Dollywood Closing Popular Coaster In October

If you are a fan of the Lightning Rod roller coaster at Dollywood, you need to get there soon, or you’ll have to wait till next year to ride it. Dollywood announced Tuesday that they will be closing the Lightning Rod on October 30th. The ride is being closed so the park can replace the existing launch system with a high-speed chain lift. The wooden roller coaster has 3800 feet of track and takes riders to speeds of up to 73 mph and includes a 165 foot drop at one point in the ride. Dollywood says they will reopen the Lightning Rod sometime next spring.