Drachen Fire

On July 5, 1991, Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced that a new steel roller coaster would be added to the park in 1992. Built by Arrow Dynamics, the ride would be located towards the back of the park next to Big Bad Wolf.[3] It would be later named Drachen Fire. That year, the Anheuser-Busch Entertainment Corporation announced a myriad of upcoming attractions for their various amusement parks. Keith M. Kasen, then General Manager for Busch Gardens Williamsburg, commented on the addition of Drachen Fire for the 1992 season stating, "Anheuser-Busch has shown a commitment to reinvestment and making a real strong quality statement."[4] Construction of Drachen Fire began in the fall of 1991, which was filmed for its upcoming marketing campaign.[5] Footage of the design, construction, and testing process of Drachen Fire was later documented in a 1993 PBS special of their NOVA program, titled "Roller Coaster".[6] Construction of the new coaster was completed in early 1992, placing it on schedule to open the same year on April 4.

Busch Gardens heavily marketed the new ride in what was identified as the park's biggest promotional campaign in over a decade dating back to Loch Ness Monster in 1978.[5] The tagline marketed for the ride was "Feel the Heat".[7] The park hired comedian Dana Carvey to meet and greet visitors, as well as cut the ribbon at a special preview opening ceremony on April 3, 1992.[4][8] After six or seven successful runs during the preview event, a train stalled on the lift hill forcing passengers to evacuate.[8] During the downtime, Carvey offered an impromptu stand-up comedy routine to entertain the crowd and keep guests occupied.[8] When the ride resumed operation, another train stalled on the lift hill again forcing the park to close the ride for the remainder of the evening.[8] For its official opening to the public the following day, Drachen Fire remained closed all morning and eventually opened midday.[8]

The ride drew large crowds and was initially well-received by many coaster enthusiasts.[9] American Coaster Enthusiasts President Ray J. Ueberroth called the coaster "an outstanding ride", and the group's former president, Randy Geisler, stated, "I can just say it's spectacular."[8] However, less than a month after opening, the coaster's popularity faded when it gained a reputation for its roughness.[10] Riders were routinely advised by announcers to remove any clip-on earrings before riding and keep their heads pressed against headrests during the ride.[10] This resulted ride operators in the station not only checking the train's restraints, but also checking riders' ears for earrings. The train would not dispatch unless these instructions were followed. After increasing complaints, the first corkscrew was replaced with a straight section for the 1995 season.[9][11]

Drachen Fire was featured on a 1996 edition of "Theme Parks a Go-Go" on the E! Network. The segment was hosted by actor Alex Winter who was shown riding the Drachen, at the time fastest coaster in the park, through some of its inversions. Upon completion of the ride, he stated that his vertebra was snapped like a twig. Although famous at that time for his comedic roles, this comment stands as a testimony to the Drachen Fire's reputation for being a rough experience.

The removal of the corkscrew after the mid-course brake run failed to resolve ongoing issues with ride safety and comfort.[9] Drachen Fire became very obsolete after the debut of the much better Alpengeist roller coaster in 1997. With decreasing ridership and at least one lawsuit filed,[12] Busch Gardens closed Drachen Fire abruptly in July 1998.[1][9] Initially, the park had plans to modify the coaster, but it was ultimately listed for sale.[9][11][13] The park had several offers but failed to reach agreements with prospective buyers.[11] It remained standing in an idle state until 2002, when the decision was made to dismantle the ride and recycle the steel.[9][11] Director of public relations Cindy Sarko stated, "There had been a steady erosion of ridership ... That, combined with the high operating expenses of the ride, helped park officials make the decision to shut it down."[11]