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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  • 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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This ride will produce some fun ultra-speedy forces that the rest of the lineup doesnt have. We are already going to have a floater airtime ride, an ejector airtime ride, a multi looping ride, etc. Sure it's not the ideal enthusiast machine but it's not a terrible waste when the elements you wish it had are a two-minute walk away.
 
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Jonesta6 said:
I thought people came to BGW because of atmosphere (including scenery/landscaping), quality and quantity of rides, and that the whole place is one giant ABC-on venue.

Thinking about CP's rides situation - is TTD the height/speed record holder for the park (not world anymore since KK broke it) for tallest/fastest? Yet there always seems to be longer lines for MF (and now Steel Vengeance since it opened) when TTD is even operating.

So same thinking would probably apply to this one - just because it's a record holder/breaker doesn't mean in a few years that it'll still be there star of the show.
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not true mili does not have longer lines than ttd but steve does
 
Maybe that was just my experience then - of course, TTD wasn't open much last time I went and they have 5 trains cycling so the line seems to be quicker.

Haven't seen Steel Vengeance be nicknamed Steve yet, interesting...
 
Hamptonian said:
I wish we could.kf seen the original plans behind the ride when the idea was to cross the river. That ride would have been massive and epic
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I may have missed it, but was there ever any actual proof that this was going to happen. I am under the impression that 2020 and 2021 projects were entirely separate projects altogether and in no way were they ever connected.
 
VonDerrick said:
I may have missed it, but was there ever any actual proof that this was going to happen. I am under the impression that 2020 and 2021 projects were entirely separate projects altogether and in no way were they ever connected.
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All we really know is that project 2020 (Madrid) was cancelled for some untold reason and replaced with Pantheon. Everything else is just conjecture.

We do know that Madrid would have been a bigger coaster, but there isn't even any proof that it would have crossed the Rhine.

It does, however, stand to reason that if Madrid as originally conceptualized had been built; then the 2021 would likely look a bit different. With a coaster already near/over 300 foot, we'd probably have had a smaller scale addition for 2021.
 
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I think it'd be really difficult to build anything spanning the water (not impossible, however) due to the RPA buffer restrictions - there'd be a whole lot of disturbed environment/erosion on both sides that'd have to be mitigated plus the timeline would have to include permits that may be tough to get. Heck, I'd think it's possible that that's a reason why we haven't seen any plans for a bridge to link 2021 to anything.


One thing I wonder is if we're going to see any new inverts coming to BGW anytime soon?
 
Any idea if BGW will delay this because of the Coronavirus? Or ask for it to be delayed a year at least?

I imagine finances for 2020 will be a wreck...
 
In the Coronavirus Amusement section I posted a link to an article regarding Disney halting all projects due to the "ten person rule". I'm not sure it'll apply in Virginia, but (in addition to financials) they might not be able to do actual work.
 
Turbo said:
Any idea if BGW will delay this because of the Coronavirus? Or ask for it to be delayed a year at least?

I imagine finances for 2020 will be a wreck...
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It's already been posted; but everything indicates that 2021 is mostly already paid for.
 
I would think that would depend on what their production schedule is. If it is as relatively small (track length wise) as we have seen, it shouldn't take that long to put up, just would depend about how much earth they have to move. If they don't need a lot of people on site until the late summer/fall, hopefully we will be long past this by then and they wont be delayed at all.
 
ControlsEE said:
I would think that would depend on what their production schedule is. If it is as relatively small (track length wise) as we have seen, it shouldn't take that long to put up, just would depend about how much earth they have to move. If they don't need a lot of people on site until the late summer/fall, hopefully we will be long past this by then and they wont be delayed at all.
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That's assuming the contractors have staff and aren't playing catch-up from previously delayed projects.
 
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Just because the materials are paid for doesn’t mean they have to build it right away...if enough of the 2020 season is lost I wonder if they would push Pantheon as a “still new” addition for 2021 marketing and save Drachen Spire for 2022 just to avoid overlap.
 
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