Project 2021/Drachen Spire: Intamin Multi-Launch Shuttle Giga Coaster [Cancelled]

General Information:​

"Project Drachen Spire," is a community-generated identifier for the Intamin-made, multi-launch, shuttle giga coaster that was originally slated to open at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 2021. The attraction is planned to utilize the currently-vacant land behind Verbolten, Festhaus Park—the former home of Drachen Fire.

The coaster's main layout—as leaked before the addition was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic—featured two launches, two spikes (one spiral, one vertical-ish), and a couple of banked turns. Drachen Spire was designed to run two trains by means of a pair of switch tracks connecting the primary, shuttle portion of the layout to the station platform.

Important Articles:​

• Most Up-To-Date Understanding of the Layout:
  
  

  Leaked Electrical Plan Depicts Busch Gardens Williamsburg's 2021 Roller Coaster in Detail – BGWFans

  If there’s a god, he’s up there laughing this afternoon. Why? Because BGWFans just had one of those classic sitcom moments. Yesterday, we published our painstakingly detailed analysis of the footer plan for what we believe is Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s 2021 roller coaster—seemingly a huge...

  bgwfans.com
• Most Recent Status Update:
  
  

  Drachen Spire Height Waiver Extension Details – BGWFans

  Just over a week ago, we reported on the renewal of the notorious 355 foot Festhaus Park height waiver that was originally requested for the controversial, Intamin-made, multi-launch, giga, shuttle coaster we’ve dubbed Drachen Spire. In last week’s article, we were very careful to leave the door...

  bgwfans.com

NoLimits Model of the Layout:​

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Additional Coverage (Newest to Oldest):​

• https://bgwfans.com/2022/drachen-spire-height-waiver-extension-details/
• https://bgwfans.com/2022/drachen-spire-height-waiver-renewal/
• https://bgwfans.com/2021/drachen-spires-slumber/
• https://bgwfans.com/2020/leaked-ele...-williamsburgs-2021-roller-coaster-in-detail/
• https://bgwfans.com/2020/busch-gardens-williamsburg-2021-shuttle-giga-coaster/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/germany-expansion-site-plans/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/2021-rpa-impacts-plan/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/newly-leaked-document-depicts-project-2021s-station/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/project-2021-height-waiver-vote-happens-tomorrow/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/born-from-the-ashes/
• https://bgwfans.com/2019/bgw-project-2021/

Previous Thread:​

https://parkfans.net/threads/january-2019-festhaus-park-height-survey.5696/

 

[Drachenwolf]

Every ounce of my being says it's a 'Starflyer'. All the big parks have one these days (not BGW). It's a cheaper approach to claiming a 300+' attraction; Not noisy at all; Fits the 'festive' theme. I simply can't see BGW building 2 big coaster projects in back to back years. Hopefully I'm wrong... I have been once or twice.

An Intamin Mega-Lite planted on the old Drachenfire grounds is a doable, likely wise investment... and would be a-dream-come-true/awesome.

 

[thopping]

Random comments:

1. I'm long (past several years) a believer in the package theory. My version is that it applies system-wide though, which gives me hope that B&M is an option here.
2. And yes, I must believe it's a coaster.
3. I agree w/ the mini-hamlet theory as a possibility. 15 years ago, Bavaria/Black Forest/whatever would be my foregone conclusion. Today, probably a better marketing upside if they can make it relate to Spain. (And in my mind this has nothing substantially to do with a contemporary and somewhat random project name like Madrid). They need at least a Dippin' Dots stand though to pull that off. If they're not investing in at least something else back there with the assumed coaster, name it some German theme and call it a day.

 

[Jonesta6]

I kinda hope not a starflyer, but I could see the appeal. Curious about lighting package choices if they did go that route since JCC has some pretty strict guidelines.

 

[basseyfish]

Would a starflyer or new drop tower even make sense at the very back of a park? Wouldn't you want it in the more middle for better views...?

 

[Jpineda96]

Guys it’s not a starflyer ?‍

 

[b.mac]

I kinda hope not a starflyer, but I could see the appeal. Curious about lighting package choices if they did go that route since JCC has some pretty strict guidelines.

