The Rattler had been constructed by Roller Coaster Corporation of America. When the coaster debuted on March 14, 1992, it was the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the world, with a height of , a first drop of and a top speed of , outdoing its then rival, Mean Streak at Ohio's Cedar Point. Designer John Pierce stated that the original plans kept changing as park co-developers Gaylord Entertainment Company insisted on having the tallest wooden coaster in the world. It held this title until 1994, when its first drop was shortened from , resulting in a reduction of its top speed from .