I told everyone that I would give them a report on how things went with our newbie group after playing the Dragon with both the 2005 and 2016 rules.
We played 2 games with the Dragons last weekend, first just basic game tiles and Princess and Dragon tile, and the second game also included Traders and Builders. Both games followed the 2005 rules where the player who draws the Dragon tile gets to Place the Tile, Place a Meeple or Move the Fairy before the Dragon moves.
We played two more games this weekend, both games were played with the 2016 printed version of the rules where the dragon moves in phase 1B, before the player who draws the tile places it on the board. The only advantage that the player who draws the tile has with this version of the rules is that they make the first move of the Dragon. Our first game included the basic game tiles, River I and II, plus Inns and Cathedrals. The second game also included Traders and Builders plus the Bridges and Castles, without the Bazaars.
All four of us agree that, basically, moving the dragon immediately after drawing it, totally before the player who draws the tile can even place it on the board, makes the game, especially the Fairy movements, far more interesting.
Our house rules will be to follow the 2016 printed version of the rules as printed!