Iron Dragon

Iron Dragon
1987

Iron Dragon is a suspended roller coaster that opened at Cedar Point in 1987. Iron Dragon takes riders on a journey over a forest and a small lake. Iron Dragon is a great starter ride for guests who don't like aggressive roller coasters.

In 1978 Gemini Midway opened featuring Gemini. Gemini was the world's tallest, fastest, and longest racing roller coaster when it opened. In 1979 Cedar Point added Wave Swinger, a new WildCat replaced the old one and was relocated to the former spot of Jumbo Jet. Oceana became Cedar Point's marine life complex in 1980. Riders would sail the high seas in 1981 on Ocean Motion. In 1982 White Water landing opened as the world's largest Hydro Flume. Riders would free fall 99 feet on Demon Drop in 1983. Avalanche Run became Cedar Point's Bobsled roller coaster in 1985. Thunder Canyon became Cedar Point's white water rafting ride in 1986. Also in 1986 Cedar Fair L.P got a new CEO, Dick Kinzel.

With all these new additions Cedar Point would be adding another huge roller coaster for the 1987 season.

Frontier Lift closed in the fall of 1985 and was removed to make room for future expansion.

At the end of 1986, Monster and Western Cruise were relocated to the Gemini Midway to make room for future expansion. Western Cruise was also renamed Paddlewheel Excursions to better fit the new location.

Constriction on Iron Dragon began in September 1986. The ride would not be ready when the park opened in 1987.

Iron Dragon opened on June 11,1987. When the ride first opened the ride had red track and gray supports.

For the 2004 season Iron Dragon was repainted to have red track and orange supports.

Iron Dragon was a very popular roller coaster when it opened in 1987. It drew long lines of guest.

Iron Dragon was meant to be a thrilling roller coaster. As it turned out, the ride wan't as thrilling as it was meant to be. Iron Dragon was still a great ride that had a cool experience!

Iron Dragon is a suspended roller coaster. A suspended roller coaster hangs from the track on a roller coaster.

Iron Dragon was the 4th Arrow suspended roller coaster ever built. It would be the 3rd one operating in 1987.

Iron Dragon was built and designed by Arrow Dynamics of Clearfield, Utah. Over the years Arrow had changed its names a few times, but they built some of Cedar Point's most popular rides. Over the years Arrow would add: Cadillac Cars (1958), Turnpike Cars (1959-2014), Mill Race (1963-1993), Earthquake (1965-1984), Pirate Ride (1966-1996), Shoot-the-Rapids (1967-1981), Cedar Creek Mine Ride (1969), Antique Cars (1969-2021), Corkscrew (1976), Gemini (1978), and White Water Landing (1982-2005) at Cedar Point. After Iron Dragon was built in 1987 Arrow Dynamics would return to Cedar Point to build Magnum XL-200 (1989) and Snake River Falls (1993).

When Iron Dragon opened in 1987 it was Cedar Point's fourth tallest roller coaster.

Iron Dragon Ride Facts
Height: 76 feet
Speed: 40 MPH
Hills: 2
Inversions: 0
Type: Suspended Roller Coaster
Designer: Ron Toomer
Company: Arrow Dynamics of Clearfield, Utah
Capacity: 2,000/HR
Opened: June 11, 1987
Number of Coaster at that time: 7
Cost: 4 Million
Cedar Point's 5th oldest roller coaster

Iron Dragon Virtual Reality

For the 2016 season Cedar Point introduced Virtual Reality to the Iron Dragon roller coaster.

Cedar Point had partnered with an outside company to bring Iron Dragon VR to life. Riders rode Iron Dragon with a Samsung VR headset.

VR brought a new experience to Iron Dragon that had never before been done at Cedar Point. It wasn't the best experience, but it was something different.

Iron Dragon VR would return in 2017 and 2018. VR really slowed down Iron Dragon's operations because extra work was required to make sure the ride was ready to go. Iron Dragon's Virtual Reality ended on Labor Day 2018.

When Iron Dragon opened in 1987 the ride had a statue at the entrance to the ride. It reamined at Iron Dragon's entrance until the end of 2011.

The statue was bought by G.A. Boeking during the early years of the resort. It came from the 1904 worlds fair.

