After a few glitches along the way, Dollywood's new Lightning Rod finally opened this week down in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The new coaster gives fans yet another great reason to visit the beautiful space that boasts other great coasters like Firechaser Express, Mystery Mine, Tennessee Tornado, Thunderhead and Wild Eagle. This record breaking, first of its kind launched wooden coaster, glides along 3,800 feet of track at 73 miles per hour and looks like a lot of fun. Here's what the parkk has to say about Lightning Rod:
Themed after a tricked out 1950's-era hot rod, Lightning Rod launches riders from zero to 45 mph more than 20 stories up its lift hill to one of the ride’s first airtime moments. At the crest of the hill, riders face twin summit airtime hills before tackling the daring first drop. Lightning Rod races down the 165-foot drop and propels guests along its 3,800-ft. track to a top speed of 73 mph, the fastest speed for a wood coaster in the world.
Located in Dollywood’s Jukebox Junction, Lightning Rod rockets riders around its massive wooden structure on an adrenaline-charged lap through the trees in the hills and valleys surrounding Dollywood. During the ride, guests experience nearly 20 seconds of airtime. The coaster train is comprised of 12 cars, carrying two passengers each, for a total of 24 people per train.
I visited Dollywood a couple of years ago and simply loved almost everything about the place, and with the addition of this new one, another trip may soon be in store. So click play below and have a virtual ride...
Another cool addition in the world of roller coasters just happened in an unlikely place. When Sea World, in Orlando, Florida, first opened more than 40 years ago, it was merely an amusement park-sized aquarium, with plenty of sea animal exhibits set in extraordinarily cool settings. Over the past 20 years or so, the park has been adding more and more amusement rides, such as Shamu Express, Journey to Atlantis, and even coasters like the floorless Kraken and the flying Manta. Well, now the park has added its third roller coaster, Mako, making it a bona fide destination for coaster enthusiasts who visit the Orlando area.
Now hypercoasters are among my favorite types of rides. These types of rides offer heights in excess of 200 feet and are built for speed and airtime, a favorite element of virtually any coaster lover. Sea World's newest measures exactly 200 feet on its first drop before careening into twists, turns, a unique 'Hammerhead' u-turn, and plenty of hills and airtime. Mako reaches top speeds of about 73 mph as it traverses 4,700-plus feet of track in just under three minutes.
The ride, with lead cars bearing the face of the well-known, fast-swimming shark that gave it its name, is located in the parks Shark Wreck Reef area and sits next to Kraken, the two coasters straddling a lake towards the back of the park. The coaster debuted today and I am sure riders enjoyed the newest, tallest and fastest coaster in all of Orlando. Here's your turn...
Looks like Des Moines, Iowa will be another hot destination for roller coaster enthusiasts this year. I'm speaking specifically of Adventureland Amusement Park in Altoona and their new Monster roller coaster. I am loving the fact that these non big-name parks are whipping up some major thrills (see Lagoon's Cannibal). When I first checked out a video of this one, which opened to the public this past Saturday, I salivated with excitement at that first, 101 degree drop.
Monster is the park's 4th roller coaster and by far the most fearsome. Starting with that drop from a height of about 133 feet, this coaster whips through five different types of inversions at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour. This new coaster won't warrant a specific trip to Des Moines, but if I am ever within 100 miles of it, I am going! Check it out...
It's been almost nine months now since Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, announced their newest, and most noteworthy roller coaster since the debuts of Kingda Ka and El Toro in 2005 and 2006, respectively. For we roller coaster enthusiasts, that's a very long time to wait for something as exciting as this, especially when it's at your nearest theme park. Sure, the park has added The Dark Knight (2008), Green Lantern (2011), and Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom (2014), but none of those rides carry the weight of a coaster like this one.
Back in September, when the new ride was first announced, it was to be called Total Mayhem. On Thursday, Six Flags unveiled this new 4D Free Fly Coaster, renamed The Joker, and it looks like a doozy! According to Six Flags on their website:
The ride will be the most unique and intense attraction in park history, featuring one-of-a-kind magnetic technology and unique swiveling vehicles to deliver a sensation you've never experienced before.
On this new unbelievable adventure, you'll soar outside the confines of the track in wing cars facing other riders. You'll take an elevator-style lift straight up 120 feet in the air. When you reach the top, you'll begin to tumble head-over-heels, free-falling down two beyond 90-degree raven drops and experiencing at least six weightless flips.
The ride is set to open to season pass holders today and will be open to the public on Saturday, but if you just can't wait, then take a virtual ride on this screamer here...
Note: Already one of the cars on Joker malfunctioned yesterday and they had to shut the ride down to fix it. Read the full story here. Well, they have to work out the kinks, right?
