Iron Gwazi (General Discussion)

[rwinger24]

Bummed about the earnings call. Still SBNO.

 

[rwinger24]

I think Busch is probably waiting until Ice Breaker is complete. This is just speculation, but I think Gwazi and Ice Breaker might open each other once IB finishes constructing that exit stand.

 

[krazyhorrorkid]

Everyone still semi sure about the mysterious thing happening on 15th?

 

[rwinger24]

Everyone still semi sure about the mysterious thing happening on 15th?

Looks like it is not. And I am doubting SEAS will open these rides this summer as they want to open stuff at full capacity. 2022 is a lot more transparent at the moment.

 

[Viator]

Everyone still semi sure about the mysterious thing happening on 15th?

The mysterious thing is for Ice Breaker--not Iron Gwazi. Assuming it happens or is delayed by a smaller bit of time.

 

[rwinger24]

The mysterious thing is for Ice Breaker--not Iron Gwazi. Assuming it happens or is delayed by a smaller bit of time.

Okay. They got their Summer Nights coming up. I just think it is a missed opportunity to hype up the ride with the summer crowds coming.

 

[rwinger24]

Could there possibly be a maintenance problem/issue causing the ride testing and cycling to function completely odd/unusual. If there was a serious problem with a ride part that needs to be replaced, I can understand the delay.

 

[WillQ92]

Could there possibly be a maintenance problem/issue causing the ride testing and cycling to function completely odd/unusual. If there was a serious problem with a ride part that needs to be replaced, I can understand the delay.

No.

 

[krazyhorrorkid]

I was referring to Ice Breaker.
I posted it here because I believe there are maybe some correlation with the announcements or releases.

Right now there are no "set capicity" for the park.
I can confirm they are no longer taking reservations so it would be suggestive they are not looking to hard into it anymore.

Another thing I have to bring up, staffing rn is rough. There are barely any employee's working at Busch at the moment.
Just enough to keep things running.

 

[rwinger24]

Someone on Reddit has some insight. I’m copy-pasting his comment here.
“
It is opening in 2022 and they made this decision a while ago.

They have basically about a week to start marketing, staff training, and finalize testing in order to make a July 4th opening. After July 4th there is no other date that makes sense to open the ride on. July through Sept you are wasting your marketing dollars for less than half the summer. Sept-Thanksgiving the park is dead during the days and the Halloween event does not need it to move tickets. Thanksgiving though first week of Jan is Christmastown and the park is at capacity as it is and that area of the park does not need more people.

Another problem is that it is starting to look like July 4th will be the Ice Breaker opening date. This matters because SEAS are not going to have SWO and BGT step on each others marketing windows for a new major ride as they are neighboring media markets. There will be at least a 2 to a 3-week difference in opening dates.

I see limited capacity given as a reason for the delay but BGT and SWO have been running full capacity since early Dec 2020.

The signs that they are moving the opening to 2022 include changing it from Spring 2021 to Anticipated 2021. This is when I believe they made the decision but did not want to hurt season pass sales. The removal of IG from the yearly fast pass which it was listed under since at least Oct 2019. The deemphasis of the ride on the website and the removal for season pass call to action on the IG page. No testing during park hours which is a free and easy hype to the enthusiast community and builds word of mouth.

Throw in there has not been a peep from marketing since the POV last November.”

But with Disney showing they can open a ride anytime. Late summer/fall, I still have hopes this ride will open soon.

 

[krazyhorrorkid]

There is a new survey that is being sent out.

I can trust everyone to go and answer within the threads best interests
Put on the pressure, stress em up.

 

[rwinger24]

There is a new survey that is being sent out.

I can trust everyone to go and answer within the threads best interests
Put on the pressure, stress em up.

Is the survey just for passholders?

 

[krazyhorrorkid]

Is the survey just for passholders?

I am unsure.
All I can say is that there were a TON of questions about Iron Gwazi on the survey.
There were at least 3.
It maybe possible they are getting ready to make there decision.

