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:
  • Most Recent Status Update:

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:
Aside from a coaster (will have just been built) and a drop tower (already one nearby), what other tides are typically built that tall?
 
I conferred with the Dipin Dots guy, the train guys, and the deer. This is what we are getting:

2ee05e9be18f054b197d8825ba626dd7.jpg
 
This lines up well with what I'm hearing. I'm told that Kevin wrote an open letter to employees about the start of 2019. In the letter he specifically said the following: "During the member town hall meeting on March 16th, we also teased a new attraction in 2020. The next few years for the park will be filled with new thrills to keep our loyal guests coming back while continuing to attract new audiences."

I was waiting until I could get my hands on the full letter but in light of today's news this seems a notable inclusion.
 
I know this is a long-shot, but hear me out.

When we saw Tempesto's height waiver photo, it had the general "shape" of the ride's uppermost portion as the red lines of the structure. I can't find it, but it was what lead to me correctly ID the ride as a SkyRocket II model based on the shape of those lines.

The spike of MMXX is a simple small "pole" of you will, and the ride height waiver line was a small "bracket" to denote that the highest point would be just that: a spike with a flat top.

This photo has a longer plane, and taken in context with what he have seen, indicates that the highest point is not a tower or spike. It shows the highest point is a larger section, much like that of a very tall thrill ride that has a high "section." That section could be anything - from the top of a lift-hill to a turn into a drop, or an inversion leading into a drop (think world's tallest GateKeeper) Who knows? This is wayyy early.

14762

I only put this out there for your input in the cherished ParkFans community. Zachary - I think you may remember what I am talking about with Tempesto years back if you can find the picture.

Thoughts? Am I crazy? (YES!)
 
Yes, Tempesto's outline was the big clue. ?

And I have been noting the same thing as you about the lines in these photos.

Considerably wider from some angles than from others, apparently. A clue? Or a red herring?
 
Starflyer comes with a light package usually and I doubt Kingsmill would allow that.

I think it's a drop tower like FF

I've already discussed this but kingsmill wouldn't be able to really stop the park from building what it wants.

Oh boy here we go again. No WAY this is another big coaster is it? Has any park gotten 2 major coasters over the span of a year or 2? Besides Cedar Point?
I mean if you are getting technical BGT is getting a coaster this year and next year (Tigris and RMC Gwazi). Also SWC is going to get a new coaster 3 straight years( Electric Eel, Tidal Twister and Mako next year). Granted it is debatable on whether Tigris, Electric Eel and Tidal Twisters are coasters but they are being marketed as such.
 
Yes, Tempesto's outline was the big clue. ?

And I have been noting the same thing as you about the lines in these photos.

Considerably wider from some angles than from others, apparently. A clue? Or a red herring?

Generally a clue. Those lines are to show not just the height at that location, but also the relative size at the height. This is so you can see the impact of what's going to happen with the skyline.

The general idea that you play with from the pictures to guess the size:
You need something for scale, the exact location geographically of the picture place, the location of the spot, the height of the photo, and the height of the line. Once you got all of that you have the length from the camera lens to the edge of the line, the inclination, you can get the angle from the camera lens to the line. Then simple trig gives you the width of the line.

We can get the location of the two spots, but because of not knowing the exact height of the camera, the best we can do is a rough estimation of the length of the line.

Put together the general lengths of the line from all the angles and you can do a decent job of building a 2-D model of that it looks like at the top.
 
The location of this height permit makes it highly questionable if it’s a tower that doesn’t come with a new area
 
  • Eye-Roll
Reactions: Zimmy
The location of this height permit makes it highly questionable if it’s a tower that doesn’t come with a new area
In my opinion it's way too close to Mach tower for it to be a tower ride of any kind. My best guess would be that this is going to be a Giga Coaster. DF and the area around are really the last places where the park would have room to build a Giga.

One disappointing thing about this is that it basically kills any last chance that they would build SPW.
 
Dare say if BGT can get 2 coaster back to back can BGW get some kind of RMC creation, since sea world is working with them now
 
  • Like
Reactions: BGWnut
The star is huge and approximate on that overhead view, but it's basically sitting right on top of Verbolten.

Anything you have to walk all the way around into FHP to ride would have to be pretty impressive to justify the stroll.

How about a tower with an entrance between Verbolten and Der Autobahn. Big platform stretching from VB exit to just short of the first launch, and as wide as that area permits. Best I can do without either removing something or making people walk all the way around.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Adam
The star is huge and approximate on that overhead view, but it's basically sitting right on top of Verbolten.

Anything you have to walk all the way around into FHP to ride would have to be pretty impressive to justify the stroll.

How about a tower with an entrance between Verbolten and Der Autobahn. Big platform stretching from VB exit to just short of the first launch, and as wide as that area permits. Best I can do without either removing something or making people walk all the way around.

Don't you think that would be too close to MT? If this was in a different portion of the park than I think a tower would be my first guess. But it's right next to MT there.
Theres just no way this is a coaster

Do you have any facts to back this up? As I said above the DF area and the surrounding area that BGW owns make this the best location where the park could a massive Giga size coaster. They don't really have many other locations for a coaster of that size.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Seado
Consider Donating to Hide This Ad