SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City
General Category => Other Parks => Dollywood Discussion => Topic started by: shavethewhales on October 23, 2014, 10:52:36 PM
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http://sdcfans.com/dollywood-tops-of-resort-hints-at-another-major-announcement/
I had actually forgotten just how much HFEC was spending on DW. Staggering to think there's something over $200 million left that they plan to invest in the park over the next decade. The resort is just the first step, but I don't even know where they are heading. Are they going to fill the place with coasters, or try to go more innovative? I've been thinking that they're trying to straddle things. They need some big coasters to stay competitive with Carowinds and other big ride parks as they reach for high growth numbers, but at the same time they want to set themselves apart and eventually focus more on innovative and high-quality attractions like the big destination parks.
So what does that mean for 2016? Will it be a coaster, a dark ride, something in between, or something else entirely? A lot of people are going to be on a big RMC like Goliath or Outlaw Run, which would make a ton of sense, but I'm going to keep things interesting and speculate on what else they could be planning.
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http://sdcfans.com/dollywood-tops-of-resort-hints-at-another-major-announcement/
I had actually forgotten just how much HFEC was spending on DW. Staggering to think there's something over $200 million left that they plan to invest in the park over the next decade. The resort is just the first step, but I don't even know where they are heading. Are they going to fill the place with coasters, or try to go more innovative? I've been thinking that they're trying to straddle things. They need some big coasters to stay competitive with Carowinds and other big ride parks as they reach for high growth numbers, but at the same time they want to set themselves apart and eventually focus more on innovative and high-quality attractions like the big destination parks.
So what does that mean for 2016? Will it be a coaster, a dark ride, something in between, or something else entirely? A lot of people are going to be on a big RMC like Goliath or Outlaw Run, which would make a ton of sense, but I'm going to keep things interesting and speculate on what else they could be planning.
If they get a RMC to go along with their GCI Thunderhead twisty, imma gonnabee pissed. If OzCat and CC was viable it wouldn't matter at all. It was CC that allowed DW to jump ahead . If it never opened. The capital put in it would have likely gone to SDC itself so SDC would likely have one to two more major rides.
It looks like theyhave been clearing land for some time since summer for the 2016 ride. They say its the biggest yet and The B&M was a cool 20 million so I'm going for a Mack ride with indoor and outdoor sections like Europa's new ride.
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Does SDC have enough land to keep opening new coasters?
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Does SDC have enough land to keep opening new coasters?
I think yes, At least two big boys and several compact ones. I've got nothing against a compact coaster they are quit cheaper thus allowing for much more theming which can set them apart. I've mentioned rides sharing the same footprint and theming before like a fnew high cap flume and a mack/gerstlauer custom bobsled/wild mouse like family coaster. They can be contained completely indoors(see Hersey's new spinning coaster) and thats a plus for seasonal operations like OTC when the cold can shut down the outside rides. I'd love to see more indoor flats and compact coasters for that very reason.
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SDC has space for dozens of coasters. It depends on how conservative they will be with how they use the land in the future, but SDC has a massive amount of land. Somewhere in an old thread we had some links that show how much land they have. The current park sits on only like a quarter of the total land area that they control. DW is kind of the same way. They had the foresight early on to make sure that land will never be an issue for the parks.
It still sucks that CC failed and ended up being a waste, but let's not go back to worrying about the different levels of investment between SDC and DW. A decade ago, SDC was the flagship property of HFEC and it looked like it and Branson was going to take off again and be reinvented as a national destination... but between the recession and Branson's failure to innovate and refresh itself quickly enough Pigeon Forge has ended up taking that role. The fact that PF is closer to major population centers certainly helped this.
Branson in holding strong, but it just isn't growing by leaps and bounds like PF is. Big investments here simply don't carry as much weight. I'm happy with the current level of investment in SDC. A good sized addition every other year is enough at this point in time.
DW is going to be massive by 2022. It will be at least twice the size of SDC in both visitors and the number of attractions. It will probably be the largest park in America outside of parks controlled by movie studios. I'm just glad for HFEC. DW is going to be the tide that lifts the other HFEC properties. Plus, since HFEC pays attention to reproduce successful rides or ride types across the chain, we'll have a lot of interesting things to watch from DW. I don't mind being second in line since that usually means we get the better version.
