Universal Orlando Changes Course Of Dueling Coaster
ORLANDO (CBSMiami/AP) – The famous dueling dragons roller coaster at Universal Orlando will duel no more.
Officials announced this week they will no longer launch the Dragon Challenge's twin roller coasters simultaneously following an internal investigation stemming from two recent incidents. For more than a decade, the ride located in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter within Islands of Adventure, has featured a "high-speed chase between two coasters." The two coasters passed within 18 inches of each other as they speed along intertwined tracks at up to 60 mph.
The Orlando Sentinel reports the park started launching the coasters on a staggered basis after two riders were struck by loose objects while riding the attraction.
In one case, a 52-year-old man suffered a lacerated right eye while riding Dragon Challenge July 31. The man's lawyer says he had his eyeball removed.
Following the incidents, the park started launching the coasters on a staggered basis.
(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
