Dragon Mountain

{{Infobox roller coaster

| name = Dragon Mountain

| image = BowtieDragonMountain.jpg

| caption = The Bowtie element on Dragon Mountain

| type = Steel

| location = Marineland of Canada

| locationarticle =

| manufacturer-category = Arrow Dynamics

| manufacturer = Arrow Huss

| designer = Ron Toomer

| model = Custom Looping Coaster

| track = Terrain

| lift = Chain lift hill

| status = SBNO

| opened = {{Start date|1983|07|16}}

| height_ft = 186

| drop_ft =

| length_ft = 5500

| speed_mph = 50

| inversions = 4

| duration = 3:30

| angle =

| capacity =

| cost = {{CAD|9 million}}{{cite news |work=Toronto Star |title=Marineland builds thrillseeker's dream |date=April 13, 1983 |page=A3}}

| restriction_in = 48

| trains = 3

| carspertrain = 7

| rowspercar = 2

| ridersperrow = 2

| rcdb_number = 185

| coordinates = {{Coord|43.061265|-79.080379|display=it}}

}}

Dragon Mountain is a steel roller coaster located at Marineland of Canada near Niagara Falls, Ontario.{{cite web |url=http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/yellowpages/coasters/dragon_marineland_ca.shtml |title=Dragon Mountain – Marineland – Roller Coasters}} Built by Arrow Huss, it opened to the public on July 16, 1983.{{cite news |date=July 17, 1983 |title='Coaster' opens at Marineland |work=Democrat and Chronicle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54126122/coaster-opens-at-marineland/ |access-date=July 6, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite RCDB |coaster_name=Dragon Mountain |location=Marineland of Canada |rcdb_number=185 |accessdate=October 26, 2020}} At its opening, it claimed to have the longest ride time of 3 minutes and 30 seconds and the longest track length of {{convert|5500|ft|m}}, though both of these statistics were exceeded by The Beast four years earlier.{{cite news |work=Toronto Star |title=Dragon Mountain is new attraction |date=July 2, 1983 |page=S4}}

Dragon Mountain reaches a maximum elevation of {{convert|186|ft|m}}, which is considered the total difference in height experienced throughout the course of the ride, as the roller coaster's support structure follows closely to the terrain. The ride covers {{convert|30|acre|ha}} of land and is considered the "world's largest" roller coaster on that basis; however, The Beast at Kings Island opened four years earlier and travels across {{convert|36|acre|ha}} of land, meaning that it never actually held that record.{{Cite web |title=Beast – Kings Island (Mason, Ohio, United States) |url=https://rcdb.com/67.htm |access-date=January 7, 2021 |website=rcdb.com}} It is also the only roller coaster with a bowtie element.

Upon the opening in the early 80's, the ride was missing the proposed volcano facade around the helix, and the miniature waterfalls built around the stretch of track after exiting the first tunnel. These unthemed parts of the ride had nothing but the framework, which was constructed along with the track. In 2006, Marineland decided to complete the volcano to improve the ride's appearance.

Ride experience

The riders are first welcomed at the base of the mountain by a long path. At the end of the path lies the dragon's cave, which is carved to look like an actual dragon's head. The queue and station inside are almost in complete darkness. The station, however, is lit up more than the queue, because it would make operating the ride extremely difficult for the ride operators and attendants. Upon exiting the station, the riders are brought back outside climbing up the lush-green hill. Throughout most of the ride, the track follows the terrain closely.

References

Category:Roller coasters in Ontario

Category:Roller coasters introduced in 1983

Category:1983 establishments in Ontario