Project Drachen Spire: Multi-Launch Shuttle Giga (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/

 

[warfelg]

This project is dead!

Got to say - that exclamation point - is that a choice or deliberate?

 

[Unagi]

Got to say - that exclamation point - is that a choice or deliberate?

Both!

 

[Jonesta6]

If he has credibility there’s no reason to question him. He’s been on the forum long enough.

Nobody ever questioned me when things were going on with KD over the years. Nobody should have to question Unagi if he’s been credible.

Fair enough - however, I know I don't know what anyone's status is who makes such claims with the degree of connection they have to the source and if the source itself is reliable.

So yeah, may be inconsistent in asking for a private verification (not the same as asking to reveal a source and cause problems), but I also don't recall any KD statements you've made that were on the same level as declaring a really large stalled project as dead either.

 

[Ice]

My insider knowledge can confirm that it won't be a 300 foot tall trackless dark ride.

 

[RollyCoaster]

My comment was not to glamour me. My comment was to reinforce how I was not questioned when leaking special events, bits of Twisted, water park projects, and the whole Tumbili project. Nobody here knows me, but based on historical context nobody ever questioned me.

Unagi has been on the forum probably longer than I have. I don’t know Unagi, but he/she is very much a reliable person on the forum. Unagi is very active on here and makes this forum part of his/her daily life. We have all seen what happens when people make false claims or claim ridiculous things on here. It gets shut down faster than Mach Tower.

I don’t want to start an argument because it gets nowhere on here. Besides, I like and appreciate everybody in this little chat chain going on lol. I just think that while our moderators are the best in the industry and are *amazing* at keeping things hush, I don’t think it’s always necessary to have one to verify information that a longtime forum member was grateful enough to share.

I always thought this project was a lot more complex than it appeared on paper. Wouldn’t surprise me (thankfully) that this project was shelved or drawn into something different anyways.

 

[warfelg]

It gets shut down faster than Mach Tower.

Wow. You chose violence.

 

[ControlsEE]

While I can't confirm the Drachen Spire project status myself, I can say that @Unagi does indeed have some pretty deep industry connections with the major players.

 

[panopticon31]

This project is dead!

Ding dong the dragon is dead?

 

[warfelg]

Both!

Hmm.

I’ll take it as an exciting development that something better is on the way.

Off-ish topic from this, but from a rides plan for BGW/SEAS, it seems as though the pandemic as good (?). DSpire scrapped, new indoor ride done, events building getting done, BfE closing, this new FHP/BY coaster (?) being developed leaving plenty of FHP untouched.

I think that it has a chance of making the 50th really special then. I wish they would go back through and fix appearance stuff, but sadly that doesn’t bring in money.

Random aside on that: would be fun if even for the year they did a Busch Gardens: The Olde Country “retrospect” and bring back old shows, acts, music, names, things like that through the summer.

 

[Coasternerd]

Random aside on that: would be fun if even for the year they did a Busch Gardens: The Olde Country “retrospect” and bring back old shows, acts, music, names, things like that through the summer.

Globe would be a pretty good spot for said show(s). They don’t use it nearly often enough.

 

[Dogface]

Globe would be a pretty good spot for said show(s). They don’t use it nearly often enough.

I always thought Shakespeare performances in the Globe would be an excellent idea. Rotate out some of the more well-known plays as the seasons change. I really enjoyed getting to see a variation a of Dickens’ work in an old English setting with a mug of chocolate.

 

[Coasterguy95]

Assuming on the lack of action and info here, I think it’s now safe to say unagi was right.
Or we could all incorrect and something could blow us all out of the water when iappa starts.

(On another note, where would I start a iappa thread? I feel it’s better to organize info there than in multiple threads)

 

[Zachary]

(On another note, where would I start a iappa thread? I feel it’s better to organize info there than in multiple threads)

Amusement Industry -> News

 

[Coasterguy95]

Amusement Industry -> News

Radical, thank you

 

[Unagi]

Assuming on the lack of action and info here, I think it’s now safe to say unagi was right.
Or we could all incorrect and something could blow us all out of the water when iappa starts.

Just to put a final nail in this coffin, the 2024 coaster will be reusing Drachen Fire's old station.

 

[Dogface]

While there were many parts of this project that I didn’t like, I always thought that 350ft pyramidal spire would’ve looked amazing on the park skyline. I’m happy that there will be a more fulfilling coaster put there, but I don’t think I could be convinced that anything would look as insane standing behind Verbolten as you go over the San Marco bridge

 

[warfelg]

I’m kinda glad this project is dead but I’ll always lament the loss of a giga coaster or something innovative. But I feel it didn’t make the best use of the land they have back there. What’s being looked at is much better as it looks like it leaves still plenty of space on DF’s infield to continue to build out around it. Not that I’m super confident that the current leadership structure as HQ level to make use of it. I really wish they trusted the local teams to not look over their shoulder.