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Major clearing is now taking place at DW. Definitely sounds like it's for a coaster, and the rumor is that a teaser will go out soon that involves a 50's/60's era hot rod speeding off into the distance. The ride will go in an area of the park themed to that era (part of the Dolly Parton branding...)
The only question now is if it will be a launched Mack looper like Blue Fire since they were rumored to have taken a tour of it, or it will it be an RMC following the huge success of Outlaw Run? Up until now I was sold on an RMC since the parks have always played off of each other and Outlaw Run was such a good investment, but I don't think it would fit the theme nearly as easily.
I do have to say though, DW is definitely turning into more of a typical amusement park instead of following the somewhat unique and counter-intuitive standards that the Herschends tried to instill in the place. The craftsmen's valley area of the park is still very much Silver Dollar City Tennessee, but the rest of the park follows typical development standards including razing all the trees to the ground, leveling entire hills, and much more lax thematics in favor of more rides thrown all over the place. It's not necessarily a criticism or a bad thing, as DW is not SDC, but I'm wondering how long before it really starts to effect SDC as well, and if DW will be at all recognizable in 10 years. Will the loss of perceived charm effect what people are willing to pay to visit now that there are coasters plopped all over the place, or will this generation of visitors not care or even embrace that? So far it seems to be the latter...
I just hope they do something with this new coaster thematically that makes it unique. I'm sure that if it is a Mack launched coaster it will have a pre-show like BF, but even beyond that I hope they do more than they did with Wild Eagle. Firechaser has some decent theming at least.
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Major clearing is now taking place at DW. Definitely sounds like it's for a coaster, and the rumor is that a teaser will go out soon that involves a 50's/60's era hot rod speeding off into the distance. The ride will go in an area of the park themed to that era (part of the Dolly Parton branding...)
The only question now is if it will be a launched Mack looper like Blue Fire since they were rumored to have taken a tour of it, or it will it be an RMC following the huge success of Outlaw Run? Up until now I was sold on an RMC since the parks have always played off of each other and Outlaw Run was such a good investment, but I don't think it would fit the theme nearly as easily.
I do have to say though, DW is definitely turning into more of a typical amusement park instead of following the somewhat unique and counter-intuitive standards that the Herschends tried to instill in the place. The craftsmen's valley area of the park is still very much Silver Dollar City Tennessee, but the rest of the park follows typical development standards including razing all the trees to the ground, leveling entire hills, and much more lax thematics in favor of more rides thrown all over the place. It's not necessarily a criticism or a bad thing, as DW is not SDC, but I'm wondering how long before it really starts to effect SDC as well, and if DW will be at all recognizable in 10 years. Will the loss of perceived charm effect what people are willing to pay to visit now that there are coasters plopped all over the place, or will this generation of visitors not care or even embrace that? So far it seems to be the latter...
I just hope they do something with this new coaster thematically that makes it unique. I'm sure that if it is a Mack launched coaster it will have a pre-show like BF, but even beyond that I hope they do more than they did with Wild Eagle. Firechaser has some decent theming at least.
Good, the less alike the better. Dollywood certainly feels like it's going toward more a Knox Berry Farm feel. It's got booming pop centers like Atlanta and Charlotte and Nashville to draw from. SDC can grow as well, I rather it be quality over quantity but Branson has to get it's act together and get a better vision.
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While we were at Dollywood for Christmas I saw where they built a large new parking lot just across the railroad tracks from Thunderhead. They had to clear a lot of land to make that happen. I didn't catch the full message but the guy on the tram said they were undergoing a major parking lot reshuffle and reorganization for 2015. It made me wonder if they are going to repurpose some of the parking that was near the front of the park for park expansion. That would be one of the few flat areas they have left excluding the train loop on top of the hill. They would have to rework the turnstiles a bit to accommodate the new park area if they moved it to the old parking lot but it got me to wondering.
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New coaster to be called SHOT ROD. Trademark filed March 19th.
Doesn't hide the fact it is for a hot rod themed coaster.
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Does SDC have enough land to keep opening new coasters?
