Fluch des Drachen

Fluch des Drachen is an Intamin Blitz coaster residing in a small German-inspired town bordering a forest. Paths have been designed to weave around the coaster to maximise on-ride/off-ride interaction. With 3 eateries, exit-through retail, plenty of varied seating, toilets and even office space, the attraction has been designed holistically, with important park amenities in mind.

I wanted story to be an integral part of this project, so it's been considered from outset. As soon as guests enter this region of the park the immersive theming begins, escalating in detail as the queue line is reached and furthered in indoor sections, where the story begins.

Throughout the queue, guests witness a series of paintings foreshadowing upcoming scenes in the ride. Guests pass through a stone arch into an indoor dark forest where lies an old dragon statue and a mysterious cabin.

Guests enter the cabin to find an overturned stall next to a newspaper that reads “dragon sighting explained”. Riders ascend some stairs to the final painting, a blurred image of a dragon, the climax of the ride’s story.

After a walk across a balcony, guests enter the armoury, a brick room filled with weapons, as it becomes clear danger is up ahead. Immediately after, guests reach the station, a renovated church building.

Once boarded, the train pulls into the first scene, unseen parts of the german town. riders take a left turn under a bridge and see a castle up ahead of them. Before they know it, they’re being propelled 60mph toward it. The dragon hunt has begun.

Trees reduce in size leading up to the castle to give the illusion of it being further than it is, and launching faster than they are. Trains dive through the foggy gates of the castle and are instantly transported outside, taking high speed curves through the forest before a near-miss plunge into a building.

After a fast-paced s-bend out of a tunnel and a heart-line roll beneath a decking, riders appear in a building taking rapid bends to avoid obstacles around them. Riders experience one final curve outside before reaching the main event. The vehicle suddenly brakes into fog and darkness.

Riders pull forward achingly slow and out-of-nowhere, fire! In the firelight they see they’re facing the dragon, a huge figure towering over them, breathing fire. Following a few gruelling seconds in the presence of the dragon, the train begins to accelerate up a swift lift to the highest point of the coaster. It becomes clear riders are no longer hunting the dragon, but under its curse (fluch des drachen, German for curse of the dragon). Immediately after, guests plummet 164ft towards the ground and traverse several thrilling elements in a bid to escape the curse.