Project Drachen Spire: Multi-Launch Shuttle Giga (Cancelled?)

Register or Login to Hide This Ad for Free!

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...
    bgwfans.com bgwfans.com
  • 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...
    bgwfans.com bgwfans.com

NoLimits Model of the Layout:​

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

Additional Coverage (Newest to Oldest):​

Previous Thread:​

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Click to expand...
What if it had a small launched lift hill similar to Maverick that only went up 40-50 feet and gave a 180 degree dive to the 2nd launch. It would go to the spike and come back (possibly more elements than just a high-elevation turn between launch 2 and 3) and use a transfer track to re-enter the station. The only problem is that there are 2 separate concrete pads. Could one, if not both, be on ride theming elements like the small buildings you go through on AC and Alpie. The square footage of the pads are roughly 600 sq.ft, AC and Alpies buildings are roughly 760 and 550 sq.ft respectively measuring via satellite image. It is just such a tight space with the fence to have a justifiable answer.

Here is a rough sketch of my station idea. I also added more elements between the 2nd and 3rd launch, but anything could happen in that area.
 

Attachments

  • Project 2021.jpg
    Project 2021.jpg
    258.7 KB · Views: 2
That's my thought too. You can't see the ground rushing up toward you. Also no amazing drop looking toward the water.
 
So @Zachary loved the write up, but there is one spot that I am struggling to agree with assessment and what's on paper.

Going up to the area where the second fenced in area closer to the Rhine. If most of the field isn't going to be use for the ride, the "northern" swale/drainage is somewhat....useless TBH. They are taking out trees and creating a swale where they might not have too. There's also some interesting detailing near there I can't really read and make out.

Lastly, can someone do an overlay of the RPA Buffer application plan, these new plans, and a google map? I'm thinking something really unique that kinda seems right up Intamin/BGW's ally.

...but one last thing that really worries me that @Zachary is on the money:
Where the height waiver is applied for is the only place that BGW has referenced anything above the tree line.

EDIT:
Random thought for hope of full circuit - The size of the "bump out" area by the maintenance road and bolt is the exact same size as the top hat for TTD and KK.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: cb0355 and William545
Kind of upset that this is what we're looking at. I get it, it's SeaWorld's money tactic right now, but this money and land could've been spent SO much better. We have a Dark ride building in the same hamlet sitting dormant, and you could've waited and built a coaster in that spot that actually fits a need in your lineup, and could've been better. I'm sure itll be a fun ride and BGW will make money, which is the goal, but this is a missed opportunity.
 
warfelg said:
So @Zachary loved the write up, but there is one spot that I am struggling to agree with assessment and what's on paper.

Going up to the area where the second fenced in area closer to the Rhine. If most of the field isn't going to be use for the ride, the "northern" swale/drainage is somewhat....useless TBH. They are taking out trees and creating a swale where they might not have too. There's also some interesting detailing near there I can't really read and make out.
Click to expand...

I'm totally onboard with the idea that this coaster could somehow utilize more of the project area to better justify the northern swale. I haven't been able to picture how it could access that land, but I believe it's certainly reasonable and possibile.

PS: Feel free to ask for high res versions of specific areas in the materials plan if you need a closer look at anything. I'll be posting more of the raw documents here to the forum as well so you all can have a more complete look at everything filed yesterday.

warfelg said:
Random thought for hope of full circuit - The size of the "bump out" area by the maintenance road and bolt is the exact same size as the top hat for TTD and KK.
Click to expand...

It's a tight fit, but I would have hypothesized that they were squeezing a top hat in there too if that's all we had to work with. The thing that's really pushing me towards a spike instead is my reading of the station area—I just can't see a way to get a full circuit out of it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: warfelg
Rheath said:
Kind of upset that this is what we're looking at. I get it, it's SeaWorld's money tactic right now, but this money and land could've been spent SO much better. We have a Dark ride building in the same hamlet sitting dormant, and you could've waited and built a coaster in that spot that actually fits a need in your lineup, and could've been better. I'm sure itll be a fun ride and BGW will make money, which is the goal, but this is a missed opportunity.
Click to expand...
I know many here have been trying to argue a traditional lift for a long time and this or that etc. but I’m afraid if you’ve been watching this thread and you expected anything large and impressive you missed the writing on the wall.

