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/

 

[BGWnut]

Woah okay I go away for a day and speculation blows up, especially about ride similarities (which is my specialty).

Alright here we go. cracking knuckles

Parks have had a history of adding similar rides to their neighboring competition for a long ass time, hell some are bad enough to where they do it in the same park.

My point was also always that BGW wouldn't build one in that location because of the proximity to MT. I think they don't really care about KD already having one. I just think that BGW if they built a star flyer would want it a little farther away from MT. But who knows.

So onward and upward to the roller coaster discussion. It was my understanding the original giga concept was going to be more Red Force than traditional. Reuse Drachen Station, launch out towards Festa Field, Top Hat, come back. Nothing exactly world breaking there. It also falls in line with quarterly performances and business strategy that BGW and SEAS thought the money would be better invested going into two separate expansions instead of one gigantic one. B&M was never really on the table for me from the get-go and I doubt there was any behind the table dealmaking going on between the park and manufacturers.

I'm not really sure I would say that was the original plan because the height waiver for Madrid was always in Festa Field so they couldn't have been planning the ride that you are describing. I also don't think they was any potential deal making. I think it was more BGW having a concept in mind and they approached their ideal manufacturer and they said they couldn't deliver in that time frame.

Now going into the competition between BGW and KD, outside of Richmond I think y'all are severely overestimating the clout of their "rivalry"

Back to that rivalry though, BGW and KD both are in economically advantageous positions in terms of geographic position but in terms of population they're stuck between a rock and a hard place.

KD is in a similar boat with hotel infrastructure around their park, but their issue is that there's nothing to do nearby outside of the annual state fair. There's less of an incentive to visit compared to BGW, Hersheypark, or Dollywood, all of which have their hands in some of that DC / Richmond / Tidewater pie.

I disagree slightly. I do think that BGW can pull in some more local people. Especially from closer to KD. I do agree that within the larger tidewater area they are pretty capped out. That being said my main point was that BGW wants to prevent people who are vacationing at BGW from deciding to take a day and going to KD instead of spending another day at BGW.

 

[R75]

Time to make things right in Oktoberfest...Drachen’s Revenge 2021.

 

[jonfin826]

My point was also always that BGW wouldn't build one in that location because of the proximity to MT. I think they don't really care about KD already having one. I just think that BGW if they built a star flyer would want it a little farther away from MT. But who knows.

You'd think BGW wouldn't want to build a new coaster literally right up next to the lift hill of another, but here we are.

 

[Logang]

I do really wish they would've put tempesto somewhere else. It looks tacky next to AC.

 

[warfelg]

So I'm going to put forth the arguments for two different outcomes, but I want to split it into two different posts (so hopefully don't get too upset @Zachary and @Nicole) so you can like the one you like more.

ARGUMENT FOR ANOTHER COASTER:
If SPW is coming, a great way for BGW to offset that addition of a new gate is to open another major coaster addition. 2 coasters in a 3 year-is span isn't that unfeasible, especially if they open SPW in between. Also being on opposing sides of the Rhine make it better overall for the park as they would be spaced out, and end up with 4 on each side of the river.

Additionally: This is one of the last major plots available for a coaster. It doesn't have to be a twister layout (I-305/Skyrush). It can be an out and back riding along the river line (Apollo's Chariot/Fury). That can leave space for other attractions/stands back there for expansion (something I feel would have let DF down if the ride were good).

Not using one of your last available plots for a major coaster would be a dramatic mistake by the park IMO. If they landlocked themselves without a major coaster space, we would be talking about having to loose attractions to put in another coaster, or have on that goes outside the footprint of the park (ie crosses into the parking lot).

 

[madmax]

Don’t they own more land?

 

[warfelg]

ARGUMENT FOR A TOWER-TYPE RIDE:
Festhaus Field is one of BGW's last spots for a new hamlet and the long rumored Spain expansion without redoing an existing hamlet to be something new (which I have an idea for BTW). There are towers that vary enough from Mach Tower that they could be considered really different (S&S Double shots, Star Fliers). They could turn off MT's drop and make it just run in rotation and observation mode like they do for CT and put in a Double Shot for something really different. Or they could turn off the rotation of MT, make it just drop, and put in a Star Flier attraction.

The benefit here is they could still have the space for a smaller coaster addition within the hamlet, and they don't kill all the available space they have on 1 attraction. Despite it's near relation to MT they could really market it as an improvement.

In the long run I don't feel like a second tower is going to push things along all that much no matter what they do to differentiate. But if it's either a relocation of MT (strong possibility IMO), a new tower, or something not thought of yet (Skycoaster over the Rhine?); a new hamlet back there could be an even better way to offset the addition of SPW.

