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:
    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...
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  • 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...
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warfelg said:
Something interesting as I watch the meeting, they describe the peak as 355 above finished grade, 435 above lowest level, with a low point that could reach the lowest elevation to mitigate noise and visual impact. That strikes me as something that I would consider a coaster. Suzy said that they did 3 balloon tests before picking the 3rd and final one based on impact to KM. Another interesting thing I picked up on....Suzy (got I hope I'm spelling this right) said the sound study was done using the size of the structure and type of vehicle. That's something the strikes me as an interesting set of words.

I haven't had the chance to meet Kevin. He is VERY well spoken and I am very impressed and glad he's the park president. Suzy is also really well spoken.
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Yes. And did you see the way Suzy describe the lattice support structure? She made hand motions reminiscent of coaster stilts. A vertical spire wouldn't have those.
 
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Ugh this guy. "Only 11 Kingsmill residents showed up because we weren't told what the height was or what the attraction is."

"Assume the worse, are those blood curdling screams from a roller coaster"

I hate that he's couching because the park hasn't announced MMXX yet, Finnigans Flyer, that they shouldn't be allowed this shouldn't be allowed.
 
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This is all I can think of watching this right now:
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Ahhhhhhhh......finally I got something I wanted. April 30th is when the report came in, and the meeting happened 2 weeks later. I don't know what JCC has as a minimum public knowledge discovery period. But where I worked that would have qualified as enough time. I would have had a hard time biting my tongue at this. "The noise study wasn't good enough". "We want more ballon tests". "Proper study". ugh. I try to watch my language here, but fuck off. If BGW does what JCC wants with the balloon and sound test then you can't demand more.

LOLOLOL Is this dude quoting ride heights as to why it shouldn't be built, and rides over 400 feet? And quoting what is a known different height? I mean they claim to get information off BGWFans....but failed to get the right information? Claim to want to wait until after MMXX is built?

At least this second guy is being more realistic. Should have had him be the only one to say anything. Polite request to wait to let more residents know what is going on.

Again this lady is a bad representative if Kingsmill wants to try to block this.

Is this next guy really complaining about no FAA filing yet? Really? Why would BGW file for that if they don't know what the county will answer with. And the same goes with what kinds of lights could be on there. I wanted to add ----- this guy complaining about 'light pollution' from an FAA warning light is just one of the most absurd things I've ever heard.
 
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warfelg said:
Ahhhhhhhh......finally I got something I wanted. April 30th is when the report came in, and the meeting happened 2 weeks later. I don't know what JCC has as a minimum public knowledge discovery period. But where I worked that would have qualified as enough time. I would have had a hard time biting my tongue at this. "The noise study wasn't good enough". "We want more ballon tests". "Proper study". ugh. I try to watch my language here, but fuck off. If BGW does what JCC wants with the balloon and sound test then you can't demand more.

LOLOLOL Is this dude quoting ride heights as to why it shouldn't be built, and rides over 400 feet? And quoting what is a known different height? I mean they claim to get information off BGWFans....but failed to get the right information? Claim to want to wait until after MMXX is built?

At least this second guy is being more realistic. Should have had him be the only one to say anything. Polite request to wait to let more residents know what is going on.
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Sauce?
 
GrandpaD said:
So, if the rumor of an Intamin package deal is true...BGW picked up 1 of two new concepts from the Swiss boys; the Parc Asterix triple launch.

The other concept that debuted was what they termed a "Mega Coaster" to be built in Walibi in 2021. That coaster is to be 165 feet and have a bunch of elements (no inversions) with "some unique".

For you engineering types, can something like that (I'm talking the elements) translate to a coaster twice the height? I guess what I'm hoping for (if it's a giga) is something more than "whoopee, we go high, then fast". (Yawn)

Here's the "mega" from the Intamin presentation.

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View: https://youtu.be/l9Z1iW1qFIo
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I can’t see them building an Intamin giga so close to I305. If it is a 300+ ft tall coaster then I’d wager B&M.
 
