How Terrifying is Dueling Dragons

[johnvree]

I spent the better part of my 35 years terrified of roller-coasters. After a bad experience on a log flume and a spider-type ride when I was a kid, I refused to try any major thrill ride, until last year. Last year, my son was finally tall enough to ride some of the mild coasters at WDW. His interest in those rides peaked when he realized that his Dad was scared stiff of them. I rode Space Mountain and BTMR about 5 times each. I did Tower of Terror 3 times as well. I have to say, I really enjoyed them (though TOT does scare the be Jesus out of me).

Now I realize that Dueling Dragons is no Space Mt. or BTMR. But we are going to UO this August and my wife really wants to ride DD again. Problem is there will be no one with us to go on it with her (Last year my sister and BIL went on it with her). My in-laws will be with us, but they are not into roller-coasters at all.

So my wife wants me to ride. She says it’s not that bad, but she can’t be trusted because it is in her interest to get me on the ride. Here are my questions: How bad is it? Any chance of me surviving? I am not a big fan of heights, and I am one of those people that thinks something is going to break on the ride the one time I am on it and my car is going to go hurling off the track. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[calena]

I am like you too. As a kid I was scared on a big ferris wheel at Myrtle Beach when my "dear" brother and sister kept rocking the thing. I hate heights and I hate going upside down.
I kept looking at DD thinking I could not do it but DD,10, was just desperate to go on it so we went. It is actually not as high as I felt it would be because it is inverted. You are hanging under the track. I actually liked that. I did close my eyes when we got going fast and did not open them until I felt us slowing down and the ride was OVER! This is one fast ride so if you can close your eyes for 2 minutes, then do it! It is very fast - the slow crank of some of the flume rides where the anticipation is almost worse than the drop!
GOOD LUCK!

 

[goheels81]

I am in my 40s and I love roller coasters, although I refused to go on the upside-down ones until about seven years ago -- now, I want to ride them over and over ! If you want to feel the safest, try to get in the middle of one of the inside rows. You really don't feel like you're going to fall off the ride as bad. I think DD is actually a pretty smooth ride for this type of coaster. The worst part is the line in the "mountain" seems to go on forever and ever before you actually get to the bloody ride! We will be there in July this year with FOTL, so I wonder if you still have to walk three miles to get to the actual ride.
BTW, doesn't your DW want to ride the Hulk, too? Now that's a scary coaster, IMO!
Have fun!
Pam

 

[Metro West]

Now I realize that Dueling Dragons is no Space Mt. or BTMR. But we are going to UO this August and my wife really wants to ride DD again. Problem is there will be no one with us to go on it with her (Last year my sister and BIL went on it with her). My in-laws will be with us, but they are not into roller-coasters at all.

So my wife wants me to ride. She says it’s not that bad, but she can’t be trusted because it is in her interest to get me on the ride. Here are my questions: How bad is it? Any chance of me surviving? I am not a big fan of heights, and I am one of those people that thinks something is going to break on the ride the one time I am on it and my car is going to go hurling off the track. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

John -

Dueling Dragons is one of the smoothest coasters around. Personally, I prefer Fire moreso than Ice but that's just me. The ride is a lot of fun..I could ride it all day.

I don't think you'll have any problems. Once you start up that duel lift hill, it's nothing but pure excitement for about 3 minutes. The "duels" are really cool especially when Fire flys over Ice. If you want to find out more about it, check out: www.rcdb.com and do a search on Dueling Dragons.

Anyway, just go with the flow and if you guys plan to go on a weekend, maybe I'll pop over and ride it with you.

 

[cheerdancer11]

Not that bad. I did the Ice side, and you can always shut your eyes if the loops/corkscrews scare you. It doesn't have any HUGE drops which is what scares me the most, like NITRO at Six Flags NJ.

 

[johnvree]

Thanks for the info. I viewed the video from Universal's site and, I dunno, it looks pretty frightening. We are going to Bush Gardens before IOA. I will try Python and Scorpion to see how I do on the inversions. Hopefully, that will help me guage how I'll do on DD. Thanks again, and any more info/advice would be appreciated.

 

[VowRenewal05Bride]

It goes by really fast, and looks worse than it is. I had to drag my husband, but in the end he went back to back (Fire and Ice). This is a man who isn't too fond of heights (merry go rounds scare the heck out of him).

 

[englishman]

I'm trying to get courage to ride DD this summer. I have been on Hulk & thaught it was fantastic.
How much worse is DD over Hulk?

 

[the Dark Marauder]

If you can do Hulk, you can do Dueling Dragons, IMO.

 

[highlander447]

just don't do front of row break yourself in gently

 

[englishman]

Good to hear DD not worse than Hulk!
I recon the worst bit for me will therefore be the trip up the launch hill. No such issue on Hulk..I love the accelleration, which seems more than on RnR.

How long/fast is the launch hill?...I want that bit to be over asap, particularly as I suffer from vertigo!

 

[johnvree]

Thanks again for all the advice and info.

 

[dgaston]

Dueling Dragons were my first "dangling feet" coaster. One of the things that helps me is the very secure feeling of the harness that comes over your shoulders (like RnR) and latches onto a belt. I think Ice makes me feel like flying -- but then I did read the entire Anne McCaffrey Dragon series and am jealous of Pern. Oh Well!

 

[robvia]

You have to do each coaster in the front.

Even if that means waiting the extra 40 minutes.

Here's my site with POVs of both.

Scroll down to them.

http://www.nogodforme.com/ioapovs.htm

DD Preshow is here.

http://www.nogodforme.com/ioapovs2005.htm

 

[Lexxweb]

Not bad at all. The dueling dragons rides are like any other roller coaster, the only thing that makes them stand out is the fact that there is a 1 second moment in which the two coasters flip and miss eachother by a foot I believe (something like that) anywho the rest of it is pretty easy.
It is very short so if you start to get scared start counting and focusing on something else and it will be over before you know it.
Good luck!

Lexxweb

 

[Johnfish]

Unitl 4 years ago I was terrified to ride any coasters. (I was 42 at the time). My son was just starting to ride coasters and he was the one who got me started. Now I can't get enough. When I first started riding I used to close my eyes and that helped alot. Now I want to see everything!! DD is a bit more intense then BTMRR and Space Mountain but it is great fun. Don't let the inversions scare you they give you a differnt sensation they dont scare me at all. Give it a try and you will probably find you love it!!


John

PS We live near Bush Gardens Williamsburg and Paramounts Kings Dominion and have season passes to both. They have some incredible coaster at both parks. Alpengiest at BGW is very similar to DD (just one coaster though) but longer. One of my absolute favorites.

 

[Metro West]

We live near Bush Gardens Williamsburg and Paramounts Kings Dominion and have season passes to both. They have some incredible coaster at both parks. Alpengiest at BGW is very similar to DD (just one coaster though) but longer. One of my absolute favorites.

Alpengeist was the first inverted coaster I rode..ever. It's too bad they took Drachen Fire out..that was a great coaster!

 

[hardrocker45]

IMO DD is the smoothest invert. coaster I've ever been on.Don't judge DD by the Busch coasters.Either DD is a Cadillac ride by comparison.The scariest thing about DD is the anticipation factor that starts the second you pass by the Dragons and builds as you go through the castle.I also agree front row is the way to go.Enjopy