Dragon Challenge

Dragon Challenge
Entrance to Dragon Challenge
Previously known as Dueling Dragons (1999–2010)
Universal Islands of Adventure
Park section	The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (2010-2017) - Hogsmeade
Coordinates	28°28′25″N 81°28′24″W / 28.47361°N 81.47333°W / 28.47361; -81.47333
Status	Removed
Opening date	May 28, 1999 (1999-05-28)
Closing date	September 4, 2017
Replaced by	Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure[1]
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	48 in (122 cm)
Trains	8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.
Dragon Challenge at RCDB Pictures of Dragon Challenge at RCDB

Dragon Challenge, formerly named Dueling Dragons (1999–2010), was a pair of intertwined inverted roller coasters in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area of Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida, United States. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland, the ride was a dueling roller coaster featuring two tracks – one side was called Chinese Fireball and the other Hungarian Horntail – that were themed as two chasing dragons. Its layout involved two trains sharing adjacent lift hills, with each traversing unique courses. Trains on the Chinese Fireball track reached a maximum speed of 60 mph (97 km/h), while trains on the Hungarian Horntail reached 55 mph (89 km/h). Both tracks featured five inversions and an identical ride duration of 2 minutes and 25 seconds.

The ride debuted as Dueling Dragons during the grand opening of Islands of Adventure on May 28, 1999. It was located in The Lost Continent area, and the dueling trains were named Fire and Ice. After a renovation period, the attraction reopened in March 2010. It was renamed Dragon Challenge for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter grand opening on June 18, 2010.

During much of the ride's history, the trains were dispatched simultaneously, creating three near-miss encounters along the courses. Multiple incidents in 2011 involving injuries to riders, who were hit with loose objects, resulted in an operational change to dispatch trains separately to avoid close encounters. Universal Orlando officials, citing that the ride had reached the end of its service life, made the decision to close Dragon Challenge permanently on September 4, 2017. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure opened in its place in 2019, leaving The Incredible Hulk Coaster as the only remaining Bolliger and Mabillard roller coaster at Islands of Adventure.