I think yes, At least two big boys and several compact ones. I've got nothing against a compact coaster they are quit cheaper thus allowing for much more theming which can set them apart. I've mentioned rides sharing the same footprint and theming before like a fnew high cap flume and a mack/gerstlauer custom bobsled/wild mouse like family coaster. They can be contained completely indoors(see Hersey's new spinning coaster) and thats a plus for seasonal operations like OTC when the cold can shut down the outside rides. I'd love to see more indoor flats and compact coasters for that very reason.
YES! YES! YES! YES! Im tired of most of the rides shutting down just for rain. That means i dont get much left to do, except 2 rides, or walk around until the rain stops. WE NEED MORE INDOOR RIDES/ATTRACTIONS!
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Major clearing is now taking place at DW. Definitely sounds like it's for a coaster, and the rumor is that a teaser will go out soon that involves a 50's/60's era hot rod speeding off into the distance. The ride will go in an area of the park themed to that era (part of the Dolly Parton branding...)
The only question now is if it will be a launched Mack looper like Blue Fire since they were rumored to have taken a tour of it, or it will it be an RMC following the huge success of Outlaw Run? Up until now I was sold on an RMC since the parks have always played off of each other and Outlaw Run was such a good investment, but I don't think it would fit the theme nearly as easily.
I do have to say though, DW is definitely turning into more of a typical amusement park instead of following the somewhat unique and counter-intuitive standards that the Herschends tried to instill in the place. The craftsmen's valley area of the park is still very much Silver Dollar City Tennessee, but the rest of the park follows typical development standards including razing all the trees to the ground, leveling entire hills, and much more lax thematics in favor of more rides thrown all over the place. It's not necessarily a criticism or a bad thing, as DW is not SDC, but I'm wondering how long before it really starts to effect SDC as well, and if DW will be at all recognizable in 10 years. Will the loss of perceived charm effect what people are willing to pay to visit now that there are coasters plopped all over the place, or will this generation of visitors not care or even embrace that? So far it seems to be the latter...
I just hope they do something with this new coaster thematically that makes it unique. I'm sure that if it is a Mack launched coaster it will have a pre-show like BF, but even beyond that I hope they do more than they did with Wild Eagle. Firechaser has some decent theming at least.
What do you mean by BF? I dont think any ride that I have ever seen has any kind of "pre-show". Whats this BF ride you speak of?
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Blazing fury
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Oh thanks :D
BF is just like FITH. FITH doesnt have any kind of "pre-show". Why would BF have one? What is it like?
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Blazing fury
I'm pretty sure he was talking about Blue Fire at Europa Park and not blazing Fury.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU1uGTqX0DM
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Sorry bout that
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lol, I should have written that one out. Even I forgot what I was referencing there for a minute.
I'm still of the thought that this will be a Mack launched coaster though. Some of the enthusiast circles are playing with the idea of RMC doing a launched coaster at DW since due to the prestige of getting one of the "world's first" bragging rights that HFEC (and every other chain) loves so much. I think it's possible, I just think they would ultimately go for a tried-and-true world class coaster over a gimmick that honestly doesn't look as cool as you would think. DW will get an RMC eventually I'm sure, I just think they want a large, shiny, recognizable steel coaster with some height on it at the moment though. But I'm usually wrong.
I think it will have a large, probably 200ft+ spike on it as well. I think they are trying to compete at least a little with Carowinds in terms of coasters, so they need something tall to display.
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Not sure if this verifies a new RMC at Dollywood, but seems to match the rumors....
http://www.simplyhired.com/job/premier-roller-coaster-building-company-hiring-tn-job/rocky-mountain-construction/vhrpmttcv2
WANT TO BE PART OF A TEAM BUILDING WORLD CLASS ROLLER COASTERS?!!!
Premier Roller Coaster Company is hiring for 2 Full-Time survey positions.
*Experience with Leica systems and AutoCad required.
This is a traveling position. Currently we have projects in TN, KY, and CA. Immediate placement would be in Pigeon Forge,TN.
Employment Benefits:
*Company provided lodging (share 2 bedroom apartment with room mate.) All utilities (cable, internet, utilities etc) provided.
*Travel home every 6 weeks for one week. Airfare provided.
*Medical Insurance, 401 K, Aflac,profit sharing, paid vacation
Check out our website at www.rockymtnconstruction.com or search on you tube "rocky mountain construction roller coasters" to see some awesome videos of our projects!
