Dragon Challenge
| Dragon Challenge | |||
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Entrance to Dragon Challenge
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| Previously known as Dueling Dragons | |||
| Islands of Adventure | |||
| Park section | The Wizarding World of Harry Potter | ||
| Coordinates | 28°28′25″N 81°28′24″W / 28.47361°N 81.47333°WCoordinates: 28°28′25″N 81°28′24″W / 28.47361°N 81.47333°W | ||
| Status | Operating | ||
| Opening date | May 28, 1999 June 18, 2010 (post-refurbishment) |
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| 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 (known as Dueling Dragons from 1999 to 2010) is a pair of intertwined inverted roller coasters in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area of Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida, U.S.. The ride is themed to two chasing dragons, one side being Chinese Fireball and the other Hungarian Horntail. It features a layout in which the two trains share adjacent lift hills but then traverse two unique courses. The ride was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland. The Chinese Fireball dragon reaches a top speed of 60 mph, and the Hungarian Horntail dragon reaches a top speed of 55 mph. Both versions feature five inversions. The total ride time is about two minutes and 25 seconds.
When Islands of Adventure opened on May 28, 1999, the ride was called Dueling Dragons and was located in The Lost Continent area with the two sides named Fire and Ice. During much of the ride's history, the trains were dispatched simultaneously, providing three near-miss encounters along the courses. However, after two injuries related to loose objects hitting riders on the other coaster, the roller coasters are now dispatched separately. After a renovation period, the attraction reopened in mid-March 2010, and was officially renamed as Dragon Challenge with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter grand opening on June 18, 2010.
Dueling Dragons was one of Islands of Adventure's original attractions, opening with the theme park on May 28, 1999, in the park's The Lost Continent area. At the time, it was the only fully inverted dueling roller coaster in the world. The ride was themed to two dueling dragons, with one track named Ice and the other named Fire.
In May 2007, Universal announced plans to construct The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a new section devoted to the popular Harry Potter book and film series.Dueling Dragons, as well as the adjacent Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster, were shown to be included in the new section. Universal later announced that the attraction would be renamed Dragon Challenge upon the re-opening of the attraction and that the two roller coasters would be renamed as Hungarian Horntail and Chinese Fireball.
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