Lightning Rod Chain Lift Offride Footage | Dollywood Opening Day 2024
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.พ. 2025
- For the 2024 season, Dollywood replaced the uphill LSM launch on Lightning Rod, their premier RMC terrain coaster, with a more traditional chain lift hill. This came after years of extreme technical issues related to the launch, and is intended to fix the ride's large downtime problem allowing more guests to experience the attraction each year. This change is certainly a controversial one, as it completely changes the character of the ride, but are you just curious what it looks like in action?
This video contains offride footage of Lightning Rod I was able to record on their 2024 public opening day, the first day in which the ride operated publicly (to non-passholders) with the chain lift. I placed particularly focus on the lift itself (since that's what's new), and included extended clips for all you nerds who want to see how the ride is set up to operate with the new chain.
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In terms of a chain lift thats pretty darn fast, Millenium Force is just 2mph faster for comparison. I'll miss the launch but changes are a part of life, nice to see the ride running and with two trains at that 😍
Yeah. It’s certainly not the same ride it used to be, but the old ride was not sustainable. That was my feeling exactly; things change, and I’m at least happy the ride isn’t gone entirely!
The lift definitely isn’t fast but I’m happy that Lightning Rod will most likely be open every time I visit Dollywood. It was disappointing driving 4 hours to not ride my favorite coaster in the park. This is a win!
I rode it Friday, so here are some thoughts. The chain lift is going 13mph which is very fast for a chain lift. I think Millennium Force is only like 15mph. That’s also like a 30 degree angle if that on that lift up a 200ft mountain. It’s a very long lift hill so it’s gonna look slow. Finally it has brand new trains. These trains are much lighter than the old trains as they don’t have all the launch components underneath. It’s going to run slow in the morning or if the train isn’t loaded. Friday morning, it was running slow in the morning when I road it, but was the same as it was last year in the afternoon after it warmed up. It could also get faster as the trains break in throughout the year. It will never be the ride it was in 2016 again. It was changed 3 years ago when it stopped accelerating when it got 75% up lift and crawled over the top. Not sure why everyone is acting like it just happened this year. The park needs the ride to operate daily on two train operations. The crowds they get are insane and they need the capacity. They also need it appeal to a wide audience and not just extreme thrill seekers. That’s why they’re keeping the ride experience the same it has been the last few years.
From this video, the lift motor sounds similar to Ride of Steel at Darien Lake, which that one is pretty fast too compared to let's say Magnum XL200 at Cedar Point.
THIS!!!!! 100.
I’m not sure why people are acting like the launch just stopped this past year.
I wrote it today. First Friday in the morning between 10 and 11 AM was pretty sluggish. The second ride closer to 2 to 3 was much better had much more pep it up. If it’s slower than it was in previous years, it’s only just barely. I think it will be cooking. Come summertime.
Rode it today.
The right up the hill is definitely faster when you’re on it, and it does feel like a high-speed chain lift. Maybe not quite 13 miles an hour, but definitely quick.
For comparison, you get up the hill faster than you do on thunderhead, which is 100 feet shorter.
The first ride this morning was underwhelming, but it was between 10 and 11, and it was pretty cold this morning. By the time we wrote it a couple hours later it was definitely moving pretty quick. It was cooking pretty good.
Honestly, it feels at least as fast as years prior after they neutered the launch the first time.
Going over the hill in the back is actually a little bit more fun as the chain kind of gives it a little more oomph.
I don’t think it ruins the ride at all and I think once we hit summertime, it will be moving through the entire course as quick, if not slightly quicker than last year.
And best of all, they were easily able to run two trains, so lines were much, much more manageable than they would’ve ever been in years past.
Overall a good move.
Quite possibly the best matched train speed to chain speed lift approach I’ve yet seen on an RMC. Anti rollbacks still seem loud AF. Progress over perfection.
😂 are you serious?
They could make the anti rollbacks quiet, but the loud version is cooler. Reminds you of old wooden coasters and helps build excitement.
Yeah the lift approach speed is almost over-engineered lol, was a bit surprised from RMC compared to their usual “just let it hit the chain however” approach. I guess they wanted to make sure there were no issues with it after how that launch went for so many years 😂
Looks like it's running pretty consistently! Glad this ride is back.
It was down around 10-3 pm on Saturday, but some of that may have been due to the rain 😅 We’ll see long term how consistently it operates; hopefully some of the issues now/Saturday are just because it’s a new system and will be ironed out pretty quick
Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.
