Okay since no one has compared the two, I will be the first to compare Ozark Wildcat, and this years Thunderhead. Thunderhead is twenty feet taller, 10 m.p.h. faster, and 500 ft longer. So it should be the badder of the two, well it isnt. The first drop is awesome and the speed is excelent, as you fly into the demented s turn, giving you a good shot of air, and in my opinion the best moment of airtime in the ride. I counted 8 moments of airtime on this beast, none of which are overly forceful. Ozark Wildcat also has 8 moments of airtime but are substantially more forceful. The turns on thunderhead are fascinating to look at and the trains fly through them with great ease, but yet again they are not as forceful as Ozark Wildcat. The layout is arguably the greastest layout on a wooden coaster, to date. It is turn after turn and it drops, dives and screams everywhere, but it still isnt as forcefull. It is being called the best coaster in existance by many, and my thinking is, apperently theses people havent ridden many coasters because Thunderheads little, older sister is much better. But this is still a fair attempt

Inexperience. We all have it at one point or another, and sometimes such inexperience leads us to wonder if we have overvalued some rides. Such was the case with Thunderhead and myself. When I rode Thunderhead for the first time, I was blown away, but that was back when my coaster count was a shade under 1/3 of my current count, so I developed doubts as to how good it really was. Well, I guess its true, you dont neccessarily need to have a ton of experience to recognize greatness. Several Golden Ticket winners and other well-praised coasters later, Thunderhead continues to reign atop my personal coaster list. The ride is awesome in the day as it tosses you wildly about the comfy seats and you experience positive, negativ and tons and tons of lateral G-forces. The ride is simply awesome, and then the sun sets. Ancient Egyptians used to equate the setting sun to death (which is why they placed all of the pyramids on the west banks of the Nile ), but for this coaster, quite the opposite. While no one in their right mind would tell you its ok to count Thunderhead laps at night as a seperate credit, I cant help but be amazed at how much different of a ride it is. A new ride is born with the dusk skies, and its a wilder, more insane and totally out of control. Only the station and brake run lights break through the darkness back in the valley that is Thunderhead Gap, and even half of that was cured when some of the ride ops killed the lights as the train roared through the station. As incredible as Thunderhead is during the day, the nighttime brings an unprecedented beast, one of a disguising setting, decietful hills that deliver inconcievable jolts of airtime and lateral forces and pacing that can only be described as breathtaking - even paralyzing, if you will.Thunderhead delivers a killer ride, but thats not the whole story behind it. As mentioned, the trains are awesome, even if the seatbelts seemed to be a bit tighter this season. The wood lattice work is briliant, a true work of art hinting at the craftsmanship of the parks valley. The terrain is utilized well, as an overwhelming majority of the ride is spent no more than 25 feet off the ground. Thunderheads operations are wonderful, even with one train and 80+ ACERs taking in some nighttime ERT, the lines moved where I never waited more than one train. Oh, and the staff, theyre just plain awesome. Courteous, funny, and perhaps most importantly, efficient.Overall, Thunderhead is an incredible roller coaster. Speed, airtime, laterals, headchopping side rails, darkness, a steep, twisting drop, a station fly-through.. all of it is phenomenal, and best of all, the charm of Dollywood wasnt ruined with the $7 million baby. Still my #1 everything: wooden coaster, roller coaster, attraction.. you name it, Thunderhead gets the trophy :trophy: Im done now, so off you go, let the Thundeeerrr Roooollllll!!

Wavering between a 9 or a 10 on this one. Surely a great coaster, but not sure if it lived up to my expectations. However, a 7pm ride (after the grease on the rails was heated up) bumped it up to a 10. Great back seat air. Once it drops off of the lift hill it never leaves up to the break run.

The only good places to ride are in the very front and the very back , the fly through station is so loud , its fun to yell i as loud as you can when you go through so it looks scary to the first riders below , i dont like where they put the on ride photo , i wish they would have it after maybe the first drop but i guess they needed a picture not while your going down a hill

This ride has fantastic pacing. It dosnt have all of the elements of some of my favorite wood coasters, but it is different and is certainly alot of fun. It never lets up. This ride has non stop action.

Great, but not the greatest. Best wood though

This ride is GREAT!!! We rode it 6 time, 3 times in the front 3 seats and 3 times in the last 3 seats. It kept getting better and better. Iam fat and got killer air! If this wooody doesnt win coaster of the year, something is seriouly wrong with you people! If you agree, post a comment!

This could very well be the best wooden twister built in years. This ride has a little bit of everything a great wooden coaster should have. Laterals, speed, pops of airtime(especially in the back seat on the first drop), and absolutely insane banking. You want it, Thunderheads got it!!!!

GCII is going to have a real tough time topping this one and Dollywood should officially be highlighted on any coaster enthusiasts map.

This ride was awesome! To me just waiting to ride the ride was an adventure in itself seeing the train above our heads in the station come screaming by, is something to make you more anxious to ride this coaster, to me my favorite thing was the trains which had this open vounerable feeling to them. This is a coaster no one should miss

Best coaster ive ever ridden! Dollywood needs to be on every coaster enthusiasts road map, now with this beauty, but also Tennessee Tornado, Arrows smoothest looper.