What was: Dragon Challenge
Dragon Challenge was a pair of intertwined inverted roller coasters
located at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure in Florida, USA.
As of 2017, the rides were the first and only dueling roller coasters
constructed by Bolliger and Mabillard.
Because of their dueling aspects,
both rides were specifically designed to have three major points of interaction
during the layouts.
Unfortunately, the attractions closed on the
4th of September, 2017
to make way for a newer addition.
Dragon Challenge opened to the public on the 28th of May, 1999.
At this point in time, the rides were named "Dueling Dragons",
and could be found within the Lost Continent area of the park.
As the name suggests,
the attractions were themed to two dueling dragons.
One being Ice, and the other, Fire.
However, in 2010 the coasters were closed and underwent a period of renovation.
During this time, the section was rethemed
to be a part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter,
a new area of the park set to open in June of 2010.
For the retheme, the rides gained new names.
The entire attraction was rebranded to become Dragon Challenge,
with the red coaster being Chinese Fireball,
and the blue, Hungarian Horntail.
Before the retheme, the queue line of the ride took place within a ruined castle.
As guests navigated the path, they were led through dungeons
featuring skeletons, torches, and cobwebs scattered throughout the area.
To tie in to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter,
the queue line was rethemed to the Triwizard Tournament.
Various banners could be found supporting the four contestants,
while the Weasley's flying Ford Anglia sat crashed further along the path.
From there, guests entered the Champion's Tent.
Inside, visitors could see the glowing Triwizard Cup sitting on a large pedestal.
Just before riders would enter the stations,
they were given the opportunity to choose the roller coaster they wanted to experience.
Inside of the station, located on the ceiling,
were large projections of the dragons within the competition.
Riders would then board the coasters and begin their experience.
As the trains left the station,
they immediately began climbing the lift hill.
The two chain lift hills were located adjacent to each other,
allowing for interaction between guests before the ride had started.
When the trains crested the 38m (125ft) high lift hill,
they would begin to separate.
Chinese Fireball would bank left,
while Hungarian Horntail would bank right.
At this point in time,
the two roller coasters would start their own unique layouts.
As the red Chinese Fireball banked left,
it entered a 35m (115ft) drop
straight into the first inversion, an immelmann.
This was immediately followed by the initial point of interaction between the two coasters,
an airtime hill over the blue track.
The layout continued with a second immelmann,
followed by a downward right hand helix.
Riders then entered the second point of interaction,
a vertical loop.
The roller coasters featured mirrored vertical loops,
giving the illusion that the trains were rushing toward each other
before pulling up into the inversion.
The experience continued with a turnaround
into the third and final point of interaction,
interlocking corkscrews.
Both rides entered opposite corkscrews
before continuing with their indvidual layouts.
The Chinese Fireball coaster would then complete several turns,
traverse a second corkscrew,
and enter the brake run.
As the blue Hungarian Horntail banked right,
it entered a 29m (95ft) drop into an overbanked turn.
The ride would then complete its first inversion,
a zero-g roll beneath the airtime hill featured on Chinese Fireball.
This was immediately followed by a shallow turn to the right,
and the next element of the ride, a cobra roll.
After completing a straight section of track,
the trains would enter the synchronised vertical loops,
undergo a right hand turn,
and traverse the opposite corkscrews.
After further turns, the coaster would enter the final brake run,
and return to the station.
Other than the difference in height and speed of the two roller coasters,
they had similar statistics.
Both included five inversions,
had a ride time of approximately 46 seconds from lift hill to brake run,
and measured 975m (3,200ft) long.
However, due to the difference in drop heights
and elements during the two rides,
each coaster would reach a different top speed.
Chinese Fireball would reach speeds of up to 97kmh (60mph),
while Hungarian Horntail maxed out at 89kmh (55mph).
In the attempt to ensure the two attractions were synced,
each train of the ride was weighed.
The heavier train was dispatched shortly after the lighter one,
allowing for the riders to meet during the near miss elements.
Unfortunately, this changed during the 2011 season.
After two incidents of loose objects hitting riders occurred on the coasters,
the dueling aspect was suspended.
An investigation was completed, and due to the severity of one of the injuries,
it was decided that the coasters would no longer duel.
As a result, the rides dispatched separately up until their closure in 2017.
In the same year, on the 24th of July,
Universal Studios officially announced that Dragon Challenge would soon be closing.
The attraction closed on the 4th of September 2017
to make way for a new generation roller coaster
deeply integrated into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
As of now, little information about the new ride has been released.
However, Universal Studios Orlando have stated:
This has led to some excitement and speculation
on what the new attractions could be.
Nevertheless, Dragon Challenge is missed greatly by both enthusiasts
and the general public alike.
Many enjoy the intensity of the coasters,
as well as their overall ride experience.
However, most preferred the attraction during the years in which it dueled.
Some have stated that Chinese Fireball is the better of the two coasters,
while others naturally disagree.
The simple question remains:
What's your opinion?