Kentucky Kingdom
Louisville, Kentucky
May 10, 2025
Page Sixteen
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Outside of Kentucky Kingdom's old Vekoma Rollerskater coaster
that is now called the Hollyhock & Roll (which I forgot to get pictures
of) the only other coaster from the old Kentucky Kingdom existing is
Thunder Run. As with pretty much everything i n the
Discovery Meadow section of the park it has a new name. Thunder
Run is now called Woodland Run.
Woodland Run has always been the star attraction at Kentucky Kingdom and
honestly it was running better than I have ever experienced.
Woodland Run was initially designed on a cocktail napkin during the
IAAPA trade show and was intended for Cincinnati's
Lesourdsville Lake Park.
When the park manager who came up with the rides idea left to work at
the brand new Kentucky Kingdom during Ed Heart's first go at the park
the design for the coaster came with him and opened up in 1990.
The ride layout is pretty simple as it was sketched on a cocktail
napkin. Take a hundred and eighty degree turn out of the station,
head up the lift, take another hundred and eighty degree turn to the
left, drop, take another hundred and eighty degree turn followed by
airtime hills, another hundred and eighty degree turn, airtime hills,
one more hundred and eighty degree turn before a few more airtime hills
as you then finally you speed into the brake run.
Woodland Run has always been an aggressive coaster with plenty of
thrills. This year in the off season Kentucky Kingdom brought in
The Gravity Group to do some work on it.