What's with BGW coasters?

It seems like Busch Gardens Williamsburg hasn't had very good luck with it's coasters. It was rumored that Drachen Fire was supposed to be built by B&M, instead of Arrow, which eventually led to its demise. Today, we can put that rumor to rest, as false.

However, I have heard here and there that Big Bad Wolf was originally designed by Schwarzkopf. From what I understand, about half of the ride had been designed, when Arrow had to take over for some reason. Is this true?

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Intelligence is a God given gift: Know how to use it.

True. Have a look; http://www.coasterglobe.com/features/history-suspended/index.cfm

I'm waiting patiently to see what their next coaster will be like. Alpengeist & Apollo's Chariot look amazing & the next one could be the same or better.

Yup, it's true. All the footers and I believe some of the support structure were all put up by Schwartzkopf.

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That's wierd. Especially since I heard BBW was the next to go. I don't think that Schwarkopf had anything to do with it. I may be wrong.

I heard the same thing about DF. They wanted a B&M where the first loop would go around the lift hill. However, B&M had not yet perfected this so Arrow built the new coaster.

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Yep, like I said before, that rumor has been put to rest. Apparently, someone has a document signed by B&M saying that they had nothing to do with Drachen Fire.

It really makes me wonder what Big Bad Wolf would have been life if it had been built by Schwarzkopf. It's actually kind of sad to think that the best Arrow suspeded wasn't even designed by Arrow at all. I guess they just weren't very creative back then. It would have been nice if the Schwarzkopf suspended coasters were built. If they would have been like BBW, they would obviously be alot better than today's Arrow suspended coasters. Imagine if XLR-8 or Iron Dragon had been desgined by Schwarzkopf. I'd be willing to bet that the complaints those rides get about being boring wouldn't exist.

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Intelligence is a God given gift: Know how to use it.

*** This post was edited by CoasterKrazy on 12/24/2002. ***

The best suspended WAS built by Arrow...its called Ninja...

lol...just messing

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"ok everyone go ahead and pull down on your shoulder restraint so you feel nice and stuck!"

I always thought Top Gun, their last one was their greatest, I've been on Iron Dragon, BBW and Top Gun and Top Gun is by far the best for me, I especially love the music, plus one of only 2 coasters at PKI that I thought weren't rough at all and no pain.

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Vortex at PCW and Top Gun at PKI are a tie for my favorite suspended, I honestly can't pick one over the other!

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Jingle Bells. Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way! Oh what fun it'll be to ride Hulk at IOA!

I will tell you what is wrong with BGW coasters...they don't have a wooden one!!! Otherwise I would gladly trade their selection with my homeparks collection anyday.

As for your actual question, I have no idea.

I've heard that you won't find wooden coasters at Busch parks anymore, because Gwazi has become something of a disaster.... That's not official, as far as I know, but sounds reasonable.

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« adix@nedesigns.com »

The best suspended is by far Haya Busa!

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RubberDucky said:
I would gladly trade their selection with my homeparks collection anyday. ."

Yous should think about that a little more... ;)
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B&M!

Elitch Gardens for Busch Gardens...

Think it over...

I'd trade the entire park(SFEG) just to have Alpe as a parking lot coaster!!!

There is only one minor part that B&M comes into play with Drachen Fire. Anheuser-Busch had requested for B&M to install a mega looper at BGW just as they were doing at BGT with Kumba. B&M, however, was not prepared to take on this task with all of their current projects.

Which I can understand since the company was just starting to branch off on its own and had around half-dozen projects at the time(including the first inverted coaster)

Anheuser-Busch turned to Arrow Dynamics to build BGW a megalooper instead. The problem here was that Anheuser-Busch wanted Arrow to recreate many of the same elements that B&M had to offer. Arrow faced the challenge of (re)creating the unique elements that B&Ms featured with the limitations of their track.

The Diving corkscrew is one of many "failed" attempts on Drachen Fire. It was meant to make up for the sensation of the zero-g-roll. Though a unique and distorting inversion, it did not give the same effect as B&M's zero-g-roll.

Another one was the boomerang, or as Arrow Dynamics called the batwing. A rough but thrilling element. The stress one the track is something that was not taking into account as should during plans, and after short operation the Arrow batwing had to be restructured.

Arrow's modest attempts at adding the wild transitions and fast paced inversions did not fare well either. After the 97' season, the "whiplash" corkscrew was removed.

Now, since Drachen Fire is gone, why not call up B&M and build the sit down looper that BGW should have gotten in the first place?

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Lake Compounce-So Fresh and So Clean Clean

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