Dollywood Discussion Thread

[prozach626]

7 hours ago, u4icmusic said:

There are a lot us that feel the same way about the Lightning Rod. It's been a hybrid coaster since it opened and Dollywood marketing made you believe it was a wooden coaster. 

You guys should start a petition for our entertainment.

 

Sincerely,

The Zach

[Garet]

^ Don't tell them that. I genuinely think they're that passionate about it they would waste the parks time sending emails to them with their signed petition. And if this thread has taught me anything else (apart from people really care about the ratio of wood:steel) during 2020 is that Dollywood already has an overflowing inbox.

[TEDodd]

The topper track is tubular and identical in size to the I-Box track, that's why RMC can re-track only portions of the Lightning Rod and the trains will run seamlessly because both tracks are the same size. Lighting Rod was always a hybrid coaster.

Topper track is the same size as regular wood track like Thunderhead.

They remove the top two layers (2" lumber) and replace it with the steel tube. Underneath it's the same six layers of 2" lumber as traditional wood track. It was designed as a refit. Remove the top layer and install the topper. The whole point of topper is to mimic the dimensions of traditional track.

RMC has even done partial refits. So a few sections of topper and the rest traditional wood track. Cyclone at SFNE was one. Went several years like that before getting I-box.

And I've seen no coaster with topper track called a hybrid until you called LR that. RCDB lists all the rides with topper track as wood, whether built that way or refitted.

And while you claim many always thought it was hybrid, I don't remember any such statements back when LR was being built.

I-box is all steel. All layers of wood are replace by the steel. Still, it's designed to mimic wood track for refitting. Such a good idea GCI is copying it.

Topper track is tubular steel. It is not wood, except for the structure.

75% of the track is wood. A 12" stack of wood with a 4" high steel rectangle bolted in top.

[Comeagain?]

22 hours ago, TEDodd said:

75% of the track is wood. A 12" stack of wood with a 4" high steel rectangle bolted in top.

I think that makes it more of a wooden coaster than a wooden coaster. Because topper track is one steel rectangle bolted on top, instead of 3 steel rectangles bolted on 3 sides of the wood.

[WolfBobs]

I appreciate that 2020 is ending with topper track being debated again...  

[dankeykang]

There's only one logical answer to this question...

[KBrylczyk]

^

 

 

[southpuddle]

There was a time in my life when I would have cared what Lightning Rod was made of.  So refreshing to give precisely zero effs. I just want to go to Dollywood and not worry about it being open! 

[teacherkim]

On the topic of guest experience. I am sure under current circumstances it is not as consistent as they would like, most businesses are not if they are even open. That being said after the excellent support in the previously mentioned lost car key debacle at the ACE event, I had another issue completely (once again) of my own making. Apparently it was my weekend to be stupid. In the panic and then subsequent relief of the key, and the fact that we stayed an hour late for ert and went out the resort gate; I totally forgot that I had sent a package to pick up earlier in the day. 

I realized the next day on our way home and called the park. Of course got a machine, left my sad tale and offered to pay to ship or in lieu of that possibility could I get a refund. I did not hear back for about 10 days BUT did eventually get a call from a very nice and obviously harassed supervisor who asked for my address so they could ship it to me at no expense on my part. So......maybe just a little patience. 

[Djwadeknox]

On 11/30/2020 at 3:15 PM, KBrylczyk said:

Aw sweet jesus forgetting all of the other stupid crap you're arguing about, would you PLEASE for the love of god stop putting "the" in front of the ride names.  It's Lightning Rod and Thunderhead. You're not even consistent with its use -

That quote alone raises yet more questions about your grammatical ineptitude. 

The folks on NBC are calling it “The” Lightning Rod.   The video is from testing and watch how fast it crest the first hill... https://youtu.be/ze097Rg7Ldc i hope they can launch it at that speed once the new track is installed.

[anonymouscactus]

("only I didn't say fudge")

Haven't been in this thread for a month.... and now I wish I had just let that continue and just skipped over the last few weeks.

