Ozark Wildcat was a

wooden roller coaster A wooden roller coaster is a type of roller coaster classified by its wooden track, which consists of running rails made of flat steel strips mounted on laminated wood. The support structure is also typically made of wood, but may also ...

at the now-defunct

Celebration City Celebration City was a theme park located in Branson, Missouri, United States. It was themed after America in the 20th century, with areas based on Route 66, Small-town America in the 1900s, and a beachside boardwalk in the 1920s. As a "sister ...

amusement park in

Branson, Missouri Branson is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Most of the city is situated in Taney County, with a small portion in the west extending into Stone County. Branson is in the Ozark Mountains. The community was named after Reuben Branson, postm ...

. Manufactured by

Great Coasters International Great Coasters International, Inc. (GCI or GCII) is a Sunbury, Pennsylvania-based roller coaster manufacturer which has created several award-winning rides since its formation in 1994. Starting in 2006 with Thunderbird at PowerPark in Finland, t ...

, it opened to the public on May 1, 2003. After only six seasons, it permanently closed on October 25, 2008, along with the rest of the park. In October 2015,

Herschend Family Entertainment Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) is a privately owned themed-entertainment company that operates several theme parks and tourist attractions within the United States, and as of 2021, one aquarium in Vancouver, Canada. Founded by Jack and ...

announced that it would be removed. It was demolished on December 15, 2015, and its trains were sent to

Dollywood Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. It is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains. Hosting nearly ...

for the Thunderhead GCI roller coaster.

Rider Experience

Once riders were carried out of the station, they entered a slow helix turn and the train went up into the chain lift. After the lift, a short dip was followed by a steep helix turn-drop. Many bunny-hops provided plenty of "air-time" while the padded seats of the coaster still provided a smooth ride. A large, fast, helix and a sudden drop proclaimed the final act before the train rolled into the train shack, turned 90 degrees to the right, and entered the loading station. The safety restraints automatically released, and after detaching precautionary seat belts, riders were free to exit the ride.

Awards

References

External links

The Ozark Wildcat at greatcoasters.com
Former roller coasters in Missouri Buildings and structures in Taney County, Missouri 2003 establishments in Missouri 2008 disestablishments in Missouri Buildings and structures demolished in 2015 {{amusement-ride-stub