In 2012 the ride line was reworked to make room for Celebration Plaza. At the time the statue was moved into storage. In 2020 the statue had once again been placed at the entrace of Iron Dragon.

Ride Experience

The Iron Dragon ride experience begins with riders getting in line for the ride. The entrance is located to the right side of the ride station in Celebration Plaza.

Riders wait in Iron Dragons's queue line that is located under the rides final break run and transfer track

The average wait time for Iron Dragon is 30 minutes. The ride can get up to an hour wait if the park is busy.

Riders are loaded into the train. Each seat has an over the shoulder restraint that comes down. This ride does NOT have a seatbelt.

Iron Dragon is located in the woods and over a misty lagoon. It is hard to see portions of the ride because they are in the woods.

Iron Dragon leaves the station and turns to the right to head up the lift hill.

Iron Dragon takes its riders up the 76 foot tall lift hill. It takes about 28 seconds for the ride to climb up the hill.

Iron Dragon's first lift hill is located directly under Rougarou's lift hill.

Iron Dragon drops its riders down the first hill reaching speeds of 4o MPH!

After the drop Iron Dragon then takes riders thru in S like turn.

Iron Dragon's track is banked, making the ride swing has the ride curves.

The ride then swings past Rougarou. As the coaster swings it goes into a drop into the woods.

Iron Dragon then heads into a swamp near Top Thrill Dragster.

Iron Dragon then goes into a really tight turn. As the train goes thru this turn it swings out to the side.

After the turn the ride arrives at a block break section. The train doesn't stop here but it slows down.

Iron Dragon then takes its riders 66 feet up the second lift hill.

It takes 18 seconds for the ride to reach the top of the hill.

Iron Dragon is one of two roller coasters at Cedar Point to have 2 lift hills. The other roller coaster is Cedar Creek Mine Ride.

Iron Dragon drops off the second hill in a very unique way. The ride twist and turns which causes the train to swing back and fourth.

This drop is really cool because it helps build the mood of the ending of the ride.

Iron Dragon then lifts its riders up one last time and sends them into the very exciting grand finale.

Iron Dragon then drops its riders into the lair of the dragon!

This element is a double interlocked helix. The train twists and turns and creates an exciting element!

The element is really cool and can only be experienced on Iron Dragon.

Iron Dragon then comes out of the helix and heads for home!

Iron Dragon finally arrives to the final break run outside the station. The Iron Dragon ride last 2 minutes and 10 seconds.

Iron Dragon's Impact On The Roller Coaster Capital of the World

Iron Dragon is a great roller coaster. People who ride this ride just love it!

Even tho Iron Dragon wasn't as thrilling as it was originally met to be, the ride found its popularity with families. It's a great starter ride for guests who want something bigger than Wilderness Run, but aren't quite ready for Gemini or Blue Streak.

Over the years Arrow Dynamics had built 10 suspended roller coasters. Today there are only 5 that remain in operation. Iron Dragon is currently the oldest of the operating Arrow Suspended roller coasters.

Iron Dragon was a very good addition to Cedar Point. Over the years the park would add many things to to make the park better including 16 roller coasters, a water park, 4 kids areas, 3 hotels. Cedar Point would add: Soak City Water Park (1988-2016), Magnum XL-200(1989), Disaster Transport (1990-2012), Mean Streak (1991-2016), Berenstain Bear Country's playground (1992-1998), Challenge Park (1992-2016), Snake River Falls (1993), Raptor (1994) Cedar Point's 125th Anniversary Celebration (1995),Mantis (1996-2014), Chaos (1997-2010), Power Tower (1998), Camp Snoopy (1999), Peanuts Playground (1999-2007), Millennium Force(2000), Wicked Twister (2002-2021), Good Time Theatre (2002-2014), Top Thrill Dragster(2003-2021), Castaway Bay(2004), maXair (2005), Skyhawk (2006), Maverick (2007), Planet Snoopy (2008), Shoot The Rapids (2010-2015), WindSeeker (2011), Dinosaurs Alive! on Adventure Island(2012-2018), GateKeeper (2013), New Gemini Midway (2014) Rougarou (2015), Valravn (2016), Cedar Point Shores Water Park (2017), Steel Vengeance (2018), Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island (2019), Cedar Point's 150th Anniversary (2021), and The Boardwalk. (2023)

All of these new attractions have given Cedar Point something new for guests to experience.