365:, which takes photos of the riders. After a 180-degree right turn, riders go through a fly-through station element while traveling 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). The train makes a loud noise as it travels 8 feet (2.4 m) above the station. It then goes through a left-handed curve. A smaller airtime hill leads to a 270-degree helix. Riders then go through a right turn and a left turn before hitting the brakes. The train slowly turns 90 degrees to the right, passing by the transfer track. This is followed by a 180-degree left turn that leads back to the station, where riders exit the train.
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314:, the ride opened on April 3, 2004, as the anchor attraction of a new section added to the park that season called Thunderhead Gap. Thunderhead features 22 turns and 32 crossovers, and utilizes GCI's
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The train exits the station and turns right. From there, it makes its way through a left turn and climbs the 100.4-foot (30.6 m)
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On June 26, 2003, Dollywood unveiled plans for a third coaster addition to the park called
Thunderhead for the 2004 season, following
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that was heavily logged during the early 19th century. Thunderhead is a slang term in the
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12 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 24 riders per train.
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trains, which have been used on all GCI coasters since 1999.
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Roller coasters manufactured by Great
Coasters International
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696:"New Wooden Coaster To Roll Into Dollywood For 2004 Season"
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Roller coasters operated by
Herschend Family Entertainment
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736:"Thunderhead (Dollywood) :: ThrillNetwork.com"
671:"Thunderhead (Dollywood) :: ThrillNetwork.com"
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1738:Journey to the Center of the Earth: 4-D Adventure
651:Thunderhead's drop after its station fly-through
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1492:(6.2): 71–72. September 2023. Archived from
1175:(6.2): 40–41. September 2013. Archived from
1090:(6.2): 46–47. September 2011. Archived from
1044:(6.2): 38–39. September 2010. Archived from
998:(6.2): 38–39. September 2009. Archived from
952:(6.2): 42–43. September 2008. Archived from
906:(6.2): 42–43. September 2007. Archived from
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374:700,000 board feet of Southern Yellow Pine
1573:Dollywood's Official Page for Thunderhead
860:: 30–31B. September 2006. Archived from
818:: 22–23B. September 2005. Archived from
776:: 14–15B. September 2004. Archived from
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1769:Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame
1460:from the original on September 12, 2022
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1532:from the original on September 9, 2024
1424:from the original on November 15, 2021
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545:Survey: Favorite Wood Roller Coaster
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339:Great Smoky Mountains National Park
1838:Roller coasters introduced in 2004
1516:"2024 Golden Ticket Award Winners"
1480:"2023 Golden Ticket Award Winners"
1444:"2022 Golden Ticket Award Winners"
1408:"2021 Golden Ticket Award Winners"
639:Thunderhead's station fly-through
16:Wooden roller coaster at Dollywood
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627:Thunderhead's first airtime hill
711:"Thunderhead (Dollywood)"
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1812:List of Dollywood entertainment
255:48–76 in (122–193 cm)
221:53.7 mph (86.4 km/h)
1:
1807:List of Dollywood attractions
1344:"2018 Top 50 Wooden Coasters"
1312:"2017 Top 50 Wooden Coasters"
1280:"2016 Top 50 Wooden Coasters"
281:Must transfer from wheelchair
1853:Roller coasters in Tennessee
1260:(6.2): 45–46. September 2015
1221:(6.2): 38–39. September 2014
1136:(6.2): 46–47. September 2012
312:Great Coasters International
160:Great Coasters International
1376:"2019 Top 50 Wood Coasters"
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386:185,000 feet of steel rebar
337:, a peak within the nearby
197:100.4 ft (30.6 m)
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1795:Dollywood's Splash Country
615:Thunderhead's second drop
213:3,230 ft (980 m)
35:Best Wooden Roller Coaster
1833:Operating roller coasters
698:. Ultimate Rollercoaster.
333:The ride was named after
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269:TimeSaver Pass available
715:Roller Coaster DataBase
308:Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
205:100 ft (30 m)
121:April 3, 2004
1843:Wooden roller coasters
1801:Hollywood to Dollywood
377:3600 yards of concrete
178:Twister roller coaster
1496:on September 10, 2023
300:wooden roller coaster
94:35.79667°N 83.53194°W
1790:Dollywood Foundation
1521:Golden Ticket Awards
1449:Golden Ticket Awards
1413:Golden Ticket Awards
1381:Golden Ticket Awards
1349:Golden Ticket Awards
1317:Golden Ticket Awards
1285:Golden Ticket Awards
397:Golden Ticket Awards
335:Thunderhead Mountain
1182:on October 19, 2013
1097:on October 19, 2013
1051:on October 19, 2013
1005:on October 19, 2013
959:on October 19, 2013
913:on October 19, 2013
867:on October 19, 2013
825:on October 19, 2013
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347:Cumulonimbus clouds
288:Thunderhead at RCDB
99:35.79667; -83.53194
90: /
1757:Imagination Cinema
1754:Adventure Mountain
1659:FireChaser Express
1528:. September 2024.
1456:. September 2022.
1420:. September 2021.
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310:. Manufactured by
306:amusement park in
252:Height restriction
244:Max vertical angle
184:Lift/launch system
141:General statistics
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1745:County Fair Falls
1674:Tennessee Tornado
1644:Big Bear Mountain
1623:Dollywood Express
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783:on April 3, 2007
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1552:"Member Survey"
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1669:Mystery Mine
1649:Blazing Fury
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156:Manufacturer
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1700:Barnstormer
1679:Thunderhead
1654:Dragonflier
1616:Attractions
302:located at
296:Thunderhead
136:$ 7 million
97: /
72:Coordinates
22:Thunderhead
1827:Categories
1684:Wild Eagle
746:2007-12-19
681:2007-12-19
657:References
227:Inversions
125:2004-04-03
85:83°31′55″W
82:35°47′48″N
1858:Dollywood
1609:Dollywood
1556:napha.org
304:Dollywood
113:Operating
53:Dollywood
43:Dollywood
1530:Archived
1458:Archived
1422:Archived
1117:"Top 50
1071:"Top 50
1025:"Top 50
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887:"Top 50
845:"Top 50
803:"Top 50
761:"Top 50
570:Ranking
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236:Duration
166:Designer
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602:Gallery
322:History
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1725:Former
399:: Top
260:Trains
210:Length
194:Height
110:Status
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