The good news here is that besides the one station building and launch track the area is still pretty much empty, the park still has plenty of room down to road for a full scale coaster or even a hamlet. How viable are those? That’s another discussion.
 
So, a lot of talk about layout; but what about names?

This is like Pantheon's more risqüe cousin, so... Pantheoff?

It comes with a built in tagline.

...it's so fast, it'll blow your Pantheoff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: halfabee and mdb07
Couple of things:
1. The pads that are being assumed to be for switch tracks are said to be 6" concrete pads. That is nowhere near beefy enough for that purpose. Did Pantheon's plans show the same characteristics. They have to inset large bolts into these footers for the tracking, these bolts are usually 2'+ in length, so there must be piles and deeper foundation than they are leading on to.
2. Appears they want to keep the wooded area intact where the lumberhack maze is. Makes sense, just don't know how realistic that is given the size of the crane needed to erect this thing and accessibility back to the area where the high point is.
3. I hope this thing is not a 1 trick pony and that it has some elements involved at least. I don't like the idea of two rides with the same defining feature of a spike. Seems kind of lame. Worst case scenario is something like Turbo Track.
 
This is def going to be a coaster that relies on the launch to have a good ride experience. Not overly thrilled but it’ll be a fun addition. Just be glad we got Pantheon too lol
 
  • Eye-Roll
  • Like
Reactions: ZappleMyApples and Zimmy
I am hoping it's a top hat with maybe the track racing back along where it goes out. The reason i think this is possible is that they kept saying the high point would look like a knife's blade from that angle. To me that implies it won't from other angles, otherwise I'd used different wording. I just really don't want to just go up and back. Plus then the top 30 feet or more wouldn't even be usable height.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cb0355, BGWnut and mountaineers
Something else to note was the leaked station plan clearly showed full 90-degree turns into and out of the station - these could still match up with the concrete pads but that transition would be unnecessarily awkward compared to what Zachary drew.
 
PhantomJB93 said:
Something else to note was the leaked station plan clearly showed full 90-degree turns into and out of the station - these could still match up with the concrete pads but that transition would be unnecessarily awkward compared to what Zachary drew.
Click to expand...

Correction: It did not show 90 degree turns. They may not have even reached 45 degrees. My concept was drawn up with those turns in mind.
 
  • Like
Reactions: halfabee
Zachary said:
It's a tight fit, but I would have hypothesized that they were squeezing a top hat in there too if that's all we had to work with. The thing that's really pushing me towards a spike instead is my reading of the station area—I just can't see a way to get a full circuit out of it.
Click to expand...

So I got a theory on that, and it has to deal with 1 or 2 of the blocks not being something we think it could be and the old maintenance shed for DF.

I need a little time (AKA after work) to have the time to properly formulate my wording on it, but the different sizes, the proximity of the curb to the switch track. The last thing that got me into thinking something else: No other Intamin trick track happens on a pad as opposed to footers (as far as I'm aware).
 
The track switches out to the launch right next to the station is the logical explanation for routing the ride exit back to the entrance side of the station.

I expect the proposed layout from the article until more info appears. Hopefully there is some fun shaping or something in there to add some extra fun.

I am prepared to ride pantheon, verbolten, the train, and even mach tower to keep tabs on the ride, like a real trooper.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zachary, tursiops and BGWnut
ˁ˚ᴥ˚ˀ said:
I know many here have been trying to argue a traditional lift for a long time and this or that etc. but I’m afraid if you’ve been watching this thread and you expected anything large and impressive you missed the writing on the wall.

The good news here is that besides the one station building and launch track the area is still pretty much empty, the park still has plenty of room down to road for a full scale coaster or even a hamlet. How viable are those? That’s another discussion.
Click to expand...
Oh I knew this was coming, but that doesn't change that this was a wasted investment imo
 
Rheath said:
Oh I knew this was coming, but that doesn't change that this was a wasted investment imo
Click to expand...
How can you say that when you don’t even know what the park is paying for this? Just because you’re salty it isn’t a “good” coaster doesn’t mean that this isn’t a frugal investment from the park. I hate the sky rockets but they are very popular and have generated quite the buzz in both bgw and bgt. I know many people visited to ride just those coasters. I’m not a CA local so I can’t speak for electric eel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nicole, Sly4Good and tursiops
You must log in or register to reply here.
Consider Donating to Hide This Ad