Boris81 Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Well, we are gonna visit Dollywood on July, 9th and we really hope Lightning Rod is open at that time. I appreciate any updates about the ride from visitors these days. Love to hear some more info about the ongoing issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengals fan Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Lighning Rod is OMG fun just got off after two rides in 25 min. Makes my top 5! Wish we could stay longer 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris81 Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Did they say anything about the official opening? How long will the rehearsals be going on? And did they run 2 trains? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Welcome to KIC! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 I had heard Monday (this week) was supposed to be a grand opening.....I'd say anytime now! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengals fan Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Two trains and all your other questions no 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AintNutinElse2Do Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 For those who've ridden it, what was your favorite element of the ride? For myself it was the "90+° outside banking top hat" immediately following the wave turn. It was my omg what's going on here moment of bliss. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengals fan Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 The guy on the mic said it does not matter how hard you push down on the lap bar your seat will come off the seat 14 times. I love air time! My favorite part is from when you roll out of the station until you hit the brake run. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Sigh. Another spiel that could give a park serious legal problems if a most unfortunate event occurs. "Isn't it true your own employee said it doesn't matter how hard you push down on your lapbar?" "Didn't he also say you'd leave your seat?" "So the park knew this but operated the ride anyway?" I HATE spieling. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purdude86 Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Sigh. Another spiel that could give a park serious legal problems if a most unfortunate event occurs. "Isn't it true your own employee said it doesn't matter how hard you push down on your lapbar?" "Didn't he also say you'd leave your seat?" "So the park knew this but operated the ride anyway?" I HATE spieling. Yea that's some pretty unfortunate wording from a legal standpoint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AintNutinElse2Do Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Just got the text Lightning Rod is now officially open! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris81 Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Well, officially open but closed right now, did not open with the park, people in line for 3 hours....(see Dollywood facebook) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 All I saw was people complaining that they have to wait while issues are ironed out. I'd rather wait to ensure the issues are ironed out than get on and have an issue occur where someone is injured, the ride has to be evacuated (although I've been evacuated before from rides) and/or a bigger issue may come up if the first isn't corrected. Going on Friday and cannot wait. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AintNutinElse2Do Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 There's a documentary out about the ride. Worth watching for sure, wish they talked about the delay but none the less I enjoyed it. http://www.wbir.com/mb/news/local/documenatry-building-dollywoods-new-lightning-rod-roller-coaster/245091023 Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joncars05 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I just was there Monday through Wednesday this week and although the ride was opened, it really wasn't. The ride is incredible when it is actually running. The reliability is not good at all. Its a total crap shoot when it comes to getting a ride. There were at least 5 times where I came up to ride Lightning Rod and it was closed for mechanical issues. I was able to get 5 rides in over the three day period but the wait times were awful. What would've been at most a 30 minute wait extended to 2 hours due to the ride experiencing downtime due to mechanical issues. The last ride I was able to get I was able to get was in the morning on the third train. The ride didn't open up until noon even though ride ops said the wait wasn't going to be long and then they sent two trains out and it went down again. The maintenance team went out to the launch track, fiddled with some wires, came back, and told the ride ops he saw nothing wrong. So all in all I waited 2 and a half hours for a ride that should've been on and off of in 4 minutes. Even worse later in the day the Lightning Rod ride ops were out riding other rides because the ride was closed for the rest of the day around 3pm. My thing is why even say that the ride is "open" when it's clearly not ready at all. I understand it is new technology to wooden coasters but this technology has been around for 20 years! If you are only going to have the ride opened for 10-30 cycles before shutting down again just don't open the ride. It is not fair to the paying customer to basically have to hover around the ride all day to get a chance at riding it. The reliability is awful and I feel that if they haven't figured it out by now they may never figure it out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Trust me, that the park will have if figured out eventually. These rides are a huge investment and they aren`t just going to throw it all away. Few remember, but Flight of Fear didn`t open at Kings Island until June of the year it opened in 1996, and then had lots of