Can't wait to see the Darien Lake thread debate about THE Predator becoming a steel, hybrid, ibox, Titan, totally tubular, sensually seductive .... whatever you want to call it..... coaster. But that will be for another day. Just someone please private message me when that starts so I can stay far away.

Anyways, anything to keep Lightning Rod more reliable, as others have said, is the most important. How it is classified... well, I'll just call it an RMC and call it a day. It doesn't matter.

[FrankKnox]

On 12/9/2020 at 5:39 AM, anonymouscactus said:

("only I didn't say fudge")

Haven't been in this thread for a month.... and now I wish I had just let that continue and just skipped over the last few weeks.

Can't wait to see the Darien Lake thread debate about THE Predator becoming a steel, hybrid, ibox, Titan, totally tubular, sensually seductive .... whatever you want to call it..... coaster. But that will be for another day. Just someone please private message me when that starts so I can stay far away.

Anyways, anything to keep Lightning Rod more reliable, as others have said, is the most important. How it is classified... well, I'll just call it an RMC and call it a day. It doesn't matter.
 

All right, my friend, I'll let you know

 

[u4icmusic]

I'm here now and the crane is still up and they are working on the retrack. There are large sections of missing topper track that have been removed. Maybe they will get it done in time for the spring opening.

[tndank]

Quad down down

[Jdprince45]

2021

* Dollywood’s Flower & Food Festival – April 23 – June 7

 • Dollywood’s Summer Celebration – June 25 – July 31 (Fireworks Fridays & Saturdays) 

• Dollywood’s Harvest Festival – September 24 – October 31 Featuring – GREAT Pumpkin LumiNights 

• Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas – November 6 – January 2 

[TEDodd]

No Bluegrass & BBQ
No Festival of Nations

[u4icmusic]

3 hours ago, TEDodd said:

No Bluegrass & BBQ
No Festival of Nations
 

Don't you think maybe it is because of their uncertainty with park operations and the COVID situation? Maybe in 2022 we will see some semblance of normalcy with Lightning Rod running consistently and all the traditional festivals back. We can only hope.

[u4icmusic]

From my recent visits and photos being posted, does anyone else believe that the entire track on Lighting Rod is going to be replaced? It was originally reported that only certain rough sections of the track were going to be replaced with I-Box track, but I'm no longer sure this is true after seeing so much topper track being removed. Maybe lightning will strike twice with no more topper track?

[dstephe9]

The part that you can visibly see is some of the high stress area. They mentioned that high stress area is being replaced. That final curve into the station is one of the most intense parts of the ride.

I personally don't believe all is being replaced no, but who knows

Sent from my LE2117 using Tapatalk

[Jdprince45]

Festival of Nations is my favorite and I really hope it comes back in 2022. I would guess they are still planning operations under Covd conditions, but it just a guess

[tinaalsgirl]

Yeah, hopefully the lack of Festival of Nations is just because it's not clear when international travel is gonna be a thing again. SDC got rid of World Fest, so Dollywood's fest has been the only way to experience it the last few years.

[TEDodd]

 

17 hours ago, u4icmusic said:

Don't you think maybe it is because of their uncertainty with park operations and the COVID situation?

 

Could be, I just noted their absence as they are personal favorites.

They've already screwed up the harvest festival, with few craftsmen around and not featured like in the past.
 

 

[southpuddle]

4 hours ago, dstephe9 said:

The part that you can visibly see is some of the high stress area. They mentioned that high stress area is being replaced. That final curve into the station is one of the most intense parts of the ride.

I personally don't believe all is being replaced no, but who knows

Sent from my LE2117 using Tapatalk
 

I wouldn’t be shocked if a few years down the road the remaining topper track is replaced with I-box. It just wouldn’t make sense to do maintenance and replace topper track with more topper track. 

[coneyislandchris]

1 hour ago, TEDodd said:

They've already screwed up the harvest festival, with few craftsmen around and not featured like I the past.

Gee, I wonder what the reason for that could possibly be.

[Jdprince45]

Theory on next coaster