Lightning Rod vs Wildfire
card comparison
| Stat | Lightning Rod | Wildfire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 206 ft | 184 ft | |
| Speed | 73 mph | 71 mph | |
| Inversions | 0 | 3 | |
| Throughputest. | 1250 rph | 1000 rph | |
| Build Costest. | 22 $m | 12.9 $m | |
| Vintage | 2016 | 2016 |
Vintage is the reversed stat — the older ride wins. Every number here is the same one printed on the card; see /methodology for how Build Cost and Throughput are sourced.
The verdict
Lightning Rod takes it 4–1, and the 1 Wildfire does win is the whole of its case.
Lightning Rod is a hybrid Topper Track (partially retracked with IBox) coaster at Dollywood, US, built by Rocky Mountain Construction. Wildfire is a wooden Topper Track (ground-up) coaster at Kolmården Wildlife Park, SE, built by Rocky Mountain Construction.
They come from the same drawing office: Rocky Mountain Construction. That makes the gaps below a question of brief and budget rather than engineering house style.
They are near-contemporaries — 2016 and 2016 — so they were competing for the same riders when they opened.
Stat by stat
- Height goes to Lightning Rod at 206 ft against 184 ft — clearly ahead.
- Speed goes to Lightning Rod at 73 mph against 71 mph — all but dead level.
- Wildfire inverts 3 times against nothing at all from Lightning Rod — the widest kind of gap there is on this stat.
- Throughput goes to Lightning Rod at 1,250 rph against 1,000 rph — well clear.
- Build Cost goes to Lightning Rod at 22 $m against 12.9 $m — nearly double.
- Both opened in 2016, which makes Vintage a dead heat.