Posted earlier about this, as long as they don't go the "you can see the topper from space" route that the Six Flags parks went there shouldn't be any trouble.

 

[GrandpaD]

Guys it’s not a starflyer ?‍

Source?

 

[dude205]

Would a starflyer or new drop tower even make sense at the very back of a park? Wouldn't you want it in the more middle for better views...?

Well you are closer to the James River when at that side of the park. Still a nice view.

 

[basseyfish]

Well you are closer to the James River when at that side of the park. Still a nice view.

If they wanna have guests look at the river, build an observation tower then. There for you can have really nice pictures and stuff. Id rather see that personally. Until they charge for it like they do at seaworld

 

[basseyfish]

What if they made a small scale replica of this? Its in germany

 

[PhantomJB93]

I’ll say the same thing I said about MMXX when people said it would be a tower - it makes no sense to put a tower by itself out in the middle of a giant open space like that with nothing around it. If it’s not a coaster, it’s a tower with a ton of new stuff around it going on as well. Considering BGW’s recent lack of a commitment to theming I’d still lean towards coaster myself even if that seems unlikely so soon after another new coaster.

 

[Jpineda96]

Source?

Think about it logically. It’s a Lattice type construction and I know all are you are gonna say star flyers are lattice type construction, but if you look at the bracket labeled 355 above grade it changes size when viewed from one side of the picture to the other hinting at a lift hill crest. If it was a starflyer it would stay the same size. I know everybody is skeptical of it being a coaster, why would they do soil sampling in multiple spots in festhaus park?? I just have a feeling We could possible see a B&M or Intamin Giga. What if they wanted project Madrid to be the giga but plans changed and was moved to 2021 since B&M was fully booked for 2020.

 

[BGWnut]

Think about it logically. It’s a Lattice type construction and I know all are you are gonna say star flyers are lattice type construction, but if you look at the bracket labeled 355 above grade it changes size when viewed from one side of the picture to the other hinting at a lift hill crest. If it was a starflyer it would stay the same size. I know everybody is skeptical of it being a coaster, why would they do soil sampling in multiple spots in festhaus park?? I just have a feeling We could possible see a B&M or Intamin Giga. What if they wanted project Madrid to be the giga but plans changed and was moved to 2021 since B&M was fully booked for 2020.

All excellent points that I have brought up previously with the exception of the lattice structure. There are tower rides that use lattice construction. Great minds think alike haha

 

[b.mac]

Think about it logically. It’s a Lattice type construction and I know all are you are gonna say star flyers are lattice type construction, but if you look at the bracket labeled 355 above grade it changes size when viewed from one side of the picture to the other hinting at a lift hill crest.

Probably because it's just an approximation for planning commission submission.

If it was a starflyer it would stay the same size. I know everybody is skeptical of it being a coaster, why would they do soil sampling in multiple spots in festhaus park??

Because doing soil sample tests in multiple spots allows for slight changes in plans just in case the one spot intended to be used is not suitable for such an attraction. Or, as has been mentioned in this thread, there's multiple rides being added instead of just a coaster.

I just have a feeling We could possible see a B&M or Intamin Giga. What if they wanted project Madrid to be the giga but plans changed and was moved to 2021 since B&M was fully booked for 2020.

Doubt B&M was "fully" booked for 2020 as they have only 4 projects slated compared to 6+ in previous years. I'd be inclined to believe Intamin since they have 14 projects in the pipeline for this year.

 

[GrandpaD]

First off @Jpineda96 you made a definitive statement, not conjuncture, that there wasn't going to be a tower. Thus, I was curious the source of your statement. Obviously, it's just a guess on your part.

I fully believe there will be a coaster. But, since you asked, I'll think logically. First, the approximate location of the peak height is about the center of the old DF footprint. Logically (guest ingress and egress) try to conceive a lift hill peaking there.

As mentioned by @b.mac (above) and others in this thread, the height marks on the photos are approximate and not definitive. They basically drew a line to show "right about here" and not "exactly here".

