Dueling Dragons (aka Dragon Challenge)

[NYDisneyKid]

The former Dueling Dragons (now renamed Dragon Challenge) will never duel again at IOA

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-universal-dragon-challenge-20111018,0,371498.story

 

[MrsMud]

The former Dueling Dragons (now renamed Dragon Challenge) will never duel again at IOA

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-universal-dragon-challenge-20111018,0,371498.story

Aw, how sad

But, if it will help prevent injuries I can fully understand. Good thing they already changed the name, or they would have had to change it now...

 

[nytimez]

Too bad. I know safety is first -- but it's amazing how nothing happened for more than a decade (that we know of anyway)... now this.

 

[Bluer101]

I'm so glad I got to ride this so many times since opening of IOA before this issue.

This past May was the first time my son got to ride it due to being tall enough. Glad he got to experience the Dueling too.

 

[nytimez]

Part of me thinks they don't really know what caused the problems... but since they haven't happened since the ride stopped dueling, they've decided that's the way to do.

 

[Yoshi]

Dueling Dragons was high on my list of coasters I really wanted to try for years and I'm glad I at least got to try each side once this past January. Dueling really made the ride more fun. It's too bad they won't duel anymore. It was awesome to come so close to the other train in the loop or look under you on Fire and see Ice going through the Zero G Roll.

 

[DOOM1001]

I just rode it Sunday and now they make you sit on your hat or put it behind your back.It's a huge bummer as the ride is just not the same as it used to be.Ever since it became Dragon Challenge with Potter all the cool stuff has been removed.In the entrance they removed the two dragon statues and now it has a really lame looking entrance.The queue did add a couple of touches for the Potter transformation but honestly it's a lot more plain inside the castle than it used to be and now no more dueling ever!!I even noticed the ride seemed a little rougher than it used to be,the ride is just on a downward trend in the last year and a half,still fun but not the same.I understand safety is the most important thing so I'm fine with the changes but I have to wonder with the two incidents so close together if what happened may have been intentional and the only way to stop it is to just stop the dueling.One thing that still amazes me is how short a wait this ride has when compared to everything else in the WWOHP.

 

[Yoshi]

I guess because it has such a high capacity and not all Harry Potter fans want such a thrilling ride? What I find kind of funny is a couple people who are huge Harry Potter fans I know insist they are going to ride the coaster when they go to IoA just because it is Harry Potter themed, yet all 3 major local parks in my area all have B&M inverted coasters and those same people would never try them because they are "too scary."

I was upset when they rethemed it because I really would have liked to have gotten a Dueling Dragons shirt or something else with the ride logo on it and not really interested in a shirt that said Dragon's Challenge if they even had one.

 

[Metro West]

I was upset when they rethemed it because I really would have liked to have gotten a Dueling Dragons shirt or something else with the ride logo on it and not really interested in a shirt that said Dragon's Challenge if they even had one.

At least I have some pictures of the dragons out front and of the once stellar queue. It's too bad the ride had to change.

 

[kohlby]

Does the ride still have a long walk to it and then the shortcut to do the other side after you ride it once? When it was DD, we loved it and did it over and over and over. Even on New Year's Eve, when the park was filled to capacity, DD never had a long line. My guess was that people didn't want to make the hike. But once you make it, they let you take the shortcut as many times as you wanted over and over and over!

I understand safety-first but also agree that not dueling will take something away from the ride.

 

[Dax]

I think its just a shame. Honestly the appeal to that ride was the dueling apsect. Without it, its just 2 coasters. I am also glad I got to ride it recently one last time when it was dueling still. I am saddened that I cannot take a bunch of newbies on it next week though and it be a dueling coaster. A sad day for coaster fans

 

[nytimez]

I think its just a shame. Honestly the appeal to that ride was the dueling apsect. Without it, its just 2 coasters. I am also glad I got to ride it recently one last time when it was dueling still. I am saddened that I cannot take a bunch of newbies on it next week though and it be a dueling coaster. A sad day for coaster fans

They're just 2 coasters -- but they're still very good coasters. Heck, you don't even see the "duel" unless you're in the front or close to it...

Don't get me wrong, I loved the "dueling" and it's a lesser ride without it. But it's still a heckuva ride.

 

[damo]

I thought the dueling aspect was most appreciated as a spectator. When I actually ride the coasters, I never notice it unless I am in the first row and even then, it is very fleeting and really doesn't impact my enjoyment. They could just put up a few more walls and it would have the same impact.

 

[nytimez]

I thought the dueling aspect was most appreciated as a spectator. When I actually ride the coasters, I never notice it unless I am in the first row and even then, it is very fleeting and really doesn't impact my enjoyment. They could just put up a few more walls and it would have the same impact.

I always thought "climbing the wall" on ice was more thrilling that the near-misses.

 

[Metro West]

I always thought "climbing the wall" on ice was more thrilling that the near-misses.

My favorite part of Fire's track was the fly-over but climbing the wall was fun too.

 

[schumigirl]

I did like both coasters leaving at the same time, that was a fun part of it.

But still a great, smooth and exciting coaster

 

[popsynic]

not done this ride, so can't comment if its better or worse because of change, but do feel happy about the fact that this change allows me to enjoy what looks like a good coaster without the fear that an iphone falling from the other coaster is going to hit me in the head.

 

[nytimez]

not done this ride, so can't comment if its better or worse because of change, but do feel happy about the fact that this change allows me to enjoy what looks like a good coaster without the fear that an iphone falling from the other coaster is going to hit me in the head.

I don't think it's a real fear, to be honest.

 

[Rip]

Part of me thinks they don't really know what caused the problems... but since they haven't happened since the ride stopped dueling, they've decided that's the way to do.

We just got back and the truth is they don't know what happened, but the suspicion is that it was something either dropped or thrown from another passenger. I only discovered this when I removed my sunglasses on HRRR and was informed that I would wither have to put them in a buttoned pocket or wear them, that the new rule was that under no circumstances could anything be held in your hand. I thought it odd that they would prefer me to wear them when that would be the most likely scenario to cause them to go flying through the air. I later asked and was told that since the accident on the Dragons, they are taking no chances.

ETA - In the past guests were always told to hold on to your hat/glasses rather than wear them.

 

[DisneyFive]

Big bummer! I'm thinking of going next year with my family and would love to have done the true dueling dragons.

At least they didn't close it completetly!

Dan