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Has anyone here been on this speed demon? This ride drives me nuts. It seems so amazing and far better than hypersonicXLC.

 

I just want to set things "straight" from what Ive heard and reality and Id like to know how it really is, what it fels like. So here we go....

 

Did you enjoy the speed, I mean its propulsion is so quick(nearly 107mph in 1.8 sec.) How powerful is it?

 

Is the course over all good? what else if not, could it use?

 

The airtime. Does it truly hurt because its so powerful, if so how does it?

 

How does the speed maintain? Is the whole ride well done?

 

What Im trying to say is TELL ME EVERYTHING about this crazy coaster pleaseplease pleae...hehe ....

 

Thank u 4 replying to my pointless entries, I just like to hear about coasters that are impossible for me to experience. Thanx

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I hated it. I thought the launch was actually "too extreme" to the point where it really hurt. It was rough as hell and bone jarring around the turn around and the airtime at the top of the tower, again, so extreme that it hurt and the lap bar was jammed into your leg, then it just meandered around into the station.

 

There is a POV video of it in the Professional Amateur's Videographer forum if you're interested.

 

Overall, IMO this ride was totally overhyped to me. There was no way I was going to stand in that 90 minute line to ride again.

 

--Robb

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I think this is one of those 'It's amazing but I hate it' type of rides!

 

It really pushes the limits of the human body. The launch really felt like I was being hit by a truck, or someone slammed a sack of bricks into my chest! It hurt. There is some floater air down the little drop, the turnaround was really shaky and pointless, then the hill was again on the verge of what the body can handle. The most extreme airtime I've ever felt, but not necessarily in a good way! I mean, really intense, but I still can't figure out if it was good or bad! I'll ride it again next year and try to decide, but again, I think it's really pushing the limits!

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Wow, you all have been makin this sound almost too scary.

 

I mean is it safe? It seems no. But then it wouldnt be around still correct?

 

I just thought wow thatd be so much fun, and I thought it'd be cool for other parks to get them in the US.

 

Anything else about it?.....

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I agree with everything they said.

 

Also, when I rode it in December, it was pretty cold out. And they would not let your wear any hats or gloves (for fear these objects would fall off and hurt someone? Come on!) So not only was it rough, but we were FREEZING!

 

Oh, and the constant "DO-DON-PA" that repeated ad nausem in line made you want to kill someone by the time you finally got to ride it!

 

I also remember being thrown up into the lap bar at the top of the top hat. Not fun at all.

 

So, in conclusion, it sucked big time in my book.

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Gosh, its like ruining my dream to ride the dang thing. Its so appealing and great lookin but no one seems to think so. I mean pain isnt agod thing so I can see why.

 

I just watched a very short video on dodonpa as it raced over the tophat, I mean it went fast down the dip around up and down....Is that what gives it such intense air?

 

So there was no positives from it? Jeez this stinkaroos..hehe.

 

Thank you for tellin me what u think though, keepthem comin please. I really would like to hear more reviews.

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I was lucky enough to get 2 rides, no waiting, both front seat. It is one of those rides that you look at and think that this could be a really great ride. The you ride it and find out otherwise. I don't dislike the ride but I wouldn't want to wait 90 minutes to ride it like the line was 30 minutes after the park opened.

 

The problem I had with the launch was that it made my eyes water and it took me half the ride before I could see clearly again. After the launch the ride is nothing special until the top hat. The slope is too steep and it really throws you against the restraints. I think if the slope had been gentler to give floater air time, it would have made it better.

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Hmm,

I really liked it. maybe its because I haven't been on a huge amount of coasters, or maybe because it was early morning. The launch was almost too intense but was great fun. I had heard about the top hat hurting parts of your anatomy, but mine were fine. The airtime is insane, particularly without OTSR. I also thing the location just rocks. T be that close to mount Fuji just blew me away.

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SPOILER ALERT,

Don't read if you want to be surprised when you ride DoDonPa

 

Hey,

I've probably got more rides on Dodonpa (7) than anyone else on this board. (Except I know there are a couple Nihonji coasterphiles that are semi-lurkers, so one of them may have me beat.)

 

The ops STAPLE you in this train. It's not uncomfortable, and if you know what's coming, you welcome this level of restraint. I'm not large, but I usually get an op all but sitting on the lap bar to get it down one more click.

 

The restraints themselves are well padded, and actually would be nice on any other coaster.

