquor at nearly every station so drinking around the world there is no joke. We wound up getting pretty sloppy one year at the Jamaican station which was only halfway through the park.

Also need to plug that the food at BG is good, not quite Disney but not at all comparable to typical amusement part park fare. It's all what Disney would call quick service but I'd say better than most quick service at WDW. Their German beer hall has great food and beer plus they perform choreographed polka sets while you eat. If you've ever been to Raglan Road in Disney Springs they have a similar Irish chow hall, and I have no qualms saying the performance by the singers and dancers at BGW are stellar, much more thoroughly choreographed with a significantly higher producing level than Raglan Road.

There is one huge negative imo that's worth pointing out which is that, with the exception of the performers who always put on a great show, the staff and management as it pertains to customer service is really bad. This is not a park that is LGBT friendly (we had a bad experience there last summer and over many years never got a particularly welcoming vibe). If you run into a problem with tickets or security it's going to take them a while to sort it out. They just don't seem well trained, and everyone including managers seem confused about their policies. This wasn't the case 5 years ago, but steadily prepandemic it went from good to mediocre, then suddenly when pandemic hit from mediocre to awful, and again as of summer 2022 awful is the word I would use to describe it. This hasn't impacted the quality of the food and libations, or the safety as the park still feels very safe, but it makes the possibility of some very annoying interaction more likely than not.

 

[Yoshi]

Iron Gwazi is a very intense coaster. From the first drop until you hit the final break run it never lets up. There is ejector air time what seems like every few seconds. There is even a drop where you go through a barrel roll in the middle of the ride and some wave turns where you are basically on your side and still get air time being lifted out of the seat.

If you do want to try it, maybe save it for the last ride of the day in case it is too much for you. It’s either my favorite or 2nd favorite coaster in Florida and one of the best coasters I have ridden.

 

[drenalin'junkie]

I've ridden both recently. Velocicoaster was more intense.
Montu was more intense as well. Front row of Sheikra was pretty intense. Mako and Manta in SW are more intense.
IG is smoother than the old Gwazi which makes it more comfortable as well.

 

[Penguinempress]

I've done both - Iron Gwazi is definitely intense but if you've done Velocicoaster, I think you can handle it. The first drop of Iron Gwazi was the most intense part for me but it's really a fun & thrilling coaster (and so much smoother than the old wood version).

 

[Thegoatfeeder]

Thanks so much for all the responses.

I vaguely remember riding the original Gwazi when I was a kid, and think I still have the bruises to show for it!

I think I owe it to myself to give IG a go next year, it doesn't sound like it's too much more intense than Velocicoaster, so I think I should hopefully enjoy it!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I found the air time on Iron Gwazi to be "gentler" than the air time on Velocicoaster. Thus I would call Velocicoaster more intense. I think I prefer Iron Gwazi but both are great thrill coasters.

 

[projectx3]

I have not been on Iron Gwazi, but have taken several laps on another coaster that many compare it to for being one of the best in the world: Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point (Ohio). And I can tell you, it is very intense, and my favorite coaster. It just doesn't let up, it's absolutely wild. But... it's also incredibly smooth, as is Iron Gwazi from what I've been told.

There are many people out there who were nervous about riding Steel Vengeance due to the size, length, and intensity, but come off of it so glad they gave it a try!

 

[Jrb1979]

I haven't ridden Iron Gwazi yet but have ridden Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point many times. While it is smooth I find it very intense due to the type of airtime it has. If Iron Gwazi is anything like Steel Vengeance, your thighs will be sore from being thrown into the lap bar from the air time.

 

[NicoleLarson]

I've ridden both. They're very different coasters. Velosicoaster is an Intamin launch coaster, very smooth, lots of floater air time, which I love.. Iron Gwazi is an RMC hybrid coaster (metal track on wood frame) with lots of ejector air time which I absolutely hate. So they're both very intense but the main difference is the type of air time that you get, floating sensation vs sudden thrown into the air then thrown back into your seat.