Over sun baked earth, and sea by sail,
brave men speak the Dragon’s tale.
Fire red wing and sharpened claw,
razor fang in gnashing jaw.
With scaly skin and horn spiked neck,
his every breath is certain death.
Though gold and jewels adorn his lair,
be advised: GO YE NOT THERE
For the brave alone venture to his den...
few ever return through this door again.
One of the cornerstones of LEGOLAND Windsor's ride package, The Dragon is a demonstration of what all rides in the park should be like, in terms of theming and execution.
Built with Knights' Kingdom (then CastleLand) for the start of the 1998 season, The Dragon is still going strong to this day, and is a must on any visitor's itinerary.
What is it?
- A dark ride and roller coaster ride built by WGH Transportation Engineering
- Opened March 1998
- 28 guests per train, two trains operating at peak periods
- Q-Bot reservations available
What does it do?
On leaving the station, the train makes it's way through a series of corridors and rooms in which LEGO models depict amusing castle scenes, including a banquet, Merlin's chamber, and of course the Dragon and treasure trove. The train then speeds up, exits the castle, and the ride ends with a roller coaster with two large drops, and an average speeds of 30 mph.
Restrictions?
- Must be a minimum of 1.0m tall to ride
- Guests under 1.3m tall must be accompanied by an adult
- Upper body control is needed
- Not recommended for guests with: back or neck complaints; heart conditions; high blood pressure; broken limbs; pregnant guests.
Verdict?
Queues are often fairly long, so if you've hired a Q-Bot, make good use of it! As stated above, a must do for any visitor to the park, whether a fan of roller coasters or not. This really should be the archetypal LEGOLAND Windsor ride - the theming is great (even down to the queue line which weaves itself in and out of the castle battlements), the ride is enjoyable for all the family, as well as satisfying (though not thrilling) coaster-junkies. It's a shame that many attractions to follow have not been of such high quality.
