It should. It is costing a lot more and has a much better location. I am very excited for both, but Lightning Rod blew away my expectations.  Well done Dolly. 

(...more like well done Herschend, Craig Ross, Jane Cooper and RMC...)

As Jeff Gramke put it, "they're all steel coasters really." (Coasterstock 2015) They all ride on steel track.

Flying Turns? =)

(...more like well done Herschend, Craig Ross, Jane Cooper and RMC...)

Yes, but it is more fun to think about Dolly sitting down and designing this beauty.

Oh, I don't know.

Terp...Jane Cooper fan (since she was GM at Kings Island, even...see also Craig Ross...)

To Dollywood

To Dollywood

:

 

I want to ride your new roller coaster a lot.

 

Thanks,

 

westcoaster

Looks like a trip to Dollywood is a must for me in the next few years. 

Dollywood is the perfect example of quality, not quantity. They have Thunderhead, an amazing (truly) wooden coaster that's been regarded as one of the best. Wild Eagle, the country's first winged coaster. Mystery Mine has awesome theming, thrills, and fun. Tennessee Tornado is probably the best Arrow coaster out there - and the smoothest. Firechaser Express is a must-need for every park if they want a great family coaster. And now, to put the icing on the cake, they have the world's first launched wooden coaster and the fastest. 

 

Blazing Fury is the only coaster at Dollywood (excluding the kids' ride in the carnival area) I would say could go now. But everything else is so well done. Unlike Kings Island or Cedar Point, there is not one ride that I don't enjoy at Dollywood. They're all great. 

Blazing Fury is only one of the finest dark rides in the land. As others get about Adventure Express--LEAVE IT ALONE! It's been muddled with enough, already.

Terp, who misses the splashdown. Without water, it's not the same. Sigh.

This is not a wooden coaster.

It's also not a giraffe.

It is what it is. That should not detract from our enjoyment of it.

Holy wow this ride looks insane. I love that RMC is creeping its way closer and closer to Ohio.

It's also not a giraffe.

It is what it is. That should not detract from our enjoyment of it.

Agreed. I just wish we could get to a point where hybrid is considered an actual category on its own. I am sure this ride will be extremely fun.

Double post

Excellent looking ride. Enthusiast geek in me is bothered that it's called wooden. These RMCs must be pricy given their shortish length compared to the other major manufacturers. That quadruple down is amazing.

I don't care what it is. I can't wait to freaking ride it!

Cool, get you and Rick, Foxx and her girl, and Brad together, and THATS a group I will enjoy going with on opening day.

Depending on forks and roads and visions and domiciles, you might find a Terp there that day, too.

Dollywood, where they build excitement. And it shows.

If this coaster is open in time for my birthday in late March, might make a good trip of it.

Looks like they are using that terrain in amazing ways.  And what an abundance of terrain they have to work with around the park.

And finally, a full POV has been released.

Here is ThemeParkReview's video:

https://youtu.be/CIu4d2eBRIs

Well, I know where I'm planning to go next year.

 

And it's not Carowinds.

Im definitely going to be there on Sunday.  I will not be attending Opening Day for.... reasons.  Saturday will be my day to enjoy both Alpine Coasters, and NASCAR SpeedPark.

That looks like it would make a really good wooden roller coaster.

 

Would.

^
True, but on the other hand, if it were a real wooden coaster it would probably rip itself apart due to the 70mph+ speeds and be a maintenance nightmare (nearly every traditional woodie that has tried to come close to these heights and speeds have ripped themselves apart or had major issues). The steel topper track may technically disqualify the ride from being a "real" wooden coaster, but the money saved on maintenance probably makes up for that. The only other solution I could see would have been Intamin's Prefab Wooden Track, and while that would have made it a true woodie, it would probably cost a lot more that way- and many US parks seem to not be liking Intamin much ATM. It'll probably be an amazing steel coaster though- and it does still have the classic wooden mannerisms such as how the drops are shaped, etc.

 

EDIT: Ehh, see next post. I edited this one a bit in hindsight.

Before you start extolling the 'virtues' of Topper Track, I'd suggest you ride The Georgia Cyclone, a once great wooden coaster that now rides very similarly to the late Son of Beast.

Topper Track is no magic solution. It's about economics far more than about rider comfort.

^
Good point...I forgot about the coasters that have been retro-fitted with topper track, like Georgia Cyclone, and how those haven't exactly held up that well. Hmm...suddenly I wonder how well this, Outlaw Run, Goliath, etc. are going to hold up 10 years from now as those rides also boast huge drops and insane speeds by wooden coaster standards, but were also designed with this new track in mind (versus said Georgia Cyclone & other rides where it was added much later).

 

Edit: And once again edited...sorry Terp.

It wasn't an effort to "smooth the ride out."

It was a move to cut maintenance costs over time.

Nothing more.