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Universal Orlando (Studios/IOA/Epic Universe) : General Discussion
Ted
TS Member
A lot of B&M coasters that have been removed from parks have been relocated somewhere else. A few in storage like the Time Machine sitter at Freestyle, but that's been relocated to Vietnam IIRC.
Rob
TS Team
New rumours from Screamscape:
Interesting and another believable idea. Would probably work better from a whole thematic concept side of things.
Screamscape said:
Interesting and another believable idea. Would probably work better from a whole thematic concept side of things.
Andrew
TS Contributor
I feel like there wouldn't be enough content for a quidditch ride, especially theming wise unless you took it outside of the stadium and you encountered more scenes. That would, however, feel pretty similar to Forbidden Journey if that was the case considering you follow Harry on a broomstick in that
Rob
TS Team
Big, but not surprising, news coming from Universal. Dragon Challenge will close on 5th September 2017 (last day of operation is 4th September) and a new Harry Potter coaster experience will open in 2019:
It has been long reported that JK Rowling was not a fan of the coasters and they were never as immersive as the other Harry Potter attractions. They also took up a lot of space, just look at this from Inside Universal:
My main hope is that the replacement turns out to be an actual coaster, not something like Gringotts. Gringotts is a good ride but I feel there was potential for so much more. Universal seem to be calling it a thrill ride that will be fun for the entire family so it will be interesting to see exactly what they mean, it obviously won't be on the same level as Dragon Challenge.
I'd suspect either an SFX Coaster from Dynamic Attractions or some sort of Intamin motorbike coaster.
Finally, please can Universal just let it duel for one final time on the day it closes?
This has been coming for a long while now so I have got over the disappointment. However I do still feel that it is a shame that IOA will be losing two iconic coasters from when the park first opened. They, along with Hulk, are somewhat symbolic of Universal in Orlando. I hope the coasters find a new home but suspect that they will be ripped down.Universal said:
It has been long reported that JK Rowling was not a fan of the coasters and they were never as immersive as the other Harry Potter attractions. They also took up a lot of space, just look at this from Inside Universal:
My main hope is that the replacement turns out to be an actual coaster, not something like Gringotts. Gringotts is a good ride but I feel there was potential for so much more. Universal seem to be calling it a thrill ride that will be fun for the entire family so it will be interesting to see exactly what they mean, it obviously won't be on the same level as Dragon Challenge.
I'd suspect either an SFX Coaster from Dynamic Attractions or some sort of Intamin motorbike coaster.
Finally, please can Universal just let it duel for one final time on the day it closes?
Rob
TS Team
I doubt they are anywhere near the end of their lifespan. I know that they have run more than your average B&M however they did only open in 1999. Plenty of years left in the tank!
Hulk could probably have kept running as it was if Universal wanted to do so however I suspect that they wanted to improve the ride experience to ensure it was the best it could be. Comcast have money to burn anyway!
Hulk could probably have kept running as it was if Universal wanted to do so however I suspect that they wanted to improve the ride experience to ensure it was the best it could be. Comcast have money to burn anyway!
Rick
TS Member
I guess nobody knows for sure, but it would be odd to think that they would have replaced Hulk in the way that they did if it wasn't coming to the end of its lifespan and Dragons has been running nearly two years longer than the original Hulk at this point. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't understand why a sit down coaster of the same age would have a much shorter life than an inverted when they share so many components.
They perhaps could have kept Hulk going longer than they did, but only with vastly increased maintenance effort and costs which would have required more closures.
With some simple maths, I reckon each ride has more than double, approaching triple, the number of operating hours per year vs. a seasonal ride - depending on whether you take a calendar from a UK or US seasonal park.
Following on with the maths, the replacement of half the length of the Dragons track on Hulk was a very time consuming/expensive endeavour, so perhaps they figured that money is better spent on some new and shiny Potter, rather than some 'new' Dragons largely indistinguishable from the original. Public companies don't burn money!
That original entrance was iconic, for sure. It's a shame that had to go. If you got a ride on them, great. If you didn't - that's just the way it goes.
Alastair
TS Team
The big question here - will these be the first B&Ms to be scrapped, or will they be sold? I hope they do manage to find a new home, they are good coasters! Although I feel that may be unlikely.
I like the idea of a Mack Inverted Powered Coaster, it is a brilliant ride system that either Disney or Universal could do something very special with. And as Tim says, the Dragon Challenge site is huge meaning plenty of room for a second attraction if that is what they wanted. I have also seen a B&M Hyper Coaster rumoured, I believe one was planned for a Forbidden Forest area in Japan, but I can't help but feel it would not really fit in with the immersive Harry Potter themes were have seen so far.
I feel it would be in B&M's interests surely to tout them around a bit, sound out whether anyone might want them. Of course it's up to Universal to negotiate price etc, but it would no doubt be substantially cheaper than two brand new inverts, and there is a precedent for the relocation of the ride type at least (Monster). Hoping they aren't scrapped!
It's a shame that are going, I managed to ride them in both their incarnations. The original was far superior than the potter overlay. The duelling made a massive difference.
What they will replace it with will be interesting as it looks like they could double the size of hogsmead (the actual area you can walk around).
What they will replace it with will be interesting as it looks like they could double the size of hogsmead (the actual area you can walk around).
Alastair
TS Team
Yes but reputation-wise I'd want to keep my company's 25+ year record of every single ride ever made still being in operation.
jon81uk
TS Member
They did duel even after the potter overlay, Wizarding World has nothing to do with the duelling stopping.
Some guests tried to throw coins at the other train (which is not a good thing!). The duelling was stopped and they added metal detectors to Dragon Challenge, The Hulk and Rip Ride Rocket to stop ANY personal belongings being taken onto the rides to stop any chance of coins falling out of pockets or being thrown.