 

The train rolls out slowly around a 90 degree right turn before engaging the catch car. There is a brief pause, then the 'pre-launch routine' begins. An excited voice yells a bunch of stuff in Japanese. (I have no idea what he says, and I will never get my wife on this to find out.) There's a countdown in English with lights

3...

2...

1...

Then nothing happens!

The voice comes back on, says a few things in Japanese that MUST mean 'what's wrong? what happened?' Then, the equivalent of "Oh, Yeah!"

and BOOM!

0-106.9 mph in 1.8 seconds.

I have described this the same way since the very first time I rode:

 

It feels like you just got kicked in the chest.

 

Your eyes water, and you blink and wipe at them as you scream down the track.

 

Unlike any other launched coaster in the world, the first direction is down in a gentle drop. I feel that there is pleasant low to negative g or 'floater air' on this in the front row of the train. It is less pronounced in the back row. I suspect a lot of folks are still trying to get over the launch and the watering eyes by this point and don't notice. I don't blame them, I didn't notice it the first two times I rode either, that launch is explosive.

 

At the bottom of the drop, the train passes through the first glass walled tunnel. AT these speeds, you barely notice the tunnels, and I have felt zero headchopper sensation from any of the three. (I suspect the tunnels are to ensure that nothing can be thrown at the ride.

 

The train rises high up into a 45 degree banked turn around the replica Mt Fuji before diving back down into the second tunnel. I have not experienced any roughness in this section personally.

 

After the tunnel, the train rises up the vertical spike. I believe that this spike is the same height as H:XLC's, but I do not have any confirmation on that. The spike produces what I feel is the most aggressive ejector air of any coaster, any where. I thank the ops for stapling me at this point. There are two distinct moments of higher negative g's during the curve over the summit, which one is more aggressive depends on which row you are seated in. I find that Dodonpa scares me solely because of the intensity of this airtime, I worry that the restraint will fail, and that I could get thrown clear out of the park. (Dodonpa is the only coaster that still scares me every time I get on it.)

 

After the spike, the train drops vertically into the third glass tunnel and then rides up a long ramp to the on ride photo. (The giant camera to the left of the track houses the real cameras.)

 

Immediately after the photo, the first brakes engage, slowing the train to what feels to be about 50 mph. There are two more brakes before the pre-station brakes finally stop you and the train meanders relatively slowly between them and back to the station.

 

I agree that this ride is very aggressive. I do feel that it is the best launched coaster without an inversion I have been on. (I have only ridden Dragster and H:XLC for comparison.) I find it much better than H:XLC and somewhat better than Dragster.

 

I agree that riding it in winter is unpleasant. I agree that the ride ops are rediculous in what they will not let you bring onboard. (I have had to remove my keys, wallet, cash, etc from my pants pockets before riding on more than one occasion.)

 

I also agree that waiting the often more than three hours for this ride is excessive, and definitely not worth doing twice unless the wait gets short. (Largely because Fujiyama is right over there! Soon, Eejanaika will siphon off a lot of the wait for Dodonpa, so that's good news, too.)

 

If you are excited to try Dodonpa, then get over here and ride it! Opinions are just that. I respect that Robb and Elissa don't love Dodonpa, but until you try it for yourself, you'll never know what YOU think of it.

 

(Jeezus Juice, do you want to chime in here?)

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Personally, I loved Dodopa. Yes, the launch is nuts, and yes, you get a crazy pop of airtime. But I'm an airtime whore, and I didn't think the launch felt any more extreme than that on Dragster (Hypersonic's launch seemed worse). And there's certainly more TO it than Dragster, Kingda Ka, or Hypersonic...

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Id definatley say theres more to the ride than those, it looks like one of the best launched coasters...

 

It just seems so appealing and so extreme, that it draws you to it.

Its one of my "goal" coasters to experience.

 

rollermonkey, thank you for that awsome description.

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I was kinda worried to find that i was the only one who loved Dodonpa but thankfully im not alone. To me it kicks both TTD and KK, both which ive ridden, butt. The intensity of the launch just does it for me and yes being stapled by the ops was at first a dissappointment but after the hill i was thankful that they did. It was the single most intense coaster ive ever ridden and my favorite launch coaster.

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It most definatley looks like a kiss a** coaster, hehe...no really though. It seems so intense...and it is as Ive come to find out. Almost too intense itd seem almost.

 

I think Fuji-Q may begin to get really crazy for a few years...this is after all "episode" III. Does that mean more to come? Who knows 'cept for them but my point is Dodonpa seems to be one mean intense thrill machine. Its very "attractive" you know?

