Absolutely, by far the best floater airtime on any ride. Also the music they play in the station is really good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG2T_uYDMeM
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Theme Parks & Roller Coasters |OT| The Happiest Place on GAF
- Thread starter Goldrusher
- Start date
Absolutely, by far the best floater airtime on any ride. Also the music they play in the station is really good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG2T_uYDMeM
Universal seems very prone to tearing down existing rides to make way for new ones, rather than simply keeping existing attractions and expanding. Is it a land/limited space thing? Too much upkeep? Quality over quantity?
It rides like a dream and has beautiful views of the lake/park. What's not to like?
It rides like a dream and has beautiful views of the lake/park. What's not to like?
Razgriz-Specter
Member
I wonder what will happen to the rides,
Its a good ride maybe Six Flags or someone should buy it.
Its a good ride maybe Six Flags or someone should buy it.
Goldrusher
Member
I wouldn't be surprised if it gets scrapped though. It operated 365 days a year for 18 seasons. That's the equivalent of ~30 years at a seasonal park. See Hulk.
Baron von Loathsome
Member
Razgriz-Specter
Member
I didn't even think about that, you are probably right sadly.
Makes me wonder how long Batman(1997) and Minbender(1978) will last at SFOG, thankfully its only seasonal there though.
I'd riot if Mindbender ever gets removed.
Leeroy3101
Banned
Fury 325 in Charlotte is a better coaster.
Shot's fired.
(I've never actually riden Fury 325. It's cool that Cedar Fair is giving all of its parks a flagship coaster. Does fury 325 have a breakrun anywhere before the end? Thats one of the things that pisses me off the most about B&M's non-inverted coasters.)
For Hollywood it's definitely a land thing. Most of that land is a dedicated and fully functioning movie studio, and the entire thing is surrounded by hills (and that park already has more than enough escalators/stairs) and city. Easiest way to put in new stuff is to clear out older or underperforming ride soundstages. Orlando has an easier time because they're all theme park and there's a bit more empty land around for expansion.
The Xtortionist
Member
Universal Orlando only has a few expansion plots, and none of them are near Hogsmeade. So scrapping Dragon Challenge was really the only option here.
Universal doesn't always tear down and replace rides. Forbidden Journey and Skull Island were built on expansion pads. I think there's still one for Seuss, and the backstage area behind Men in Black and Simpsons could possibly be repurposed as expansion land (though it would throw a wrench in HHN and stuff like storing parade floats).
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Even when it isn't a land issue there's always a land issue.
In this case they probably felt that massive footprint and maintenance wasn't drawing enough of the crowd even within the same land to keep it going.
Yup.
as great as it is if it isn't doing well with ride numbers, there isn't much they could do to entice more into it.
Look at that land it takes up in the Harry Potter section, its absolutely massive.
And in the most popular section of the park you really need everything possible sucking up all that crowds.
The Xtortionist
Member
Yeah it seems like a combination of factors
-B&M isn't happy with the removal of dueling
-WB isn't happy with the use of metal detectors (both rumors from Parkscope)
-The plot it sits on is so HUGE that it makes Fun Spot blush
-It just isn't drawing the amount of riders Universal wants to see
Everything is going against it. Tough for a ride to survive that when the company has ambitious plans for the same land.
Jag
Member
Looking at Google Maps of parks always amazes me how much they fit in such a small space. Dueling Dragons was always funny because you could see the High School right next door at the top of the loop.
The Xtortionist
Member
Huh it's interesting to see that overhead shot of Hogwarts castle, makes you realise how small it actually is, when it looks so big when you're in the park.
The naive part of me actually thought the whole ride was in the castle 🤣🤣 quite clearly it's in that ugly warehouse building behind it.
The naive part of me actually thought the whole ride was in the castle 🤣🤣 quite clearly it's in that ugly warehouse building behind it.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Baron von Loathsome
Member
It kinda bugs me that you can easily see the showbuilding from Forbidden Journey's queue.
aparisi2274
Member
Most likely space thing. I am pretty sure that when they purchased the land in Orlando to build USF, they didn't think they would need to expand as much as they are now, so while they had room for IOA and hotels, they are now finding out that more space would've probably been better, but then on the flip side, a lot of the rides they are getting rid of are tired and old (look at Earthquake or Disaster) and so why not remove those and replace them with something better, something more akin to today's attractions?
I'm ok with them removing existing rides or areas if they are antiquated. While The Lost Continent was cool when IOA first opened, Poseidon's Fury is a shell of what it used to be, and the show building could be put to better use as something new, and the Aladdin show is cool, but they could easily retheme that to something else.
The Xtortionist
Member
The original version of Poseidon's Fury was so fuckin' cool. New version is watered down as hell.
"GIVE ME THAT TRIDENT!" will never not be hilarious, though.
"GIVE ME THAT TRIDENT!" will never not be hilarious, though.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Wow, im listening to the latest DIS Unplugged and he actually mentions how anal WB is about everything there.
(even mentions they flip out about operator radios)
He says they are so picky it is why he doubts a Potter hotel would ever happen.
I definitely see that playing into this now.
Valkyr Junkie
Member
The last few times I've been to Universal the wait for Dragon Challenge was only 5 minutes. No real sense in them keeping it around since Hogsmeade needs all the help it can get IMO.
At least the queue has some decent theming.
At least the queue has some decent theming.
aparisi2274
Member
I stopped riding it when they stopped running it in Dueling mode...
My only regret is that I will never get to see the theming they did on it for Tri-Wizard tournament...
Oh well... Bring on the Forbidden Forest ride...
