Thunder Dolphin

There is very little buzz on this coaster and I wanted to see if anyone had ridden it. Robb Alvey and Elissa White seemed less than thrilled about it in their new videos and on the website but I still think it looks like a heck of a whole lot of fun. Anyone have any input?

WARNING: The views expressed in this post are not a stab, insult, or negative remark about either Robb or Elissa Alvey.

I rarely agree with their views on coasters. It really is all about personal taste, but quite often, they have much different views than I.

For instance, recently, when Robb rode Thunderhead, he made comment that he didn't get the hype. Thunderhead is my #2 woodie, and definitly deserves the hype, IMHO.

So it really is about prefrence. But the reason you don't hear much is because most of the people on this board haven't been to Japan (yet), or were there before Thunder Dolphin. Regardless, it looks fun, and different than most other Intamin Hypers. I can't wait to try it.

I rode thunder dolphin 3 times on my trip there in August, and while i was not so negative about it as Robb and Elissa (By the way their trip reports are essential reading. Great work guys), they made some very valid points.

I have only ridden 1 intamin hyper before -millenium force and enjoyed it, but it did not blow me away. I prefered Nitro (no flaming now guys). I would put Thunder Dolphin just below MF but abover other hypers i have ridden such as Magnum, desperado, and on a par with Goliath.

It is a very basic hyper, just ups and downs connected with great fun overbanked turns. There are no tight helixes like goliath or air time like nitro/MF. But it's location certainly adds to the ride experience. The drop through the hole in the side of the shopping center is certainly unique as is the trip through the big wheel.

As Robb and Elissa said the 'trick track' side to side movement on the top of the shopping center was lame to say the least, but i imagine that was due to the lack of room up there.

All in all it is a great looking coaster, crammed into a very small space, its not the best out there, but it is fast, smooth, has 4 big drops and and nice overbanked turns. So a good coaster??

As Tekno said, its all about what you like, Personal opinion's it's what makes us all different.

You will enjoy it thats for sure. Hope you get to ride it soon.

I rode it back in November of this year, and it may be shorter than Millennium Force or most other hypers (and more expensive), but it really is a lot of fun.

Plus, the urban location in downtown Tokyo is great. If it isn't enough that you're already on a cool ride, you get spectacular views from all around. The ride itself is kinda of quirky in that it goes in circles around the shopping mall. And it does all sorts of cool things like going through a hole in the roof.

Overall, it's a bunch of fun, and I really enjoyed it.

It's called an opinion, they have one, I have one, it's all good. They didnt feel that it had much of the hype. They also didnt like Dodonpa was any good.

-Cal

I find it ironic that one would take the time to mock te President's poor usage of the English language, yet their post has a sentance that is just horrible...

Everyone makes mistakes, even you. Give him a break.

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RamblinWreck said:
to mock te President's poor usage

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If you want to discuss his signature start a new post. No one cares.

PS. Thunder Dolphin looks amazing and has the sweetest name ever! *** Edited 1/14/2005 4:21:57 PM UTC by CoasterMatt***

I enjoyed Thunder Dolphin -- in and of itself as a coaster, it's neither the best nor the worst I've ever ridden.

What I found to be fun about Thunder Dolphin was the setting. The hole in the building, the wrapping around the complex -- I thought it was fun.

And the turn through the giant ferris wheel (the very delightfully named "The Big O") is fun, too.

(It's also fun to take a ride on The Big O and watch the coaster trains as they run, while sipping the beer they thoughtfully sell you as you step on the ride.)

Is it just me or does Thunder Dolphin sound like a WNBA mascott?

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CoasterMatt said:
Everyone makes mistakes, even you. Give him a break.
If you want to discuss his signature start a new post. No one cares.

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Did I say that I was perfect? No, it's just the whole stones and glass houses thing.

Can I say Whoa! I used to live there (my dad is in the military we move every 2 or 3 years) and wow its amazing...just the setting...a huge roller coaster in the middle of a Metropolis is amiazing and how they make it ontop of the building and through it is amazing and the hubless fariswheel is awosome too...Thunder Dolphin is a Must Ride if in Japan! Same goes with Steel Dragon but its SBNO.

I haven't ridden TD yet (plan to this summer), but for a great, short, sweet, smooth, and exciting ride, go to Osaka, and ride Delphis at Festivalgate. It too is on top of a building, and has a "lighted passthrough" of the building that is wacked, to say the least.

Robb and Elissa and I have very similar opinions, theuy are blown away by the same coasters I'm blown away so their opinions are very valid to me, but in this case I think that Thunder Dolphin looks like a blast.........

I rode Thunder Dolphin a week and a half ago (in 8C weather...brrrrr), and it was ok... not the best Intamin I've ever been on, but nothing terrible. Some neat elements are there (though the trick track is rather boring), but nothing from making it a horrible ride.

At least it was more entertaining than seeing the Emporer wave for 5 minutes and head back inside the palace (which we did on the same day).