Please email resumes to info@rockymtnconstruction.com
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^EDIT: lol, right as I was writing this post, cowboy sneaks it in.
So it appears RMC is hiring surveyors with immediate openings in Pigeon Forge. I guess that definitely makes the launched wooden coaster rumor look pretty solid.
It'll probably turn out pretty awesome, but after finally getting to ride DW's coasters this summer I'm more apprehensive about the idea than ever. DW's coaster collection pales to SDC. They just don't place enough emphasis on making rides that people will want to ride over and over again for decades. Their best coasters right now are Blazing Fury, Firechaser, and Tennesee Tornado. I think my Mack launch coaster wish from earlier would have gotten more more excited than this prospect. However, it remains to be seen what they're actually planning so I'll probably end up taking that statement back, but who knows.
Outlaw Run turned out fantastic, but Buzzsaw Falls, Timber Tower, Adventure Mountain, and Mystery Mine have been pretty problematic in HFEC's recent past relationships with new and aggressive attraction concepts. Mystery Mine is still awesome in my book, but definitely tough to market as I hate to see kids go on there and get bashed around. I almost include Wild Eagle and Thunderhead in that list as well because they ended up falling short in comparison to other rides of the same nature. I think most of it comes down to DW just not understanding roller coasters when they make purchases, because SDC sure does a good job. Even though BF was buggy, it was fun to ride.
RMC has always impressed, but who knows what will happen if they start playing with new elements. I'm still holding my breath.
Pic should be attached:
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I got the Dollywood coaster out of that, the Kentucky coaster is the rebuild of the twins at Kentucky Kingdom but what park in Cali is getting an RMC redo or original didn't Magic Mountain just get it's Wallyworld coaster redone.
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Rumor has it to be Roar at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
If it truly is Roar, I wonder then if Six Flags America will get the first RMC clone in 2017?
Jay
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I think my excitement is rising the more I think about what RMC has actually done recently. I'm probably being too pessimistic about the whole launch thing. I've just been burned too many times by gimmicks and ride companies trying things out for the first time. Especially after experiencing all the dozens of coasters on my recent trip, I've learned that more often than not the best coasters weren't innovative at all but rather just had fun layouts. However, Outlaw Run was definitely worth the risk, and I'm sure this will be too. A launch really shouldn't be a big deal at this point.
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Screamscape added some new pictures of the construction site.
http://screamscape.com/html/dollywood.htm (http://screamscape.com/html/dollywood.htm)
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Just making an observation on the Dollywood Project, and I'm wondering if it's really going to be the "huge" coaster that everyone is wanting, or just a gimmick coaster (which are still cool) like Top Thrill Dragster.
The reason I ask is; if you look at the time line of Outlaw Run, or even Fire Chaser Express.........those coasters were much further along in construction in the previous year of their opening. In December of 2011 land clearing had already started for Outlaw Run (for a 2013 opening). Footers and a lot of station work, etc. were already complete by March of 2012.
If you look at Dolly's new coaster - it's August and the station is not as near complete as Outlaw's was at this time, nor the number of footers installed, or structure constructed, etc.
Unless there is a very large amount of the coaster already constructed behind the hill.....or the opening date will not be in March of 2016, I just do not think this will be the scale of a ride that we all would hope to see.
RMC though could have shortened their construction time frames significantly.... If you look at last year their rides didn't really get started until August....but they didn't open until June either. So maybe RMC can pull it off, but I would think if it was going to be a really big coaster we would have seen more by now if it was going to have a March 2016 opening.
Anyway, just my random thoughts and observations....
Jay
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Coasters can be put together pretty quickly if the money is there for the crew shifts. RMC prefabricates their topper track pieces in segments, which takes a lot of the time out of the equation vs. traditional layered construction. Outlaw Run's construction started ridiculously early simply because they could and it was cheaper apparently. RMC is on a tighter schedule these days, so they'll work as quickly as they need to for their goals to be accomplished on both their end and the park's.
