Drachen Fie being dismantled

Perhaps Drachen Fire WAS rough (I never got to ride it...a regret I will now forever have to live with), but I know people that went on it and enjoyed it.  It's like Viper at SFGAdv...sure it's rough, but I personally like the ride.  It's all a matter of opinion.

As for the sadness, I think it can attributed mostly to people who either had a connection with or curiosity about it.  The rumors about it allowed it to take on a life of its own, and a lot of people (including myself) wanted to believe it would be operating again.  Instead, it's being delegated to the same fate as Windjammer, a ride that lived and died in infamy -- a very different life than that of the fabled Drachen Fire.

And besides, be it a piece of crap or a work of art (which can be argued both ways), it's ALWAYS sad when we, as an enthusiast community, lose a ride.  That's still one less ride for us to enjoy and (try to) appreciate.  Even when Windjammer was dismantled, there were a couple of people who expressed sorrow and disappointment.  As a community, and especially as an ACE-er, I feel that losing ANY ride, even if it does suck, is a travesty when there are so many other alternatives to just ripping it apart.  And maybe it's not financially feasible to leave it there, and maybe I'm still being naive, but from a strictly enthusiast POV, I know there were other things that could have been done and they weren't.  It's like having a dying relative on life support -- you want to believe they'll snap out and be better, you want to think there's something else they can do, but when the doctor actually tells you they have to pull the plug, it's tough to deal with.

Maybe that's a strong example, but judging by the show of support on this board, I'm not the only one who feels this strongly about this ride.

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The Luv Monkey has spoken...
Track Record: 29 and counting...
"F*** this f***ing world. I love everybody."

Really, everyone is crying over something that was unprofitable. Everything in this industry gets better, and who says a great woodie won't reappear with the same name in 2 years. Did I say too much?

P>ho cares nobody ho rode this could actually like it I think that it ill be replaced ith a stand up B&M or a big oodie/P>
P>FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">p.s if alf is cool reads this tell me hat time alf is on and hat channel that sho as halerios/P>
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1.Alpengeist
2.Incredible hulk
3.kraken
4.Duling dragons
5.Ganzi

Koppman,

Wouldn't you rather see DF a little closer to AZ? Perhaps at C-n-C :) Hey, we can dream......

Well BGW finna;y is tearing it down. I on;y hope we get a dive machine in it's place. and betteraccess to that section would be a HUGE help. DF had it coming, the section it was in was dificult to find, and from what I hear the ride wasent exactly a crowd pleaser. Like I said early in this post I would love to see a dive machine replace the dearly departed.
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All at once the ghosts come back reeling you in now.

Coaster Gecko,

That would be hilarious!  I can't even imagine Castles-N-Coasters having a REAL Coaster.  Yeah, they should buy it and tear out part of the mall's parking lot to put it in!  That would be awesome.  I might actually go there more than once every two years.......

Hoping AJ did reveal a bit too much, that park needs a woodie worse than any other I can think of, and that's saying something...

DtLM, I have to say that I wanted to jump up and shout "YES" when reading your post.  ANY ride we lose is still a ride gone forever...and a sad thing...

Also, rides like Viper at SFoG and DF get a bum rap IMO as far as "ridership" is concerned.  Steel Phantom, RIP, had similar complaints, but at least you could get to the ride.  When a park places a coaster in a distant corner with terrible access, ridership WILL be low...I am sure that with the additions of S:RoS, Joker's Jinx, and Batwing, that SFA's SLC has suffered some in ridership, since the "park" has basically moved away from it.  "Isolating" a coaster in an inconvenient location I think has as much to do with ridership as anything....wish I could have ridden DF just once to see for myself if it was worth the hike...

Busch Gardens already provides a place for people to spend money to do fun things, they don't have to do that, you know. Most people NEVER go to parks, these things are fairly unimportant, so Busch can do what they want because it's not really that important, just important to me when I'm thinking or having fun.

And once again, BGW doesn't need anything else. Look at what they have. It's a package deal, their setup is. They don't need 8 or 9 coasters in there. Maybe that's why they "let it go". The place would not be the same with too many rides there, IMO!!!!!!!

And maybe people will learn when the proper time to complain is. Unless a ride splits your head open, you literally cannot stand afterwards, or you more than think you need to take a painkiller, maybe you shouldn't complain about roughness. One person says the word 'rough' near a coaster, I swear everybody feels jealous and has to start using it. People could be listening to these opinions, you know, and when giving input, we should be fair & use our heads and give realistic 'data'. DF, rusting in pieces, '01-?.

This is terrible! It looks like i'll be adding another (R.I.P.) to my coaster count list. I dont even want to look at the dimantaling photos. The Phantom was hard enough

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Fear the Wrath of the Orient Express!!
http://www.wofcoasters.com

RGW said: "I am sure that with the additions of S:RoS, Joker's Jinx, and Batwing, that SFA's SLC has suffered some in ridership, since the "park" has basically moved away from it.'

While I understand the sentiment you are trying to convey, I have to disagree with your analogy. Mind Eraser always keeps a decent crowd for two reasons. One, its one of the coasters that you can see while driving up to the park. And two, it's right by the rapids ride. On hot days, the line for Mind Eraser is always long than for Jokers Jinx (as if JJ ever had a line anyway...that may change this year). Point being ME is okay..for now!
lata,
jeremy
--still hoping for a HUSS 'Delirium' between S:ROS and Wild One's turnaround

Im really sad to hear Drachen Fire is being torn down, the coaster looked like a great coaster to ride but unfornately ill never get to ride it. If the ride was a rough ride to be on , why not just modify or make adjustments to the track or cars. i guess BGW has the money to tear it done instead of trying to fix it. I think they are making a big mistake. what about all of us ,the riders? why cant they open their eyes and see all of the people who rode Drachen Fire and all of the people they would bring back to the park if only they opened the ride again. I've heard from lots of people who rode the coaster and liked it. If BGW is worried about how many people come to the park, just think how many would come back. I know i would go back especially to ride DRachen fire LOL. Anyway it's just a shame to see the coaster go. i hope to see the coaster go to another park and live again. I would like to see it  go to Six Flags Great Adventure, And replace Viper that hasnt been running for almost 2 years!! Long Live Drachen Fire, May it be reunited in a new home and Live again !!!

PS i just have a feeling it will go to another park, Knowing the amount of people who likes or cares about Drachen Fire, i think itll be running once again.

Drachen Fire was the first real coaster I ever rode. It's first year (before the incident with the girl being injured) it was _always_ packed. Personally, I loved it. It was a little bit of a headbanger but I didn't find it bad.

Lots of memories gone when they tore her down :-(

One thought... the Flight of Fear at Kings Dominion was also a rough ride. They finally redesigned the restraints on it and it is now ten times better for riders' heads. Wonder if that was explored for the DF.

I'm planning a trip to BGW next weekend and was looking at their site... I haven't been to BGW for years and as I'm looking at their coasters, I'm realizing one's missing from their list. We finally figured out it was DF and that's how I read about all of this going down... I rode on it the first year it was open and remember it being rough. Wonder if the same mods that were done at PKD's Flight of Fear could have saved DF. Oh well. Sucks, but I guess I should feel lucky as I got to ride it a handful of times... Looking forward to my first time back to BGW, trying out Alpengeist and Apollo's Chariot for the first time.

Why??!!!! (cries)