Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

[cfc]

^The results of my first ride on Drachen Fire, before they reprofiled it, were a nasty headache, nausea, and huge bruises on either shoulder.

[TyRush]

I wish Drachen would've worked out, if only it was designed a tad bit later maybe, maybe.

[wigglytuff]

if busch gardens williamsburg is supposed to have an european theme why is one of the lands new france then?

[DILinator]

cfc (or anybody else who knows), did they re-profile it before the 1994 season, or after the 1994 season? I've never been clear on that. That was the year I rode it, FWIW...

[pkdcoaster]

off season of 1994-95 they removed the 1st corkscrew and replaced it with the "exit ramp"

 

Thanks for sharing those pics PianoJohn, they were great.

 

JEFF

1995-1998

1992-1994

[viking86]

Was that corkscrew particularly bad compared to the rest of the ride, since that was the only part modified? Or was there any other reasons on addition to roughness?

[DILinator]

off season of 1994-95 they removed the 1st corkscrew and replaced it with the "exit ramp"

 

Thanks for the clarification, and for those comparison pictures! So I did ride it in its original form then! Good to know! My memories of it, besides enjoying it a ton (it was my favorite ride there after that visit), are basically just that awesome first drop/inversion, and lots of going upside down!

[grsupercity]

It looks so wonky. Looks worse then a bent coat hanger lol. Looks bad in a good way lol

[DILinator]

It looks so wonky. Looks worse then a bent coat hanger lol. Looks bad in a good way lol

 

You're right, it does look screwed up! But my dad and I loved the ride, and rode it twice (which was a big deal back then in my non-enthusiast days!) My brother, however, rode it that first time (sitting right next to me), and hated it because it was "too rough". My dad and I thought he was nuts. It looks like he was right, however!

[Philrad71]

off season of 1994-95 they removed the 1st corkscrew and replaced it with the "exit ramp"

 

Thanks for sharing those pics PianoJohn, they were great.

 

JEFF

 

 

Oh my...that sudden change in direction after the loop. I can only imagine your head against the OTSR's during that!

 

Thank you for both sharing these photos!!!

[Nrthwnd]

^The results of my first ride on Drachen Fire, before they reprofiled it, were a nasty headache, nausea, and huge bruises on either shoulder.

 

Mmm, my kind of ride.

[redfoot12]

I always thought it was strange that Kings Dominion was rumored to be interested in purchasing Drachen Fire. DF was very similar to Anaconda (Arrow multi-looper). Also, I'm curious where KD would have installed DF.

[cfc]

^I've never heard that rumor, but I'm inclined to think it's BS (Anaconda opened in 1991, Drachen Fire in 1992).

[blk_mamba]

I have never been on Drachen Fire however I'd venture to say anything else arrow did is better than Anaconda!

[cfc]

^Frankly, I do prefer Anaconda to Drachen Fire. Of course, this is akin to being preferring a blow to the head from a claw hammer over that of a ball peen hammer.

[mike541x]

I remember reading somewhere that a few parks, including Knoebels, were interested in buying Drachen Fire after it was put up for sale. Not sure if it was true but it would've been interesting to see if the ride was saved.

 

I wish Drachen would've worked out, if only it was designed a tad bit later maybe, maybe.

 

I always thought that if it DF was designed later when Alan Schilke was working for Arrow, it would probably be an awesome ride. While I've yet to go on Tennessee Tornado, I hear it's best out of all of the Arrow loopers. Just looking at the rides Schilke is making these days, it doesn't really surprise me.

[redfoot12]

^I guess now's a good time as any to rehash the "Drachen Fire was originally a B&M design but Arrow got handed the plans and didn't know exactly how to implement them" school of thought. It would have been awesome to have something akin to Kumba at BGW.

[mike541x]

It would have been awesome to have something akin to Kumba at BGW.

 

Agreed. Kumba is my favorite B&M and having something very similar at BGW would've been great.

[DrachenfireOP]

Was that corkscrew particularly bad compared to the rest of the ride, since that was the only part modified? Or was there any other reasons on addition to roughness?

 

Well that part was rough, but it was actually worse on the trains than the riders. I heard maintenance guys give that as a strong reason for removal, though that was a good head bang spot for some riders. I always thought the turn into the MCBR was the worst part. Everything before that was glass smooth. The cutback was also smooth. It was the two corkscrews and the turn into the MCBR that banged most people up. I also had some friends complain about the helix, but I never heard most people complain about it. I myself loved the ride.

 

I remember reading somewhere that a few parks, including Knoebels, were interested in buying Drachen Fire after it was put up for sale. Not sure if it was true but it would've been interesting to see if the ride was saved.

 

True, though I don't know which parks, so I don't know about knobels. There was a statement released when Drachen Fire closed that said the number of riders was too low compared to the cost of operation. The exact quote from the park PR spokeswoman in 1998 was

 

"There has been a steady erosion of ridership, combined with the high operating expenses of the ride, it helped officials make the decision to shut it down."

 

As to the sale, and later scrapping,

 

"We had several inquiries from potential buyers, but for various reasons, we couldn't reach any agreements."

 

]"Drachen Fire was originally a B&M design but Arrow got handed the plans and didn't know exactly how to implement them"

 

100% false. Both Ron Toomer and Claude Mabillard have stated there is no truth to this rumor. Lary Giles says that the park took bids from various companies, but Arrow won. The trains and sleek supports were a Busch request, not a B&M design. The design itself was completely Toomer. It's possible the park wanted B&M, but they were too young to take on that many projects the same year they were inventing BTR from scratch.

 

Every time this rumor comes up, I like to point out it was started by a teenager on a fansite, with no sources to back it up. The same kid wrote a long "history of the Big Bad Wolf" that is more error than fact. Best of all, this kid who makes wild claims left and right, says in this history, that the guy getting hit by the BBW is a rumor. It's not. His name was Pop Brown, and even a small out of googling will pull up all the news articles from 1993 when it happened.

[cfc]

According to an article in the Daily Press, Busch Gardens will be getting three new mazes for Howl-o-Scream this year.

 

Many of you probably know about "Unearthed," which involves an archaeological discovery of an old house, because both Busch parks have been running teaser videos about it. What I didn't know is that Brendan Cowie, the producer of the The Blair Witch Project, was brought in to develop this house. The full name is "Unearthed: Scatlett's Revenge," and it's the story of a "backwoods woman with dark powers" who is out for revenge against those who "tormented and killed her husband." Her revenge involves resurrection--and body parts.

 

You'll have a chance to face "zombie lumberjacks" in the "LumberHack" maze, which (according to the article) will be in the woods behind Verbolten. "Cornered" will involve a a lethal corn maze.

 

There's some more info on the Howl-o-Scream website. All the scaring starts on September 25.

Edited August 13, 2015 by cfc

[DrachenfireOP]

^ oh god, I can't wait for your zombie lumberjack tr!

[cfc]

^ oh god, I can't wait for your zombie lumberjack tr!

I'm sure that chainsaws will be involved.

Edited August 13, 2015 by cfc

[cfc]

I think I've found the location of the Unearthed maze. Call it a hunch.

 

Sorry Europe in the Air fans.

Edited August 15, 2015 by cfc

[Nrthwnd]

^ oh god, I can't wait for your zombie lumberjack tr!

I'm sure that chainsaws will be involved.

 

As well as bloodied flannel shirts, no doubt.

 

"I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay.

I kill all night, and I kill all day..."

Edited August 15, 2015 by Nrthwnd

[KBrylczyk]

^ For the uneducated -

 

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