Here's a coaster I've never heard of in a park that I haven't heard of either, but somehow it showed up on my Facebook feed the other day and I just had to share it. The park is called Lagoon and it's located just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah (Hence, probably the reason why I never heard of it!). The coaster, Cannibal, is the park's newest attraction, opening last summer, though I guess new rides at the big name parks got all of the attention because this is the first I've seen of it.
Cannibal looks like one helluva ride, featuring a whopping 116 degree angle of descent on the first hill! The structure itself is a thing of beauty and it all starts on an elevator lift that brings riders to a height of 208 feet before complete mayhem breaks loose, traversing three inversions, including a 140 foot loop, lots of twists and turns and all at about 70 miles per hour. Hella cool! Check out Cannibal...
Busch Gardens Tampa has just released a new POV video of the newest addition to its lineup of thrill rides. The all new Cobra's Curse is a family style roller coaster that puts a unique 'spin' into its ride. That is, the cars on this new thrill ride can go forward, backwards, or spin depending on the weight distribution of its riders.
Cobra's Curse is surely not one of the big name events in the coaster wars of 2016, but any new coaster, of course, is always welcome news. The new ride, designed by Mack Rides of Germany, will be located in the Egypt section of the park, where a towering, 70-foot elevator lift hill will bring riders to the beginning of their quest for the legendary serpent king.
“I have not seen a ride like Cobra’s Curse ever,” [Theme Park Review's Robb] Alvey said. “I really think this ride will end up being the bar that is set for many other family coasters and most certainly spinning coasters in the future.”
Cobra’s Curse begins with a unique 70-foot-tall vertical elevator lift that drops riders into a face-to-face showdown with an 80-foot-tall statue of the fang-bearing snake king. An outward-banked turn tilts riders into the jaws of Venymyss as the train passes.
The ride moves at speeds of up to 40 mph and is strictly forward facing for the first half of the three-plus minute ride. It is at the midpoint where the train reaches a second lift hill and begins to spin freely for the remainder of the ride. Sounds like fun! Check out Cobra's Curse...
This is the best time of the year for roller coaster enthusiasts as parks across the country are getting ready to open after another long winter of no riding, but a winter full of exciting news of new rides. Our first order of business here is to profile and preview these one by one, and first up is the debut of the year's first new big ride, which opened Saturday at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.
LEGEND OF VALRAVN
Rooted deeply in the storied tales of coaster folklore, the Valravn is a regal king of all birds, swooping in to conquer all other dive coasters on the planet with its powerful and intense maneuvers, massive structure and immense ride vehicles. No other creature on the planet can match what Valravn will deliver.
This untamed beast possesses superhuman strength, an inspiring collection of magical powers and boundless knowledge and vision. Valravn is, quite simply, an unstoppable force.
With the ability to soar high above its kingdom and dive with unbridled force and speed, it rules the skyline with its limitless power and unsurpassed tenacity. None dare challenge the power of Valravn.
Are you ready?
And so goes the introduction of this new monster of a ride on Cedar Point's website. Valravn is a ten record-breaking dive coaster according to the folks at The Point, keeping the park on par with its fiercest competitor, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California.
A dive coaster, in case you weren't aware, is a relatively new design by Swiss manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard in which a wider train, usually 10 seats across, goes to the top of the lift hill where it moves straight along a short distance before pausing momentarily at the top of the first drop, tantalizingly terrifying riders for a brief couple of seconds of anticipation before careening down the hill. The ride has become quite popular with the likes of SheiKra in Busch Gardens Tampa, Griffon at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, and now Valravn at Cedar Point.
Here's the lowdown on Valravn:
Height: 223 feet
Length: 3,415 feet
First drop: 214 feet at 90 degrees
Second drop: 131 feet
Inversions: 3 of them, with an Immelmann loop of 165 feet
Top speed: 75 mph
Impressive, huh? I bet you're just salivating, wanting to ride this thing. Man, you are so lucky if you live in northern Ohio! Just wait, though...here are the ten records being broken with this one...
Tallest dive coaster (223 feet)
Fastest dive coaster (75 mph)
Longest dive coaster (3,415 feet)
Most inversions on a dive coaster (three)
Longest drop on a dive coaster (214 feet)
Highest inversion on a dive coaster (165 feet)
Most roller coasters taller than 200 feet at one amusement park (5)
Most rides at one amusement park (71)
Most steel roller coaster track at one amusement park (52,125 feet/9.9 miles)
Most roller coaster track at one amusement park (60,110 feet/11.4 miles)
Okay, so the last four don't really have anything specifically to do with the ride, but in the coaster wars, everything counts, I guess. So, are you ready to take a ride? A virtual one, that is. Check out Valravn...
Impressive, huh? I tell ya, I've been to Cedar Point a couple of times and the beauty of Lake Erie really adds to the experience of any of their great coasters. That first drop is wicked cool, and even the second hill is impressive. So if you're an enthusiast like I am, hopefully you're making your plans to get to The Point. America's Roller Coast is shining once again!
