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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Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

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/

 

[madmax]

I just feel a blitz is really redundant from MMXX and doesn’t really push the envelope from a GP standpoint as much as a massive RMC or giga would. I wouldn’t mind a giga with a drop like DC Rivals if anything.

 

[BGWnut]

My problem with a blitz is that would be back to back launch coasters and put two launch coasters next door to each other with Verbolten there.

 

[Zimmy]

Clearly this is going to be the 3rd tallest Ferris Wheel in the United States. (At 335') For comparison the London Eye is 394'

This is just obvious to anyone who is paying attention.

 

[b.mac]

Clearly this is going to be the tallest Ferris Wheel in the United States. (At 335') For comparison the London Eye is 394'

I think this is obvious and the only possible answer.

High Roller in Las Vegas is 550 feet.

 

[Jonesta6]

Can they feasibly do anything with a traditional chain lift there and actually come remotely close to the height waiver? And even if they could, where's the layout going to take it?

 

[madmax]

Nothing is impossible. Just saying.

 

[Zimmy]

High Roller in Las Vegas is 550 feet.

Yeah, thats why I went back and corrected myself. The Orlando Eye is 400 feet.

 

[BGWnut]

Can they feasibly do anything with a traditional chain lift there and actually come remotely close to the height waiver? And even if they could, where's the layout going to take it?

It all depends on where the lift hill starts. But they could vary the lift hill angle to fit it in a tighter space if they wanted. The other thing to remember is that right now we don't know the exact area the ride will use. We have a guess based on where they have done/ we know they will do soil samples. We don't yet know if they will be doing more beyond the ones we know about.

 

[Jahrules]

I took this photo for the irony factor

 

[snowman6996]

Clearly this is going to be the 3rd tallest Ferris Wheel in the United States. (At 335') For comparison the London Eye is 394'

This is just obvious to anyone who is paying attention.

Only if its a SkyDiver ferris wheel and i can tilt it upside town.

 

[Jpineda96]

If it is a giga I have a feeling it will cross the train tracks off to the right and have a turn around element.

 

[Seado]

If it is a giga I have a feeling it will cross the train tracks off to the right and have a turn around element.

Are you talking about this area?

 

[BGWnut]

Something I was thinking about. In Zachary's article it mentions that they are 4 locations to mark utilities but they only could identify 3. Based on the filing it says there are two locations northeast of the maintenance building. I have included the filing imagine from the article below.



The map Zachary included did not pass the train tracks. I'm wondering if the 2nd area to the northeast is just beyond the train tracks as demonstrated below:



This would then make the approximate impact area for the attraction the below image:



Personally I think this is pretty likely. The only hitch depends on how loosely the term Drachen Fire area can be interpreted. I definitely think that would qualify though. Thoughts?

 

[Jpineda96]

Are you talking about this area?

Rough drawing but I can see something like this

 

[GrandpaD]

Rough drawing but I can see something like this

If they did, in fact, go across the tracks, I think they'd only go as far as the second "inlet" because I doubt they want to lose the Boneyard, nor have people seeing it.

If that area "opened up" as suggested by @BGWfan , I could visualize a giga. If they stay inside the tracks, I just don't see how a giga would fit.

 

[BGWnut]

If they did, in fact, go across the tracks, I think they'd only go as far as the second "inlet" because I doubt they want to lose the Boneyard, nor have people seeing it.

If that area "opened up" as suggested by @BGWfan , I could visualize a giga. If they stay inside the tracks, I just don't see how a giga would fit.

I do think it's more likely that they just use the area I suggested around the tracks instead of going all the way into the boneyard. I think they will keep the boneyard there and keep the trees directly around it so that they can minimize it's visibility as much as possible. The ride might come close to the boneyard briefly but that's it.

 

[FoozMuz]

The chief engineer described the Madrid peak as wider than the spire tructure described for 21 when questioned, so it's hard for me to imagine this as a giga lift peak.

 

[BGWnut]

The chief engineer described the Madrid peak as wider than the spire tructure described for 21 when questioned, so it's hard for me to imagine this as a giga lift peak.

We've already discussed this but there are a lot of ways that could be interpreted. We have no idea what Madrid would have been. There are been rumors but we don't know what that structure would have looked like. It also could be that she was describing how it looks from kingsmill or this lift hill will go up at a much higher angle that will make it more slender than an average Giga.

 

[madmax]

It’s almost like the giga could go up at 45 degrees and not the usual 35...

 

[GrandpaD]

Lattice just leave this here.