Multiple Attractions Shutting Down at Florida Theme Park, When Will They Return?

The most popular roller coaster at this Florida theme park is currently closed, with more attractions soon joining it.

Florida is, perhaps, the most notable theme park capital of America, being home to some of the most popular theme parks in the country — if not the entire world. Thrilling roller coasters, unparalleled special events, world-class entertainment, mouth-watering dining offerings, whole days packed with fun, and so much more make it clear why Florida is a must-do destination for theme park enthusiasts. However, a popular theme park in Florida recently closed one of its most popular roller coasters, with another handful of attractions soon joining it.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay announced that Iron Gwazi, North America’s tallest and world’s fastest & steepest hybrid coaster, would close its doors yesterday, November 2. While the initial announcement made it sound like the attraction would be unavailable indefinitely, the Florida theme park’s website has been updated, stating the actual duration of Iron Gwazi’s closure.

Related: Iconic Roller Coaster Gets Hybrid Treatment, Reopening Soon!

Per Busch Gardens’ website, Iron Gwazi will be temporarily closed from November 2 through November 11, barely over a week. This temporary closure sure will make fans of the attraction feel much better after clearing up the uncertainty of the attraction’s unavailability, especially considering that Iron Gwazi will undergo scheduled maintenance to keep the iconic roller coaster in top shape for Guests to enjoy.

If you haven’t had the chance to experience Iron Gwazi, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay describes the thrilling coaster as follows:

Iron Gwazi takes thrills to new heights, plunging riders from a 206 foot-tall peak into a 91-degree drop and reaching top speeds of 76 miles per hour. Riders on Iron Gwazi will experience a dozen airtime moments, including three inversions, as they sink their teeth into crocodile-inspired thrills.

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 ride, all-new thrill components and a reimagined track layout take Iron Gwazi to another level.

Per Busch Gardens’ website, more attractions will soon have temporary closures for scheduled maintenance as well, including:

• SheiKra, which will be unavailable starting November 14 with no reopening date at the moment.
• Wild Surge, closing from November 28 through December 9.
• Congo River Rapids, closing from November 28 through December 23.

Skyride and Falcon’s Fury are also closed temporarily. However, Busch Gardens’ website does not state an estimated date for the return of these popular attractions. Inside the Magic will keep you posted as more information becomes available.

Will these closures affect your next visit to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay? Let us know in the comments below!