Are you an adrenaline seeker? Check out the Steel Dragon 2000, the world’s longest roller coaster! I’m one of those adrenaline seekers, but when I strapped into the roller coaster in Nagashima Spaland Amusement Park in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture for the first time, I admit I was sweating with fear!
Steel Dragon 2000, The Longest Roller Coaster in The World!
Steel Dragon 2000 is famous as the longest roller coaster in the world. It is a wild four minute ride which will send you plummeting from 94 meters (307 feet) high and reaching speeds of over 150 kilometers (95 miles) per hour. This is not a ride for the faint-hearted!
The Steel Dragon 2000 got its name because it opened in 2000, the Year of the Dragon in Eastern calendars. As I said, I really wanted to get off the ride, but the staff had already put me into the second chair of the roller coaster, so I had no choice.
The Steel Dragon climbs slowly upward and you can enjoy a gorgeous view of the surrounding area, including the cherry blossom trees if you are there in the right time of the Spring. It pauses ominously at the peak, just before it plunges downward at top speed. I left my heart at the starting point, screaming loudly with my eyes closed. I barely remember anything that happened, just holding on to the safety bar for dear life. After around two and a half minutes, the dragon finally slowed down and I finally opened my eyes, but it turned out to be a trick. It sped up again entering a tunnel and burst out running all the way to the finishing point. I was left in shock and breathless for a moment… just before I decided “let’s do it again!” I was addicted to the adreneline rush of the Steel Dragon 2000!
Nagashima Spaland, General Information
Reaching Nagashima Spaland Amusement Park takes around an hour from Nagoya by local train. Get off at Kuwana Station, then take a 20-minute bus ride that costs around 500 yen and you will find the giant amusement park.
The admission fee is 1,600 yen, while the cost for each ride varies. Steel Dragon 2000 is one of the top three rides and costs 1,000 yen. It’s recommended to buy a one-day passport so you can ride the roller coaster as many times as you want as well as the other rides in the park.
Riding the longest roller coaster in the world is a great challenge for adrenaline seekers. There is a long queue for the ride as many people are curious about the roller coaster, but once you ride it, you will be hooked!
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