Last week was a very busy week for Florida theme parks but by far one of the biggest events came in the form of the opening of the Most Anticipated Coaster of 2022 as voted by the readers of USA Today, Iron Gwazi! For such a momentous occasion, the great folks at Busch Gardens Tampa invited us out to the Corks & Coaster VIP Party to not only celebrate the opening of one of the best coasters in the world (as voted on by me) but also the kick off of the 2022 Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival.
The evening kicked off with the dedication and opening remarks from the President of Busch Gardens, Neil Thurman, and Vance Martin, President of the Wilderness Foundation Africa, the conservation partner for the ride. Vance shared with the crowd stories of the foundation and the hard work it does to help the worldwide conservation project.
With Iron Gwazi officially open, it was time to take my “first ride,” and I will say this first ride was almost as thrilling as my previous first ride at the media event a few weeks back. I will say, taking a night ride is a whole different experience.
After a few rides, it was time to sample a few of the more than a hundred different items available for the Busch Gardens Tampa Food & Wine Festival. Each year, I look forward to this event more and more because they offer such a wide variety, and this year didn’t fail me. The line up changes each year so you never know what to expect, but with 16 different Festival Cabins you are sure to find something for everyone.
One of the best parts of this night was being able to ride Iron Gwazi with little to no wait. Not only did I get to ride one of the world’s most intense coasters, but I also had the opportunity to sample some amazing dishes. The stand out item for me was a huge surprise, the Reimagined Impossible Mini Avocado Slider from the Seasonally Inspired Cabin. This may be an Impossible Slider, but every person I spoke with swore it was an all beef burger. Most Food & Wine items for me are one and done, but this one will be something I’ll go back for as many times as possible.
Some of the other highlights were the Jack Daniel's Tennessee BBQ Short Ribs and one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long time, the Dark Chocolate Truffle Tart. I can't think of a single item that I would not want to try again on my next visit.
Busch Gardens Tampa continues to raise the bar from event to event, so if Iron Gwazi isn’t your thing, the Food & Wine Festival will most likely be a great reason to visit now through May 22.