 

[GrandpaD]

You still have a lot of land available around Boneyard/Greenhouse.

 

[Coaster Takes]

Don’t they own more land?

They’ve only used about half of the land they own. Don’t know where Warfelg is getting at with the whole “landlocked” argument. The only thing separating the current park from the expandable area is the Rhine, and a bridge can easily fix that.

 

[warfelg]

Don’t they own more land?

Yes, but you have to think of certain things. Like the area to the 'right' of MMXX is being turned to pastures. Across from AC's turnaround is owned by BGW, but you would have to build out to that area to get to there in the first place. Southeast of Festhaus Field is where the boneyard is, an area I'm sure they would like to keep. Don't forget they always need to keep offices, backstage areas, and storage available. Also keeping certain areas undeveloped helps with water runoff mitigation and wildlife impact control.

 

[warfelg]

They’ve only used about half of the land they own. Don’t know where Warfelg is getting at with the whole “landlocked” argument. The only thing separating the current park from the expandable area is the Rhine, and a bridge can easily fix that.

Rhine, Pastures, Colonial Pipeway, Roman Rapids, elevation, and potential environmental impacts. But other than all of that easy to overcome right?

 

[super7]

Doubtful it is this but a sky tower or observation tower would be awesome in that park. The view of the James river is amazing

 

[Coaster Takes]

Rhine, Pastures, Colonial Pipeway, Roman Rapids, elevation, and potential environmental impacts. But other than all of that easy to overcome right?

You know that what I was saying was a heavily simplified version of what happens. The pastures won’t take up much more space than what they currently take up, pipeline runs in the approximate path of what I marked up in the photo below, and with the red marking being signified by the odd bit of tree clearing on the east side of the Rhine, and assuming that the pipeline does follow that red path, project 2020 is going to be working across it, which means that they’ve acquired proper permission and permits from the county. I don’t consider myself an expert at this by any means, but from an average Joe’s thoughts, I feel they’re putting additions in the Pastures, and Festhaus Park to prepare for an expansion into the rest of their owned land.

 

[GrandpaD]

Just to play devil's advocate... You're assuming they (1) keep the animals that need a pasture (2) redo/eliminate RR. DF only used less than half the area bordered by the RR and BBW. Also s pretty good piece of land (minus pipeline) from Rhine to Pompeii.

 

[warfelg]

You know that what I was saying was a heavily simplified version of what happens. The pastures won’t take up much more space than what they currently take up, pipeline runs in the approximate path of what I marked up in the photo below, and with the red marking being signified by the odd bit of tree clearing on the east side of the Rhine, and assuming that the pipeline does follow that red path, project 2020 is going to be working across it, which means that they’ve acquired proper permission and permits from the county. I don’t consider myself an expert at this by any means, but from an average Joe’s thoughts, I feel they’re putting additions in the Pastures, and Festhaus Park to prepare for an expansion into the rest of their owned land.

Problem is you are discussing with a land use management expert. The park is effectively as big as it's going to get unless they buy more land to offset a massive expansion. Your pipeline path is actually off a bit, and you can see where it goes based on Project Madrid, or you can go to either the USGS, State of Virginia, or JCC website to pull up where it goes. Additionally just from Roman Rapids to the middle of the peninsula is the same distance as it is walking from Alpengeist to Apollo.

I am 99% confident in saying if BGW/SEAS ever used that land it's either going to be parking or a hotel. It is unlikely to be part of the park, as there are too many barriers getting to that part of the property.

 

[warfelg]

Doubtful it is this but a sky tower or observation tower would be awesome in that park. The view of the James river is amazing

One of my favorite things about cresting Apollo/Griff. You get an amazing view of the river.

 

[William545]

I've already discussed this but kingsmill wouldn't be able to really stop the park from building what it wants.


I mean if you are getting technical BGT is getting a coaster this year and next year (Tigris and RMC Gwazi). Also SWC is going to get a new coaster 3 straight years( Electric Eel, Tidal Twister and Mako next year). Granted it is debatable on whether Tigris, Electric Eel and Tidal Twisters are coasters but they are being marketed as such.

Wait a minute did you say that Tigris being a coaster is debatable?

 

[Coaster Takes]

Wait a minute did you say that Tigris being a coaster is debatable?

Don’t know if you were here when Tempesto was in the rumors thread, but if you were you’d understand why.

 

[BGWnut]

Wait a minute did you say that Tigris being a coaster is debatable?

I'm not in that group but there is a large contingent of people that consider Tigris, Electric Eel, Tempesto (all 3 are the same ride) and Tidal Twister to not be coasters but larger flat rides.

 

[Nicole]

I believe it is well-established that Tempesto is really a flat ride with delusions of grandeur.