originally posted on 4/2/2021 2:22:33 PM
Lightning Rod reopened with two-thirds of its track replaced with steel iBox track.
Photo: Curtis Hilbun. View full-sized image.
Some years, capital investments by theme parks are more noticeable than others to returning guests. Flashy new rides capture the attention and generate excitement. Other years, it is critical for parks to reinvest to make sure the longevity of beloved favorites can continue on into the future.
Such is the case in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dollywood’s 2021 season has a lot going on, but not in an overly noticeable way. As the world continues to value personal space, the theme park has invested in wider walkways and more spacious seating areas in multiple locations. The park’s charming wedding chapel has received some restorative work as well. But what will really interest coaster fans is what’s happening to coasters — quite a few of them.
Wider spaces are one component of Dollywood’s off-season improvements.
Photo: Curtis Hilbun. View full-sized image.
The biggest change is to the park’s Lightning Rod. Back in the earlier years of conversions of wooden coasters to steel coasters, enthusiasts quipped using the term “sex change” as Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) was called in, time and again, to transform aging wooden coasters into more dramatic steel-track coaster designs. While Lightning Rod was originally designed and built by RMC in 2016, that team was contacted once more to make the ride a more reliable attraction. Now, more than two-thirds of the coaster’s track has been converted to steel, shifting the ride into the steel category on enthusiast’s lists. No changes were made to the ride’s launched lift mechanics.
In this view, the new steel track can be seen in place.
Photo: Curtis Hilbun. View full-sized image.
Currently in progress are newer sections of Mystery Mine. Built in 2007 by Gerstlauer, the heavily themed Mystery Mine is receiving new sections of track that alter the layout, an attempt to make the ride more comfortable. The ride will be slightly shorter once complete, but the intentions here are to reduce G-forces in certain elements to make for a more enjoyable experience.
This new drop replaces a steeper plunge.
Photos: Kris Leach. View full-sized image.
Observers can see where the track used to align with this piece being retired. View full-sized image.
As in any enthusiast group, changes are sure to rattle some hardcore fans. How enthusiasts feel about alterations will play out throughout the current season. The good news is that the changes keep popular rides around for much longer.
Thunderhead, Dollywood’s award-winning woodie, has been undergoing a multiyear refurbishment. Great Coasters International Inc. (GCII) has been replacing track with the company’s signature ipe wood, which has proved to be more durable. For this season, the park is doing some minor work in-house on handrails and other areas of the coaster. GCII is scheduled to return next off-season to complete the refurbishment process.
The very coaster-like dark ride, Blazing Fury, is also receiving some track work. RMC has replaced track sections that need restoration and has done so in the past.
Photo: Curt Schimmel. View full-sized image.
For marketing purposes, the park’s many festivals create a draw to welcome returning guests. Enthusiasts are happy just to see the coasters receiving appropriate love.
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News Editor
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