Dollywood Hints at Another Huge Attraction in 2016

U Smell Smoke · June 06, 2016, 07:57:11 AM

I'm certainly hoping Lightning Rod will be running some this week as we will be at Dollywood several days. Looking forward to visiting DW.

chittlins · June 06, 2016, 12:43:32 PM

Quote from: U Smell Smoke on June 06, 2016, 07:57:11 AM
I'm certainly hoping Lightning Rod will be running some this week as we will be at Dollywood several days. Looking forward to visiting DW.

Fill us in, that a possible fall trip location

U Smell Smoke · June 09, 2016, 08:53:55 PM

Got to ride Lightning Rod two times today. Great ride!! If you like speed and air time this is the ride for you. Went to DW Tuesday and it never opened as they were working on the launch hill. They did do some testing late in the day. Did not go to the park Wednesday but headed straight to the coaster when the park opened this morning. Workers said it would open today but they did not know when. I knew it was going to happen when 4 tv news crews showed up. We were about 12th position in line and the tv guys and gals were interviewing all sorts of people. When it opened we were on the first train for the general public today (it had been open to park goers sporadically for testing over the past few weeks) and all the camera crews were taping our voyage and conducting interviews when we returned to the station. As Swoosh mentioned earlier, flooding in that area of the park last week slowed the testing progress. I was told Red's Diner right in front of the coaster had water in it.

The uphill launch is something different and a lot of fun. It really shoots you over that first small drop hill and sets the stage for the big drop. After that it's all speed and airtime. It's very similar to Outlaw Run with some of the same elements. My wife and kids both thought LR was better than OR as did I. I have to admit though, at this stage of my life I'm not big on inversions and LR has none (you are sideways a few times). My favorite part was the quadruple down near the end of the ride. Always twisting and turning at high speeds. It's a short ride but really packs a punch. The station looks very nice and the majority of the ride is hidden from park view. I even thought the coaster trains looked sharp and really fit the ride. I'll try to provide more thoughts when I return home. I hope to catch a few more rides on it this Sunday. It's a ride that makes you glad you've got a seatbelt as my rear end was off the seat more than it was on it.

U Smell Smoke · June 14, 2016, 07:46:29 PM

Well, Lightning Rod is now officially open. DW has been sending out-mails and posting things on Facebook yesterday and today announcing that the ride is open and out of technical ride rehearsal. I got to ride it two more times this past Sunday. It did not open on time Sunday but once it did open two train operation seemed to go smoothly throughout the day. The more I rode it the more I loved the uphill launch. But, I am afraid they are going to have continuing maintenance problems with it although I hope I am wrong. I just have this bad feeling that it will be like Powderkeg in that once the chain drops for the day you will hustle to LR and it will not be ready to open on time. As I posted previously, Lightning Rod is all about speed and air time. It does feature some of the same elements as Outlaw Run. It's a short, quick ride but it packs a punch!

sdcfan88 · June 14, 2016, 08:15:46 PM

Great to hear! I am planning my first visit to the park later in the Summer or sometime in the Fall. Looks great from the videos I have seen.

U Smell Smoke · June 18, 2016, 05:17:25 PM

I saw on Dollywood's website where Lightning Rod is closed today because the ride manufacturer ordered all of its roller coasters closed until further notice as a recalled mechanical part is replaced. Does anyone know if Outlaw Run is closed as well?

Madtwins · June 18, 2016, 06:24:13 PM

According to the sdc app there is a 25 minute wait time for outlaw run. When I was there over Memorial Day the app was pretty accurate and would say if a ride was down.

Swoosh · June 18, 2016, 06:35:42 PM

Quote from: U Smell Smoke on June 18, 2016, 05:17:25 PM
I saw on Dollywood's website where Lightning Rod is closed today because the ride manufacturer ordered all of its roller coasters closed until further notice as a recalled mechanical part is replaced. Does anyone know if Outlaw Run is closed as well?

Just the opens that opened this year. Something to do with the new harness assembly. Joker is where it was spotted first.

shavethewhales · June 18, 2016, 11:13:35 PM

Ugh. This coaster can't catch a break. They're always on the cusp of getting it sorted, and something else happens. So glad I didn't end up doing a spring trip to do LR this year.

Even when they do get it "open", I think what someone else said is right: LR will be DW's Powderkeg. I don't see ever being able to count on it being open on any particular weekend, and certainly not staying open the entire time. I'm sure it's worth it once you finally get on it though, but man what a pain this coaster has been for everyone involved.