Congrats on the views! I get to ride Lightning Rod next week to see for myself.
Thanks! Yeah I figured I could get a decent bit if I got the video up early, but didn’t expect this much 😅
Hope you still enjoy it when you get to ride!
Great footage! Lightning Rod is currently my #1 (as of 2023) and I'll be riding it again in a couple weeks so we'll see where it ends up. Assuming the rest of the layout runs the same, I don't think it will drop out of my top 10.
The rest is the same. I plan to ride it later this year :)
Its gonna run like how it did in 2021
@@MrCliffda3rdI like lighting rod the speed lift
Hopefully it still hits for you! Contrary to what some here have said, after about 6 rides I can confidently say that the second half feels noticeably slower, likely due to the lighter trains. But hopefully it’ll be less of a deal in the summer heat with a full train
Really? I didn’t write it as many times as you did. But I wrote it a little bit later in the day and the last half felt just fine. It was the first half that felt especially slow in the morning.
This is the video I have been waiting for someone to put out since opening day! Thank you and great content!
Of course! Thank you for watching!
Well the lift sure isn't what it used to be but the last half of the course seems to still be as fast. IDK all the times I visited the LSM was working fantastic and we were able to ride over and over. Yes I know that was a rarity but it sure was fun at the time. Awesome footage and thanks for sharing !
Yeah I was just as lucky apparently; even though it was my home park and I visited all the time, it usually seemed to be open for me 😅 But I know a lot of people didn’t have the same luck on their trips, so it is what it is. The second half did feel a bit slower to me on ride, but some others think it runs the same so I guess it’s not a huge difference
Dollywood really said you got NO TREES🗿NO WOOD🗿NO LAUNCH🗿
lmao
NO NEW TRAINS🗿
I mean it does have new trains 😅
It’s literally the same speed as the launch once you hit the first hill, personally.. I like that it will be running consistently. And my baby quad down is still good as ever.
That was the most insane coaster I’ve ever been on. I will probably do it again…..
Glad to hear it’s still kicking!
Just realized that they removed the “vroom-vroom” sound effect at the beginning. If they kept it, it would not make sense to have that because there is no launch at the beginning, and you would expect something to happen.
I do miss it since I’m a huge fan of theming and that dispatch used to be so theatrical, but yeah it would make so sense with the chain lift
It’s a lot more smoother then before
Yeah that’s something not many people are talking about; the brand new trains definitely help smooth out some of the bumpiness in the first half
Greetings! May I use this footage in a coaster news video I'm doing? I will give you full credit.
Yes, of course! Thank you!
I might actually get to ride it now
I'm glad I got the rode lightning rod when they still have the launch system on it
So sad I never got to experience the launch :(
From someone who rode lightining rod in 2016 when it opened to when its launch first got neuterd to now, it still looks like it rides the same from the 2023 season. Will it be as good as 2016 no but it still is an insane ride. Very glad Dollywood finally folded and made the launch a chain lift. Better capacity too, finally consistant 2 train operations
I’m surprised they didn’t get rid of the headrests.
I think they wanted to keep them as a part of theming because car seats have headrests
Yeah, I’m honestly surprised the trains look almost the same just with some random colors switched 😂
I mean it looks like the speed is maintained the same I’ll miss the launch but it should still be really good if it has the same speed as it used to
i was lucky enough to ride this twice with the fast lift. if the chain makes it more reliable then im all for it.
I wonder how many people that are Regulars at Dollywood rode it and was like "Wait, Wtf... When did this get a chain lift" 😂
Seemingly a surprisingly large number of people when I rode opening day. Actually heard multiple people in line excited to show their friends/first time riders how fast it shoots up the hill, only for their face to change to confusion as the train out the window slowly engaged the chain lmao
The put the hot rod decorations back on the front cars 🥰
Im surprised they didnt just go with a cable lift like el toro at six flags great adventures its a very fast lift
Open At Last. Looks Absolutely Awesome
Can I use your footage and credit you of course
Yeah sure, go ahead!
@@CoastingThePlanet thanks so much
Cool video! Can i use some of this footage?
Yes of course, as long as you notate where it came from! Thanks!
@@CoastingThePlanet will do! thanks!
It stops on the break run at a different point now??
