Dinoconda: The World's Fastest 4D Roller Coaster? | POV Video & Facts

“That is the most terrifying ride on the planet Earth” – so exclaims one of the young men who I have just watched riding Dinoconda at China Dinosaurs Park. It’s a roller coaster with a twist – it’s 4D. So, while the track throws you through dizzying loops, corkscrews and stomach-churning drops, your seat has a mind of its own, rotating independently and flipping you forwards and backwards at precisely the wrong (or right!) moment. The result is a ride that seems to ignore the normal rules of physics and leaves even seasoned thrill-seekers questioning whether they would dare to ride it again.  For me, it would be a million times no. A million pounds to do it? No. Five million? No, no, no, no. no. Ah, well, maybe.

I honestly don't like roller coasters at the best of times, but riding one with seats that rotate independently of the track and flip you head over heels without warning is a step too far for me.

Now I have established my fear of rollers (and I broke out in a cold sweat just watching this one), let’s discover a little more about it. Located at China Dinosaurs Park in Jiangsu Province, Dinoconda is widely regarded as one of the most extreme roller coasters ever built. It is one of only a handful of operating 4D coasters in the world and reaches speeds of around 78 km/h (48 mph) while hurtling riders through a maze of inversions, vertical drops and gravity-defying twists. Unlike a conventional coaster, however, the experience is never quite the same twice because the seats rotate independently of the track, making it almost impossible to predict which way you will be facing next.  Just the thought of it makes me feel queasy. 

The video below is particularly fascinating because it has been filmed from the end of the train, allowing you to see exactly what the seats are doing as the coaster races around the circuit. Most onboard videos only show the rider's view, which hides the remarkable engineering taking place beneath them. This perspective reveals why 4D roller coasters occupy a category all their own - and why so many people (including our young friend I mentioned at the beginning) describe Dinoconda as one of the most exhilarating and intimidating rides on Earth.

Would you be brave enough to take your seat? Yes? Please, take mine! Watch the video by The Coaster Scoop below.