The wait is over! Lightning Rod is now open at Dollywood, according to the park’s website and Twitter account.
Don’t miss our review of Lightning Rod, the world’s fastest and only launched wooden roller coaster here.
Start your engines! Lightning Rod is now open! Watch the heart-pounding point-of-view video https://t.co/claEu3l6TY pic.twitter.com/mzVDEQcBgQ
— Dollywood Parks & Resorts (@Dollywood) June 13, 2016
Dollywood planned to open Lightning Rod by March, but problems related to the unique launch system delayed the coaster’s opening.
The ride soft opened for “technical rehearsals” on May 23 and has been operating sporadically since then.
Lightning Rod open for business at Dollywood
Dollywood describes Lightning Rod, the world’s fastest and only launched wooden coaster:
Once launched to the top of the lift hill, riders encounter the ride’s innovative twin summit airtime hills before racing down the 165-ft. first drop. The ride reaches a world record-breaking 73 mph at the base of the drop. From there, the coaster races along its 3,800-ft. track through the hills and valleys surrounding Dollywood. Thanks to the rolling topography, much of the track is hidden from view inside the park, serving only to heighten anticipation for those waiting to step aboard the thrilling ride.
Watch Video of Lightning Rod In Action
Watch our video of the Lightning Rod in action here:
Have you ridden Lightning Rod yet? Share your thoughts about the coaster in the comments section below.
It’s not open. We have been at the park all week and it has been down every day. Yesterday they said they now had no idea when it woul open again. The ride was clearly opened to attract guests to the park. However it clearly still has a number of issues. The communication in the park was also poor.