Thunderhead - Dollywood

[Coug]

I wanted to start a thread mostly regarding Thunderhead at Dollywood but also try and get info about woodies in general.

I was a huge fan of Thunderhead when it first came out, and during it's first years the ride was just awesome and enjoyable. The ride now, for me personally, has become more of a torture test for my spine. It's slowly become very vibratory, and I think the padding in the seats has worn down as well so the seats don't cushion the vibrations like they used to. I really just walk right past it anymore unless someone I'm with just REALLY wants to ride it. Could Thunderhead benefit from something like the Timberliner coaster trains? What are your thoughts? What could be done to smooth out Thunderhead?

Do all woodies eventually wear down and degrade in quality like this over time?
Do most woodies eventually have to be retracked?
Does retracking bring back that brand new enjoyable ride feeling?

[Leo C]

Sounds like Thunderhead needs some overhaul work. I enjoyed the Timberliner train on the small layout Wooden Warrior. It was able to cut a left turn after the first drop really quick and suddenly on a small layout. If Thunderhead was able to pull off running that kind of train perhaps the people at Holiday World would like that news. I think Boulder Dash went 8 years before it got major wood work.

[Rick B]

Compared to Gwazi that I rode about 10 days ago, Thunderhead was in pretty good shape when I rode it last fall. It might have helped that it was raining and it was wicked fast. I only first rode it a few years ago so I might be used to the minor roughness. I might be more aware of it if I had ridden it opening year.

[Antoine]

I haven't ridden Thunderhead in 2 years, but when I did I thought it was a great ride. Yeah, it has gotten rough since its' opening year when I rode it, but it was still quite enjoyable. All wooden coasters will suffer from that wear and tear over time and will need to be retracked eventually. But compared to other wooden coasters out there, I still thought Thunderhead was towards the lead pack. Even El Toro, as smooth as it is, is not as smooth as it was opening year though. There are a couple of rough points, but it is barely noticeable at all. Also, keep in mind that every wooden coaster out there takes on some retracking throughout the year every year. It may be minor changes to it, but on average about 10% of all wooden coasters wood is replaced every season. So in 10 years, you are essentially riding a totally different ride, per se. Thunderhead was still easily my favorite wooden coaster in the South. If you think that ride is rough, I encourage you to try out Bandit, Rattler, Robin Hood, Cheetah, or Gwazi.

[Coug]

Sounds like Thunderhead needs some overhaul work. I enjoyed the Timberliner train on the small layout Wooden Warrior. It was able to cut a left turn after the first drop really quick and suddenly on a small layout. If Thunderhead was able to pull off running that kind of train perhaps the people at Holiday World would like that news. I think Boulder Dash went 8 years before it got major wood work.

It was opened on april 3 2004 so Thunderhead is just over 8 years old now.

Compared to Gwazi that I rode about 10 days ago, Thunderhead was in pretty good shape when I rode it last fall. It might have helped that it was raining and it was wicked fast. I only first rode it a few years ago so I might be used to the minor roughness. I might be more aware of it if I had ridden it opening year.

I haven't ridden Thunderhead in 2 years, but when I did I thought it was a great ride. Yeah, it has gotten rough since its' opening year when I rode it, but it was still quite enjoyable. All wooden coasters will suffer from that wear and tear over time and will need to be retracked eventually. But compared to other wooden coasters out there, I still thought Thunderhead was towards the lead pack. Even El Toro, as smooth as it is, is not as smooth as it was opening year though. There are a couple of rough points, but it is barely noticeable at all. Also, keep in mind that every wooden coaster out there takes on some retracking throughout the year every year. It may be minor changes to it, but on average about 10% of all wooden coasters wood is replaced every season. So in 10 years, you are essentially riding a totally different ride, per se. Thunderhead was still easily my favorite wooden coaster in the South. If you think that ride is rough, I encourage you to try out Bandit, Rattler, Robin Hood, Cheetah, or Gwazi.

