[LocoDriver]

Went to the park over the weekend.

While waiting in line to ride Gwazi I noticed they were only running 1 side. I got a good look at the lift hill of the side that was closed and noticed the chain was really rusty and there's some tree limbs growing over the track. This of course made me wonder how long this side had been closed and why was it closed. I had not heard of any issues or plans with Gwazi and it's been about 2 years since my last visit. As much as I hated to, I asked the ride op in the station how long had it been closed. She stated that she had been there since 2/13 and it was already closed when she arrived. My last visit was in March 2012 and from my recollection it was running then. If her information and my recall is correct then this means it shut down sometime between mid 2012 and early 2013.



As for the side that's still running, it doesn't appear nor feel to have had much TLC on it either. The ride was much rougher than I remembered it being last time.

I'm thinking Gwazi's days may be numbered. I could see this site housing a brand new attraction in the coming years.

With all that said, I could see this being bull dozed in the near future and possibly housing a new attraction.

[montumax]

Rumor has it that its a goner. Wouldn't surprise me one bit.

[cwgator]

The Tiger side has been closed down since late Oct/Early November 2012. BGT is my current home park and the rumors are everything from they plan to give it the RMC treatment, tear it down and start all over with a new RMC, giga (or hyper) coaster in it's spot as part of a new land and more. The ride has just not held up with the change in ownerships over the past several years. Florida's climate is pretty brutal on wooden coasters as well as it being a year round park make it harder to maintain vs seasonal parks, tho I know it can be done if properly maintained (meaning $$$$ put into it).

When I first road it back in '07 both sides weren't too terribly bad. However I went before they added the MF trains and it was HORRIBLE. Then for a brief time after they added the MF trains it was somewhat pleasurable to ride, tho nothing like say Thunderhead. I went say a month after they were added. By the time I went a few months later it had gotten extremely bad; almost as bad as before the new trains. The last time I rode was about a year ago and that was only because I took my nephew. He didn't too much like it either. I've been back a few times since then and I just walk right on by. There are still lines for it but the loading time is horrible now with the double checks (seat belt then lap bar that they have to put down) and often one train operation.

I for one and ready to see it go. FL needs a good airtime machine and BGT is the perfect park for it. I wouldn't mind a new woodie, but I would like a hyper or giga as well....hey why not all 3? LOL

[Edwardo]

I have heard its days are very numbered.

I've heard that the park is looking to add another Beemer, not sure if it'll replace Gwazi or what.

[Jarsh]

They've been planning to add that damn B&M Hyper for YEARS now. I hope they finally bite the bullet and go with it.

[LocoDriver]

They've been planning to add that damn B&M Hyper for YEARS now. I hope they finally bite the bullet and go with it.

That would be nice. It would help with lines on Cheetah Hunt, Sheikra and Falcons Fury (when it opens).

[tylerSC]

They've been planning to add that damn B&M Hyper for YEARS now. I hope they finally bite the bullet and go with it.

Perhaps they are getting their own B&M giga.

[Jarsh]

What I heard years ago was that the station would be somewhere in the field beside Gwazi (behind the stage area) and the lift would head out towards Sheikra. From there the course would run back to and around the containment ponds in the back before heading back to the station along the same narrow route. But with the houses across the road I don't know that they park would be able to have the first drop pointed at them and get away with it.

If they remove Gwazi, the could easily push the station back into that area allowing them to go higher (giga size maybe) and create a new area for the park as well. Who knows at this point... Guess we'll find out something before long.

[chknwing]

lol b&m has enough on their plate already. Everyone wants a new coaster. Intamin getting no love from anyone.

[Jarsh]

Chunking folks will do that to your customer base.

[Edwardo]

Exactly.

I've heard both BGT and SWO will be adding their new Beemers on the next bit. I really need to get to those parks lol.

And don't worry about Intamin. Unless Six Flags is finally fed up over the whole Zoomanjaro drama, you may see a rather large intamin sooner rather than later.

[tarheel1231]

^How big of an Intamin are we talking?

[Edwardo]

Pretty big.

[Tosu97]

Even though it appears they will be building the B&M hyper before long... I always wished BGT would be the first park in the US to build an Intamin Mega-Lite. It seems like a great fit to replace Gwazi at one of my very favorite parks.

[Sokeman]

B&M has enough on their plate already. Everyone wants a new coaster. Intamin getting no love from anyone.

Perhaps inFAILamin AG should ensure that their products are much more reliabe. I don't recollect B&M ever having to remove inversions or replace multiple track sections. Also I doubt B&M would ever sport a half dozen inline twists just to get a record of some sort. And "everyone" isn't clamoring for coasters. Where's the dark rides!? Tired of seeing just a single solitary dark ride that's been shoehorned in as an afterthought. Nowadays it's either a shoot'em up with plywood cutouts and/or projection screens in an empty room... if there's even one to be found on the premises. If one can blow $30+ million dollars on a coaster they can certainly add a respectable "classic" dark ride... or four.

I always wished BGT would be the first park in the US to build an Intamin Mega-Lite.

I'd rather look forward to the Chance (Morgan) Hyper-Lite being a staple of American parks then the Mega-Lite. A shame if it IS removed. I can literally count on one hand how many racing/dueling wooden coasters have been built in the USA since 1980.