Dragon Mountain finished?

I just hered Dragon Mountain is finally finished, Can anyone confirm this?

It's probably finished -- there's lots of potential to do more, but what's the sense in building more dark-ride elements on a 22-year-old coaster. I think Marineland has other priorities and Dragon Mountain's theming will stay as is until Marineland is required to replace the track.

When the day comes that Marineland is requited to start replacing track, do you think that it might be time for a change?

The loops are good the, the following helix is okay, the bow tie (and its approach in the tunnel) is great... but the rest of the ride is a little lack luster. At that time, either a) add the dark elements, b) add some other interesting elements or (and some will cringe) c) actually shorten the ride somehow and go a more direct route from the helix to the tunnel approach to the bow tie in stead of through the areas where the steel skeleton of the planned / never built / now long abandoned dark sections were to be located.

This is a coaster with a split personality. From the area of the tunnel and bowtie, to the station, to the lift and the loops it is one coaster... good to fairly good land scaping and themeing. After the loops though, when you make the turn around the top of the (man made?) mountain, things get sureal as you go through the steel skeleton of the planned but never finished "mountain" (where the Helix is) and the long steel work of the flat sections below that.... almost like riding a coaster through an abandoned industrial park that is in the process of being torn down.

I absolutely LOVED the park, but didn't care for Dragon Mountain. I had one ride and said "DONE!" Too painful/boring for me. I think Bill liked it alot better.

I did like the entrance/cave, as well as the scenery. Pretty cool!

-Tina

*** Edited 7/14/2005 8:31:04 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

The steel skeletons you see where supposed to be 1) a volvano when you go through the helix, and 2) a model of Niagara Falls, where the straightish framework is that you are inthe middle of. You were supposed to be under the cataracts. These were te original plans, and of course were never finished, and i doubt they ever will be. I've lived here all my life, and nothing has ever changed with that coaster. I believe there was also supposed to be a boat ride inthere, as with the falls, there would oc course be water, but i can't remember if it was there or not.

Ken

Makes sense... plenty of room for some sort of boat ride / lagoon in the low section that the coaster sort of meanders around. I can picture the model of the falls flowing over the straight steel work and into the lagoon. As for the "volvano" (the Canadian equivalent of a "volcano") and the steel work around the helix... could they remove the steel work with out doing the helix? I don't remember, but was the steel work partly supporting the track?

Well, in a recent article this year in the "Buffalo Business" journal/magazine, they have mentioned that because of all the recent developments in the 'Falls area, they are planning on building more coasters because of how the area is changing & the demands to keep the guests coming back (aquariums opening left & right, other live shows, rides & a new amusement park going up a couple miles away).

But they have had the boat/train ride deal in the works for awhile:

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Marineland - River Country - Wilderness Adventure Ride and Train Ride

Visitors will be able to view the attractions from below through inter-connected acrylic tunnels via a boat ride, from the side through large acrylic panels and from above. In addition special contact areas will allow visitors to have the chance to personally interact with a variety of sea life

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Source: City of Niagara Falls Paradigm Developments

They have a long ways to go, however... but if they plan on opening all that up... they should spend the capital to finish off Dragon Mountain... especially if they plan on putting any other rides back in that area. There were a few rumors that they were going to finish it off in the coming years (these being recent rumors)... probably due to the other developments in the area.
...hell, it would be nice to market the park with possibly 3 world-class coasters (Dragon Mountain being one of them)...

...but the way Marineland works... we won't see any new ride construction until next year, with an opening of 2010 ;).

Finished, unfinished, Dragon Mountain is *long*....NOT great by any means. I didn't re-ride it because it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, I re-rode because it's UNIQUE, it's FAR away, and it's at a park I'm unlikely to return to anytime in the near future.

At it's age, Dragon Mountain IS finished...it's beautiful to LOOK at, and it's fun, but it DOES have a couple signature Arrow BANG moments, and is by no means a spectacular RIDE. If not for the views, it probably wouldn't make my top-100 steelies... ;)

I am glad one of us continued to ride it. It only takes me once to say "Ok this sucks/hurts. Did it, will never do it again". Then check it off the list. ;-)

You didn't see me re-riding Psucklone and Viper at SFMM again did ya? ;-)

I will, however, re-visit Marineland without question, although it won't be anytime soon. Beautiful little park!

-Tina

*** Edited 7/14/2005 2:44:43 PM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

Even if the ride didn't have the views, and without the theming finished, it doesn't change the fact that the bowtie element is amazing.

I wish nearby Viper at SFDL had one of those instead of the typical Arrow Boomerang. (I still think Viper is a better ride though)

I rode it 5 times in a row during my visit just for the bowtie.

Like I said... connect the track right after the loops (perhaps leaving the helix too) direclty to the tunnel that leads to the bowtie and sell the rest for scrap. It's the part of the ride that falls between the Helix and the Bowtie that makes it boring.

That's the point... if the theming WERE finished... it wouldn't be so boring!! The waterfalls, the volcano... it'd be just so amazing with the theming that was planned, that you wouldn't call it boring because there's a lot of eye-candy.

Lemme get that pic back up of the old broschure what it shows how it SHOULD Have looked (in its inaugral year).

Does anyone else think building a model of Niagara Falls that close to the actual falls is retarded?

"Hey, come see our scale model of the falls! Just turn right after the real falls and it's a mile ahead on your left!"

Not exactly, LOL....

Took us over 20 minutes of driving around thru the Niagara area to find the ENTRANCE to MarineLand....no such thing as *signage*, eh? ;)

I didn't think Dragon Mountain sucked OR hurt....mostly boring though....;)

Ok, I got it...

...and no, it doesn't look too retarded... it's actually kind of cool have a coater going basically through the 'Falls as it shows:

CLICK HERE

that looks amazing