Woodland Run

As part of the massive Discovery Meadow expansion in 2025, the park’s legendary wooden coaster was rebranded as Woodland Run, receiving a new theme centered around a powerful “stampede of bucks” charging through the forest. Originally opening in August 1990 as Thunder Run, the ride was designed by Curtis D. Summers and built by the Dinn Corporation, quickly gaining a reputation for its aggressive airtime and classic “out-and-back” layout. For over three decades, it operated as Thunder Run (1990–2024), though it famously sat dormant from 2010 to 2013 during the park’s closure. Standing 90 feet tall and reaching speeds of 53 mph, the coaster is often cited as the inspiration for the Hurler coasters at Carowinds and Kings Dominion. Today, as Woodland Run, it remains a cornerstone of the park’s wooden lineup, celebrated for its historical significance and its recent refurbishments that have kept the 2,850-foot “stampede” surprisingly smooth.