 

Wow, I really have a weird obsession with launched coasters and especially accelerators but this guy seems to blow them away....

 

Oh GISCO, wherd tou get those pics, like from what site? Id like to see more if there are any.....thank you.

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Chris pretty much covered the specifics...quite well I might add!

 

I've only ridden twice, both times in the front, but I thought the ride was amazing.

 

Yes, you get kicked in the chest and yes, the top hat will throw you into Mt. Fuji, so you definatly should prepare yourself beforehand. Don't go expecting Dragster!

 

Everything that's been said I agree with. The queue is kinda lame, the "Do Don Pa" succeded in hypnotizing me, and the waits can get bad.

 

That being said the launch is way extreme, and the 'air drop' just after kicks ass! Just the fact that it actually doesen't launch into a top-hat like just about every other launch coaster blows my mind. You should definately go out there and check it out for yourself!

 

Oh, I had a night ride in the front in january with a 27 degree temp. Thank god I was able to keep my gloves on! My eyes would have watered up but they were frozen!

 

-Don

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Having the "spike" midway through the course is mainly, just as you said, what I like about. Its kind of unique to a sense. I just like the simple yet large layout of the coaster. Does that drop down have little or great effect on every row or only certain ones?

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  • 11 years later...

Just got back from my first time ever at Fujikyu, and was lucky enoυgh to check out Dodonpa a week after it reopened! Maybe they fixed somethlng with the launch - several people in this forum were saying it felt like "being kicked in the chest". I don't think it feels like that at all! If anything, I get pulled back into my seat, but it was a very intense, yet comfortable feeling for me. From what I've read, it sounds like they've change the launch announcement. Yoυ hear the theme music progressively get louder, Yoυ just hear 3,2,1, then yoυ take off.

 

The launch was my favorite part. Then the loop! It is very large, and very comfortable. The return back is a bit rough, but it seems they've come a long way since the renovation.

 

Upon looking at the previous photos of the cars, it seems they have taken out the lap restraints. I only remember OTSR's.

 

I liked the LCD screen and musical intro. Of course, I didn't wait in line either, so maybe that's why the repetition didn't bother me so much.

 

I liked it, but felt it was very short. The launch is obviously the exciting part of the ride. To be honest, I was much more impressed with the coaster right beside Dodonpa. Maybe it's called Eejanika? The initial corkscrew (is that what it's called?) and acceleration in the dark really caught me off guard at the beginning. What a unique ride!

 

Anyway, photo trip report of both Nagashima Spaland and Fujikyu to come soon.

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Maybe they fixed somethlng with the launch - several people in this forum were saying it felt like "being kicked in the chest". I don't think it feels like that at all! If anything, I get pulled back into my seat, but it was a very intense, yet comfortable feeling for me.

Huh. I hope they didn't change it because it was the most intense launch in the world. It literally felt like you were getting hit in the back with a giant Mack Truck coming at full speed.

 

What you described sounds kind of boring, TBH compared to what I've experienced. Dodonpa's launch is like sex...it's not supposed to be "comfortable."

Edited by robbalvey
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Maybe they fixed somethlng with the launch - several people in this forum were saying it felt like "being kicked in the chest". I don't think it feels like that at all! If anything, I get pulled back into my seat, but it was a very intense, yet comfortable feeling for me.

Huh. I hope they didn't change it because it was the most intense launch in the world. It literally felt like you were getting hit in the back with a giant Mack Truck coming at full speed.

 

What you described sounds kind of boring, TBH compared to what I've experienced. Dodonpa's launch is like sex...it's not supposed to be "comfortable."

 

Looking back over the pages of this thread and comments in other topics, I like how your opinion has changed and you're honest about it. It's a refreshing change from people who will declare a ride best/worst ride EVA!1!1!!! and then that has to be the way it is no matter how much a ride or their experience changes over the year.

 

Dodonpa's launch was what always made me go to Fuji-Q every trip at the expense of some others. Every time I think of making a diversion to Nagashima Spa Land it seems something gets rumored for me to wait, 1st the B&M Flyer, then the 4D free-spin and now potentially a chance of my 1st RMC I still keep putting it off. If the launch isn't as good it finally gives me a reason to ditch Fuji-Q and maybe do Parque Espana...

 

Although with my love for Kawasemi, if Tobu Zoo ever RMC'd Regina I might just end up there every day on my non Disney day's.

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