Swoosh · July 02, 2016, 11:01:37 AM

Hooray! Third times the charm. Finally got to ride Lightning Rod today. A lot of fun. Hope I can get at least one more ride on it today.

shavethewhales · July 03, 2016, 04:10:07 PM

... but it's still not fully open and they haven't even fully fixed the restraint issue yet reportedly. So they've got one train occasionally running with some seats roped off.

With it now being July I think we can officially call this a debacle. Late openings aren't usually any big deal, and all enthusiasts should understand the growing pains of new tech and new rides, but this is the most difficult coaster I can remember in a long time. Kind of reminds me of the early S&S forced-air launched coasters like Hypersonic XLC. People won't be forgetting all of this once it's finally open - it'll have a reputation for awhile. Especially if it never becomes truly reliable.

It kind of makes me wonder... hypothetically, if by the end of this year they are still having loads of trouble, will the option of rebuilding the first hill and putting in a chain lift be on the table? They'd have to totally redesign the hill to be a bit taller and steeper due to the initial double dip design.

sdcfan88 · July 03, 2016, 04:59:58 PM

Yeah I think this coaster is officially Dollywoods Buzzsaw Falls. I wouldn't be surprised if drastic changes are made.

Swoosh · July 03, 2016, 11:13:09 PM

Quote from: shavethewhales on July 03, 2016, 04:10:07 PM
... but it's still not fully open and they haven't even fully fixed the restraint issue yet reportedly. So they've got one train occasionally running with some seats roped off.

With it now being July I think we can officially call this a debacle. Late openings aren't usually any big deal, and all enthusiasts should understand the growing pains of new tech and new rides, but this is the most difficult coaster I can remember in a long time. Kind of reminds me of the early S&S forced-air launched coasters like Hypersonic XLC. People won't be forgetting all of this once it's finally open - it'll have a reputation for awhile. Especially if it never becomes truly reliable.

It kind of makes me wonder... hypothetically, if by the end of this year they are still having loads of trouble, will the option of rebuilding the first hill and putting in a chain lift be on the table? They'd have to totally redesign the hill to be a bit taller and steeper due to the initial double dip design.

1. No rows were roped off yesterday on either train.
2. There is no problem with the launch.
3. The dip after launch makes a conventional lift out of the question.
4. The issue is the different computer loops do not want to play nice with each other.

Oh and to rub it in - I got 2 rides yesterday

shavethewhales · July 04, 2016, 01:16:31 PM

Quote from: Swoosh on July 03, 2016, 11:13:09 PM
Quote from: shavethewhales on July 03, 2016, 04:10:07 PM
... but it's still not fully open and they haven't even fully fixed the restraint issue yet reportedly. So they've got one train occasionally running with some seats roped off.

With it now being July I think we can officially call this a debacle. Late openings aren't usually any big deal, and all enthusiasts should understand the growing pains of new tech and new rides, but this is the most difficult coaster I can remember in a long time. Kind of reminds me of the early S&S forced-air launched coasters like Hypersonic XLC. People won't be forgetting all of this once it's finally open - it'll have a reputation for awhile. Especially if it never becomes truly reliable.

It kind of makes me wonder... hypothetically, if by the end of this year they are still having loads of trouble, will the option of rebuilding the first hill and putting in a chain lift be on the table? They'd have to totally redesign the hill to be a bit taller and steeper due to the initial double dip design.

1. No rows were roped off yesterday on either train.
2. There is no problem with the launch.
3. The dip after launch makes a conventional lift out of the question.
4. The issue is the different computer loops do not want to play nice with each other.

Oh and to rub it in - I got 2 rides yesterday

Nice, they must have gotten it all sorted out just in time for you. I've been following the daily updates on TPR for months now, and there's always something that pushes them back to having single train "technical rehearsal" operations.

The Irvine Ondrey people were saying the control systems have never been an issue and their work was wrapped up a long time ago. From an outside perspective, the best speculation I've seen for most of LR's issues was poor heat management from the launch.

Let's just see if it can stay open now. I'm optimistic, but after all that's happened I'm not holding my breath yet. I'm waiting till next year to head out there again myself.

shavethewhales · July 23, 2016, 02:41:54 PM

So over the last month it opened fully for a short bit but has recently closed down completely. From the blub in this article it sounds like they are getting a little more pessimistic themselves, saying they are just trying to get it open again this season: http://www.wbir.com/news/local/dollywood-extending-its-2016-season/279832634

I'm still just scratching my head at how it could be this bad. I feel like a lot of parks would have fired everyone involved and started over by now or something. It looks like July is going to sail by with this thing closed almost the entire month. Even if they get it open again in August, we're way past the debacle stage, and I'm sure it will still be a "technical rehearsal".

It's awesome that they've had a 10% jump in attendance and are extending the season though. I just have to wonder how many of those will come back after the uproar with LR...