Dragon Challenge
D1 · Gone but Not Forgotten
D1 · № 24/25
Dragon Challenge
Islands of Adventure · US · Bolliger & Mabillard Inverted Coaster
UNOFFICIAL · NOT PARK-ENDORSED
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Also at Islands of Adventure
Also by Bolliger & Mabillard
Fast facts
- Dragon Challenge opened at Islands of Adventure in 1999 as a steel inverted coaster. coasterpedia.net
- The ride was built by Bolliger & Mabillard as a pair of intertwined inverted coasters. coasterpedia.net
- Its taller course rose 38.1 metres and reached 96.6 kilometres per hour. coasterpedia.net
- Each course included five inversions. coasterpedia.net
- The listed throughput was 1,590 riders per hour. coasterpedia.net
- Construction was reported to have cost twenty-five million dollars. coasterpedia.net
- Dragon Challenge closed on September 4, 2017, to make way for a new coaster. coaster101.com
The story of Dragon Challenge
The attraction opened in 1999 as Dueling Dragons, with two distinct courses that intertwined through three carefully arranged near-misses. It was a considerable engineering achievement for Bolliger & Mabillard, and both courses carried visitors through five inversions. coasterpedia.net· coaster101.com
In 2010, the ride underwent a substantial refurbishment and returned under the name Dragon Challenge. Its two courses received new names, while the great mass of the original steelwork continued to dominate this corner of the park. coasterpedia.net· coaster101.com
After rider injuries involving loose objects in 2011, the park ended the simultaneous running of the two trains, removing the attraction's defining dueling manoeuvres. Metal detectors were later introduced at the entrance. coasterpedia.net· orlandoinformer.com
The final day came on September 4, 2017. Universal closed the pair to clear the site for a new coaster, and the intertwined tracks were subsequently dismantled. coaster101.com· amusementtoday.com· coasterpedia.net
Sources
- coasterpedia.net Preferred source
- coaster101.com Acceptable source
- coaster101.com Acceptable source
- orlandoinformer.com Acceptable source
- amusementtoday.com Acceptable source