As far as soil testing, I'm in the "there's more that one ride going in" faction. I know SEAS says they'll spend $150M corporate wide for new rides, etc. MMXX is about $25M. Fury 325 cost $30M in 2015. It isn't logical to me that SEAS would invest over $60M in 2 years at BGW. They could easily build a new version of Falcon's Fury and a medium coaster for less than MMXX's cost and have broader appeal with 2 decidedly different attractions opening at the same time. That's my guess.

And that's about as logical as I can get.

 

[b.mac]

As far as soil testing, I'm in the "there's more that one ride going in" faction. I know SEAS says they'll spend $150M corporate wide for new rides, etc. MMXX is about $25M. Fury 325 cost $30M in 2015. It isn't logical to me that SEAS would invest over $60M in 2 years at BGW. They could easily build a new version of Falcon's Fury and a medium coaster for less than MMXX's cost and have broader appeal with 2 decidedly different attractions opening at the same time. That's my guess.

Note that Capital Expenditure is not just for brand new rides. It can also be spent on other things such as fresh paint, new signage, foliage, and can be allocated into maintenance budget along with other things. It does not explicitly have to go to new rides.

 

[GrandpaD]

I know @b.mac , but I was running long. But $60M out of $300M corporate wide doesn't seem logical to me.

 

[BGWnut]

Note that Capital Expenditure is not just for brand new rides. It can also be spent on other things such as fresh paint, new signage, foliage, and can be allocated into maintenance budget along with other things. It does not explicitly have to go to new rides.

Actually the $150 million committed is explicitly for new rides, shows or events. The rest of the capex would be for things like that.

 

[BGWnut]

Think about it logically. It’s a Lattice type construction and I know all are you are gonna say star flyers are lattice type construction, but if you look at the bracket labeled 355 above grade it changes size when viewed from one side of the picture to the other hinting at a lift hill crest. If it was a starflyer it would stay the same size. I know everybody is skeptical of it being a coaster, why would they do soil sampling in multiple spots in festhaus park?? I just have a feeling We could possible see a B&M or Intamin Giga. What if they wanted project Madrid to be the giga but plans changed and was moved to 2021 since B&M was fully booked for 2020.

As mentioned by @b.mac (above) and others in this thread, the height marks on the photos are approximate and not definitive. They basically drew a line to show "right about here" and not "exactly here".

As far as soil testing, I'm in the "there's more that one ride going in" faction. I know SEAS says they'll spend $150M corporate wide for new rides, etc. MMXX is about $25M. Fury 325 cost $30M in 2015. It isn't logical to me that SEAS would invest over $60M in 2 years at BGW. They could easily build a new version of Falcon's Fury and a medium coaster for less than MMXX's cost and have broader appeal with 2 decidedly different attractions opening at the same time. That's my guess.

I've discussed the variances in the two pictures before in this thread. Personally while I don't think they are exact measurements they are meant to convey that there is a width difference between the two and that it'll effect the landscape differently from those two locations.

As far as cost it's possible that BGW got a package deal from B&M with Mako in SWC or they got one from Intamin with MMXX. Honestly with the commitment of $150 for new rides, shows and events each year I think it's definitely possible that we could see that level of investment at one park over two years followed a few years of smaller investments. It's also possible that this project gets pushed back to 2022 and there isn't a big ride coming in 2021.

We've talked about it before in this thread but the $25 million price tag isn't for just the coaster but would be for all the work done. Some of that includes the cost of the pasture moving, the bridge being built and so on. Some could even be for general improvements in Festa. Also they just committed that $150 million of their capex would be used for new rides, shows or events. Doesn't mean that they can't use more than the $150 million for that and dip into the other uses of the capex.

 

[GrandpaD]

C'mon, you're trying to say that the cost of site improvements, etc. don't factor into the $150M? That's some serious creative accounting. That's like saying building a new house on the beach is only $300K and exclude the $1M cost of the property, demo of the old structure plus site/utility prep.

I'm sorry, but I just have to laugh at all the people that "wish/beg/pray" for a giga coming up with so many justifications and logic to convince others that's what being built.