Dragon Challenge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dragon Challenge |
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Entrance to Dragon Challenge
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| Previously known as Dueling Dragons | |||
| Universal's Islands of Adventure | |||
| Park section | The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade | ||
| Coordinates | 28°28′25″N 81°28′24″W / 28.47361°N 81.47333°W | ||
| Status | {{{status}}} | ||
| Opening date | May 28, 1999 | ||
| Closing date | September 4, 2017 | ||
| Replaced by | Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure | ||
| General Statistics | |||
| Type | Steel – Inverted – Dueling | ||
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard | ||
| Designer | Werner Stengel | ||
| Model | Inverted Coaster | ||
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill | ||
| Chinese Fireball | Hungarian Horntail | ||
| Height | 125 ft (38.1 m) | 125 ft (38.1 m) | |
| Drop | 115 ft (35.1 m) | 95 ft (29.0 m) | |
| Length | 3,200 ft (975.4 m) | 3,200 ft (975.4 m) | |
| Speed | 60 mph (96.6 km/h) | 55 mph (88.5 km/h) | |
| Inversions | 5 | 5 | |
| Duration | 2:25 | 2:25 | |
| Height restriction | 54 in (137 cm) | ||
| Trains | Several trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train. | ||
 Universal Express available |
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| Dragon Challenge at RCDB Pictures of Dragon Challenge at RCDB |
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Dragon Challenge was an exciting inverted roller coaster ride at Universal's Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. It was part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This ride was special because it had two separate roller coasters that looked like they were racing each other!
The ride was originally called Dueling Dragons from 1999 to 2010. It was designed to feel like two dragons were chasing each other. One side was themed as a Chinese Fireball dragon, and the other as a Hungarian Horntail dragon. Both coasters had their own unique path. They shared a lift hill at the start. The Chinese Fireball coaster reached speeds of 60 miles per hour, while the Hungarian Horntail reached 55 miles per hour. Both rides featured five upside-down sections, called inversions. The total ride time for each was about 2 minutes and 25 seconds.
When Islands of Adventure first opened on May 28, 1999, the ride was known as Dueling Dragons. It was located in an area called The Lost Continent. The two trains were named Fire and Ice. For many years, the trains would be sent out at the same time. This created three exciting "near-miss" moments where the two coasters came very close to each other. However, after some incidents where loose items hit riders, the roller coasters started to be sent out separately.
After a renovation, the attraction reopened in March 2010. It was officially renamed Dragon Challenge when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened on June 18, 2010. In July 2017, Universal Orlando announced that Dragon Challenge would close permanently. The ride closed on September 4, 2017. The park removed the coasters to build a new attraction. This new ride, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, opened on June 13, 2019.
Contents
History of the Dragon Coaster
Dueling Dragons: The Early Years (1999–2010)
Dueling Dragons was one of the first big rides at Universal's Islands of Adventure. It opened with the park on May 28, 1999. At that time, it was the only fully inverted dueling roller coaster in the world. The ride's theme was about two dragons fighting. The waiting area, called the queue, looked like a ruined castle. This castle was supposedly destroyed by the two dragons. When riders reached the station, they could choose which of the two coasters they wanted to ride.
Dragon Challenge: Harry Potter Era (2010–2017)
In May 2007, Universal announced plans to build The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This new area was based on the popular Harry Potter books and movies. Dueling Dragons was included in this new section. Another nearby coaster, Flying Unicorn, was also part of the plan. Universal later shared that Dueling Dragons would be renamed Dragon Challenge. Its two coasters would become the Hungarian Horntail and Chinese Fireball.
Work on changing the queue to fit the Harry Potter theme began in late 2009. In early 2010, the ride closed for a short time. This was to finish adding all the Harry Potter details. On June 18, 2010, the entire Wizarding World of Harry Potter section opened. The ride officially became Dragon Challenge.
In 2011, there were a couple of incidents where small, loose items from riders hit people on the other coaster. To keep everyone safe, Universal decided to stop the "dueling" feature. From then on, the coasters were always sent out separately. This meant they no longer had the exciting near-miss moments.
