Dollywood Discussion Thread

[DoinItForTheFame]

Super jealous of everyone getting to ride this coaster today!! It looks amazing!! Congrats to those who are getting to experience it!! I can't wait to get up there later this season to try it out!!

[GoBears]

I really hope Lightning Rod is open tomorrow and/or Wednesday. I tried getting to the park as quickly as I could today but ran into some problems with the cabin I'm checking into so I won't have time.

[prozach626]

mother of God...

[nicman]

bout frekin time it's running

[VF15]

Okay, here's my full Lightning Rod review:

 

I had been walking past the ride about every hour or so since I was aware of the rumors that it might soft open today. When I walked by around 12:45, I noticed that there were people on the ride that didn't look like employees. After looking around for a bit, I saw an employee handing out boarding passes to ride during the technical ride rehearsal session. I was able to get one, and then proceeded up the steps to the station. Waited there for a minute, then I was assigned a seat in the fifth row. As the train pulled out of the station, everyone on the train was going nuts. Then we headed up the launched lift hill. The launch wasn't mind-blowing, but it is one of the better launches I've experienced. The first drop was awesome with great air! The first banked turned after the lift hill was the only spot where I felt the ride let up at all (still a fun element). After that, it was pedal-to-the-metal all the way to the end, with a layout full of speed, intensity, airtime, quick transitions, and the out-of-control feeling. This might also be the smoothest coaster I've ridden, no roughness whatsoever. The best part of the ride for me was by far the quad-down, full of great ejector air! The last turn before the brake run was just icing on the cake. The train was roaring with applause as we returned to the station. A few hours later, I'm still shocked that it happened. I wouldn't have been able to come back tomorrow because my flight back home leaves tomorrow morning, so the fact that I got to ride it is almost a miracle. Overall, Lightning Rod is truly an amazing coaster. It's my new favorite wooden coaster and my #2 coaster overall (out of 85 coasters), with Fury 325 being the only coaster I rank higher. Huge thanks to Dollywood, Rocky Mountain Construction, and everyone else involved with this project. I would certainly recommend making a trip out to Dollywood to ride it, but I would wait until they officially announce an opening date (hopefully tomorrow or sometime this week) before making plans if you aren't a local.

 

One more thing: I met and said hi to MonorailORANGE (the other poster here who rode it) while in line for Wild Eagle, and we both agreed that the #ItllNeverOpen movement going on in this thread is really getting ridiculous.

#ItHasSoftOpened

[kickflipbacktail]

Here is a video

OH MY GOD

[BeansproutMidget]

AWESOME

[Mater]

How does the launch compare to Hulk?

 

 

Also, how f-ed up does it feel in the back rows?

[Tylerdw89]

Thinking of going up tomorrow? For those who went...did they mention if they would be doing it tomorrow? Is it hard to get the tickets?

 

Thank you! Looks awesome!

[Dollywoodlover20]

Oh....my......it's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful

[Nrthwnd]

^^ Soft Opening = Unpredictable.

 

Don't go there expecting it open, until they (finally) announce it.

[SFOGdude25]

Looks so amazing!!!

I think my favorite part of that video is the cheering of the train at the end. You know you have a winner when every person on the train is losing their minds over how good it is. Can't wait to ride soon!

[GeorgeT]

Looks so amazing!!!

I think my favorite part of that video is the cheering of the train at the end. You know you have a winner when every person on the train is losing their minds over how good it is. Can't wait to ride soon!

 

Soooo true. And so wonderful everytime a coaster opens, that makes people so happy

[Dollywoodlover20]

Looks so amazing!!!

I think my favorite part of that video is the cheering of the train at the end. You know you have a winner when every person on the train is losing their minds over how good it is. Can't wait to ride soon!

Exactly and these people are pretty much GP and they're cheering and screaming. The part that cracked me up was the guy screaming "OHHHHHH YEAAAA". That adrenaline rush is the best feeling.

[larrygator]

This is really a PR nightmare for Dollywood and Rocky Mountain Construction...

 

This has been pegged the unofficial best new roller coaster for 2016 and currently Dollywood looks awful b/c it is not open yet and they had a media day with nothing for the media to ride. They can save face if it is open by Memorial Day b/c that is the unofficial start of summer...This may be the first ,only and last launched wooden roller coaster. It really is not even worth the trouble IMO. Yes a launch is always pretty cool but the launch is essentially just a high tech lift hill.

 

I called it! I also stand by my opinion from early April!

 

You also said the coaster was not even worth the trouble!

[KICoasterkev]

Lighting Rod looks great! Hope it opens within the week!

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

That looks absolutely amazing. I'm glad it appears this park has a lot of operation days in the fall, because I'm definitely gonna be planning a trip down to ride this! I'll also be riding Joker and Storm Chaser this year, so I'll be able to compare it to the other to by the time I get on this thing

[PixelRush]

#ithasalreadysoftopened

 

Also... I think it's about time we lynch Guy T. Koepp for instigating this riot

[Nrthwnd]

^

Hmm. Sounds tempting. But no.

 

Waste of rope.

 

 

(He'd come back, y'know. He Always Does.)

Edited May 24, 2016 by Nrthwnd

[VF15]

Thinking of going up tomorrow? For those who went...did they mention if they would be doing it tomorrow? Is it hard to get the tickets?

 

Thank you! Looks awesome!

I'd heard that they might have it fully open on Tuesday or Wednesday, but I can't make any guarantees.

[chickenbowl]

Thinking of going up tomorrow? For those who went...did they mention if they would be doing it tomorrow? Is it hard to get the tickets?

 

Thank you! Looks awesome!

I'd heard that they might have it fully open on Tuesday or Wednesday, but I can't make any guarantees.

 

Thanks for the review! Sorry you couldn't ride it more times!

[thrillseeker4552]

I'm jealous! How awesome. Looks like a great coaster and the perfect addition to Dollywood. I find it hilarious that this coaster was delayed so much, yet it will still likely open around the same time or even before most of the stuff at Six Flags.

[Nrthwnd]

Any video I've seen of that launch now, it just doesn't seem possible, that speed, to my eyes!

 

Which is A VERY AWESOME THING!

[RyanTPM]

Oh my, the pacing in that video is incredible, really impressive so i certainly am looking forward to a pov!

[strz]

I have enjoyed all the banter that #itllneveropen has provided......guess I'm in the minority as most posts are complaining about it! Oh well.....