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

Register or Login to Hide This Ad for Free!

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:
    bgwfans.com

    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 bgwfans.com
  • Most Recent Status Update:
    bgwfans.com

    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 bgwfans.com

NoLimits Model of the Layout:​

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

Additional Coverage (Newest to Oldest):​

Previous Thread:​

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Click to expand...
@Drachenwolf : I think the point is that you are expressing an opinion without specific evidence as if it were fact. Especially in a discussion like, this that kind of misleading statement is a problem and probably irresponsible, as it leads people to believe you have specific insight that you evidently lack. People come here to find out the latest information. Casual readers will not be able to differentiate between your assertions and assessments that have been made, based on known facts.

More thoughts on this issue can be found in our Forum Etiquette thread.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Eye-Roll
Reactions: LudwigII and Unagi
Zachary said:
I've been doing this fun thing other people may want to try out.

When people just say something is or is not happening with no evidence, I've been bookmarking their posts. Should be interesting in a year or two...

View attachment 15767
Click to expand...
Only fair if you remember to call attention to such posts should they be CORRECT in a year or two.

Call it anticipation-fatigue, but we just went through a year or more of 'BGW filed for a 315' height waiver, we're getting a giga...'

Oh, no, it's actually 180 ft. at it's highest point?


Fool me once...
 
Drachenwolf said:
Only fair if you remember to call attention to such posts should they be CORRECT in a year or two.
Click to expand...

I think the issue is more stating something as if it's fact. We all have thoughts and feelings on what it might be; but to say "the project is/isnt x" stated as fact doesn't add substantial value to the conversation. If you have data or insightful information/thoughts on why you believe something; that would be fine.

There is no reward for "best guesser".
 
  • Like
Reactions: Unagi and BGWnut
Drachenwolf said:
Only fair if you remember to call attention to such posts should they be CORRECT in a year or two.

Call it anticipation-fatigue, but we just went through a year or more of 'BGW filed for a 315' height waiver, we're getting a giga...'

Oh, no, it's actually 180 ft. at it's highest point?


Fool me once...
Click to expand...

If you were paying attention at all to this thread you'd know Madrid (the 315' waiver) was trashed for MMXX. There is no fooling going on. We are working with the info we currently have which is a 355' height waiver with soil testing going on across a very large area.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jornor, madmax and jonfin826
Just something I thought of: for years people used to say the park would never get a wooden coaster because of the noise for Kingsmill, and for years people said the park would never work with Intamin. We’ve seen both of those trends fall in the last several years now.

I feel like “the park will never get a giga because of its affect on the skyline” is the last long-standing myth to go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bring Back Questor 87, hyperrider, jornor and 6 others
Consider that in order to be the tallest lift hill giga in the world, they would need 326', (+/- for light, etc.) Not 355'.
Such a drop- 326'- would likely have a following hill of at least 190'... Taller than Apollo's Chariot's HIGHEST point.
I think that would create at least 2 areas of skyline concern for the county and Kingsmill, etc., and wouldn't qualify as a slender, spire-like structure at all.

Then there's the building 2 big coasters in back-to-back seasons which just gives an if-something-seems-too-good-to-be-true... vibe.
 
Last edited:
Drachenwolf said:
Consider that in order to be the tallest lift hill giga in the world, they would need 326', (+/- for light, etc.) Not 355'.
Such a drop- 326'- would likely have a following hill of at least 190'- taller than Apollo's Chariot's HIGHEST point.
I think that would create at least 2 areas of skyline concern for the county and Kingsmill, etc., and wouldn't qualify as a slender, spire-like structure at all.

Then there's the building 2 big coasters in back-to-back seasons which just gives an if-something-seems-too-good-to-be-true... vibe.
Click to expand...
Both of these have been explained many times. If you want to keep ignoring those explanations then go ahead. I'm going to explain these again.

1.The height waiver only applies to the highest point. So we are really only talking about the lift hill structure and not the rest of the ride as this is the tallest part of the structure.

Also we have no idea what is meant by slender like spire comment. I want to point out that she said like a spire and not a spire. I think that's an important distinction. Have you looked at a lift hill from behind? That's a pretty slender spire like structure. I believe that she was referring to how the ride would look from Kingsmill at the highest point. Anything else isn't really involved in the height waiver request.

2.As has been discussed SEAS is committing a lot of money towards new rides, shows and events every year. Their 5 major parks are all building pretty substantial roller coasters in 2020. With 150 million committed each it seems pretty foolish to assume that at least one of those 5 parks won't be building another roller coaster. Not to mention the fact that with the coasters in 2020 SWC will have built a coaster in 3 straight years and BGT will have built one in back to back years. It night have seemed unlikely a few years ago but it's the current reality at SEAS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jonfin826
Um. No. Just no.

I can't even right now.

And sorry I know this breaks all sorts of etiquette rules by not adding anything to the discussion.

I want to reply but I just can't right now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jornor, cdchen83 and Nicole
I like how this thread is arguing about a decision none of us are making for a possible ride opening in 2 years. I hope whatever they build in 2021 is amazing and fun. If it’s a giga that will be cool, if not then I can get over it with MMXX opening next year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LudwigII
Drachenwolf said:
MMXX is a coaster design that screams to me
"Look at all these other new highlight features (e.g.: First realtime switch track, swing-launch, top hat...)
because we aren't going to be building a gigacoaster anytime in the near future, if ever."
Click to expand...
Orrrr... wait for it.

2 coasters with completely different, amazing features and elements could be put in back to back years to make the park even more appealing to the public. Just because the park wants to add a unique and new ride in 2020, like BGW often likes to do, doesn’t mean they can’t add another in 2021. While this new ride in 2021 may not be a giga, there is a good chance that it could be based off the information that has been unveiled.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jornor, Ziva and BGWnut
Drachenwolf said:
MMXX is a coaster design that screams to me
"Look at all these other new highlight features (e.g.: First realtime switch track, swing-launch, top hat...)
because we aren't going to be building a gigacoaster anytime in the near future, if ever."
Click to expand...
I'm gonna tell you this as someone who has gotten the most eye roll emojis out of anyone in this forum:

Shut up.
 
  • Haha
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Adam, TLancaster, Pat and 9 others
Drachenwolf said:
MMXX is a coaster design that screams to me
"Look at all these other new highlight features (e.g.: First realtime switch track, swing-launch, top hat...)
because we aren't going to be building a gigacoaster anytime in the near future, if ever."
Click to expand...
Except it isn't the first real fast switching track. That belongs to Hagrids motorbike adventure. Also the half pipe launch isn't unique. Looks at Tempesto. Definitely not unique.

Don't get me wrong I think MMXX is going to be a great ride but I definitely don't think that it is so revolutionary that the park wouldn't built another big coaster in 2021. There is a reason they cancelled Madrid and it's 315 feet height and instead went with MMXX and a 355 feet tall attraction. I don't think it had anything to do with them never building a Giga and more to do with them deciding they wanted to do it differently use the land they were using for Madrid for 2 coasters instead of 1.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 804Shawn and jonfin826
So... Hamlet expansion/new hamlet?

I'm thinking of a tower ride, maybe a new theatre type thing, shops and food... And new offices and backstage areas so that the stuff under EFP can be removed for that ride to either be replaced or massively overhauled more than the fixes made this year.

Or a badass coaster of some sort and I still have just as good of a clue as anyone else.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Consider Donating to Hide This Ad