By early 2017, rumors began that Dragon Challenge might be removed. It was confirmed on July 24, 2017, that a new roller coaster would open in 2019. This meant Dragon Challenge would close on September 4, 2017. By the end of September 2017, Dragon Challenge was being taken down. The ride's replacement, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, opened on June 13, 2019. You can find a small tribute to Dragon Challenge in the queue line of the new ride. It's a mural with fire and ice dragons.
Ride Experience
The Queue Line
Before the Harry Potter changes, the waiting area looked like a ruined castle. This was where the Fire and Ice dragons supposedly lived. Guests walked through dark dungeons with skeletons, torches, and cobwebs. You would choose to go left for the Fire coaster or right for the Ice coaster.
After the Harry Potter re-theming, the queue took guests past banners for the Triwizard Tournament. These banners showed support for the tournament's champions. You would then see the Weasleys' crashed flying Ford Anglia. Next, you entered the Champions' Tent. Inside, there was a large stand with the glowing Triwizard Cup. Dark tunnels then led to the stations for both coasters. Just before getting on, you chose between the Chinese Fireball (left) or the Hungarian Horntail (right). In the station, dragon projections appeared on the ceiling.
In 2015, metal detectors were added at the entrance. Guests had to empty their pockets of all loose items. This included cell phones, wallets, coins, watches, and cameras. This was to make sure nothing could fall out during the ride.
Coaster Track Layouts
Chinese Fireball Track
After leaving the station, your train made a slight left turn. Then, it began to climb the 125-foot chain lift hill. At the top, after a small pre-drop, the train plunged down a sharp 115-foot drop to the left. Next, the train went up into an Immelmann loop. This is a loop that twists you upside down and then turns you right-side up again. After a slight downward turn, you went over an air-time hill. This was one of the three "near-miss" points when the coasters used to duel.
Then, the train dropped down and turned left into a second Immelmann. After a downward right spiral and a short straight section, you went through a vertical loop. This was the second former near-miss point. After the loop, the train made a right turn into the third and final former near-miss element, a corkscrew. Finally, the train made a left turn, a small drop, and then another corkscrew. The ride ended with a left turn into the final brake run before returning to the station.
Hungarian Horntail Track
After leaving the station, your train made a slight right turn. It then began to climb the 125-foot chain lift hill. At the top, after a small pre-drop, the train dropped sharply 95 feet to the right. Then, the train went through a 270-degree right overbanked turn. This is a turn that tilts you almost completely sideways. Next, you entered a Zero-gravity roll. This element makes you feel weightless for a moment. This was the first of three former near-miss points with the Chinese Fireball train.
The train then made a slight right turn. It went straight towards a wall before entering a cobra roll. A cobra roll is an inversion that looks like a cobra's head. After a straight section, the train entered a vertical loop. This was the second former near-miss point. The train then made a right turn into the final former near-miss point, a corkscrew. Next, the train made a right turn, followed by a left turn into the final brake run. After a right turn, the train returned to the station.
Track Design
Both roller coaster tracks were about 3,200 feet long. The lift hill for both was about 125 feet tall. The first drop for the Chinese Fireball was 115 feet, while the Hungarian Horntail's first drop was 95 feet. The Chinese Fireball track was red, and the Hungarian Horntail track was blue. Both coasters had white support structures.
Ride Trains
Dragon Challenge used several trains made of steel and fiberglass. Each train had eight cars. Each car had four seats, so a total of 32 riders could be on one train. The front of the trains looked like a dragon's mouth. The rest of the train looked like dragon hands. The Hungarian Horntail trains were blue, like an ice dragon. The Chinese Fireball trains were red, like a fire dragon.
When the coasters used to duel, the park would weigh the loaded trains at the station. This helped them decide exactly when to send each train out. This way, the trains would meet at the three near-miss points along the ride. For example, if the Chinese Fireball train was heavier, it might be sent out a little later than the Hungarian Horntail train.
