6 of the Best Rides at Dollywood
Published Nov 18, 2022
Love a pure adrenaline rush? These six Dollywood rides get your pulse pounding!
1. Lightning Rod: Dollywood's Fastest Coaster
This hot-rod-themed coaster blasts you from zero to 45 mph right out of the gate. Suddenly, you’re plummeting down a 165-foot drop. This is a long ride, at 3,800 feet and more than three minutes of thrills! With 90-degree turns, 12 “airtime” moments, and a top speed of 73 mph, it’s no wonder that coaster fans keep voting Lightning Rod one of the country’s top 10 coasters year after year.
2. Wild Eagle: Nothing But Air
There’s nothing under your feet–just 21 stories of air between you and the ground! Wild Eagle is America’s first “wing coaster,” where you sit on wings suspended next to the track, not on top of the track. The sensation? Flying! The effect? Exhilarating, especially when you whip around loops at speeds hitting 60 mph.
3. Thunderhead: Classic Wooden Coaster
Are you ready to tackle this classic wooden roller coaster with its 100-foot drop and a top speed of 55 mph? Hang on! This coaster crisscrosses over and under itself 32 times as it races between two mountains.
4. Tennessee Tornado: Triple Twists
Quick but intense, this is a thrill-seeker’s dream: One second, you’re dropped into the darkness inside a mountain tunnel, and the next moment, you’re bursting out into an upside-down loop. The three spiral loops never give you a breather! This is one wild ride with a top speed of 70 mph and a maximum drop of 128 feet.
5. Drop Line: Breathtaking Drop Tower
Coasters aren’t the only way to get your thrills. Enjoy the mountain view as the gondola slowly rises 20 stories into the air. The ride-up is gentle, but don’t be fooled. You’re about to plunge straight down, hitting a hair-raising 77 mph! What a rush!
6. Barnstormer: A Screamin' Swing
If you love that flying sensation, but coasters aren’t your thing, board the Barnstormer. This “screamin’ swing” ride straps you to a massive, swinging arm that flings you up and down, higher with each swing! You’ll rotate 230 degrees, rising 81 feet in the air at speeds reaching 45 mph. Swinging down creates a crazy, falling feeling as you see the ground rushing toward you before you’re scooped upward again!
Stay at a cabin near Dollywood, so you spend more time on thrill rides and less time riding in your car. Book your Smoky Mountain cabin vacation now!