I think this ride will be reasonably large. Larger than Outlaw Run, but perhaps a bit smaller than the proposed "Wildfire" RMC over in Scandinavia. I'm also starting to think that if it has a launch, it will be more of an "extra" featured that is experienced mid-course rather than being the primary piece of the coaster. Just from the little I've seen of the construction so far it looks like it will turn out of the station and go up a lift over the hill.
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I just wish someone would post pictures of the backside of the hill......I'm assuming that is where a lot of construction has been occurring and they are doing a great job of hiding it.
If that's the case, then they could easily construct the front half of the hill, station, etc. in a few months time to get it open by March.
I'm now hearing rumors of a fourth 2016 RMC roller coaster......Dollywood, Kentucky Kingdom, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, and ???? Is Wildfire still a go for 2016 or has that been moved to 2017?
Jay
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I just wish someone would post pictures of the backside of the hill......I'm assuming that is where a lot of construction has been occurring and they are doing a great job of hiding it.
If that's the case, then they could easily construct the front half of the hill, station, etc. in a few months time to get it open by March.
I'm now hearing rumors of a fourth 2016 RMC roller coaster......Dollywood, Kentucky Kingdom, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, and ???? Is Wildfire still a go for 2016 or has that been moved to 2017?
Jay
Vekoma is building the one in Sweeden. I don't know if it's fabricated here and sent there or if there's fab work in Europe as well.
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Dollywood will make the announcement on Friday, August 7.
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Well, Lightning Rod looks like it will be a great ride and I'm glad that it doesn't take Outlaw Run's record for most inversions. I am surprised that RMC didn't find a spot for even one inversion, it's not like them. I know it has a launch, but I don't know why you would build a RMC coaster without an inversion. I'm also surprised it's taken this long for a launched wooden coaster to be built. It seems like a launch on a wooden coaster wood be a lot easier to do than an inversion.
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FFXbryGHMuw
I am impressed with the ride, and kudos to Dollywood! I'll have to get there one day!
Jay
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Remember when SDC got the first of everything? Looks like Powderkeg on crack! ;D
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This coaster clearly builds on the success of Outlaw Run. It's pretty much everything I hoped for. Curious that they didn't go for any inversions, but I think they were actually trying to create a more timeless design. This is Dollywood's signature ride. I was really under-impressed by their coaster collection, surprisingly, but the park itself is of course top notch. This could change everything.
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This coaster clearly builds on the success of Outlaw Run. It's pretty much everything I hoped for. Curious that they didn't go for any inversions, but I think they were actually trying to create a more timeless design. This is Dollywood's signature ride. I was really under-impressed by their coaster collection, surprisingly, but the park itself is of course top notch. This could change everything.
Maybe their surveys showed the folks were inversioned out and three coasters that do was enough (SDC has two) Going completely sideways is good enough. They are more complete family oriented they trying to be a SFMM or Cedar Fair. Wonder if the knee restraints will be used on these trains, or at least a more forgiving verion. I' m sure they had complaints on the Outlaw Run ones.
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Looks like an awesome ride. It might just be me but I think the car train just looks odd on a wooden coaster. Looks like Dollywood is adding another great attraction to its arsenal, however.
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Construction continues and the ride is taking shape. Very little of the ride will be visible from the park itself. It will be neat to blast out of the park and roll through the hills. Red's Diner is also getting a makeover. This new coaster will be a nice shot in the arm for that part of the park.
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Lightning Rod's opening has been delayed. The e-mail from DW did not indicate when the new coaster might open, just said the manufacturer has asked for more time for testing. Disappointing for sure for those who were heading down opening weekend.
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If I had to guess, it'll be open by the 24th since Dolly is to be on park that day.
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Anyone have any idea when Lightning Rod will finally open?
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The last I heard they were hoping Memorial Weekend, but I would imaging testing would have to be well underway by now to hit that date. I would say mid June.
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The coaster apparently soft opened, finally. http://themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23793&start=9980
And then there is this on Dollywood's page: http://www.dollywood.com/
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I feel like it's such a weird way to soft open. They are handing out tickets that are good for one ride apiece. I was guessing they were doing that because they don't want to fill the queue line and then have to shut down over and over again in case it acts up. Sure seems like they are still unsure of the thing...
I assume by this weekend it will be fully open. Fingers crossed that this coaster will have decent uptime, or we may never see another launched coaster in this chain again.
