Dodonpa

Dodonpa
The Dodonpa roller coaster, left, with Mount Fuji in the background.
Location	Fuji-Q Highland
Coordinates	35°29′15.72″N 138°46′56.13″E / 35.4877°N 138.7822583°E / 35.4877; 138.7822583Coordinates: 35°29′15.72″N 138°46′56.13″E / 35.4877°N 138.7822583°E / 35.4877; 138.7822583
Status	Operating
Opened	December 21, 2001
Type	Steel
Manufacturer	S&S Worldwide
Model	Thrust Air 2000
Lift/launch system	Compressed air launch
Height	52 m (171 ft)
Drop	50 m (160 ft)
Length	1,189 m (3,901 ft)
Max speed	172 km/h (107 mph)
Inversions	0
Duration	0:55
Max vertical angle	90°
Capacity	1000 riders per hour
Acceleration	0 to 172 km/h (0 to 107 mph) in 1.8 seconds
Max G force	4.25
Dodonpa at RCDB
Pictures of Dodonpa at RCDB
Amusement Parks Portal

Dodonpa (ドドンパ^?) is a roller coaster at Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi in Japan. It opened in 2001 and is a steel sit-down roller coaster with a compressed air launch. The ride was built by S&S Power of Utah, U.S.A.

It is 52 metres (171 ft) tall, and has a launch speed of 172 km/h (107 mph), which is reached in 1.8 seconds, the fastest launch acceleration in the world. Its hill goes straight up, down a hairpin curve, and then goes straight down. When it was opened it was the fastest roller coaster in the world.^[1] As of 2010, it is not the fastest but still has the highest launch acceleration at 2.7 g. The name Dodonpa comes from the notes used by taiko drummers which can be heard while waiting in the queue.

The ride

At launch, a voice in Japanese runs through a checklist and counts down before the launch. The dialogue occasionally changes, and, to surprise the riders, there is often a 'false' countdown and 'failed' launch followed by an 'accidental' launch. Riders are then accelerated to 172 km/h (107 mph). After exiting the launch tunnel, riders continue straight at a light incline for a short time. Cresting the top of the incline, the riders dip down and fly through a photo section. A very large banked right turn follows. At the end of the turn, riders encounter another tunnel. Suddenly, riders are facing the sky, and they crest a much larger hill. Facing the ground, riders drop about 52 metres (171 ft) before flattening out. A banked left turn is made before heading up a long, inclined straightaway. At the top, a brake run slows trains down before making the final curves into the station. The ride lasts approximately 55 seconds.

References

1. ^ Guinness World Records, 2003

External links

• Official site (Japanese)
• Dodonpa photos from CoasterGallery.com
• Dodonpa on Roller Coaster Database

Preceded by Superman: The Escape and Tower of Terror (tied)

World's Fastest Roller Coaster December 2001–May 2003

Succeeded by Top Thrill Dragster