For the fourth seed in the Best Roller Coaster bracket, Theme Park Insider readers have selected Dollywood's Thunderhead.
This Great Coasters International wooden coaster burst onto the scene in 2004. Featuring's GCI's Millennium Flyer trains, Thunderhead grabbed folks' attention not only for its Smoky Mountain woodland setting, but also for it's first-ever high-speed station fly-through. The trains roar through the station in mid-ride, just feet over waiting riders' heads.
It's not just the sound, it's the physical feeling of the wooden track vibrating the station all around you that jump-starts the adrenaline in your body, hyping it up for the ride ahead.
On track, Thunderhead delivers, with a wicked set of sweeping drops and s-curves that create an illusion of speed exceeding its actual 54 miles per hour. Since Thunderhead's debut, GCI's duplicated much of the ride's layout, including the station fly-through with Terminator Salvation at Six Flags Magic Mountain. (Click that link for a reverse POV video of me on that coaster with Magic Mountain's park president.) You'll also find similarly lauded GCI coasters Evel Knievel at Six Flags St. Louis and Prowler at World of Fun.
Let's hear your thoughts about Dollywood's Thunderhead, relative to the other coasters in the tournament so far.
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I mean, I know its a thankless job Robert, but what about Raging Bull at Great America? Its a number 9 as well with more people rating on it than Thunderhead? It might come up, but I only say this because I am guessing the top three now. I guess I need to be patient. Its all in fun and gives us something to be excited about since its like slush outside my window.
Anyway, this roller coaster looks fun! Wouldn't mind going to Dollywood to ride it!
And that entrant remains to be announced. Patience....
On a side note, as most of you know I tend to give Six Flags Saint Louis a lot of grief ("no, really? You do??"). However, I will boldly state that Evel Knievel is by far the best coaster at SFStL, and alone is worth my three and a half hour drive to Eureka, MO.
There, I did it! I said something nice about SFStL. My therapist will be so proud of me!
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And like I said in the post about The Voyage, it will be interesting to see how my votes change for 2012.