July 25, 20178 yr Author comment_251143 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.
July 25, 20178 yr comment_251154 18 hours ago, Mattgwise said: I just hope these coasters aren't simply scrapped, but sold on to another place, even if separately. See them in Old Town replacing Loggers soon
July 25, 20178 yr comment_251157 38 minutes ago, MattyMoo said: See them in Old Town replacing Loggers soon Well Thorpe like world records. Worlds first park to have triple B&M inverts. haha
July 25, 20178 yr comment_251177 Well that's more creeds I won't be getting then. I know they didn't Duel anymore, but will still be a shame to lose them. That's the third attraction I'll miss out on next year's grand adventure.
September 18, 20177 yr comment_252757 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.
October 3, 20177 yr Author comment_253151 What a sad end to two such iconic rides (even if I wasn't their biggest fan..)
October 3, 20177 yr comment_253153 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.
October 3, 20177 yr comment_253154 Always sad to see coaster death, even if they were among my least favourite of their type. Do you think I can buy a couple of rail sections to use as bannisters down my stairs?
October 3, 20177 yr comment_253155 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.
October 4, 20177 yr comment_253161 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?
October 4, 20177 yr Author comment_253162 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.
October 5, 20177 yr comment_253176 Maybe because it might've cost alot more and took longer to take them apart carefully enough to sell on
October 5, 20177 yr comment_253182 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...
April 7, 20187 yr comment_257240 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.
April 8, 20187 yr comment_257260 I’ve heard a lot of speculation that the new ride will be an Intamin, though they do have a similar track profile / supports to Mack. Judging by the size of the foundations, it’s definately not a junior model.
April 16, 20187 yr comment_257467 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.
April 16, 20187 yr comment_257471 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!!
April 16, 20187 yr comment_257475 The theming in and around the attraction looks very good though. For instance I like the ride height pipes, they could have just put a sign there but it’s cool, something different.
October 1, 20186 yr comment_260519 Thought it was time to post in this thread again. The park have released some new art work for the brand new Coaster opening in 2019. It is crazy to think that (what could be) an Intamin will replace two former B&Ms. Interesting developments here.
April 13, 20196 yr comment_264095 Universal have announced their first new haunted house for this years HHN.
April 14, 20196 yr comment_264109 It passed me by at the time, but that Fast and Furious thing a couple of posts back looks like absolute turd, doesn't it?
April 15, 20196 yr comment_264112 You only have to look at how many drop towers are not actually free fall .....
August 1, 20196 yr comment_265645 Hagrid's cred was popular here then... They've announced the 3rd gate park as "EPIC UNIVERSE", with a piece of concept art, and no other real information... I'll be probably more excited when they announce areas... Even if Nintendo is likely on there already...
August 2, 20196 yr comment_265674 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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