TAMPA, Fla. — Florida's roller coaster king is almost finished with its newest thrill ride.
And, its sister water park Adventure Island is about to open a new water slide just in time for the summer season.
Busch Gardens Tampa showed off the construction site on Thursday for Iron Gwazi, a wood and steel hybrid roller coaster set to open in the spring.
The coaster is built where the original Gwazi used to be and uses some of the iconic coaster's wood foundation for the new ride. Instead of the dueling lion and tiger cars from the original, Iron Gwazi will be themed after the crocodile.
"We took the original bones from...Gwazi and added all kinds of great elements to it," Busch Gardens President Stuart Clark said. "We can't wait to really get this ride up and running."
At 206 feet, Iron Gwazi will surpass Cedar Point's Steel Vengeance to become the tallest hybrid coaster in North America. And, at that height, Iron Gwazi is taller than Sheikra, one of Busch Gardens' most intense thrill rides.
"There's a lot of old Gwazi that's still out there," Andrew Schaffer, Director of Design and Project Manager for Iron Gwazi, said. "But, this will be a 180-degree difference from the original attraction."
While most of the station and ride foundation is from the original coaster, Schaffer said Iron Gwazi won't shake riders around like the first all-wooden Gwazi.
"The ride feel is 100 percent different. Much smoother, must faster," he said.
Iron Gwazi & Solar Vortex | Busch Gardens
Across the street at Adventure Island, Solar Vortex is just one tube away from being complete.
Solar Vortex is set to be America's first dual tailspin water ride. Two steep, open bowls shoot riders around one side and then bank them up the side of the other.
Andrew Hatcher, project manager for Solar Vortex, also said the ride has "aqualuscent" sections -- parts of the enclosed tube are pitch black but shaped panels let sunlight inside in cool patterns.
While the double tailspins sound intense, Hatcher said the ride is perfect for families and kids wanting to experience their first water thrill ride.
"When people get to experience the tailspins and aqualuscents, they'll be coming back for more," Hatcher said.
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