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Busch Gardens Williamsburg Project 2021 - 355ft Height Waiver Filed

While I'm dissapointed at what it appears this ride will be, a new giant coaster is still a new giant coaster and it's hard to poo-poo it too much.

What has me more curious is why 4 out of BGW's last 5 additions have been launch coasters (and what is all coasters with multiple launches too) while BGT seems to get a variety of different coasters with each feeling more unique in the park. The only conclusion I've been able to reach is that launched coasters allow BGW to get the height/speeds/thrills they want while having as little as possible be loud or tall for the neighboring community to complain. If that's the case i wonder what that means for the park moving forward and especially when it comes time to have to retire more of the old favorites. Anyone have a different theory on the reasoning here or am I alone on finding this fascinating?
 
Howie said:
Swing launches: the VR of the 20's. Calling it now.
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I doubt it. The advantage of using a swing launch is that you only need one third of the launch track to reach the same speed as a conventional launch. That means less hardware to install/maintain (even if it might be more maintainenance intensive, as each component sees three times as much use), and more notably, the launch takes up way less space. Even if they may be a gimmick ride-wise, swing launches are so much more compact than regular launches (and require much less of a structure height than a lift hill) that I don't think they will be going away any time soon.
 
I'm sure it'll be a good fun ride, but I must admit that it seems like a slightly odd choice to me. That's 3 coasters in the park with swing launches of some form now (Tempesto, Pantheon and this), so it offers a very similar experience to two other coasters in the park without necessarily offering anything new besides height.

Unless, of course, it has something else up its sleeves not shown in the planning application...
 
Update the spike will be twisting

bgwfans.com

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 bgwfans.com

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So, a 350 feet multi launch shuttling coaster with spiraling spike...the year after they open a multi launch shuttling coaster with spike
OK
Well, I used to gripe there's not enough unique rides out there. Kudos to BGW this is truly different. I mean looks dope, but...what? Feels like it should've been part of Pantheon. Dang imagine that
 
So basically inverted impulse with a turn in it. That spire won't be that great since you're going to be facing up. Imagine if you went up it backwards, now that would be great

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tomahawk said:
So basically inverted impulse with a turn in it. That spire won't be that great since you're going to be facing up. Imagine if you went up it backwards, now that would be great

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You know what, it going backwards woildnt be a bad idea. The layout isnt too crazy that it’ll be nauseating and the multiple launches will mean a more gradual acceleration and the obviously the height if the spike wont be lost on the riders if youre facing down. Plus it’ll be a point of difference from the other 2 swing launches in the park and a good little marketing point.

Not saying thats happening, but theres nothing to suggest ruling that out.
 
Howie said:
Swing launches: the VR of the 20's. Calling it now.
Click to expand...

Pokemaniac said:
I doubt it. The advantage of using a swing launch is that you only need one third of the launch track to reach the same speed as a conventional launch. That means less hardware to install/maintain (even if it might be more maintainenance intensive, as each component sees three times as much use), and more notably, the launch takes up way less space. Even if they may be a gimmick ride-wise, swing launches are so much more compact than regular launches (and require much less of a structure height than a lift hill) that I don't think they will be going away any time soon.
Click to expand...

Hmm, yeah, that's not really what I was getting at, Poke'.
They're stupid, annoying, gimmicky, a maintenance & capacity nightmare and they're springing up everywhere when nobody asked for them.
Hence, ergo, vis-a-vis - they're the VR of the 20's.
 
Yep, the spike will be a 450° anticlockwise-rotating spike. BGWFans nailed pretty much everything else with the layout, and now we do know 100% that this will be an Intamin due to the track and trains on the plans being identical to Pantheon's.

Here is an updated NL2 animation by Intim305 and Jake Anderson:-


I am almost 100% sure that the backwards spike will be beyond vertical, and similar to that of a Surfrider spike, based on the support structure for it. There are still several questions, however, such as whether there will be any airtime launches or not. I am leaning towards no honestly, but I am hoping they manage to sneak at least one in.

I watched Coaster Studios' analysis of the information we have, and he put forward a couple of valid propositions. One, that this and Pantheon were originally supposed to be part of the same ride, and that if some of the seats on the train were facing backwards, that would really improve re-ridability and popularity.

One final thing, here is the leaked colour palette for the coaster that was rooted out by Adam of BGWFans:-

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This will look beautiful when it is built. <3
 
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They should use a polling feature similar to Fury's in Bobbejaanland to determine wether the train enters the track looking forward or backward. They could push it on the track in the direction it's supposed to launch. That way this thing would become way more enjoyable.
 
Pokemaniac said:
I doubt it. The advantage of using a swing launch is that you only need one third of the launch track to reach the same speed as a conventional launch. That means less hardware to install/maintain (even if it might be more maintainenance intensive, as each component sees three times as much use), and more notably, the launch takes up way less space. Even if they may be a gimmick ride-wise, swing launches are so much more compact than regular launches (and require much less of a structure height than a lift hill) that I don't think they will be going away any time soon.
Click to expand...
This. They really are a brilliant design solution to numerous potential constraints.

Along the lines of everyone else...I'm confused, yet still quite intrigued. Although after seeing that support structure for the big spike, I'm all for it - that is extra sexy!
 
I'm so confused by this whole thing. Especially so soon after Pantheon. That spike looks MASSIVE in those renderings, but I keep looking at these images and asking myself, "...ok, but why?" Like why is the twist so high in the spike? Why another swing launch so soon?

So many questions. That said, I'm anxious to hear more about this project!
 
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