Lighting Rod Update?

Was able to get on the ride Sunday afternoon. Once I got to where I could see what was going on (they were holding people back from entering the queue) the maintenance people were fiddling at the control panel quite a bit. One train after they got it back up and running was caught in the brake run for a few minutes. Seems to be an issue with the sensors and not the launch as far as I can tell. In the morning maintenance was eyeing up the track where the train starts up the hill which is the same spot they were working on during the recall.

Quick thoughts on the ride. Ended up with a single rider in the very back row because I didn't want to risk not making it on. The launch is faster than I expected but it's really just a way to get the train up and over the first hill with some speed. During the triple down I think I said "what the — WHOOOOOA — f*ck — WHAAAAA — is going on" and before I knew it the ride was done. Would have loved another ride but after break downs we waited an hour and twenty minutes and the queue filled in behind us quite a bit since the time we started waiting.

I look at it this way too. All coaster technology (all technology really) at one point or another was untested and unproven. First suspended coasters, first inverts, first launched, a lot of firsts in the industry. Even coasters that are just new and proven have had opening delays and issues in the beginning.

Closed all day today, and Thunderhead was down too.

Not the best visit to Dollywood I've had...

I know several people who have been to the park at least 3 different times this year and still haven't ridden. They don't live in Ireland, but it's not a short trip either. :-)

It's vexing, but not the end of the world given that my next trip to the area will need to include Kings Island and Busch Williamsburg :)

I like how you refer to this as an "area". :)

I think he's referring to the U.S....

If you make that route a round trip back to Kings Island, you will have the mythical Bannister Triangle... A supernatural "area" where coaster enthusiasts vanish into thin air.

Fun said:

I like how you refer to this as an "area". :)

My 2014 US trip had 5215 miles of driving in two weeks... and it was great fun :)

^

Even more amazing is that all that driving was on the wrong side of the highway!!

Hope you had a nice rental.