 

[rwinger24]

I am unsure.
All I can say is that there were a TON of questions about Iron Gwazi on the survey.
There were at least 3.
It maybe possible they are getting ready to make there decision.

I never knew there was a survey. Where did you hear from?

 

[krazyhorrorkid]

I never knew there was a survey. Where did you hear from?

I know because I took it. Email was sent out 30 minutes ago.

 

[Viator]

Someone on Reddit has some insight. I’m copy-pasting his comment here.
“
It is opening in 2022 and they made this decision a while ago.

They have basically about a week to start marketing, staff training, and finalize testing in order to make a July 4th opening. After July 4th there is no other date that makes sense to open the ride on. July through Sept you are wasting your marketing dollars for less than half the summer. Sept-Thanksgiving the park is dead during the days and the Halloween event does not need it to move tickets. Thanksgiving though first week of Jan is Christmastown and the park is at capacity as it is and that area of the park does not need more people.

Another problem is that it is starting to look like July 4th will be the Ice Breaker opening date. This matters because SEAS are not going to have SWO and BGT step on each others marketing windows for a new major ride as they are neighboring media markets. There will be at least a 2 to a 3-week difference in opening dates.

I see limited capacity given as a reason for the delay but BGT and SWO have been running full capacity since early Dec 2020.

The signs that they are moving the opening to 2022 include changing it from Spring 2021 to Anticipated 2021. This is when I believe they made the decision but did not want to hurt season pass sales. The removal of IG from the yearly fast pass which it was listed under since at least Oct 2019. The deemphasis of the ride on the website and the removal for season pass call to action on the IG page. No testing during park hours which is a free and easy hype to the enthusiast community and builds word of mouth.

Throw in there has not been a peep from marketing since the POV last November.”

But with Disney showing they can open a ride anytime. Late summer/fall, I still have hopes this ride will open soon.

I mean, why not just link the reddit post itself? Wouldn't it help that of the user of the original post over there, if views can be sent?

I am unsure.
All I can say is that there were a TON of questions about Iron Gwazi on the survey.
There were at least 3.
It maybe possible they are getting ready to make there decision.

Good to hear that there is atleast things being sent out as surveys. Especially as we get closer to the tail end of the Spring period next month.

 

[xxbrothawizxx]

Another thing I have to bring up, staffing rn is rough. There are barely any employee's working at Busch at the moment.
Just enough to keep things running.

That seems like a legitimate reason to delay if they might be overwhelmed by summer crowds and the boost from opening IG. Sucks, but at this point the hype has already died down for me. It'll open when it opens and that's when I'll buy a pass again. That said, I miss Mako .

 

[ParkRumors]

An interesting data point - it looks like this survey is only for Florida residents - if you answer the second question (In what state do you live in?) with anything other than Florida it will end the survey and thank you for your time.

With the heavy focus on Iron Gwazi specific questions it makes me wonder... are they that out of touch that they need to send out a survey to find out if opening one of the most anticipated coasters in recent history will help drive more FL residents to the park? Or are they looking for justification for not opening it?

 

[rwinger24]

An interesting data point - it looks like this survey is only for Florida residents - if you answer the second question (In what state do you live in?) with anything other than Florida it will end the survey and thank you for your time.

With the heavy focus on Iron Gwazi specific questions it makes me wonder... are they that out of touch that they need to send out a survey to find out if opening one of the most anticipated coasters in recent history will help drive more FL residents to the park? Or are they looking for justification for not opening it?

Missing 2021 would honestly be a failure and a huge misstep for SEAS.

 

[Magic-Man]

If Iron Gwazi opens in 2022, I'd be pretty damn angry. I bought an annual pass with the expectation of riding this year, because that's what Busch Gardens keeps saying. COVID cases are going down, more people are getting vaccinated, restrictions are lifting. There's no reason not to open it this summer other than lack of international tourists, but places across the US are opening rides anyways so that reasoning kinda sucks.

If you're going to delay it, just announce it already. Don't drag this out for another six months.