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The coaster apparently soft opened, finally. http://themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23793&start=9980
And then there is this on Dollywood's page: http://www.dollywood.com/
What is "Technical Ride Rehearsal"?
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The coaster apparently soft opened, finally. http://themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23793&start=9980
And then there is this on Dollywood's page: http://www.dollywood.com/
What is "Technical Ride Rehearsal"?
Soft openings that are announced and can be suspended at any time
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I feel like it's such a weird way to soft open. They are handing out tickets that are good for one ride apiece. I was guessing they were doing that because they don't want to fill the queue line and then have to shut down over and over again in case it acts up. Sure seems like they are still unsure of the thing...
I assume by this weekend it will be fully open. Fingers crossed that this coaster will have decent uptime, or we may never see another launched coaster in this chain again.
Are they having trouble with Firechaser? Isn't PowderKeg's issues more to do with the transfer table and not the actual launch? Outside of the trouble with Lighting Rod is there much trouble the the actual launches of there coasters?
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^PK is largely problematic due to the transfer table, but the launch stuff has had issues as well. I have never heard of a launch coaster that didn't have any issues, which is really sad since the tech is pretty old and established at this point. Firechaser Express isn't quite so bad though...
It sounds like they briefly had it fully operational with two trains running, but then they shut it down again to work on the launch some more, and now there's unconfirmed reports that it was struck by lightning which further complicates things.
At this point I'm starting to wonder if they'll get it open this summer. I kept thinking that surely there's a fix being worked on and it will just take another week, but they keep going back to square one apparently.
Was it worth it to get the first "launched wooden coaster"? The next park to build one will probably have a much better launch and none of this bad publicity and downtime. I hope they got a big discount.
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It shut down because of the major flooding issues. It was working fine until then
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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.
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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
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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... 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.
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Yeah I think this coaster is officially Dollywoods Buzzsaw Falls. I wouldn't be surprised if drastic changes are made.
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... 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
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... 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.
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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...
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Yeah its too bad LR has been the victim of all this bad publicity. Seems like a great coaster. Its starting to look like an epic fail to many from what I can tell over all the down time its suffering from.
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Once it is reliable no one is going to care how much of a headache it was to get it to that point.
See also: X2, TTD, etc
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Once it is reliable no one is going to care how much of a headache it was to get it to that point.
See also: X2, TTD, etc
I see a lot of enthusiasts saying this, but it doesn't make any sense. I mean, from our perspective it doesn't matter. We can wait it out and will forget about the troubles it had as we watch the next round of big new things open. But for DW this is damaging and there will be some lingering issues from it. So many people have abandoned trips this year because of the LR issues. They are still up 10%, but who knows how much more they would have had if it had been running by at least May. So many of the people that did come anyway have been complaining about how they could have gone other places instead and how DW didn't live up to their expectations. So that's just driving people to Carowinds next year.
TTD and X2 were both at huge roller coaster parks that already had tons of things to do, and they were WAY more ambitious rides anyway so the public was more understanding.
It certainly doesn't help the resort get off the ground either. So many people were coming in just for the coaster and planned to stay at the resort as well.
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At the very least, the Lightning Rod issue might be simple false advertising - not that they meant for this to happen, but still to promise a big thing and not deliver...maybe those ticket prices should be lowered until it's reliable.
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I think it absurd that one would allow one closed attraction to completely ruin your visit. Dollywood is practically the same as it was last year with LR closed. So you're basically telling me that every season before now people were unable to have an enjoyable time because LR did not exist yet? No because that's ridiculous. The park is still amazing even without LR. Can you be disappointed? Sure. However to let it be the defining factor in your day being ruined is nuts. I visited DW 3 times this year. 2 of those times I did not get to ride LR but I still had a great time. The 3rd time I lucked out and got to ride it but even had I not, I would still have enjoyed my day because DW is an awesome park. Shoot even my parents like it and they don't go to parks outside of SDC which they have season passes for.
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No, but we know even from this board that there are some people who have said they will not visit SDC if SDC does not offer something new. I guess I would be upset if I hung my hat on all the hype for Lightning Rod and then found it to be closed all the time. Everything in Dollywood would be new for me, so it wouldn't be as upsetting for me.
