After temporarily closing in 2021 due to report of rides being injured by coaster, it has confirmed today that Do-Dodonpa at Fuji-Q in Japan has permanently closed.

For those who don’t know, this was the fastest accelerating launch coaster in the world reaching 180km/h in just 1.56 seconds. It’s sad to see such a unique and impressive coaster close. Did anyone on here ever get to ride it and if so, what was that launch and the whole coaster like?

Edited March 13, 20241 yr by themagician

That is a bummer, I would have loved to have ridden this - but understand why they had to close it. Missed Hypersonic XLC at King's Dominion by a year too. 

Huge loss, seems like nothing will ever come close to its’ acceleration. Second place uses the same launch system & only pulls half the force it did. Really wish I could’ve ridden it.

Edited March 13, 20241 yr by Tricoart

From my trip report end of 2019

Quote

 

Do-Dodonpa – A launch so fast your brain doesn’t process it for a second, and one of the few rides I’ve had an oh gawd moment on (prior to the launch) The train does bounce around a bit, so its an experience, but probably wouldn’t want to be  much longer. I did 2 laps, including one with a fast pass from the vending machine out front of the ride.

 

 

I rode before the loop was installed. It was just, intensely fast. I don't think I really understood how quickly we were going because it just happens so fast. 

I went on it prior to the loop installation back in 2010. Very fast launch and not the smoothest ride or take off. 

Never rode it with the loop, but that top hat was something else. Probably the most violent vertical airtime I can remember. The launch was incredible though, shame to see it go.

I was at Fuji q a few weeks back. Was sad it was closed. 

This thing was very very high on my bucket list... very sad to see it close.

Spewing, we are doing Fuji Q next year and this was a must ride for me,

I mean, it'd been SBNO for like 2.5 years at this point with no evidence of work going on. We're planning on a Japan trip this year, and looking at the situation, my wife who is very much not an enthusiast called it wouldn't be reopening. 

I rode something that I believe had similar technology at Old Town in Florida called G-Force which was basically a sedan shaped race car on a flat track that accelerated in a straight line. That really took me by surprise, so I can only imagine how crazy Dodonpa was.

I hear Moonsault Scramble at Fuji-Q was pretty crazy too, some said it should be illegal lol.

I feel a bit sad realising I will never be able to experience the fastest accelerating coaster in the world. It's likely that no coaster will ever be able to beat its record, as many manufacturers would not want to make a coaster that accelerates as fast as that due to the injuries.

In fact, its a bit sad that the fast accelerating launch coasters are slowly disappearing, with their replacements being LSMs which launch much slower.