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Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens wins Best New Roller Coaster award

exterior of a tall roller coaster.
Photo by Andrew Harlan

Busch Gardens is number one in our hearts. The theme park is a space for thrill seekers, foodies, beer and wine lovers, and families. Our park’s newest addition, Iron Gwazi, debuted with fireworks and thunderous applause. Fans waited years for a chance to ride this record-breaking coaster, and it completely lived up to the hype. Iron Gwazi, North America’s tallest and the world’s fastest and steepest hybrid coaster has been awarded the Golden Ticket Award for the Best New Roller Coaster in 2022. The sought-after awards were announced this past Sept. 10 at Amusement Today’s prestigious award ceremony, designed to recognize excellence in the theme park industry. Results for the Golden Ticket Awards originate from a tabulation of hundreds of experienced industry individuals that, along with industry journalists and ride suppliers, voted for Iron Gwazi as the Best New Roller Coaster.

In addition to the highly desired accolade, the record-breaking coaster made an astonishing debut on the Best Steel Coaster chart, determined from more than 500 ballots produced for the most experienced park enthusiasts to cast their vote. With less than half a year of operation, Iron Gwazi ranks in the top 5 steel roller coasters in the world.

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Iron Gwazi takes home major Golden Ticket Award

“On behalf of all our ambassadors and enthusiasts around the world, it’s an honor to be present at this year’s Golden Ticket Awards Ceremony and accept the award for Best New Roller Coaster,” said Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Park President Neal Thurman. “Iron Gwazi is the thrill of a lifetime.  If you have not yet experienced the rush of Iron Gwazi, I hope you can join us at the park during Howl-O-Scream this fall or our family favorite event, Christmas Town.” 

North America’s tallest hybrid coaster takes thrills to new heights, plunging riders from a 206-foot-tall peak down a 91-degree drop and reaching top speeds of 76 miles per hour. Iron Gwazi is Busch Gardens’ tenth coaster and joins the already exhilarating collection of thrill rides. Riders can experience a dozen airtime moments, three inversions and race along more than 4,000 feet of steel track.

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