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Yeah I have yet to make the trip out there so DW would all be a first time experience for me. I was gonna do it this year but with some financial setbacks it probably wont happen.
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Yeah I'd spend every day at the season at SDC or DW if I could, as would many on this board, but we aren't really the concern here. They've gone down this path of being a roller coaster destination, so they better have the roller coasters open to back it up, especially the big brand new one.
I don't know what they could have done differently or what they could do now, but I'm just saying this whole cluster will have consequences regardless of whether enthusiasts are eventually satisfied.
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I had a trip to Dollywood planned in May. Was going to spend a few days on my way to Florida for a wedding. I cancelled due to LR not being up and going. Seems to me they wrapped the entire off season season ticket campaign around this coaster, so yes people have a right to be upset about it. I would bet that lots of people bought season passes just for this new attraction.
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So it appears that Lightning Rod finally made its "Official Opening Debut" and I saw it on national news the other night.
http://www.local8now.com/content/news/Lightning-Rod-is-officially-open-to-the-public-392357321.html
TPR discussion here: http://themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23793&start=11940
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Well, even after all the trouble they had with LR, it still came away with the Golden Ticket for best new ride of 2016. Dollywood also brought home a couple other awards.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-bybee/the-oscars-roller-coaster_b_11955762.html
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Those awards are such a joke
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I agree. But you know HFE will now use this in marketing like they did for OR.
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I will say it is quite generous of them to crown LR as the 2016 best new attraction, especially with its ultra late opening and downtime issues. Also how the heck did they win best Christmas festival for 2016 when the festival hasn't even started yet for the season?
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Well, even after all the trouble they had with LR, it still came away with the Golden Ticket for best new ride of 2016. Dollywood also brought home a couple other awards.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-bybee/the-oscars-roller-coaster_b_11955762.html
Interesting? No plitics on this voting system.... LOL.. Thats as bad as the Branson Terry Awards for entertainers...... Hmmmm? i wonder if it the same group of judges!!! LOL..
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Just saw this posted this morning on TPR. Wonder how much merit that poster has on their statement, this is news to me if its true. :P
Word on the street is that much like with Cedar Fair and Intamin, HFE won't work with RMC any more because of all the problems they had. Cedar Fair doesn't either since they saw what happened with Lightning Rod and don't want to end up in another Intamin situation where (based on the rumors from really credible sources) Matt Ouimet gets piss drunk and gets in a fistfight with Alan Schilke like he did with the CEO of Intamin after the Shoot the Rapids incident and I305 "disaster" with the retracking.
All new American coasters will likely be built by GCI, B&M, S&S or Pinfari for the time being. I'm not saying they'll never work with RMC again but right now it doesn't look good.
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>:(
Really?!?! You took a typical Coasterbill satire post as being serious? ::)
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Just saw this posted this morning on TPR. Wonder how much merit that poster has on their statement, this is news to me if its true.
Word on the street is that much like with Cedar Fair and Intamin, HFE won't work with RMC any more because of all the problems they had. Cedar Fair doesn't either since they saw what happened with Lightning Rod and don't want to end up in another Intamin situation where (based on the rumors from really credible sources) Matt Ouimet gets piss drunk and gets in a fistfight with Alan Schilke like he did with the CEO of Intamin after the Shoot the Rapids incident and I305 "disaster" with the retracking.
All new American coasters will likely be built by GCI, B&M, S&S or Pinfari for the time being. I'm not saying they'll never work with RMC again but right now it doesn't look good.
I thought I was reading the onion :)
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I will say it is quite generous of them to crown LR as the 2016 best new attraction, especially with its ultra late opening and downtime issues. Also how the heck did they win best Christmas festival for 2016 when the festival hasn't even started yet for the season?
LOL, exactly. The Golden Tickets have gotten successively more of a joke each year. I try to ignore it these days, but unfortunately their marketing is getting better since the parks like to use it in their advertising. It's basically a circle jerk of the same big parks, but at least DW is part of it for what it's worth.
And yeah, we'll never know what the whole relationship is between HFEC, RMC, and the other vendors for LR. I'm sure it's all pretty complicated. The stuff posted on TPR is no better than our random musing here. I wouldn't think they'd jump right back to RMC regardless, but who knows at this point.