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Maximum volume 44-52 decibles. Your A/C compressor is 85.

Those noises would happen at the lowest point, below the level of the Verbolten Bridge.

Suzy hit something that I wanted to hear. They will go for FAA approval after this goes through. FAA requires a white day light and blinking red light, and Mach Tower is the only one with something like that. No lighting package is planned for this ride to lower the light pollution amount.

Suzy said there was no difference in how BGW handled there end of contacting KCSA, and it was Kingsmill's scheduling as to why the meeting was delayed to so late. Woof. So BGW did their usual course of action, and KCSA's course of action could have effected this.

I LOVE this guy that's wearing all black on the board. "Maybe some residents don't understand how other businesses need to operate." That's polite political speak for "bunch of idiots." He also made it VERY clear that what BGW does for KCSA isn't required by JCC, as did the next woman to talk. I love that they were very clear that BGW is doing this to be a good neighbor partner as opposed to just building.

Suzy making it clear that summer calls aren't to complain as much as some KCSA members would make it out to be.
 
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madmax said:
I can’t see them building an Intamin giga so close to I305. If it is a 300+ ft tall coaster then I’d wager B&M.
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I honestly don't understand why everyone says this. Does KD really have that much of an impact on BGW Planners and wouldn't a taller Intamin Giga just steal guests from KD? Though tbh i305 never has a line, and half of my friends are too scared to ride it, so does it really attract that many people outside of enthusiasts anyway?
 
The thing is would you really want a ride that is either redundant to MMXX or redundant to I305?

2020 already resembles that Walabi Belgium coaster a lot.
 
madmax said:
The thing is would you really want a ride that is either redundant to MMXX or redundant to I305?

2020 already resembles that Walabi Belgium coaster a lot.
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Yeah I guess I see what you mean. Honestly I'm kinda starting to hope for something other than a giga, like an infinity or something. I can't imagine having something like Karnan at my home park!
 
warfelg said:
I think Suzy made a slip up that made this project sound like a coaster. "We found a way to re-align the layout to move this high point."
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I'm incredibly excited, but I'm gonna remain skeptical because she may be talking about the layout of the pathway or something like that.
 
Also, just realized that it (most likely) won't be a B&M because they lack any sort of lattice construction (other than maybe Alpengeist).
 
warfelg said:
Maximum volume 44-52 decibles. Your A/C compressor is 85.

Those noises would happen at the lowest point, below the level of the Verbolten Bridge.

Suzy hit something that I wanted to hear. They will go for FAA approval after this goes through. FAA requires a white day light and blinking red light, and Mach Tower is the only one with something like that. No lighting package is planned for this ride to lower the light pollution amount.

Suzy said there was no difference in how BGW handled there end of contacting KCSA, and it was Kingsmill's scheduling as to why the meeting was delayed to so late. Woof. So BGW did their usual course of action, and KCSA's course of action could have effected this.

I LOVE this guy that's wearing all black on the board. "Maybe some residents don't understand how other businesses need to operate." That's polite political speak for "bunch of idiots." He also made it VERY clear that what BGW does for KCSA isn't required by JCC, as did the next woman to talk. I love that they were very clear that BGW is doing this to be a good neighbor partner as opposed to just building.

Suzy making it clear that summer calls aren't to complain as much as some KCSA members would make it out to be.
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Watching the hearing and seeing what JCC is saying it really sounds like they don't care what KM has to say and that they only did this to appease then because they already know that they will approve BGW's height waiver.
 
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GotsFancyPants said:
I'm incredibly excited, but I'm gonna remain skeptical because she may be talking about the layout of the pathway or something like that.
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I would very much disagree. The way she explained it very much sounds like there's more than a path to a simple tower. Those don't take time to figure out how the layout would need to be done to make it fit.
 
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GotsFancyPants said:
Also, just realized that it (most likely) won't be a B&M because they lack any sort of lattice construction (other than maybe Alpengeist).
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I think you could loosely interpret all the coasters at BGW as having lattice style supports.
 
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