Jump to content

Thunderhead (roller coaster)

Coordinates: 35°47′48″N 83°31′55″W / 35.79667°N 83.53194°W / 35.79667; -83.53194
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 73.8.31.162 (talk) at 17:24, 10 January 2021. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Thunderhead
Thunderhead's logo and two Golden Tickets for the Best Wooden Roller Coaster
Dollywood
LocationDollywood
Park sectionTimber Canyon
Coordinates35°47′48″N 83°31′55″W / 35.79667°N 83.53194°W / 35.79667; -83.53194
StatusOperating
Opening dateApril 3, 2004 (2004-04-03)
Cost$7,000,000
($11.3 million in 2023 dollars[1])
General statistics
TypeWood
ManufacturerGreat Coasters International
DesignerMike Boodley
Track layoutTwister roller coaster
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height100.4 ft (30.6 m)
Drop100 ft (30 m)
Length3,230 ft (980 m)
Speed53.7 mph (86.4 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration2:30
Max vertical angle60°
Height restriction48–76 in (122–193 cm)
Trains12 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 24 riders per train.
TimeSaver Pass available
Must transfer from wheelchair
Thunderhead at RCDB

Thunderhead is a wooden roller coaster located at Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The coaster, which was the anchor attraction of the new "Thunderhead Gap" section (now Timber Canyon), opened on April 3, 2004, to much critical acclaim. Thunderhead boasts 22 turns and 32 crossovers,[2] and utilizes GCI's Millennium Flyer trains, used on all GCI coasters since 1999. Thunderhead is also the first roller coaster to feature a station flyby.

History

On June 26, 2003, Dollywood announced that they would be adding Thunderhead. It would be the third roller coaster at the park. Thunderhead was set to open in 2004, five years after Tennessee Tornado.[3]

Thunderhead officially opened to guests on April 3, 2004.

The ride was named after Thunderhead Mountain, a peak within the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park that was heavily logged during the early 19th century.[citation needed] The mountain itself was named "Thunderhead" after a slang term in the American South for Cumulonimbus clouds.

Construction data

  • 700,000 board feet of Southern Yellow Pine
  • 3600 yards of concrete
  • 250,000 bolts
  • 2,000,000 screws
  • 185,000 feet of steel rebar[4]

Rankings

Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Ranking 6[5] 1[6] 1[7] 2[8] 2[9] 5[10] 5[11] 5[12] 4[13] 5[14] 5[15] 5[16] 7[17] 8[18] 10[19] 11[20]
Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best wood-Tracked Roller Coaster[21]
Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Ranking 5 2 7 3 11 11 14 12 15 15
NAPHA Survey: Favorite Wood Roller Coaster[22]
Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Ranking
-
4
4
3
3
3
  • Thunderhead's second drop
    Thunderhead's second drop
  • Thunderhead's first airtime hill
    Thunderhead's first airtime hill
  • Thunderhead's station fly-through
    Thunderhead's station fly-through
  • Thunderhead's drop after its station fly-through
    Thunderhead's drop after its station fly-through

References

  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ http://database.thrillnetwork.com/ride_view.php/1647/thunderhead.html
  3. ^ "New Wooden Coaster To Roll Into Dollywood For 2004 Season". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
  4. ^ "Thunderhead (Dollywood) :: ThrillNetwork.com".
  5. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  6. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 22–23B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  7. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 30–31B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  8. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 11 (6.2): 42–43. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  9. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 12 (6.2): 42–43. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  10. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 13 (6.2): 38–39. September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  11. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 14 (6.2): 38–39. September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  12. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 15 (6.2): 46–47. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  13. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 46–47. September 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  14. ^ "2013 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 17 (6.2): 40–41. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  15. ^ "2014 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 38–39. September 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  16. ^ "2015 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 45–46. September 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  17. ^ "2016 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  18. ^ "2017 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  19. ^ "2018 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  20. ^ "2019 Top 50 Wood Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  21. ^ Hawker, Mitch. "Wooden Roller Coaster Poll 20 Year Results Table (1994–2013)". Best Roller Coaster Poll. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  22. ^ "Member Survey". napha.org.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thunderhead_(roller_coaster)&oldid=999528846"