The Xtortionist
Member
It's really bad. They took out the old Dueling Dragons stained glass screens, frozen knights, skulls, warning messages, etc and basically replaced them with nothing. There's some alrightish theming in the outside portion, but the inside is more or less a giant barren cave now.
red capsule
Member
i came back from universal stu hollywood 2 days ago and still cannot believe that they removed the terminator 2 show
that's like removing billie jean from thriller
that's like removing billie jean from thriller
Master Of Illusion
Member
I might be going to Universal at the end of August, so I'll definitely give the Dragons a ride before they're (most likely) sent to the scrap yard.
I'd find this prospect hilarious, but imagine if they sold the ride to Disney? Seems like it could be easily re-purposed into Pandora or something.
I'd find this prospect hilarious, but imagine if they sold the ride to Disney? Seems like it could be easily re-purposed into Pandora or something.
I remember being jealous when visiting Dr Phillips High School for a football game (I had just moved to the east side of Orlando from Northern Virginia, everything was foreign to me). Standing at the top of the visitor's bleachers you could see the roller coasters being built and all I could think about was how cool it would be to go to school across the street from Universal Studios.
Disney doesn't do coasters in the traditional sense. Uni should sell it to Cedar Fair or Six Flags or someone similar, though. (Busch?)
A very well designed ride. But probably one of those scenarios where it's most valuable if nobody has it.
Master Of Illusion
Member
If Disney was going to have a dueling coaster ride, it should be in Galaxy's Edge & be X-Wing vs TIE Fighter. I know they said no VR, but it could be an interesting idea if each coaster could "shoot" at the other and how well you perform could play back into the interaction at the SW resort.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Disney doesn't like to do those types of rides, just look at so many of the complaints about the Slinky Dog coaster.
If it wasn't for the mentioned age thing Six Flags would probably be all over them, that is Six Flags' bread and butter.
if they got it dueling again you could do so much with that theme in Six Flags branding:
Batman - Joker
Superman - Doomsday(Bizarro or Darkseid are obviously better but Superman Doomsday is a damn good ride name)
Flash - Reverse Flash
That would likely be a major attraction for any of the Six Flags park.
Busch probably wouldn't be interested, both are kinda similar to Montu.
Sea World should be interested but probably wouldn't be. Universal likely wouldn't want a direct competitor in the same market getting it as well.
shockthrill
Banned
I guess alot of Millenium Force's legacy also comes from the fact that it innovated so many ideas like the first to use a cable lift system
Hmm are there are any other theme park podcasts worth listening to?. Just subbed to all the variations of DIS Unplugged.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
In the style of DIS Unplugged im not sure of many. Don't miss their vlogs and such on YouTube, always interesting stuff as well.
However short stuff for park news DSNYNewscast is alright.
DFBGuide is good source for food related stuff
Defuntland, Bright Sun Films, Yesterworld Entertainment and Offhand Disneyland are good listens for attraction and park history stuff(Disney and Universal).
The Bright Sun Films videos about cancelled Disney park stuff are an incredible.
Not in Orlando, anyway. In Hollywood, The Mummy replaced E.T., Wizarding World replaced Nickelodeon Splash Zone, that walkthrough attraction was replaced by The Mummy, which was replaced by Van Helsing, which was replaced by House of Horrors, which was replaced by a store and The Walking Dead. Wizarding World replaced Nickelodeon Splash Zone, Transformers replaced Backdraft, Despicable Me replaced Terminator, Simpsons replaced BttF and everything in that general area, etc.
I'd be down for them moving Dueling Dragons to Hollywood to replace Hippogryph. That thing's not great. More of a rollercoaster for kids.
Disney has a few. California Screamin', Rockin Rollercoaster, Big Thunder Mountain, Matterhorn, Space Mountain and Expedition Everest.
Thanks. Didn't even think about theme park podcasts till you mentioned unplugged. Didn't know about it or any others. I listen to an absurd amount of podcasts during work.
Yeah. Its definitely a good ride but there are several steel hyper/giga coasters I personally prefer. Millennium Force is fast an smooth but not there is not a lot in terms of intensity and it doesn't have the best layout. It is very re-ridable though and is a crowd pleaser.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Same here.
Im really happy I stumbled into their stuff, I was basically just looking at hotel reviews for my trip next summer and I came across their "Best and Worst" series.
Was immediately hooked to all their content(though sadly I don't enjoy the California guys as much as the Florida crew)
shockthrill
Banned
Is Cedar Point developing any new coasters, seems like they havn't really done anything new in a while?
KidA Seven
Member
I still can't believe they changed the color of Riddler's Revenge to yellow. Bullshit man.
The Xtortionist
Member
After the water vortex you would be in the big open room for the finale, and the walls would come up after the show to make it seem like you ended up in the previous room. But the current version has the walls already up when you pass through the vortex, so the final set change doesn't have the same impact (the walls drop at the start, then rise at the end instead of just moving once after the finale).
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Wow I was surprised when they painted Batman blue but that is way worse.
aparisi2274
Member
Wasn't there a time when they weren't even running that Water vortex? You just walked through the tunnel to the final room
Speaking of the finale, the original was so awesome.... I think I experienced it when they changed it to what you described, and it just ruined the experience for me.
Gunstarheroes
Member
Yeah, there was around 2009 or so when the big crash was going on. Glad it's back on of course though
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Hey Wonder Woman is getting a legit ride at Six Flags, nice.
Goldrusher
Member
The latest construction update of Silver Dollar City's new coaster:
:')
:')
Yoooo holy shit
The Void is building a Star Wars virtual reality adventure
I've seen videos of this company's tech before and it looks really cool, can't wait to try this out
The Void is building a Star Wars virtual reality adventure
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I've seen videos of this company's tech before and it looks really cool, can't wait to try this out