Universal Orlando has officially announced that Dragon Challenge, or better known as Dueling Dragons, will be replaced with "one of the most highly-themed coaster experiences" Universal has ever made. Universal is taking away yet another thing from the 90s. And because we feel the need to hang onto things that don't exist anymore, the ride will forever remain Dueling Dragons in our fragile hearts.
For those of you that lived under a rock as a child, in 1999 Universal Islands of Adventure created a thrill-seeking coaster in its Lost Continent section, which put everyone's fears to the test. It was called Dueling Dragons, and the concept was that two dragons, fire and ice, would battle each other for the course of the ride.
With feet dangling, the riders of the two tracks would be taken into the air simultaneously. Thereafter, the two tracks would separate and occasionally come in close contact in a mix of spirals and immense g-force to simulate the duel.
In 2010, as Harry Potter world emerged and the Lost Continent literally became the barren ancient relic of the park, the name of Dueling Dragons was changed to Dragon Challenge, which was themed after the famous tri-wizard tournament.
Harry Potter fans (aka me) worldwide flocked to this ride like it was brand-new, excited to walk through the tri-wizard tournament line. But soon enough the ride, to our dismay, was not what it used to be.
Gone was the sense of two dragons battling, because opposing carts were no longer released at once. What's even the point of having two dragons then?? Despite the drastic changes, we still called it Dueling Dragons.
I asked some Dueling Dragons for their final words on the beloved ride, and to no surprise there were a lot of pauses to cry and reminisce on the good old days.
One man stated, "I spent over 5 years memorizing the Dueling Dragons script that plays in line, only to have it stripped away from me when the ride changed themes. Now they're taking the actual ride, too??" Poor guy, everything he's worked for. Gone. Dueling dragons made that much of an impact on its fans.
A woman claimed, "back in my day, the dragon was so fast, I could feel my heart beating against my spine!" Being flipped around at speeds up to 60 mph approaching another cart going just as fast, it's hard not to feel that way.
I myself remember walking the dark halls after getting off the ride, only to scream bloody murder when my friends would hide in the shadows and come at me like it was Halloween Horror Nights. HHN never did take my suggestion of turning that line into a scare zone but boy would that have been epic.
Maybe the ride was already too epic as it was. In 2011, someone lost an eye after an object flew out of someone's pocket from the opposite track. This incident led ride operators to separate the carts so they would no longer battle.
Let's give a big thank you to the culprit who did not secure their pockets, because much like the unfortunate man that they injured, the once-epic ride will never again see the light of day. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what takes its place and hope for the best.
The new ride may have some big shoes to fill, but let's face it--Harry Potter never disappoints. So it's time to leave the saltiness for the theme park food, and admit we can't help but feel hyped for a thrill ride that has never been done before. When the park announced that Rip Ride Rockit would be testing limits, the expectations were exceeded. Honestly, I wouldn't mind another insane ride like that.
Just PLEASE save us the agony of another simulator. And as a reminder that millennials can't let things go, we will be calling the new ride The Dueling Dragons Replacement for quite a few years.
