Steel Dragon 2000 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steel Dragon 2000
The ride's 97-meter lift hill and the first few camelback hills
Nagashima Spa Land
Location	Nagashima Spa Land
Coordinates	35°01′52″N 136°43′48″E / 35.031156°N 136.730078°E / 35.031156; 136.730078
Status	Operating
Opening date	1 August 2000 (2000-08-01)
Cost	7,888,114,000 yen
General statistics
Type	Steel
Manufacturer	D. H. Morgan Manufacturing
Designer	Steve Okamoto
Track layout	Out and back
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	97 m (318 ft)
Drop	93.5 m (307 ft)
Length	2,479 m (8,133 ft)
Speed	152.9 km/h (95.0 mph)
Inversions	0
Duration	4:00
Max vertical angle	68°
G-force	3.5
Height restriction	140–185 cm (4 ft 7 in – 6 ft 1 in)
Trains	Multiple trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train.
Trains built by	Bolliger & Mabillard
Steel Dragon 2000 at RCDB

Steel Dragon 2000 (スチールドラゴン2000, Suchīru Doragon Nisen) is an amazing steel roller coaster. You can find it at Nagashima Spa Land amusement park in Mie Prefecture, Japan.

Built by D. H. Morgan Manufacturing, Steel Dragon 2000 opened on August 1, 2000. Its name comes from Chinese astrology and zodiac calendars, where the year 2000 was the year of the dragon. When it first opened, Steel Dragon 2000 broke several world records. It became the longest roller coaster in the world with a track length of 2,479 meters (about 8,133 feet). It was also the tallest and fastest complete-circuit coaster at that time. While its height and speed records have since been surpassed, it held the title of the world's longest coaster for many years. This year, in 2025, its record for the longest coaster was broken by Falcons Flight. With a top speed of 153 kilometers per hour (95 mph), it is still one of the fastest coasters that uses a lift hill, tied with Fury 325.

The Story of Steel Dragon 2000

In November 1999, Nagashima Spa Land announced plans for this incredible new ride. Steel Dragon 2000 was the second 'giga coaster' ever built. Giga coasters are known for being super tall and fast! The first one was Millennium Force at Cedar Point. Steel Dragon 2000 officially welcomed its first riders on August 1, 2000. The ride originally used trains made by D. H. Morgan. Later, in 2013, Steel Dragon 2000 got brand new trains from a company called Bolliger & Mabillard.

Riding Steel Dragon 2000

Your adventure begins as the train makes a right turn onto the huge lift hill. This lift hill is so long that it needs two separate chains to pull the trains up! Once you reach the very top, the track plunges down a thrilling 94-meter (308-foot) drop to the ground. After this big drop, you soar over a 77-meter (253-foot) tall 'airtime hill.' These hills give you that fun, floating feeling! Next, the track climbs over another 64-meter (210-foot) hill. Then, you twist through two helixes, which are like giant spirals. The first helix turns one way, and the second turns the other way. After these turns, the train goes through a section of brakes. This marks the start of the return journey. The ride then takes you over a series of more airtime hills, running right next to the first part of the track. Finally, you reach the last set of brakes near the bottom of the lift hill. From there, the trains move through a special area before returning to the station.

How Steel Dragon 2000 Was Built

Much more steel was used to build Steel Dragon 2000 than most other roller coasters. This extra strong design helps protect the coaster from earthquakes, which can happen in Japan. Using all that extra steel was a big reason why the ride cost over 7 billion Japanese yen to build. The coaster also features two cool tunnels along its track.

Amazing Records of Steel Dragon 2000

When it first opened, Steel Dragon 2000 set many new records! Here are some of its impressive achievements:

• It is the fourth tallest steel roller coaster in the world, standing 97 meters (318 feet) tall. Only Top Thrill 2, Red Force, and Fury 325 are taller.
• It has the fifth longest roller coaster drop, at 93.5 meters (307 feet).
• It was once the longest roller coaster in the world, with a track length of 2,479 meters (8,133 feet). This record was broken by Falcons Flight in 2025.
• It is the only roller coaster in the world to have three hills that are each over 200 feet tall! This includes its 318-foot tall lift hill and two airtime hills that are 253 and 210 feet tall.

A Brief Closure for Safety

On August 23, 2003, a small part detached from one of the trains. This caused minor injuries to two people. One passenger had a back injury, and another person in the nearby water park pool was hit by the detached part. To ensure everyone's safety, the ride was closed for over three years. Engineers worked hard to make sure everything was perfect. Steel Dragon 2000 reopened safely on September 3, 2006.

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Steel Dragon 2000 para niños