One thing is for certain about Thunderhead is that it definitely has not slowed down. It's always been a very well laid out track that manages to keep it's speed throughout the majority of the ride. It just needs a little something to make it not vibrate quite so much.

[Thunderhawk]

I rode Thunderhead for the first time about two weeks ago. Overall I felt it was still a pretty smooth wooden rollercoaster, with no serious potholes or brace-yourself moments. I did notice the vibrations Coug mentioned above; I tend to notice this on a lot of the Millennium Flyer woodies. I was at Hershey yesterday and both Wildcat and Lightning Racer had some vibrations (especially Wildcat). They don't bother me too much personally but I could understand how others may have a problem with it.

Wildcat was running particularly rough yesterday. I've never been one to think Wildcat was too rough, but after this weekend I am thinking Wildcat is due for some retracking.

[Antoine]

Wildcat was running particularly rough yesterday. I've never been one to think Wildcat was too rough, but after this weekend I am thinking Wildcat is due for some retracking.

Glad I wasn't alone there in thinking that. I have always enjoyed that ride, but when I went there a couple of weeks ago, it seemed to have quite a few rough points. I actually couldn't wait to get off of it and I NEVER felt that way about Wildcat before. She is still good, but I agree it is time to be retracked.

[Coug]

I rode Thunderhead for the first time about two weeks ago. Overall I felt it was still a pretty smooth wooden rollercoaster, with no serious potholes or brace-yourself moments. I did notice the vibrations Coug mentioned above; I tend to notice this on a lot of the Millennium Flyer woodies.

Makes me wonder if it's the track or the Millenium Flyer train itself that's the problem.

[Austin]

I rode Thunderhead about 10 times in March, I don't see a need for any major work, it was smooth and still filled with airtime.

[Coug]

I rode Thunderhead about 10 times in March, I don't see a need for any major work, it was smooth and still filled with airtime.

Interesting. Did you ride the same seats each time?

The very front seat is probably the most tolerable of all the seats.
This gives me an idea though... I might try to go there one day and take a quick survey as people exit the ride.

[Antoine]

Might wanna be careful with that. That could be taken as solicitation without prior approval from the park.

[Austin]

Yeah. I rode it a few times in the front 2 cars and then I did about 4 in the back. Along with a couple in the middle.

[Coug]

Might wanna be careful with that. That could be taken as solicitation without prior approval from the park.

"Could be", I won't discount that. However traditionally soliciting most commonly refers to either the act of offering goods or services, or the act of attempting to purchase such goods or services. If someone sees it as a problem I wouldn't do it though.

Yeah. I rode it a few times in the front 2 cars and then I did about 4 in the back. Along with a couple in the middle.

How would you compare the different seats?

[Austin]

I thought they was all smooth. A little bit worse than last season but still one of the best woodies I have ridden.

[Daniel Barto]

I actually thought it was running significantly better than last season

[Wes]

I have never been on Thunderhead when I would call it even remotely rough. I rode it in March and it was running great.

Now if you want to talk about rough wooden coasters, lets talk about Hurler(s), and Georgia Cyclone (which is going to get rehabed over the next few years).

Hurler slams me into the side of the train in each of the turns and now they just trim it to slow it down, but that means it has no air anymore and it used to have some killer air.

[Antoine]

^I decided not to mention Hurler as rough because it goes into a whole different category of roughness. But yeah I agree, I never been on Thunderhead and would consider it a rough coaster, especially for a woodie. There are much worse out there.

[Coug]

Perhaps a comparison to other coasters in the same park(s) would elicit a different opinion on the subject?

[Antoine]

Well it is kinda hard to compare Thunderhead to other rides in the park since it is the only wooden coaster there. The difference between steel and wood is obvious. However, if you compare it to other wooden coasters out there, I think it is the smoothest and best wooden coaster in the South. Stacked against other wooden coasters in the United States, it is still easily top 5 caliber. Not sure if that is the exact answer you were looking for to the question, but that is the best I know how to explain it.

