Tennessee Tornado is a steel looping roller coaster at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Built by Arrow Dynamics and designed by Alan Schilke, it opened on April 17, 1999, as the park’s first major coaster expansion and one of the last significant projects the manufacturer ever completed before filing for bankruptcy in 2001.
Standing 163 feet tall with a top speed of 63 mph and three inversions along 2,682 feet of track, the ride is themed around a tornado sweeping through a 19th-century Tennessee mining town. Its centerpiece is a 110-foot ‘Spiro Loop’—the largest single inversion ever created by Arrow Dynamics—making it a landmark in the history of American steel coasters.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
- Manufacturer: Arrow Dynamics
- Opened: April 17, 1999
- Height: 163 ft (50 m)
- Drop: 128 ft (39 m)
- Top Speed: 63 mph (101 km/h)
- Length: 2,682 ft (817 m)
- Inversions: 3
The Ride Experience
Riders board at the mine-shaft themed station before a chain lift hauls them 163 feet above the Smoky Mountain foothills. The first drop plunges 128 feet and feeds directly into the signature Spiro Loop, a 110-foot vertical circle that stands as the tallest inversion Arrow Dynamics ever built. The train then hammers through two additional inversions—a second loop and a sidewinder—while pulling close to 4 G’s through the transitions.
Unlike most Arrow coasters, Tennessee Tornado uses tubular steel beam supports similar to those favored by Bolliger and Mabillard, giving the structure a cleaner and more rigid profile. The full circuit lasts about 1 minute and 48 seconds, covering all three inversions at speeds reaching 63 mph before returning to the station through a final tunnel.
History and Legacy
Tennessee Tornado debuted on April 17, 1999, replacing the Thunder Express mine train ride that previously occupied the same footprint. Dollywood invested roughly $8 million in the project, signaling the park’s intent to attract serious coaster enthusiasts alongside its established country-music and craft-culture audience.
Arrow Dynamics, whose credits included foundational coasters like Corkscrew at Cedar Point and Magnum XL-200, entered bankruptcy in 2001—just two years after Tennessee Tornado opened. That timing makes the ride a de facto capstone to Arrow’s career in custom looping coasters, and enthusiasts have treated it as such ever since, traveling to Dollywood specifically to experience one of the manufacturer’s finest and final achievements.
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Tennessee Tornado FAQs
Where is Tennessee Tornado located?
Tennessee Tornado is located at Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
How tall is Tennessee Tornado and how fast does it go?
The coaster stands 163 feet tall, drops 128 feet on its first drop, and reaches a top speed of 63 mph.
How many inversions does Tennessee Tornado have?
Tennessee Tornado features three inversions: the 110-foot Spiro Loop (the largest inversion Arrow Dynamics ever built), a second vertical loop, and a sidewinder element.
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Photo: The original uploader was Coasterman1234 at English Wikipedia. / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.