Dollywood | Lightning Rod | Launched RMC

[jay37415]

While I'm sure this ride will be amazing to ride it carries on what in my (probably unpopular) opinion is a line of aesthetically awful looking RMC designs. I just don't like the look of their rides. Possibly because they break tradition so often and don't follow the usual flow of more traditional rides. They just aren't pleasing to my eye at all.

But I guess when it comes down to it as long as the ride rides well it doesn't really matter.

BY the looks of the renderings, it appears this coaster wont be able to be seen from inside the park. A majority of the ride will be on the other side of the hill only viewed from the employee lot. At best you are going to be able to see the lift, quad down and half loop from the car ride. The station for this is crammed between the Car Ride and the the Pines theater. So aesthetically, it wont matter.

 

[insanecoastervids]

Looks like a great ride, hopefully I will get to ride it someday

 

[jay37415]

Found this picture on the interwebs. The camelback after the launch is a lot bigger than I pictured it.

Im planning on heading up in a couple of weeks so I'll get some myself.

 

[BBH]

Screw you guys, RMCs are beautiful. <3

 

[Intricks]

Construction has gone vertical!

 

[jay37415]

Here are a few pictures of construction I took Friday. The sun was in my face and I couldn't get a good shot of the drop or construction of the big 90 degree turn.

 

[jay37415]

Here are some more pictures.

 

[Jarrett]

People have noted the triangular top of the frame, possibly hinting at a tunnel with a gable roof heading up that hill. Not quite sure what else it could be, but with the theme of this ride being racing a hot rod through the Smokies, if it's supposed to be a tunnel into the park or something I think it could work nicely.

 

[jay37415]

I was thinking the same thing about the tunnel on top. I am wondering if they will have to put a tunnel on the lift hill to help protect it from the weather. But in the meantime, here's some track going up the lift hill for your viewing pleasure. Photo cred not mine, but found on google.

 

[GuyWithAStick]

I honestly don't know what to say. It's nothing too exciting, but it's track! I mean, yay for track...?

 

[Jarrett]

Yay, track! Should go fairly quickly now!

Five months... <3

 

[Hyde]

Wooden coaster construction is never as thrilling as steel coaster construction for me. But hey, progress - huzzah!

 

[Mysterious Sue]

Really? I feel the opposite as I love how organic they look - especially something like as in-keeping with the landscape as this. Like everyone else, I've been salivating over the 'quad down'.

 

[TMCoasters]

Is there a virtual POV up for Lightning Rod? I've searched but can only find the on/off-ride in the trailer.

 

[GuyWithAStick]

Sent from my VS840 4G using Tapatalk

 

[Jarrett]

That's massive! <3 That picture really shows the insane height difference in this coaster. Still can't tell what's up with the gable-roofed tunnel frame up at the top, though. I'd like to see it themed, even if it's just a road sign bolted above it.

Can't wait to see it completed, though! Knowing Dollywood it'll look lovely up on that hill! I'm practically counting the days at this point, March can't come soon enough!

 

[jay37415]

That's massive! <3 That picture really shows the insane height difference in this coaster. Still can't tell what's up with the gable-roofed tunnel frame up at the top, though. I'd like to see it themed, even if it's just a road sign bolted above it.
!

Having seen it in person. Pictures don't do it justice. Whats even more intense is the height of the camelback going down the other side.

 

[Hutch]

RMC has also shared some photos of this as well… and oh **** yes!

It looks pretty big here...

…and that's before it plunges down a goddamn cliff!

So far it has a fantastic use of terrain.

 

[GuyWithAStick]

Holy hell that's huge. That drop somehow reminds me of Verbolten. Idk why, probably perspective, but it does. And that's a good thing.

 

[Lofty]

That drop is going to be **** fantastic.