Line #15 Ride/DuelingDragons


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dueling_dragons.jpg]]
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3	->''"Past this point of no return, your only choice is freeze or burn."''
4	-->-- '''Merlin'''
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6	''Dueling Dragons'' was the name of a former pair of dueling roller coasters at [[Ride/UniversalStudios Universal's Islands of Adventure]]. It opened with the park on May 28, 1999.
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8	The story of the attraction centered around two dragons, Pyrock and Blizzrock, one of fire and one of ice, who are locked in everlasting combat over control of the land's castle and its loot. The wizard Merlin, having lost much of his magic over the years, is powerless to stop them and is only able to warn people looking to slay the dragons of the fate that awaits them. The riders served the role of these people, seeking to either stop or tame these dragons and bring peace to the land once again.
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10	In 2010, the attraction's surrounding Merlinwood area was replaced with ''Ride/TheWizardingWorldOfHarryPotter''. As a result, it was renamed ''Dragon Challenge'' and re-themed to focus on the Hungarian Horntail and the Chinese Fireball from the Tri-Wizard Tournament in ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire''. In 2011, due to two separate incidents believed to be caused by loose objects falling from the ride, the dueling aspect of the coasters was removed. Six years later, the coasters closed permanently on September 4, 2017 to make way for a new coaster called ''Ride/HagridsMagicalCreaturesMotorbikeAdventure''. Another six years after that, Universal Studios Florida temporarily resurrected the ride's story as a haunted house at Theatre/HalloweenHorrorNights in 2023, ''Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate''.
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13	!!''Dueling Dragons'' provides examples of:
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15	* AlliterativeTitle: '''D'''ueling '''D'''ragons.
16	* AnIcePerson: Blizzrock is a dragon with the ability to breathe ice rather than fire.
17	* TheCassandra: Merlin is this, as the knights that ignored his constant warnings of the dragons met with either a fiery or icy end.
18	* ColorCodedElements: The fire coaster was colored red, while the ice coaster was colored blue.
19	* DolledUpInstalment: The ''Dragon Challenge'' version of the ride, which is very lightly rethemed to fit the world of ''Harry Potter'' but is otherwise the same.
20	* DragonsAreDemonic: Both dragons in the coaster were depicted as entities of pure evil.
21	* [[DragonRider Dragon Riders]]: To restore peace to the Merlinwood, guests are tasked with becoming these by taming the dragon of their choice, represented by the appropriate coaster.
22	* ElementalRivalry: The plot of the coaster centered around two dragons of opposite elemental abilities that are forever locked in combat.
23	* EvilVersusEvil: Both of the fighting dragons are as equally sinister as one another.
24	* FireIceDuo: The attraction starred dragons of fire and ice.
25	* GratuitousLatin: There was a sign that read "Choose thy fate" that was written in both English and Latin. [[note]]"Convocae Fortitudinem Tuum"[[/note]]
26	* LastChanceToQuit: Just as guests approached the point where they would choose a side, Merlin's voice could be heard warning them that now is their last chance to turn back.
27	* MeaningfulName: The fire and ice dragons are respectively named Pyrock and Blizzrock.
28	* PublicDomainCharacter: Along with the rest of the Lost Continent, this ride was not based on any type of owned intellectual property, instead drawing inspiration from various types of mythology.
29	* RewatchBonus: With two coasters, this attraction was essentially two rides in one. In turn, guests could get in line twice to experience both.
30	* RhymesOnADime: Merlin in the queue line spoke almost entirely in rhyme, saying things like, "If you continue along this path, you will face the dragons' wrath."
31	* RuinsForRuinsSake: The queue line was set in a ruined castle that had been overtaken by the two dragons.
32	* SpellBook: The queue contained Merlin's spell book, filled with his attempts at making the dragons go away via incantations.
33	* {{Tagline}}: "Choose thy fate."
34	* ThisWayToCertainDeath: The queue line was filled with the bodies of the knights who had previously tried to slay the dragons, leaving out a warning to all those coming to the castle.
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Context Ride / DuelingDragons