On the day I was filming, yes. But it was raining that day, and I believe it was operating in a “rain mode” that keeps trains farther apart on the break runs to avoid bumping since the drive tires and brakes don’t have as much traction when they’re wet. I’ve been told the trains still park directly behind the station (where they did before) on days it’s not raining
They need to change the name to turtle rod
the only thing im unhappy about is that i was hoping that they would get rid of the headrests cause the launch is gone, except they didnt. it just wouldve felt more open and exposed. still, im looking forward to riding it again
When they used to term high-speed chain lift I was thinking about something in between the lines of El Toro or Skyrush.
well I guess it's better than nothing so who cares 🤷♂️
LONG LIVE LIGHTNING ROD🎉🎉🎉
They should've went for a hydraulic lift hill like Bakken's Tornado
Wow, it's actually running both trains. I still think had RMC been smart, they would've used their metal truss system instead of all wood support for the lift, then the LSM launch would've worked.
That's being said, yikes. That lift is a lot slower than the lauch. You can tell by the offride shot of the final turn around that it's quite a bit slower than the original version. They said the lift would be the same speed as the train cresting the launched lift hill, but if it was it wouldn't take the track slower.
Definitely slower than the original launch, false advertisement. They should've went with LSM's
@@TheBlueBunnyKen personally, if it were me, I would've invested in the metal truss system like most RMCs have for their lift. They said that the wood flexes too much so the magnetic launch doesn't always work. It's like, okay, if you know what the exact problem is, then why not fix it? Nope, just gonna go with a chain lift. Smh. So dumb for them to do it this way.
@@Yikes_its_Psychs THIS! Such a shame that they went with replacing the launch with a chain lift when they could have just redid the launch with metal instead. Even if it would have costed more it would have been worth keeping one of the ride's most iconic elements and the thing that made it most unique compared to other RMCs. Not only that, but the whole hot rod theme is butchered now too due to the lack of a launch
@@thejaguar3191 I'm glad we think alike.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they considered redoing the structure, but any attempt to preserve the launch would be a prototype in some way, and it just isn’t worth the risk at this point. Also, as far as it going slower through the layout, I’ve read comments from people who went on opening day saying it noticeably sped up throughout the day. Once summer comes it’ll be running much faster.
It’s never gonna be the same without the launch. I say, just tear this down and make a Vekoma Launch version.
Then make a brand new ground up RMC Hybrid Coaster with a different theme.
I mean I wouldn’t complain about a new Vekoma launch coaster or a new RMC hybrid, but there’s no reason for them to tear down lrod as is especially after they’ve just spent so much money on it 😅
The lift is faster than Wildcat’s revenge, that coaster stops on the lift until the block zone is cleared.
Should have gone with an Intamin style cable lift
It does sound like an Intamin chain lift, though.
@@markvolpe2305no it doesn’t
Does the rest of the ride feel just as fast as before?
Yes, but just not the beginning.
It will hit the same top speed so eys
@@HugeRMCFanBoY-bx3od I know that’s what they claim, but I’m just wondering if people think it actually FEELS the same. Hoping it stays as consistent as they claim
I wonder why they didn't to with a fast, quieter cable lift like on ElToro at Six Flags Great Adventure? The chain lifts on almost all RMC coasters are EXPREMELY noisy!!! From the looks on the ElToro pov, that would have been a better solution...
Exactly what I said
Like looking at an injured animal. That launch was the reason I dreamed of going to dolly wood...
Lightning rod turned into a senior citizen.
Lmao
Why didn’t they do a cable lift like skyrush. Sure this is semi fast for a chain lift but it’s still pretty slow
Stop complaining the ride experience won't be changed outside of the launch
Cause it’s made out of wood…
Intamin vs RMC. Intamin is the only manufacturer that uses cable lifts for their roller coasters.
@@KnotWithJoshEl Toro uses a cable lift but that is an Intamin design.
@@HugeRMCFanBoY-bx3od the launch made it unique. Apparently you are against innovation.
does anyone know why they didn't go cable lift?
I assume because no RMC has had a cable lift before. At this point they just want the ride to work and don’t want to take any more risks. A cable lift would probably work fine, but they KNOW a chain lift will work since RMC has done it many times before and it’s proven technology at this point. So I presume it’s to minimize risk for them after spending so much money on this ride already
This “high speed chain lift” is comparable to Top Thrill 2 having a” high speed transfer track.” It’s all marketing. It just means it’s the fastest that particular manufacturer can do at this time.
