rollermonkey

It SHOULD look a lot like a B&M zero-g roll with four rails. It cost me about $200 in tickets, tolls and gas to do this update, don't expect another one before April, I'm not made of $$$! It looks like a single load / unload station and only 2 train operation. This could concievably change if they use the transfer track for dual loading like Mr. Freeze or Momonga: Standing Looping Coaster, but I wouldn't count on that. Dodonpa routinely has 3+ hour waits on uncrowded days, so I expect similar or worse for this.

Dude, that's just crazy. Keep it up! I hope you figure out how to post the video!

^ Up there somewhere... Phishy, I love the new avatar! Heyseuss! Dive Machine, halfpipe, who cares what it is? At 210 feet, it should be a great addition to a nice collection of coasters. It's been way too long since Apollo opened.

Here! Here! I have one I can ship over to you Chris!!! Wow. Excellent construction shots there. And I love the color combo of the track and the support framework. Looks nice and evil-looking, heh heh. Yes, definitely for a bit of a ride next year, huh? (Keep up the grrreat photo work there too, Chris, by the by...) Do NOT worry, I happen to have access to a hard hat!

Fujiyama @ Fuji-Q Check out the construction update!

I went to Fuji-Q yesterday with a new guy from work. I got PLENTY of new pictures, and I got to see a little actual construction. Travis also noticed a place to get a 'new' angle on the construction, and it worked great for station pictures! I also got a solid statistic from a worker! I'll hide it in a photo caption! On to the photos! Last one: Here you can see where the missing footers are so the cranes can get out. More next month! I can't wait! I think there will be a station flyover based on the footer lines. They stood one up! Look how tiny the people are. These supports are BEEFY and MEATNORMOUS! A more overall shot from this angle. Stanley the Steam Engine is playing in the dirt before this becomes a no entry zone. Taken from the "new" angle. It is now looking like a single loading station. It also appears there will be a single building for the car barn and load/unload platform like Ddodonpa. I think it's weird that they are building the lift hill from the middle. It's like they don't want anyone to know how tall it is going to be. At about 4:15, the high crew knocked off for the day. Good job today, guys! These columns will support the track between the station and the lift. The maximum height of this coaster will be 80 meters according to site workers. Backside of the Full-Full. Some construction yard shots. The workers said I need a hard hat if I want to walk around the site. I think I'll try to find a hard hat! EXTREME CLOSE-UP! Taken from Fujiyama's exit platform at maximum zoom. Action shot! Here the dip gets set into place! Within days, this will be the FULL-FULL! Can you picture it yet? PIC OF THE DAY! From the DROP on the splash boat, there's a lot to see in this picture! I took this from the top of the shoot-the-chutes, sorry it's crooked. It really is a vertical drop! Here's some rebar, there's still a few footers to be poured once the cranes move away from this end. The "low" crew got this frame assembled without a crane during the day. It will be stood up by the "mid" crew either later today (Saturday) or on Monday Track waiting to be lifted under the not looking like a half-half area. Small crossbar added to the dip area. Coasters while-you-wait? That crew can work faster than the "high" crew, as the pieces are smaller. They made lots of progress while we were there. The second or "mid-high" crew has been hard at work on the middle of the lift hill, this box structure and more! From near to far: A lamp post, the splash bridge, the not looking like a half-half, and a completed lift hill support. A worker going up to where the pre-drop dip will be. The drop is attached to the raven turn and an "Oops, I dropped my..." net has been already attached to the raven. Lots of black, and lots of work going on! From the Ferris, you can see a lot of new black support columns. What's going on to the right? There's a new structure going up to the 'left' side of the lift hill /vertical drop area. This is what you see now from between the carousel and Fujiyama.

I'm posting my Fuji-Q construction photos this morning, does that work for you?

Positive Negative, by Modest Mouse

Yes, but this has been on the Veklona website for a long time and has been discussed previously in a different thread. (Specifically, that thread talked about the thrill lift and tilt coasters more, but this one was mentioned, too.)

