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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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/

 

[Zachary]

Have they ever conducted a balloon test while the park was open?

Before park opening, yes. Latest I've known one to be in the air is like 10:30-ish.

 

[PhantomJB93]

Strata Oscar Wacky Taxi for Sesame Place

 

[madmax]

A person from In The Loop said he was told there will be a 2022 coaster but I don’t know how accurate or meaningful that is

 

[Zachary]

A person from In The Loop said he was told there will be a 2022 coaster but I don’t know how accurate or meaningful that is

We shouldn't totally throw out the possibility that what we know as Project 2021 could slip back to 2022 (hence the question mark in the thread title).

I've not personally seen indicators that it is on track to slip back a year, but it's definitely possible.

 

[GrandpaD]

Or... a Wacky Taxi clone for SPW....?

 

[CoasterAuditor]

I actually CAN remember not too long ago SFGAdv added Kingda Ka then immediately followed it up with El Toro the year after that. Granted the park hasn't really added a new major coaster since then...……………..but if I'm being honest if El Toro is the best coaster at the park and it has Nitro, KK, and Bizarro I think it's fine......

 

[JohnD]

I actually CAN remember not too long ago SFGAdv added Kingda Ka then immediately followed it up with El Toro the year after that. Granted the park hasn't really added a new major coaster since then...……………..but if I'm being honest if El Toro is the best coaster at the park and it has Nitro, KK, and Bizarro I think it's fine......

El Toro is spectacular!

 

[warfelg]

El Toro is spectacular!

The fact that more Intamin prefabs don't exist in America is a travesty.

As for this project, trying to think of what it could be, today it crossed my mind....what if this is an S&S or something of the like (Vekoma). I really wonder how willing BGW would be to take on a risk of a manufacturer looking to make the push to come back. They haven't had very extensive supports on many coasters, create some great elements. If you are looking to avoid I-305 and F-325 overlap....a S&S 335 would be a great option.

 

[BGWnut]

So I can't divulge my source but I'm confident that this is an Intamin. I'm told that the park is currently making payments to them for 2 attractions.

 

[----------------------]

So I can't divulge my source but I'm confident that this is an Intamin. I'm told that the park is currently making payments to them for 2 attractions.

This is in line with what I know as well

 

[thopping]

My gut* feeling all along has been a two-for package from Intamin.

*Not based on any particular source...just a gut based on the Madrid/Pantheon/2021 comments in aggregate... YMMV.

 

[horsesboy]

So I can't divulge my source but I'm confident that this is an Intamin. I'm told that the park is currently making payments to them for 2 attractions.

It seems strange given that the FFA height waver hasn't been filed yet and unless I am mistaken the soil sample work hasn't been done yet that the park would be paying Intamin for this ride yet. My gut is saying given all the work Sea has been sending their way that it's a good guess but I just don't see us that far a long yet.

 

[Zimmy]

 

[Logang]

Not accusing anyone of lying but it seems weird that everyone is suddenly getting all these mystery sources at around the same time.

 

[BGWnut]

It seems strange given that the FFA height waver hasn't been filed yet and unless I am mistaken the soil sample work hasn't been done yet that the park would be paying Intamin for this ride yet. My gut is saying given all the work Sea has been sending their way that it's a good guess but I just don't see us that far a long yet.

The park has done soil samples on the area. Also based on the timeline there is almost certainly already a manufacturer in place and decided. If it follows a timeline similar to Pantheon then we should start seeing an RPA request soon and then plans being submitted to the county within the next 6ish months. It would be surprising if the park wasn't already paying a manufacturer.

 

[BGWnut]

Not accusing anyone of lying but it seems weird that everyone is suddenly getting all these mystery sources at around the same time.

Sorry for the double post but I've has always had sources that I couldn't divulge because it would give away who I am to people who work at the park. I'm not speaking authoritatively because of that and I'm definitely not saying that people should just believe everything I say. I could have been lied to but I don't say something unless I'm confident in the source and the information they provided.

 

[thopping]

It seems strange ... that the park would be paying Intamin for this ride yet.

IF a two-for package deal, which beyond gut feeling "seems" like it may have some corroboration from other sources, I don't see any reason why they couldn't/wouldn't have a payment schedule for the combined project over time--and in effect start paying for 2021 work before everything is approved. There's likely some clause in the contract about what happens if governmental approvals aren't provided...

Disclaimer that contracts for amusement attractions aren't something I have experience with... I just see a combined payment schedule for a package deal as completely possible.

 

[FoozMuz]

Tons of billable work goes on before projects are executed.

 

[mountaineers]

Plus Kevin indicated during the Kingsmill meetings that a timeline had to be met in order for this project to continue. Seems that possibly some time dependant discount that makes the attraction financially viable is in play. I would think a single project is less likely to have these conditions. I do see some sort of deal that BGW gets a discount on a second intamin attraction if completed within a certain timeframe.

 

[Jonesta6]

Intamin makes the starflyer towers, right?