Dollywood’s Tennessee Tornado coaster hit major milestone this year
A tornado touched down in East Tennessee 25 years ago. And it's still going – spinning around loops, down drops and bringing 70 mph of fun. We're talking about the Tennessee Tornado roller coaster at Dollywood, of course.
Tennessee Tornado opened in April 1999 and is still one of the popular rides at the Pigeon Forge theme park. In fact, it's one of the oldest of the 10 operating coasters at Dollywood. Only the indoor coaster Blazing Fury is older, which opened in 1978 when the park still operated as Silver Dollar City before becoming “Dollywood” in 1986.
“It's a wonderful ride,” an avid roller coaster enthusiast told the News-Sentinel back in 1999 before getting back on for a second go. “I loved the first drop going into the tunnel. The loops are very interesting. I think it will be a big hit at Dollywood.”
The coaster did have a tough draw in Knox News' “favorite Dollywood attraction” bracket this summer, though. It was matched against the eventual bracket winner, Wild Eagle, and was knocked out in the second round.
Here's what else you need to know about the Tennessee Tornado as it celebrates its 25th year.
“It's enough to make local weather forecasters issue a ‘Tennessee Tornado Warning!'”
How intense is the Tennessee Tornado at Dollywood?
“This triple spiral-looping coaster makes you feel like you've landed inside a funnel cloud as you zoom down a 128-foot drop through an actual mountain at speeds nearing 70 mph,” Dollywood's official description reads.
How long is the Tennessee Tornado at Dollywood
The Tennessee Tornado coaster is half a mile long at 2,682 feet and lasts up 1 minute and 48 seconds, according to Coasterpedia.net. The steel coaster has a height of 163 feet, a 128-foot drop, three inversions and a tunnel.
How much did the Tennessee Tornado cost?
The roller coaster came with an $8 million price tag, according to NewsSentinel archives. That would be just over $15 million today based on Consumer Price Index calculations.
At $25 million, Big Bear Mountain roller coaster, which debuted last year, is Dollywood's single largest investment ever for an attraction.
How can you celebrate Tennessee Tornado’s milestone anniversary?
If you'd like to experience the coaster for yourself, general admission tickets to Dollywood are $92 for adults and $82 for child and seniors. Deals and discounts are available at Dollywood.com.
Dollywood has a total of 10 roller coasters, including Whistle Punk Chaser, a junior coaster for riders too little for the faster rides.
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com . On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208 .