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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.

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Yes, exactly. Thank you @BGWnut.

Building on some of the more stratospheric speculation in this thread, just ‘cuz it’s fun... let’s assume the park has some critical mass of residual memory regarding what impatience led to when Drachen Fire was given to Arrow. Perhaps, once BGW decided to wait a year or two for B&M to have the bandwidth to deliver the truly massive giga they want, Intamin swooped in regarding their own concept — which had potentially lost the original bidding for the originally planned 2020 timeline — and gave the park a ridiculously sweetheart deal to make it financially possible to install their product for 2020 after all.

New USA foothold; maybe Intamin had a gap in their 2020 book of business with nothing promising on the near-term horizon to fill it; and in particular, a nice way to end that drought with a flex move by returning to the major park that (according to lore) has deliberately shunned them longer than any other. Even if they just break even on it, or squeak out a miserly profit.

Zero confirmed facts in any of the above, to be clear. Good fun to imagine.

I could definitely see that being a plausible scenario. It explains why there were so many changes to the plans
 
MMXX is a cross between Asterix and Belgium. I’d think something like that would be redundant (then again Tempesto).

I’m looking more for a B&M if it were a giga. Shit, RMC is offering a 300 foot T-Rex soon.
 
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So, @BGWfan , if we're happy with our new coaster partner...what say we get the second coaster they announced the same time as PA. .. Walibi Belgium?

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View: https://youtu.be/jd3bBpM3JhY

I wouldn't be mad about a similar coaster if it's a Giga which the Walabi Belgium is not because that coaster looks incredible. Personally I think it'll be B&M or RMC. Both would fit into my theory that the Giga was delayed because they couldn't get exactly what they wanted in 2019. This is why we are getting FF this year after Madrid initially being a 2019 project. If intamin is the manufacturer for both then they could have done the original plan in 2019. I think it's more likely that the original needed to be changed and the park then pivoted to Intamin and MMXX.

I think the only reason to delay would be if it was B&M (they are notorious for not having too many projects at once and for wanting everything to be perfect) or RMC (they keep delaying the T-Rex) and the park doesn't want a repeat of DF.
 
My only problem with a windseeker is that this location just seems too close to Mach Tower for another tower ride. I would love a windseeker otherwise. I just think it's unlikely due to the proximity to MT
 
For everyone saying this is too close to MT,

Maybe just maybe could this be a replacement for it? By the time this is being built it's actually going to be 10 years old if you can believe it made it that long.
 
And the fact that Kings Dominion already has one. If they go with a swing it'd have to be a screamin' swing.


Edit: I am so stupid. I meant a star flyer. ?
 
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Well, I personally don't think giga. I agree with part of the theory that "Madrid" was initially going to be huge and logistics or whatever had them go back to plan B.

I think if it was a giga more would have been included in that DF side RPA as we'd assume portions may reach the river or shoreline. What we're seeing, in my opinion, is control of storm water runoff, etc. for a new hamlet as well as a utility crossing. I think it'll take up primarily the old DF clearing area with what I conjectured in my "España" conception; an S&S combo tower, an RMC Raptor single rail, a flat or two, shops and a train station.

I add that I'm thinking hamlet because I can't see SEAS making a another large investment without adding means to increase revenue. As far as we even seen thus far with MMXX, they're spending $25m without adding any new revenue sources. They could (just guesstimating) build an S&S or Intamin tower and a RMC Raptor for less money than a single giga, leaving additional monies to construct a smallish hamlet with shops and eateries that will generate income.

It's far too soon to do more than "wish" at this stage...witness the first half of the MMXX tread. But my money is resting more than a single ride addition.
 
You guys keep saying "it's too close to MT", but, KD has WindSeeker and the kid ride in Planet Snoopy (don't remember the name), which are both in a good proximity to Drop Tower, not to mention their actual swing ride.

There's no reason they couldn't have both MT and a giant swing. All this swing would have to do is be taller than KD's tbh. And are we really trying to compare and say BGW can't do something because KD has? Because if so, y'all ain't getting a Giga either.
 
I've not done any actual research to know how feasible this is, but since everyone is just throwing things against the wall, I'll join in.

14768

The park has been removing unpopular children's rides. The kiddy bumper cars seem like a really solid example of an underperforming kiddy ride. Maybe that area could be used as a queue and the area next to Verbolten's launch tunnel could house a ride pad for something like a Star Flyer?
 
Not to get off topic. But let’s assume for a minute this project is indeed a roller coaster. Along with new hamlet and associated attractions.

One would think that at some point soon, our friendly neighbor to the West (KD) will have to respond (compete) with all the cool stuff we’re getting.

Fun times all around
 
For everyone saying this is too close to MT,

Maybe just maybe could this be a replacement for it? By the time this is being built it's actually going to be 10 years old if you can believe it made it that long.
Honestly it probably has quite a few more years left in it's life but it's possible they will take it out.
You guys keep saying "it's too close to MT", but, KD has WindSeeker and the kid ride in Planet Snoopy (don't remember the name), which are both in a good proximity to Drop Tower, not to mention their actual swing ride.

There's no reason they couldn't have both MT and a giant swing. All this swing would have to do is be taller than KD's tbh. And are we really trying to compare and say BGW can't do something because KD has? Because if so, y'all ain't getting a Giga either.

I don't think a ride being at KD will stop BGW from building something. My personal opinion is that BGW wouldn't want another tower ride so close to MT. I am not discounting a starflyer or windseeker because KD has one or something similar. I also don't think that KD having to towers in close proximity is a good argument that BGW would do so. I think BGW realizes that having them too close together would probably decrease ridership of one of them. More than it would if it was in a different area.

Well, I personally don't think giga. I agree with part of the theory that "Madrid" was initially going to be huge and logistics or whatever had them go back to plan B.

I think if it was a giga more would have been included in that DF side RPA as we'd assume portions may reach the river or shoreline. What we're seeing, in my opinion, is control of storm water runoff, etc. for a new hamlet as well as a utility crossing. I think it'll take up primarily the old DF clearing area with what I conjectured in my "España" conception; an S&S combo tower, an RMC Raptor single rail, a flat or two, shops and a train station.

I add that I'm thinking hamlet because I can't see SEAS making a another large investment without adding means to increase revenue. As far as we even seen thus far with MMXX, they're spending $25m without adding any new revenue sources. They could (just guesstimating) build an S&S or Intamin tower and a RMC Raptor for less money than a single giga, leaving additional monies to construct a smallish hamlet with shops and eateries that will generate income.

It's far too soon to do more than "wish" at this stage...witness the first half of the MMXX tread. But my money is resting more than a single ride addition.

I do agree with you that this is an actual expansion and a ride that was probably the initial plan with Madrid before they changed their plans, shifted Madrid to 2021 and began planning MMXX.

However we didn't see any RPA impacts for MMXX until last August. I think it's likely that we went see the RPA for the coaster until later this year.
 
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