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Thunderhead reviews

Theme Park Insider readers offer their ratings and reviews for Thunderhead, a roller coaster at Dollywood. (The minimum height to ride is 48 inches.)

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A Great Coasters International woodie reaches a maximum speed of 55 miles per hour and offers a 100-foot drop with a high-speed S-curve at the base of the first drop. It also features the world's first "fly-through" station.

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Readers' rating:

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29 votes, so far

This is my 4th favorite wooden. It is just below Evel Knievel (now American Thunder) at Six Flags St Louis. Evel Knievel was much smoother so I thought that it was better. I must say that while this was rough, It was one of the wildest rides I have ever ridden. At 55 miles per hour, it felt at least 70. I loved the twists of the ride. It had amazing banked turns. It had some great pops of air all over the ride. It is definitely stormy ejector airtime, but it is well spaced. I love the station fly by. It is a great touch. The front seat is amazing. It has fantastic airtime. Mystery Mine is my personal favorite of the park, but this ride is a better ride. I also love the millennium flyer trains. 10/10 - Edward Morgan

A monster woodie. That still runs solid. A lot of air time. Plenty of curves. A fly through the station. Real fun. Still a top ten wooden coaster that comes highly recomended. - Joe Schwartz

Shame it's getting a little on the rougher side, because I remember riding it when it first opened and it was insanely smooth. No wooden coaster is perfectly smooth always, and the rough factor adds to the experiance. Unique woodie that I really enjoy. 8.5/10 - Bradley Keith

A monster woodie that blazes a trail through a terrific series of swooping, air-time drops, and well-placed, twists and turns. The mid course run through the load house is a brilliant feature, and a highlight of the ride for both passengers and those waiting in line. This coaster is the most intense in the park, and while it is starting to show some age in the roughness of the ride, I did not find it to be a painful coaster at all. - James Rao

Very Impressive. Rough, but it can be avoided by holding yourself forward. If done so, it is one high speed, thrilling, coaster. 9/10. - David L.

This is the BEST wooden roller coaster I've ever ridden. It has non stop speed, but it's not terribly rough like a lot of other woodies. The ride through the station is an extra treat, especially to the unaware that are waiting in the queue. - Joshua Conlon

Yes, this may be the best woodie I've ridden. There are no slow spots or dead zones at any time. You also get that great wood rumbling without the unpleasantness of coasters like the late Psyclone. - Marc Ricketts

Fantastic wooden roller coaster!!!!! :) - Cass Davis

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