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Mark9

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I don't think anyone is particularly surprised by this. I've never seen them higher then a 5 minute queue and without the duelling aspect, they really do have a lot of dead track where highlights used to be. It's a shame that a ride that must have taken so much planning and precision to get right is going to be replaced by yet another Harry Potter attraction but lets face it, any park who would want the hardware could probably get it cheap. 

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  • 1 month later...

From what I saw of the pictures, they're not being resold :( 

 

I really hoped someone would want to pick them up. I'm still curious as to what happened to the old Dueling entrance (the two dragons). Were they scrapped when the re-theme came along or are they sat in a warehouse somewhere? I'd love to see them return in some aspect with the new ride. Maybe an easter egg in the queue or somewhere in the area. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

As someone who never rode the two iconic Dragons, seeing what were perhaps once an icon to Orlando rotting away in a scrap yard rusting away like that makes me feel somewhat sad.

 

Hulk aside, Duelling Dragons (Dragon Challenge) at 18 have become the first B&M coasters to be fully and properly scrapped.

 

Universal are certainly one of the most brutal parks when it comes to ride removal. 

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I don’t understand why they weren’t relocated, Chinese Fireball was a strong invert (better than Inferno) which would suit many of those other American Parks we all know about.

Hungarian Horntail on the other hand despite being rather crap, I’m pretty sure some park would have delightfully snatched it up.  

 

I’m just grateful that I got to ride them both before closure. But all I can really say is that there is a better invert in Florida anyway so despite losing this, we’re not hard done by on inverts in Florida.

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Both of the rides were, for lack of a better description, well used.  When Hulk was rebuilt, wasn't it worked out that it was the B&M that had made the most circuits (because of how many days it operated, etc), which had contributed to the general wear and tear much more?  The rides were still usable and that of course, but required more work.  That's something another park might not want to pick up on.

 

There's also the case that Universal might not have wanted to see them go elsewhere.  Why sell off one of your classics to someone else for them to reminisce over when you can keep it as a ride that was exclusive at your park?  

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I don't think either of those reasons are enough for the ride to be unceremoniously scrapped (although both are probably the reasons that they were junked).

 

The first for example, an engineer for the rides has gone on record that whilst both needed some work, had at least twenty years of life in them. B&M give out life-time guarantees to their attractions for a reason.

 

The second is just pure selfishness. Why couldn't they have gone to another park if that other park was willing to refurbish them? Relocating them to China, Europe, any park in Asia isn't going to affect business in North America in the slightest. Begrudging guests and future guests of the experience of two well liked B&M's is kind of insulting to be honest (well as insulted as being a coaster enthusiast can be). Maybe no one wanted them? But then that begs the question why not put them in storage. Or maybe they were worth more in scrap then they were as a re-sell.

 

This is probably one of the reasons I really don't get on with Universal. Too much dross like Jimmy Fallon or stupid simulators and their obsession with the money maker that is Harry Potter just leaves me completely cold. 

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I struggle to think of a park (or company) who could afford for:

 

- Deconstruction

- Packing

- Shipping

- Further Delivery

- Reconstruction

 

Of (according to RCDB) 6'400ft worth of track and support structure...

 

Sad yes, but unsurprising that no one could take them up...

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  • 6 months later...

Anyone know what’s happening with Nintendo Land?

 

The last I heard that this area may not be going in Kid Zone after all and will instead be going into a new third (or fourth if you include Volcano Bay) instead. This may be opening around the mid 2020s. The first Nintendo area is expected to open in the Japan park in 2020. 

 

Meanwhile construction of the 2019 Harry Potter attraction is underway, and whilst there is still no clear indication of who will be the builder, some say this may be a Mack inverted power coaster similar to Arthur (at Europa Park). 

 

Wait and see I guess.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Fast & Furious Supercharged has now soft opened at the resort. 

 

Reviews so far seem to be mixed to negative, which may possibly be down to it’s unoriginal and bland storyline and being ‘yet’ another attraction that is nothing more than just screens. 

 

Some rumours suggest this may be one of the last attractions to ‘fully’ rely on screens. But let’s see what happens. 

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2 hours ago, Matt Creek said:

 

Soke rumours suggest this may be one if the last attractions to ‘fully’ rely on screens. But let’s see what happens. 

 

I hope so!!

 

I love Universal as much as the next person but as someone who grew up with the old kongfrontation attraction and Jaws, I really do miss the good old days where universal focused on elaborate sets and animatronics. I just find those much more immersive than rides that are pretty much all screens like Skull Island: Reign of Kong (which for the record might be the one dark ride I’ve ever done that I rate lower than DBGT) which to me are just average at the very best. Yes Kong has an amazing animatronic at the end of it but that doesn’t make up for the fact the rest of it is just screens galore.

 

and for god sake universal, don’t you dare replace Dragon Challenge with a screen reliant attraction!! You need another coaster so go and get one!!

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  • 5 months later...
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  • 3 months later...

I think the layout is interesting when it comes to ticketing. How will it work? With the hotel and food/ beverage area presumably they  would be free to all? Then will the themed sections each have there own ticket / gate? Interesting times ahead with this development. 

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