Old Dueling Dragons queue photos

[awclark]

I was wondering if anyone had any photos of the outdoor queue section of Dueling Dragons. Specifically photos from before the Flying Unicorn was installed because they ripped out some sections of the queue to fit that in. I just really wanted to see what the outdoor area looked like because I have seen aerials from far away, but they're crap and the outdoor area looks MASSIVE (i still can't beleive that they built a 2 mile long queue). Also was it well themed out there or just some dreary forest theme.

 

Also is any of the outdoor area still there besides the walk up to the castle. I mean i think there is but when i was last there this summer, i didn't notice anything, unless it's all gone or they have it roped off. Also, why did they add those ropes on the entrance steps. I was there in '01 and they weren't there and then it seems like they added them. I've noticed it before now, but i'm just wondering.

 

Thanks

[awclark]

It's been over a year, but i'm still interested.

 

Anyone have pictures of the Outdoor Queue section of Dueling Dragons?

[cycamps]

^I'm interested too. DD is my favorite inverted coaster.

[Erik Johnson]

I have to admit that I am not really sure if there was ever a part of the queue where the Flying Unicorn is. They still have a huge section of queue outside of the castle. You see it on your left hand side as you walk into the castle. Its nothing really special, just a bunch of posts with rope in between them.

[coastercrazed49]

From Birds Eye view on Local live you can tell that the line went up to Flying Unicorn, but I can't tell if its part of just the normal line.

[BarryH]

Before the Flying Unicorn came to town, I believe the spot had a bunch of switchbacks for a line. There may have been a few bushes and trees too. I've only stood in the outside queue once during HHN during the 1st or 2nd year it was at IOA.

[awclark]

Here are the best pics I could obtain of the outdoor sections of the queue. None of them however show the queue from the ground (ie. pics from standing in the queue).

The 1999 map shows the massive outdoor section of the queue. The more recent maps just show a straight path heading to the castle.

This live aerial taken before FU was added and it looks like before the park even opened. The highlighted area is the massive outdoor section.

These original blueprints show the layout of the outdoor section of the queue before Flying Unicorn was added. Although I am unsure, but I think the 1st area of the outdoor queue was removed when FU was added. This pic does not show however, the layout of the ropes within the queue.

[DerekRx]

If I recall back to 1999, yes, there was a series of overflow switchbacks there. Not necessarily where FU is, but maybe parts of it (like the first drop). The second overflow, I think, is still there, to the left of the castle (all it happens to be is just posts with ropes). Rumors back in 1999 were that that would eventually be turned into a Vekoma Mad House themed to Merlin, but that never came to be.

 

As far as roping off the steps at the entrance, I believe that was because people would cut thru there to get into the queue instead of going thru the proper entrance (where the op can see if you've got loose articles or don't fit the height requirements, etc).

[hemmy]

How long would that line be if the entire Que was full?

 

World record length?

[CoasterEricHP]

^Probably! When I worked at Dragons, during Spring Break the line would be fully extended and the end would almost be at the dragons. But with 6 trains on the wait would be just over 100 minutes.

 

However, MOST (at least 75%) of the extended queue back in the woods is unusable. The ropes back there are just about completely destroyed and you would get a migraine just looking at it. I'm sure that'll be fixed.. or torn out.. for the Harry Potter stuff.. isn't the Forbidden Forest going back there?

 

And Derek is right about the ropes. Universal only wants to pay for one attendant to be down at greeter (since Dragons is the red headed step child of the park) so there was no way to have any control of the crowds and people entering the queue with that wide of an opening. So they created that bottleneck.

[awclark]

^Understandable that the ropes would be worn away from all the rain in FL but they also didn't have to replace them because the line rarely got to be that long and they would only change the ones on the straight main path to the castle.

 

^It does look like a migrane. Just to try and figure out the path of all the ropes looks like a nightmare. That's IOA though. All their queues are mazes of ropes and overflow areas. Still would like to know what that outdoor area looks like. Any regulars to IOA, i'd appreciate it a TON if you got some pics. I don't think I'll be able to get down their before HP is done. Unless they just change the outdoor section into the Forbidden forest (makes sense considering it is Merlinwood right now) which would keep it similar to what it is now.