hamu86

OK, I didn't believe you all so I went to Fujikyu Highland yet again last Friday. I got on Eejanaika in 5 minutes using my super-priority pass -- I won't go into detail about how I got it, except to say that it was because I was a repeated victim of rain and a good customer for the park. Anyway, I boarded on the right-hand platform and they gave me second row inside. It was a fine, smooth ride, and I didn't have to reach for my harness once. In fact, it was one of the smoothest I've experienced in the eight times I've been aboard. Operations were fine, considering it was yet another crowded Friday. Lines at all the major coasters topped out at about 70 minutes. Perhaps longer than what most people are accustomed to in the States, but not a big problem in a country where there are often hour-long waits for something lame like Pirates of the Caribbean. Needless to say, queues could certainly move along faster at Fujikyu. Yes, they have a set of rules that may sometimes exceed the bounds of reason and the staff are quite intransigent about varying from it. And yes, the average Japanese person is far too patient and has too high a pain threshold. Still, assuming that we all agree to play along with the same set of rules, what can one do about it? And I feel like the park does a good job safety-wise. But of course, I'm happy to agree to disagree about how much Fujikyu sucks.

Well, it's too bad that the majority of you didn't like Eejanaika. It remains my favorite ride, but it's definitely true that it got significantly rougher over the course of the seven rides I clocked on it between January and August of this year. I guess it also helps that I've never waited more than about 70 minutes for it, and that time the queue was entertained with a nice little fireworks show just behind the park offices. Was Nasu Highland on the itinerary? Now that's a collection of some of the most painful coasters (and restraint systems) that I've ever experienced. I usually say that I get beat up way worse on a regular basis in my ordinary life than by any coaster, but I retracted that statement at Nasu.

My wife and I hit Disney Sea last Friday, right in the middle of a typhoon. It was great. No lines anywhere. Actually, this picture of the parking lot says it all.

Robb, not sure what your group's schedule is but my personal calendar has me at Fujikyu on September 4 and 5 and perhaps Nagashima a day later. I am also going skydiving the following Sunday. I guess that's not actually coastering, but I may work in a Nasu Highland trip that day as well. And watch out -- it's earthquake weather now.

Will you be there right at the park open? If so, I would suggest sprinting for the Eejanaika line. Dodonpa will be the least crowded line at the park open because it starts running 30 minutes after the other two. Anytime you see Dodonpa at under a 90 minute wait, you might as well suck it up and get in line. It never gets materially shorter than about an hour because of the low turnover. I've noticed most early park traffic going for Fujiyama or Eejanaika. First-timers and "normal" people (i.e., those who are not coaster dorks) will queue up early for Fujiyama because of its name recognition and because it's close to the entrance. Meanwhile, all the people who haven't visited the park for a couple of years will head to Eejanaika since that's the one they've never experienced. An hour wait for Fujiyama is not worth it. That line should start to die down in the afternoon. As for Eejanaika, last Sunday I saw the line get as big as 2-1/2 hours. In that case it's probably better to wait until the evening. More details here: http://djham.blogspot.com/2007/04/travels-fujikyu-highland.html

I wouldn't exactly call Fujiyama smooth, but I am still a fan. There are a lot of different elements on the coaster and the ride is quite long. Our group had no medical, philosophical or other objections to immediately re-boarding the coaster. The boomerang turn whips you around pretty good, which makes it more difficult to get in position for the picture that's snapped of you as you come out of it. The really painful bit is at the end when your ribs go slamming into the left and right sides of the car twice each, but even that's not so bad if you go with the flow (or brace yourself). As I mentioned above, I encounter more pain in everyday life anyway. A few weeks ago a 190- or 200-pound fellow stepped on my upper arm, digging his heel into my tricep and leaving a bruise 4-5 inches in diameter. Now that hurt.

Addendum: Some on-ride photos below. Speaking of which, I actually got censored at Fujikyu for the first time ever. I would guess it was because one dude kept a camera on him and a few others flashed photo props shaped curiously like blunts. So the pictures didn't even show up in the photo shop, and we quietly slinked away to get some soft-serve ice cream. Except for one guy who is obsessed with vertical sausage. Regarding soft-serve ice cream, the variety of fruit flavors at Fujikyu is somewhat impressive. I went with the white peach, which was just a little tangy. But make no mistake, Eejanaika is an incredibly turbulent coaster. Tragically, my riding partner flew out of his harness at one particularly rough turn. Eejanaika just makes some people loopy and find hilarity in everything. Dumbasses on Fujiyama. It looks like one "Der" is trying to eat another's dandruff. The whole gang on a Sunday afternoon Dodonpa run.

Third trip of 2007 to Fujikyu Highland. I dreaded going on a summer weekend with the schoolkids on break, but it was a pretty productive overnighter. For now, just the pictures from my cell phone: Later in the day, Dodonpa crosses Mt. Fuji. Pa! OK, so I was a split-second too fast. This was the best of three attempts and then I gave up. After all, I only had a cell phone. During my hour-long wait, I snapped a picture of Dodonpa's compressed air rigging. 7:40 AM. First loser in line for Dodonpa. But that guaranteed me the first row in a car that carried only three passengers. (Apparently they launch small loads for the first few rides of the day.) The launch was delicious. The Great Zaboon goes splash. Rode it shortly thereafter sans vinyl parka and received a thorough dousing of algae. Eejanaika's first drop. Lovely. In the morning I rode on the right side in the last row and found it to be less violent than the third, which I rode the night prior. But for the most part, this ride is only getting shakier with each trip. It is still my favorite, though. I'm not one to complain about the jerkiness of the ride, considering that I get beat up way worse at Brazilian jiu-jitsu practice a couple of times a week.

Fuji trip report here! http://djham.blogspot.com/2007/07/travels-fuji-2007.html OK, so maybe it's not really about roller coasters, but it is thrill-related. And there's a link to an earlier amusement park trip report near the bottom.

Not one of mine, but here is a picture of the greatest mixed martial arts fighter in the world, Fedor Emelianenko, on Dodonpa. Judging from the bandage above his eye, this must have been taken right after his second fight with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for the Pride Heavyweight Grand Prix championship in 2004. Fedor Emelianenko on Dodonpa

I'll probably draw some flak for this, but Fujikyu is my favorite amusement park. Many fond memories, and never had a bad time there.

Actually, not 20 hours before this accident, I had the front row on a very similar Togo standing coaster (the Momonga) at Yomiuriland in Tokyo. I feel just a little bit lucky, but I suppose a lot of this comes down to responsible park management. I believe the cars on just about all the standing Togo coasters in Japan are almost exactly the same. According to the news tonight, it seems the broken axle on the coaster had never been replaced in its entire lifetime since the ride went into operation in the early 1990s.

Actually I did capture it while I was at the park. It's not great, but send me a PM and I'll get the audio file to you. Thanks Phishy. I sent you a PM earlier.

I just got in my fourth Eejanaika ride ever last Thursday. I just love this coaster. I don't think I've ever waited more than 45 minutes to board it, so perhaps I've managed to avoid the pre-ride annoyances more than other folks. Speaking of which, I don't suppose anyone in Internet-land managed has an audio file of the Eejanaika chant? I want it for a cell phone ringtone. I have not ridden X.