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

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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:
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    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...
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  • Most Recent Status Update:
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    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...
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warfelg said:
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.
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I agree with you. I feel that this is parks biggest usable plot of land. I feel like they could build a coaster that goes out into the land they have but it would require some significant work to expand into that area. I'm not saying that they never would but it would be a substantial project.

I do think if they ever decided to have a massive expansion they would move the boneyard/greenhouses to a new location in the undeveloped land before they expanded the park across the Rhine.
 
Back in the early 90s, there were OG arguments about whether any steel roller coaster was a "real" roller coaster.

More than one vocal die-hard refused to refer to them as such, feeling only wood structured/wood tracked rides were covered by the name. It was as far as they could go to grit their teeth and call the rides "steel coasters." But not "roller coaster." Never.

Times change, definitions change... I am typically of a mind to follow the manufacturers' general sentiments, which in Tempesto's case makes it obviously a multi-launch roller coaster, as are/were King Kobra and Laser Loop and Magic Mountain's Superman and ... ... But nobody owns the term, not even the folks who design and fabricate them.

This forum actually does a terrific job of keeping the "Tempesto is a flat" thing right on the line between actual debate and running joke. I never truly know who is serious about it and who isn't.
 
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halfabee said:
Back in the early 90s, there were OG arguments about whether any steel roller coaster was a "real" roller coaster.

More than one vocal die-hard refused to refer to them as such, feeling only wood structured/wood tracked rides were covered by the name. It was as far as they could go to grit their teeth and call the rides "steel coasters." But not "roller coaster." Never.

Times change, definitions change... I am typically of a mind to follow the manufacturers' general sentiments, which in Tempesto's case makes it obviously a multi-launch roller coaster, as are/were King Kobra and Laser Loop and Magic Mountain's Superman and ... ... But nobody owns the term, not even the folks who design and fabricate them.

This forum actually does a terrific job of keeping the "Tempesto is a flat" thing right on the line between actual debate and running joke. I never truly know who is serious about it and who isn't.
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As the person who first publicly made this claim, the answer is for me it is right on that line.

Yes, by today's definition it is obviously a coaster.

That said, it just doesn't feel like a coaster. Rather, it seems to be more of an overly-complicated Larson loop.

So, was I being snarky? Of course. Is there in my opinion a bit of truth there, as well? There must be, given how many people play along.

Additionally, I would argue that there is always room for debate about the specific definition of what is classified as a “roller coaster.” There are a lot of rides that seem to fall into a grey area. For example, the fact that the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride counts but the Rocky Mountain Alpine Coaster doesn’t seems a bit strange to me.
 
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I'm going to assume you are intentionally not understanding me. The alternative is too depressing to consider.

And I also suggest we get back to pointless speculation about a height waiver. Feel free to debate Tempesto's coaster creds in the Tempesto thread.
 
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So I have decided I would love an observation tower i.e. Carawinds or SeaWorld.

Busch Gardens is the World's Most Beautiful Theme Park® after all, I think being able to look from up high would be really welcome, especially since it would serve anyone at the park.

The fact that they change Mäch Tower into Nächt Tower at Christmas shows the demand is there.
 
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