[Coug]

Well it is kinda hard to compare Thunderhead to other rides in the park since it is the only wooden coaster there. The difference between steel and wood is obvious. However, if you compare it to other wooden coasters out there, I think it is the smoothest and best wooden coaster in the South. Stacked against other wooden coasters in the United States, it is still easily top 5 caliber. Not sure if that is the exact answer you were looking for to the question, but that is the best I know how to explain it.

No, that's a fair answer I'd say. Perhaps I was looking for more of a "comfort level" comparison. Why make woodies anymore given that we now have better technology and that they slowly degrade in quality a little ever year because of the material they're made out of? If you took the layout of Thunderhead, kept it exactly the same, but instead made it out of steel rather than wood, would it not still be a similar ride only smoother?

[Antoine]

I think it has a lot to do with the nostalgic history to a wooden coaster. People like the rough out of control feeling of wooden coasters and unlike steel rides, every trip on a wooden coaster is completely different. You will never truly have a favorite seat because the same seat delivers slightly differently each time you ride it. With a steel coaster, it is pretty much the exact same every single time. Plus with the fact that the first ever roller coaster was built out of wood, people have grown attached to it. I mean yeah I love my steel coasters, but there are some wooden coasters that are clearly better than the majority of steel coasters out there (ie Thunderhead, El Toro, Prowler, Mammut). I don't mind comfort too, but a part of me wants to be out of control too and only a wooden coaster can do that to such a level. And if you look at history, the majority of wooden coasters hold up longer than steel ones too. So there are pros and cons to both. Yeah you will spend money on the wood, but I have been on wooden coasters that have been around for about a century. Steel coasters have been around for over 50 years, but there are VERY little of them that are still standing from that first year.

[Wes]

Nothing like a wooden coaster after a hot day, a little rain shower, then riding at night...smoking!

[Coug]

Nothing like a wooden coaster after a hot day, a little rain shower, then riding at night...smoking!

Glutton for punishment?

[Austin]

Punishment?

Those times of the day are the best rides you'll ever get on a wooden lol.

[Brian F]

Punishment?

Those times of the day are the best rides you'll ever get on a wooden lol.

Testify! Hot Day at Holiday World, Thunderstorm at twilight, cooled down for ERT- Voyage: Off the chain!!!! It was like they turned all of the knobs to "11"

[Rick B]

I rode Thunderhead last Labor Day in the pouring rain after doing a construction tour of Wild Eagle and it was the best ride ever! It was wicked fast, the fastest it's ever been for me.

As I continue to hit more parks and ride more coasters, Thunderhead continues to be in my top 3 woodies. We'll see if that changes when I make it to Knoebels next year.

[Coug]

Punishment?

Those times of the day are the best rides you'll ever get on a wooden lol.

It's ironic. Dollywood closes fairly early so "after a hot day" is typicallly impossible. Rain feels like bullets when you're going 50mph on a coaster. You can only ride one time during the year at night at Dollywood and that's in August, and in August it doesn't cool off at night in East TN, lol. So we've come full circle.

[Wes]

It's ironic. Dollywood closes fairly early so "after a hot day" is typicallly impossible. Rain feels like bullets when you're going 50mph on a coaster.

Try riding Alpengeist in the middle of a tropical storm. OW! OW! OWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

[Coug]

Try riding Alpengeist in the middle of a tropical storm. OW! OW! OWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

LOL! We were on Tennessee Tornado when the rain started. It was like some sick form a torture, being strapped in unable to move and pebbles being thrown at you.

[jay37415]

LOL! We were on Tennessee Tornado when the rain started. It was like some sick form a torture, being strapped in unable to move and pebbles being thrown at you.

Even better torture is riding Mystery Mine in the rain. When you go up the first hill the rain just beats you on the face. I guess that is what Waterboarding feels like.