This week’s A-Z Coaster is none other than Thunderhead at Dollywood — which is celebrating its 10th year of operation in 2014. Opened in 2004, The twisted wooden coaster is a product of Great Coasters International (GCI).
Thunderhead’s debut marked the beginning of a multi-year expansion of Dollywood’s physical footprint — opening in a brand new “Thunderhead Gap” area of the park. The park describes the Thunderhead back-story beautifully: “An old sawmill once moved lumber out of the mountains at Thunderhead Gap. Wood is still the focus, but now the operation known as the Thunderhead is the wildest ride in the woods!”
The coaster stands 100 feet tall and features a 100-foot drop. Trains reach speeds of 50 mph as they barrel through the 3,230-foot course.
Over the years, Thunderhead has won numerous Golden Ticket awards — which the park proudly displays underneath the coaster’s sign.
It is a wild ride, and certainly one of GCI’s best works.
Have you ridden Thunderhead? Share your thoughts about the coaster in the comments section below.
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