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/

 

[JohnD]

The walkway connecting Festhaus Park to the front area of Festhaus isn’t that obvious. What are the options for a more explicit entrance to get there?

 

[Thomas]

I think if they reduced the size of the flower bed in front of the bumper cars, it would make that area look more open and have a better sightline back to the entrance archway.




Then they could actually center the flower bed out front and possibly get more traffic back to the bumper cars.

 

[metalman]

I never had a problem find Drachen Fire.

If it’s a problem, maybe just put the signage right on the edge of the festhaus instead of at the gate 50yds back.

 

[Jahrules]

355 feet is.... Pretty hard to miss I think.

 

[tursiops]

That idea makes tons of sense... but it involves losing more trees, so I can't go along with it! Seriously though, that would actually look good, but the park has become way too chainsaw happy outside of howloscream for my liking. (Invadr barren wasteland I'm looking your way)

 

[Thomas]

I think having a more open passage for a potentially very popular attraction is a good thing... Also, putting signs on the Festhaus is tacky.

And in my experience, the height alone will not give the GP an idea of how to find the entrance.

 

[horsesboy]

Come on just do the Kings Dominion thing and put up a gift shop that hides the entrence like with Grizzly.

 

[Zimmy]

remove the Festhaus? Seems like a win win!

 

[Jonesta6]

As long as they don't plan on removing the bumper cars - they're so much better than the Dodgems at KD (no bumping, what the hell else would you ride for?)

 

[GrandpaD]

I like the idea. But why not put the ride signage (archway) closer to the main walkway? Span it from the corner of the bumper cars to the small roof of Festhaus? (My gut feeling is it'll be one of those painted on canvas signs like Finnegan).

 

[snowman6996]

Just make the sign 100 ft tall.

 

[Jahrules]

Just make the sign 100 ft tall.

That, itself, would require a height waiver.

So maybe 59 ft tall.

 

[Jonesta6]

Top section at 59', 11" over grade.

 

[Bring Back Questor 87]

2021= “Landscaping project.”

 

[horsesboy]

2021= “Landscaping project.”

It's got a spike so maybe people will actually believe cell tower this time.

 

[JohnD]

I think if they reduced the size of the flower bed in front of the bumper cars, it would make that area look more open and have a better sightline back to the entrance archway.

View attachment 19493


Then they could actually center the flower bed out front and possibly get more traffic back to the bumper cars.

View attachment 19494

I like the open plaza approach. That area is already seriously congested during busy periods, and when shows get out - which will only be exacerbated when additional foot traffic is funneled into and out of Festhaus Park.

 

[thopping]

Part of answer may lie in What else in festhaus park.

If the idea is Festhaus Park is merely the entrance to 2021, then a simple sign in the corner may suffice (like DF--popular opinion that DF was hidden in the back notwithstanding). If, however, the plan is to add some other stuff back there, flats, whatever, then the park would be wise to open up the Festhaus Park "entrance" and try to get a higher traffic flow wandering back there... I expect you'll get a larger number of casual, non-map oriented people that stumble on the area if you have a larger path.

 

[GrandpaD]

Taking @Thomas's idea one step further if, in fact, they wish to populate the area with other attractions...shift bumper cars back and parallel to the Verbolten show building. Granted, it's a bit of an undertaking, but it's basically a concrete pad with a roof structure. Doing so would certainly widen the access to FP.

 

[thopping]

I think if they need to change the footprint of Der Autobahn, the attraction is gone. I simply don't see that much of an undertaking to justify rebuilding it slightly further back. And I don't want it removed.

Fortunately, the only thing I would see justifying this would be a major hamlet-like expansion where they really need for some reason to have a major pathway... and since that isn't in the cards, Der Autobahn can fortunately stay. ?

I expect tweaking the flower beds would be a good option if they add some flats and are really concerned about traffic flow. But I suspect that neither the flats nor reconfiguring the path are likely.

 

[ControlsEE]

What about moving the bumper cars somewhere else in Oktoberfest, say swap some of the games near DK and bumper cars? Games shouldn't take up as much room as the bumper cars, allowing the same slab to be reused, but also freeing up that corner near the Festhaus. Just a thought.