Exactly this. Dollywood put way too much emphasis on the “high speed” part, leading to overblown expectations and unnecessary disappointment
Thrilling ...
so happy i rode it before it was castrated
How tall is that lift hill
205 feet
I'm really surprised they went with a chain lift as there are faster lift systems yet that are more reliable than the launch system they got rid of. This is just really sad to me much like Top Thrill Dragster. I really think lightning rod and the aforementioned Top Thrill should have been just completely rebranded. There's nothing lightning about this Rod anymore. Rolling Thunder would be a more appropriate name to follow up with. Glad this will probably be open all the time now despite losing a banger of a ride when it was open. It's still will be a decent ride just not the same by any means. This gives Dollywood an excuse to put a new Marquis attraction in because this no longer fits that bill.
I think that they just wanted to get rid of all the problems the ride had, without risking something with a system that RMC never built before. They tried something unique and new with the launch and it failed, so it's understandable that they stopped experimenting and just took the chain lift to get it up running again. Of course another lift system would have been cool but the GP doesn't care anyway, so I think the park just had enough of innovations.
Looks about as fast as Fury 325's chain lift.
I never got to ride this with the launch, so as long as it's decent, I'm sure I'll have a positive opinion of it. It's definitely not on my bucket list anymore, though.
Yeah as someone who’s been riding since 2017, it’s nowhere near as good as it used to be. As of this year, I officially prefer Thunderhead. It’s still a great ride and all the changed over the years we’re necessary imo, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s not the ride I used to know
I want to ride it but without the launch I’m not going to ride it with launch it’s better
I mean. You do you 😅 Shorter line for everyone else ig
If I was the ceo of dolly wood I will bring the launch back
That’d be a pretty bad financial decision at this point 😂
"high speed"
Bruv why can’t Iron Gwazi’s lift be this fast…
They should of gone with a cable lift like on el toro
they have to be kidding. can it be any slower?
Probably.
Jesus is coming soon. Ask Him into your life. Cleanse you from ALL unrighteousness. Make Him your Lord & your Savior. One day YOU will go to Heaven. Amen.
Jesus makes gay love with Satan while all the demons watch
Goddamn... this is depressing
Why because a mediocre launch was removed?
I don't think so.....if it keeps the ride running I think it's great
What a disappointment...from the beginning they should've went with an *experienced* LSM manufacturer (like Indrivetec), instead of the unreliable Velocity Magnetics prototype. Dollywood took many more risks than they could've had.
I get that reliability is the main concern here, but still...their decision to opt for a modest chain lift feels just as underwhelming as when King's Island removed the vertical loop from SOB.
Look at how they massacred my boy ; _ ;
(At least it won't go down for maintenence so much anymore though)
The rid experience won't be changed outside if the launch
I love how this is now like the third time throughout its life people have said “look how they massacred my boy” referring to lrod lol. This poor ride
@@CoastingThePlanet For real. As somebody who had Dollywood as my home park from 2017-2022, I've been able to experience it in each of those forms, watching it slowly get more nerfed over time. Nothing compares to the singular ride I was able to nab in 2017, before the launch was slowed down. It was FLYING through those elements. It's a shame the launch was so unreliable and it couldn't run like that anymore
Metal detectors should be added in the queue because of a no loose article policy.
It's not fast
With the new lift hill.
I just left Dollywood
I thought that was supposed to be fast? That chain lift is slow......
For a chain lift it’s decently fast. It’s not a steeep incline so yeah it’s gonna take a while to get to the top. They definitely went a bit overboard on trying to sell it as “high speed” since it’s really not much faster than you might expect, but it’s not slow either
F
Wow this is awful. They seriously messed up and need to bring the launch back right away.
The top speed is still the same why do thoosies like complaining so much
The launch was slower than the new chain lmaoooooo
@@KnotWithJosh yeah because a speed of 45 MPH is definitely slower than 13 MPH 😑
@@brendancollins2970 The launch caused it to be closed more than it was open, so this was the right call. And while the launch was unique, it was one of least memorable parts of the ride in my opinion, so it won’t ruin the ride for me. I wish they could’ve kept the launch, but the coaster would be shut down in the next five years if they did.
@@Trim_Brakes_06the launch has many great moments (still) but I would disagree about the launched lift, for me it was the most memorable and surprising part of the ride to get on this wood coaster for the first time and have it take off unexpectedly. Lots of great RMCs out there, but the launch made it distinct from the rest.
Completely ruined that ride. There is technology that can make it go much faster than that and is better than what you had before. Smh.
😂
What a joke