Moonsault Scramble
Moonsault Scramble was a shuttle roller coaster located at Fuji-Q Highland amusement park in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan. Manufactured by Sanoyas Hishino Meisho, the ride opened to the public on June 24, 1983. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Moonsault Scramble was the tallest roller coaster in the world at 70 metres (230 ft).[1] It held the record until the opening of Fujiyama, a roller coaster that opened at the same park in 1996, reaching 79 metres (259 ft) in height. The coaster was removed from the park in 2000[2] to make way for the construction of Dodonpa, which opened in 2001.
| Moonsault Scramble | |
|---|---|
| Fuji-Q Highland | |
| Location | Fuji-Q Highland |
| Coordinates | 35.487°N 138.780°E |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | June 24, 1983 |
| Closing date | April 2000 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Shuttle |
| Manufacturer | Meisho Amusement Machines |
| Height | 229.7 ft (70.0 m) |
| Length | 1,509.2 ft (460.0 m) |
| Speed | 55.9 mph (90.0 km/h) |
| Inversions | 2 |
| G-force | 6.5 |
| Trains | Single train with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train. |
| Moonsault Scramble at RCDB Pictures of Moonsault Scramble at RCDB | |
Ride experience
Moonsault Scramble was known for producing extremely high g-forces on its riders. As of 1998, it was cited by some to exert up to 6.5 gs on its riders.[2] It was one of only three roller coasters outside the United States to exert such extreme forces on its riders (the others being Mindbender and Dreier Looping Coaster).[3] The pretzel knot element (compromising two inversions) that produced these high g-forces was the only such pretzel knot inversion ever implemented in a roller coaster until the opening of Banshee at Kings Island in 2014.[4] The pretzel knot element is different from the much more common pretzel loop element.
Height record
The height claims of coasters like Moonsault Scramble stirred controversy among enthusiasts. Moonsault's 207-foot (63 m) height was reportedly attributed to decorative towers that flanked the support structure, while the actual track height measured 196 feet (60 m).[5] According to the Sun Sentinel in 1989, the The Guinness Book of World Records recognized the height as 246 feet (75 m), but the American Coaster Enthusiasts organization refused to recognize the claim, describing it as "disappointing" since riders do not approach the maximum height or "go over the top".[6] The Roller Coaster DataBase (RCDB) lists the overall height as 229.7 feet (70.0 m).[2]
| Preceded by Montezooma's Revenge |
World's Tallest Roller Coaster June 1983 – July 1996 |
Succeeded by Fujiyama |
References
- Russell, Alan; McWhirter, Norris D. (1987). Guinness Book of Records (1988 ed.). Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 0-85112-868-8.
- Marden, Duane. "Moonsault Scramble (Fuji-Q Highland)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
- Cook, Nick (1998). Roller coasters, or, I had so much fun, I almost puked. Millbrook Press. p. 34. ISBN 1-57505-071-4. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
- RCDB listing of roller coasters using a pretzel element
- Chase, Nan K. (August 7, 1994). "Steep Thrills". Washington Post.
- Meskil, Paul (August 6, 1989). "A Rolling Revival". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved October 26, 2020.