Overview
Dueling Dragons (known as Dragon Challenge from June 2010 to 2017) was a pair of inverted roller coasters in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area of Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure.
History
Backstory
The dragons Pyrock and Blizzrock are a pair of evil dragons who terrorized the Merlinwood while the wizard Merlyn was imprisoned in an oak by the Lady of the Lake and unable to fight them. Merlyn warned many knights about them, only for the knights to try and slay the beasts then be killed in the process. The two dragons frequently fought in Merlyn's castle, reducing it to rubble. Merlyn recruited several individuals to assist him in a plan to train the dragons via magic. Merlyn recruits guests to choose their fate on which dragon to mount then subdue via riding through the air amidst a battle.
Development history
When Islands of Adventure opened in 1999, the ride was named Dueling Dragons and was located in The Lost Continent area with the two trains named Fire and Ice. During much of the ride's history, the trains were dispatched simultaneously, creating a few near-miss encounters along the courses. However, after two injuries because of loose objects hitting riders on the other coaster, the roller coasters were dispatched separately. After a time of renovation, the attraction reopened in March 2010, and was officially renamed as Dragon Challenge with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter grand opening on June 18, 2010.
In July 2017, Universal Orlando announced that Dragon Challenge would permanently close on September 4, 2017. The plot where the coasters once sat is now occupied by Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, which opened on June 13, 2019.
Incidents
July 11th, 2009: An employee was walking underneath the track, and was hit by a car during a test run, he later died in the hospital.
July 31st, 2011: A man riding the ride was hit by an unidentified object, before the incident, he only had one good eye, causing him to go blind.
August 11th, 2011: A man was hit by an object while riding the ride, causing him to injure his face and leg, due to this, the ride stopped dueling.
Tributes
- Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure: A mural in the queue for Hagrid's Motorbike has an ice dragon and fire dragon with the words "Dueling Club".[1]
- Halloween Horror Nights: The 2023 Haunted House "Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate" was a prequel story to Dueling Dragons.
- Jurassic World: Velocicoaster: On the Velocicoaster, velociraptors emulate the dragons' pose.[2]