I'm leaving to get my Grinpa credit and do a (full size picture) construction update in about 5 minutes! Hold your horses!

It's similar to getting of a spinning ride or getting off a ship after rocking a while at sea. A related sensation is the tendency to drive to fast on 'surface' roads after extended periods of highway driving. That one is referred to as velocitation, which I always thought would make a great name for a ride!

^Done! We also had a McD's in the hotel in Beppu, but it was closed when we arrived at 11:30 PM and didn't open fro breakfast.

It looks like I need to get out there on Saturday... The wife IS working that day... OK, OK, You twisted my arm, I'll do it!

Mad Mouse at Miyazaki City Phoenix Zoo (#464)

^ In reference to your Senyo Kogyo question, on Sunday, I was at Mitsui Greenland. They have a Mondial TopScan. It has a nice big Senyo sticker on the ride's hub. Looks like another satisfied customer! (Plus bumpin' the thread makes it more likely to be noticed by those who make promises.)

Does anybody know if the Disney parks in Japan do soft openings or passholder previews? Yeah, you'd think I would know living in Japan and all, but I didn't hear anything about Raging Spirits having any, but I'm not a huge Disneyphile, so I just waited until I knew it was open. I will be leaving Japan in October, and that is the same month the opening is scheduled for.

Gaack! I think that calls for a crikey! How about it, Aussie TPR guys? I should be reaching 469 this weekend. Should have been 470, but one of the parks I was going to went and closed without asking me first! The nerve!

No. My one trip to Vancouver was mid-winter, so I got to see the Canucks beat the Redwings, but no coaster. Have you ever been to an NHL game?

That my restraint will open while I'm riding. AGAIN! Yes, it really happened, and it sucked! It stuck halfway open, and I got beaten up pretty bad. The ride ops didn't even care. (It was Naples, Italy so I guess that explains the ops...)

When I saw that Guy was the last post AND someone had picked Coasterliar, I thought it was him. Sorry, Guy, for doubting you! OR: I didn't know ACEr queen Lisa Scheihin was a poster at TPR! (Sorry, Lisa! You're actually quite nice!)

Thanks to those who gave me props! No, Pala will not be in my avatar. I am married, so I was finally able to get rid of her by stuffing her in a mailbox as a gift to one of my Japanese nieces. I hope Mana-chan likes her new friend! To R&E: Ah, carp! Sorry, I didn't even look at that thing closely! I'm really not into flats, and I've seen at least a few of these before that do have the lay down seats from TOGO, Senyo Kyogo and Zamperla over here, so I just thought it was yet another one of those. I didn't even see it (or a few of the other rides) operate while I was there, it was SOOOOO dead. There were about 5 or 6 guests in the park besides me, and a couple were pretty young. Again, thanks! I just got approved for my little trip in Kyushu, but apparently, Kagoshima Jungle Land is no longer in operation, so now this weekend's itinerary is: Friday: Miyazaki City Phoenix Zoo + Wonder Rakutenchi if time allows Saturday: Harmonyland + Kijima Amusement Park Sunday: Mitsui Greenland EDIT: Wow! I just realized that R&E actually read the text TR! That's cool! I figured everybody'd skip over that to the pictures! Thanks, I didn't waste my time actually writing (typing) all that down!

Is there other rides up there? (Wait... ) Are there other rides up there? (Yeah, that's better. ) In the pics on RCDB, it really doesn't look like there's anythng else there. I guess I'll have to go check. How's 4 March sound? Or would y'all rather I check out Fuji-Q's 4D construction instead? Let me know!

Parking lot!

I actually use that site for keeping track. It's almost a clone of the RCDB list from about a year ago. As of today, it only has 2 coasters I have been on that aren't available to add to my list. Not bad considering how many coasters I have outside the US.

^^ There's still at least a few Tumblebugs over here in Nihon. "Dragon Coaster" at Yomiuriland is actually a dragon themed T-bug, and I know Ive seen at least two or three others.