I went on Tiger Rock twice today and I could only think of what it used to be.
Dragon River, when it opened in 1987, must have been an absolute wonder. The theming around the area was perhaps the best the UK has ever offered.
The attention of detail around the whole Mystic East area was superb and the foliage around the area suited the area, unlike today.
There were many theming centrepieces, such as the Buddha which still stands today, the dragon after the first drop, and the 2 Angkor Wat-esque statues next to the second drop.
The name changed to Dragon Falls in 1999, and not soon after, the ride started to decline. The original faux-rock mountain next to the Buddha was demolished in 2005.
The ride declined even further in 2013 when the remaining rock scenery around the first lift hill and the two Angkor Wat-esque statues were removed. Half of the dragon tunnel was demolished as well. Also, over time, the theming in the station was being removed.
Dragon Falls was rethemed to Tiger Rock in 2018. Some changes were made, including adding a tiger centerpiece and changing the dragon tunnel to a bare unthemed one. The elephant animatronic was also removed.
It is a shame that such a great ride has become so mediocre.