Project Drachen Spire: Multi-Launch Shuttle Giga (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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Semi-related, today they confirmed some details of the Saudi coaster.

Launched drops confirmed.

We could be getting a prototype...

parkfans.net

News - Six Flags Qiddiya

Announced today. Supposedly with the tallest, fastest and longest rollercoaster. https://www.arabianbusiness.com/travel-hospitality/426581-saudi-arabias-six-flags-qiddiya-to-debut-worlds-longest-tallest-fastest-roller-coaster-in-2023
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GrandpaD said:
My son had a Stretch Armstrong growing up. I don't think we stretched him as far as trying to stretch the "supposed” Saudi coaster to something in Festhaus Park.
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It's not supposed coaster. It's an announced coaster. Whether six flags cancels the project before it gets built is still undetermined.

That being said I don't think anybody is stretching things to suggest that the park could be getting the prototype version of this ride. It's a coaster that has been announced that actually fits the leaks. This is essentially what the park is getting with Pantheon. It's a prototype of a new ride type with it's quick switch track. Maybe this is why there was so much urgency surrounding the height waiver. The park is getting a great deal by building two prototypes for Intamin.

If this attraction ends up being similar to the coaster announced for Six Flags that could create some interesting ideas. Namely it looks like the highest point in the Six Flags ride isn't the drop on the list hill but rather another hill that the car is partly launched up.


It is a lot more likely than the theories that we are getting a coaster and a flat ride. There haven't been any additional height waivers as would have been required. If there were multiple attractions then the park would have to file separate height waivers for each separate ride that was over 60 feet. It doesn't seem likely the park would build a coaster and keep it under 60 feet the entire time.
 
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*sigh* This really should go in the SF thread but I will elaborate.

Six Flags is not building or funding any of these new development parks outside of the United States. If/when the parks open Six Flags will solely operate the parks and receive a cut of the earnings through that while the original developers will own the properties and invest in future additions.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
 
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Dream on. The article of "new" is nothing more than a rehash if what was already posted with some commentary from the accompanying video. And it's on an Australian site with nothing from credible amusement publications.

And you know from the Pantheon thread, JCC only requires a single waiver for the area, being the tallest point. I believe it was you that pointed this out when we thought the spike and top hat might both be taller. It's the FAA requires one for each element broaching 200ft.
 
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GrandpaD said:
And you know from the Pantheon thread, JCC only requires a single waiver for the area, being the tallest point.
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Incorrect. JCC requires a separate height waiver for each structure over 60' tall. Only one height waiver is required per structure, however, so a coaster could exceed the 60' restriction more than once but only require one waiver. If the theory of a flat an a coaster were to be correct, Busch would be required to file two separate waivers for each attraction, provided they both exceed 60' in height.
 
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But theoretically, all they'd have to do to get around this is attach a piece or two of steel spanning the two and consider it "one structure"
 
GrandpaD said:
Dream on. The article of "new" is nothing more than a rehash if what was already posted with some commentary from the accompanying video. And it's on an Australian site with nothing from credible amusement publications.

And you know from the Pantheon thread, JCC only requires a single waiver for the area, being the tallest point. I believe it was you that pointed this out when we thought the spike and top hat might both be taller. It's the FAA requires one for each element broaching 200ft.
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I know the article is nothing new. I didn't originally post the article. It contains no new information being what we know about it from a month ago. That doesn't discredit the information that we learned a month ago about it any less accurate just because this site picked up and rehashed it

As @Adam already pointed out it's per structure and a coaster is one structure so it doesn't need multiple waivers. However two separate rides would require their own height waivers.
 
Awhile back, I made a prediction that it would be something about Drachen returning (but obviously a much better coaster this time around). Still holding out hope that’s what they’re gonna do, but maybe it’s just wishful thinking.
 
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I would love that first drop to be of the same style as DF. Such a unique first drop. Very aesthetically pleasing and interesting.

Though enthusiasts will be salty because it "ruins the forces".
 
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Jonesta6 said:
So drop tower/ coaster combo? No?
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We don't know anything except - 1. The location of the highest point (of something) and 2. It's using the former DF station (probably, maybe). That's it! The rest in 109 or so pages are guesses, hopes, theories, speculating, rumors, "expert opinion" and random BS.

Now, I could theorize that BGW wanted to clear the (no pun intended) highest hurdle they
feared might meet the most local opposition - the 355ft waiver. And (here's the theory) that doesn't preclude them from going back to JCC for lower (below 200ft) waivers. Something like Taron is less than 100ft...

But, as I stated, we really don't know squat.
 
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GrandpaD said:
We don't know anything except - 1. The location of the highest point (of something) and 2. It's using the former DF station (probably, maybe). That's it! The rest in 109 or so pages are guesses, hopes, theories, speculating, rumors, "expert opinion" and random BS.

Now, I could theorize that BGW wanted to clear the (no pun intended) highest hurdle they
feared might meet the most local opposition - the 355ft waiver. And (here's the theory) that doesn't preclude them from going back to JCC for lower (below 200ft) waivers. Something like Taron is less than 100ft...

But, as I stated, we really don't know squat.
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JCC is anything above 60 feet. FAA is above 200 feet. It is certainly possible that BGW could apply for an additional height waiver but I think that we are getting late in the game for that.
 
I'm aware of the height waivers; the 200ft was in reference to any additional FAA waiver requests.

In that we are not aware of a single plan for anything being submitted to JCC I think it's a little premature to say it's "too late in the game". They might be holding back so as not to tip their hand.
 
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If by combo drop tower/coaster you mean something like Zumanjaro/Kingda Ka, that seems like it would be a mistake. KK can't launch if Zumanjaro is doing it's run and vice versa. Not sure why a park would want to create that bottleneck again.
 
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GrandpaD said:
I'm aware of the height waivers; the 200ft was in reference to any additional FAA waiver requests.

In that we are not aware of a single plan for anything being submitted to JCC I think it's a little premature to say it's "too late in the game". They might be holding back so as not to tip their hand.
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I never said it was too late in the game. Just that it was getting late in the process so if something else were coming then we would probably be hearing about it soon.
 
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