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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Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

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/

 

[Jonesta6]

Do we know with any certainty there are issues with the soil in the DF park area?

It would line up with a rumor that was what did DF in, which seems plausible given the extreme departure from Arrow's usual support structure could mean that what they initially thought was a tolerable amount of compaction/settling helped knock the track out of alignment enough for a painful ride.

 

[b.mac]

Do we know with any certainty there are issues with the soil in the DF park area?

It would line up with a rumor that was what did DF in, which seems plausible given the extreme departure from Arrow's usual support structure could mean that what they initially thought was a tolerable amount of compaction/settling helped knock the track out of alignment enough for a painful ride.

It's been widely agreed upon that Drachen Fire's issues were because Arrow was trying to emulate B&M to the best of their ability, which was why Drachen Fire contained so many elements and features that were absent from their previous projects up to that point.

 

[panopticon31]

Without giving too much away, I would expect @Zachary to be closer to correct, if what I'm hearing is the truth. It seems like they are seeking to put an even better attraction in the space.

Maaaaaan now we gotta wait for the leaks to come.

 

[halfabee]

Do we know with any certainty there are issues with the soil in the DF park area?

It would line up with a rumor that was what did DF in, which seems plausible given the extreme departure from Arrow's usual support structure could mean that what they initially thought was a tolerable amount of compaction/settling helped knock the track out of alignment enough for a painful ride.

Anaconda, Shockwave, GASM, and especially Steel Phantom -- to name but a few -- were every bit as rough as DF or moreso. No soil compaction necessary; Arrow's engineering and fabrication methods did a more than adequate job of rattling skulls without assistance. Especially when complex curves (or janky approximations thereto) were involved.

 

[DJTLG]

It's confirmed - Wilde Maus' Big Bad Revenge - The Drachening featuring Ludwig in the Air. A giga-dark starflyer VR dinner experience.

Everyone wins.

Throw in a sea dragon somewhere and you've got a deal!

 

[snowman6996]

Oooooooh, I'll take a Sea Dragon.

 

[warfelg]

Without giving too much away, I would expect @Zachary to be closer to correct, if what I'm hearing is the truth. It seems like they are seeking to put an even better attraction in the space.

So I've been thinking a bit about this comment and have been thinking, this has got to be driven by one of the sides financially no?

If it's BGW: Maybe they saw the reaction around that people had to the coaster and decided to opt for something different due to how expensive it would have been to do what they planned. My other thought was there was going to be a "trick up the sleeve" of this coaster that was incredibly expensive that wouldn't have shown up in plans and they decided for something a little more "traditional" in a sense that altered the plans.

If it's Intamin: There was other projects cancelled due to COVID, and what they were planning for BGW is what BGW could afford. They took so many hits they are willing to do something different for BGW at a "cut rate" that would be much better on it's own pure basis and doesn't require any extra things that would be all new (basically all "off the shelf" items.

 

[UncleDuncan]

Can we all just stop fucking around and hire Mack to build a state-side Helix?

 

[ludmarco]

Darkastle didnt break, it proved itself unprofitable. If the park thought they needed a Darkastle they would have kept Darkastle.

Seeing as DarKastle is one of the most iconic structures in the park, I’d be pretty disappointed if they didn’t consider it a necessity.

 

[ludmarco]

Random question: was anything related to the height of the coaster released? I think it’d be pretty cool for BGW to be home to the tallest coaster in VA, but I somehow don’t see that happening at Festhaus Park.

 

[Jonesta6]

Random question: was anything related to the height of the coaster released? I think it’d be pretty cool for BGW to be home to the tallest coaster in VA, but I somehow don’t see that happening at Festhaus Park.

It'd have to beat I305 I believe, but it's possible given the height of the waiver over ground level... The track can go super high while the train doesn't have to go the full height... These kind of records are weird since they're marketing fluff and there's no standardization.

Maybe shuttle coaster height record in Virginia, maybe mid-Atlantic?

 

[FoozMuz]

With the change in terrain grade it would have easily been a greater valley-to-peak "height" than the literal ground-to-peak that the permit process involves. I expect it is or was in the upper 300's and I'd have wagered the very marketable speed of 100 miles per hour.

 

[BGWnut]

Random question: was anything related to the height of the coaster released? I think it’d be pretty cool for BGW to be home to the tallest coaster in VA, but I somehow don’t see that happening at Festhaus Park.

The spire was going to use every bit of the 355' height waiver. With the height difference it wouldn't have been unfeasible to think that this might have been marketed as being near a 400' drop even if the train wouldn't actually reach the top.

 

[BGWnut]

So I've been thinking a bit about this comment and have been thinking, this has got to be driven by one of the sides financially no?

If it's BGW: Maybe they saw the reaction around that people had to the coaster and decided to opt for something different due to how expensive it would have been to do what they planned. My other thought was there was going to be a "trick up the sleeve" of this coaster that was incredibly expensive that wouldn't have shown up in plans and they decided for something a little more "traditional" in a sense that altered the plans.

If it's Intamin: There was other projects cancelled due to COVID, and what they were planning for BGW is what BGW could afford. They took so many hits they are willing to do something different for BGW at a "cut rate" that would be much better on it's own pure basis and doesn't require any extra things that would be all new (basically all "off the shelf" items.

I actually think it's more of a BGW and SEAS deciding that coming out of this pandemic they want to have some serious rides that will really bring in people. Then Intamin crediting the money they already paid toward a new project.

From what I'm hearing, this ride should be much more of a I305 competitor than DS would have been. While I don't think they will use the entire height waiver, I wouldn't rule out something similar to Orion and Apollo's drops.

 

[Jpineda96]

I’m hearing it might have a lift hill instead of a launch. With a more of a full circuit layout??

 

[rswashdc]

I actually think it's more of a BGW and SEAS deciding that coming out of this pandemic they want to have some serious rides that will really bring in people. Then Intamin crediting the money they already paid toward a new project.

From what I'm hearing, this ride should be much more of a I305 competitor than DS would have been. While I don't think they will use the entire height waiver, I wouldn't rule out something similar to Orion and Apollo's drops.

This would make a lot of sense. The overall market demand is going to be down for awhile and this means more and better attractions are needed to get customers in the door. SEAS is going the right way on this, whereas I'm not as confident about KD/CF.

 

[halfabee]

From what I'm hearing, this ride should be much more of a I305 competitor than DS would have been. While I don't think they will use the entire height waiver, I wouldn't rule out something similar to Orion and Apollo's drops.

1. My hope-O-meter is suddenly spiking.

2. That's a pretty wide range for possible heights! With Apollo right there and I305 up the road, it would be interesting to see what the marketability-driven design emphasis would be for such a ride.

Rumors are great fun sometimes...

 

[tursiops]

Whatever it is, my biggest hope is that it uses the vast majority of the waiver.

 

[BGWnut]

1. My hope-O-meter is suddenly spiking.

2. That's a pretty wide range for possible heights! With Apollo right there and I305 up the road, it would be interesting to see what the marketability-driven design emphasis would be for such a ride.

Rumors are great fun sometimes...

I wasn't referring to their height but the fact that the highest point is actually less than their total drop. Like Apollo is 170ish feet high but has a 210' drop. Orion is similar

 

[BGWnut]

1. My hope-O-meter is suddenly spiking.

2. That's a pretty wide range for possible heights! With Apollo right there and I305 up the road, it would be interesting to see what the marketability-driven design emphasis would be for such a ride.

Rumors are great fun sometimes...

I would think something along the lines of tallest coaster in VA. Or even tallest giga coaster if it's taller than fury 325.