issues, since it was the first roller coaster to use LIMs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joncars05 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I really hope they do. Lightning Rod is a stunning ride when operating but you can see the frustration even with the ride ops when they have to close the ride down so many times in a day. I'm hoping it improves soon because it's not a very positive feeling surrounding the ride as of now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AintNutinElse2Do Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Just speculation with no real basis here. But what if they've determined they need to do a huge change to the launch. Let's say these changes would take a couple months to complete, however they can currently run it with some reliability. So perhaps for now they'll run it as is during the peak season and perhaps through the remainder of the season rather than prolonging it more now. Similar to how Kings Dominion had added the horrific first drop trims to I305 until they could legitimately solve the problem with the reprofiled turn. The park could see it more beneficial to have its highly anticipated ride mostly open than having people wait even longer. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris81 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 @joncars05Thanks for your detailed review. Could you give us some more info about the reliability of the ride during the time being there? How was monday, the official opening day? Heard there were lengthy delays where the coaster did not operate at all? We plan to visit the park in 2 weeks, but if it is nearly impossible to get the credit because of downtimes, we might visit other parks instead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 The NoChickens and I are heading out to ride LR shortly. Cannot wait! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joncars05 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 ^^^ I see your point but nothing is more frustrating as a patron than hearing a ride is opened then going to the entrance multiple times during the day to only see it closed. ^^ Lightning Rod was good to go Monday and Tuesday mornings. Wednesday morning it wasn't. I was able to get a ride in on Tuesday around 3 and right at close. The times the ride was down was on Monday around 1 and 4, Tuesday around noon, and Wednesday it opened late around noon and close for the day around 2. Its really hit and miss. But it's a fantastic ride if you are able to get a chance to ride. ^Have fun! It's a blast! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris81 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 The NoChickens and I are heading out to ride LR shortly. Cannot wait! Looking forward for your review! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkiknex25 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I was there on Tuesday with CoasterForce, and we got a back stage tour of Lightning Rod. During the tour, Pete Owens (PR Don-equivalent) told us that right now the problems are with sensors and the computer, and not directly with the launch. He said the launch problems have been ironed out for the most part, so now it just seems like usual coaster growing pains. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Pete Owens is one of the nicest and best people in the business. You can trust what he says. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 For those planning on going to Dollywood to ride this weekend or early this coming week, you may want to change your plans. Have been told by the park it won't be opening and wasn't told why. Sent from the cellphone Zach Morris used in Saved By The Bell using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joncars05 Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 I was there on Tuesday with CoasterForce, and we got a back stage tour of Lightning Rod. During the tour, Pete Owens (PR Don-equivalent) told us that right now the problems are with sensors and the computer, and not directly with the launch. He said the launch problems have been ironed out for the most part, so now it just seems like usual coaster growing pains. That is great news! Were you with the CoasterForce crew at the end of the night? I was the guy that ran into the group for the last hour the park was opened and rode with a couple of the group's members in the back before they all headed to Lightning Rod ERT after the park closed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 ^ You may want to read the post above yours. And yet, things can and sometimes do change. Better to underpromise and overdeliver. Especially right now. Not good to build expectations at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris81 Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 For those planning on going to Dollywood to ride this weekend or early this coming week, you may want to change your plans. Have been told by the park it won't be opening and wasn't told why. Sent from the cellphone Zach Morris used in Saved By The Bell using Tapatalk Well, not good news, still hoping they get the issues ironed out as soon as possible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris81 Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 For those planning on going to Dollywood to ride this weekend or early this coming week, you may want to change your plans. Have been told by the park it won't be opening and wasn't told why. Sent from the cellphone Zach Morris used in Saved By The Bell using Tapatalk Hope you can give us some updates from the park/LIghtning Rod during your visit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 We left Dollywood last night and ended up at another park. Per Dollywood's website, it is down due to manufacture recall (I think that's the word they used). Sent from the cellphone Zach Morris used in Saved By The Bell using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.