Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
Dollywood Roller Coaster Preview - Part One
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on April 5, 2022
Dollywood has been open for almost a month now, but millions more people are still expected to file through the theme park's turnstiles in 2022. If you plan to be in that number and will be paying Dollywood a visit sometime this year, there's also a decent chance that you'll want to ride some of the park's many roller coasters.
Just 20 years ago, coaster enthusiasts only had a few to choose from, but these days, Dollywood has earned a reputation for having some of the most fun and innovative roller coasters in the country. This week, we're sharing an introduction to the many coasters you'll find there. Hopefully, you'll get an idea of what's right up your alley and what may be more than you're interested in taking on. Or perhaps you'll realize that you could spend all day at Dollywood doing nothing but riding coasters.
Blazing Fury
This is the only remaining legacy coaster from the days before Dollywood was Dollywood and the site operated as a Silver Dollar City theme park. Blazing Fury is an indoor coaster that takes guests on a chaotic ride through an 1880s town that is only minutes away from being engulfed by fire. The turns and drops aren't terribly dramatic, but because much of the course runs through dark rooms, the coaster's many twists, turns and dips are often unexpected, adding tension to the ride. The scenery and thematic elements are dated and a little on the cheesy side, but for Dollywood veterans, this ride is a sentimental must-do. You'll find it in Craftsman's Valley.
FireChaser Express
Located in Wilderness Pass, this is one of Dollywood's newer coasters, making its debut just a few years ago. Like Blazing Fury, the theme is firefighting, and passengers ride in cars that resemble a fire engine. It's billed as the nation's first dual-launch family coaster, as it blasts riders both forward and backward. The course is twisty and hilly and not terribly dramatic, making it an ideal for riders of many ages. The minimum height required to ride is 39 inches. Guests shorter than 48 inches tall must be accompanied by someone age 16 or older.
Lightning Rod
Themed after a tricked out 1950s-era hot rod, Lightning Rod launches riders from zero to 45 miles per hour more than 20 stories up its lift hill. At the crest, riders face twin summit airtime hills before tackling the daring first drop. Guests race down the 165-foot drop and along Lightning Rod's 3,800-foot track, reaching a top speed of 73 miles per hour. USA Today readers have consistently named this coaster one of the top 10 in the country. Located in Jukebox Junction, Lightning Rod delivers nearly 20 seconds of airtime across it's unique hybrid track structure, which includes both a wood stack “Topper Track” and a steel “Ibox” track atop a massive wooden frame. Twelve cars carry two passengers each for a total of 24 guests per train. The minimum height requirement is 48 inches, and guests with casts above the elbow or hard casts on legs are not permitted to ride.
Mystery Mine
Mystery Mine, located in Timber Canyon, is one of the more unique coasters at Dollywood. This steel coaster runs 1,811 feet through what has been designed to resemble an abandoned coalmine. Lots of unexpected encounters and maneuvers await passengers on this crazy ride that includes a 95-degree, 85-foot vertical drop into total darkness and lots of sharp turns and drops. You have to be at least four feet tall to ride it.
These rides are just some of what's in store for roller coaster fans visiting Dollywood this year. Check back next more to learn about the rest.
At Smoky Mountain Ziplines, we're also just a couple of weeks into our 2022 season, and we know a few things about high-speed attractions as well. If you're interested in ziplining Pigeon Forge Tennessee this year, give us a call, and we'll schedule you for one of the few outdoor experiences in the Smokies that's as exciting as a roller coaster.
