Dollywood Discussion Thread

(Sorry for the double post)

Random question. . . But does Dollywood not offer the Wild Eagle early morning experience that they use to offer that ended with the lift walk??

Oh god, that Coaster Studios kid is there today after visiting 5 times last year and failing to ride it all 5 times. I won't lie, I know a lot of people can't stand him but he doesn't bother me and I'm starting to feel a little bad for him with this thing. Come on Lightning Rod, throw the guy a bone.

 

Is he from the general geographical region around that park? Then I feel almost bad. If he's rich, I don't care.

 

I legitimately have no idea. I believe they were 5 days in a row though and I only remember this so vividly since it was right before our one trip of the year so we were watching his Facebook page to see if we had any reason for optimism (which of course we didn't).

The real question of the thread: is his mom hot?

(Sorry for the double post)

 

Random question. . . But does Dollywood not offer the Wild Eagle early morning experience that they use to offer that ended with the lift walk??

They offered it last year on select days.. maybe to early in the season to offer it right now? Or maybe they plan to move the tour to LR?

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How does one even go about getting a backstage tour at DW anyways? Do you need to be part of one of the coaster clubs or what?

How does one even go about getting a backstage tour at DW anyways? Do you need to be part of one of the coaster clubs or what?

It was open to anyone.. I don't remember how you got signed up.. you either purchased it online or called

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How does one even go about getting a backstage tour at DW anyways? Do you need to be part of one of the coaster clubs or what?

It was open to anyone.. I don't remember how you got signed up.. you either purchased it online or called

 

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Ahh. I've never seen any promotions about tours, so I assumed it was just exclusive.

How does one even go about getting a backstage tour at DW anyways? Do you need to be part of one of the coaster clubs or what?

It was open to anyone.. I don't remember how you got signed up.. you either purchased it online or called

 

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Ahh. I've never seen any promotions about tours, so I assumed it was just exclusive.

Nope, it was on their website last year.. I think it was limited to 6ish people a group.. I'd assume something like it will be back.. it was fairly popular I thought, although not a huge moneymaker for the park due to the small limit. Not sure if they took several groups a day or not. I know the tour included breakfasts and everything but I can't remember the price.

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Although it doesn't mention any specific ride-site tours, I did find this on their website awhile back. Looks a little pricey.

http://www.dollywood.com/themepark/Special-Experiences/VIPTour

How does one even go about getting a backstage tour at DW anyways?

The tour I was referring to was able to be booked online. It was very similar to the new "Sunrise VIP Tour" at Cedar Point. But I'm not finding any information about it for this season.

Eh, Nothing a quick call to the park wont be able to answer.

Although it doesn't mention any specific ride-site tours, I did find this on their website awhile back. Looks a little pricey.

http://www.dollywood.com/themepark/Special-Experiences/VIPTour

That's the tour we are doing this year! Can't wait.

Holy sh*t, I wrote a trip report where I managed to keep my a**-holery at a level where it was deemed front page worthy? Damn. That's probably the biggest compliment Dollywood could ever receive.

Does anybody else find it weird that they put the kiddie coaster in an area of the park where there are no kiddie rides and the only other rides in the area are a huge wooden roller coaster and a drop tower?

^ And another kiddie ride called Lumberjack Lifts.

I honestly find the entire setup of that park weird and I'm incredibly happy to see the new drop tower and kiddy coaster going in to help make it less weird. If you go during Smoky Mountain Christmas (as everyone should) when the water rides are closed, you used to have (before Lightning Rod or on day's when it's closed all day... aka: most days) all 6 coasters right next to eachother a ridiculously long way from any other ride with the weird ass exception of Lumberjack Lifts. All of the family and kids rides were a ten minute walk from the coasters and vice versa. You almost forget that the park has anything else after awhile.

If the coasters closed for temps (which is a common occurrence at night), the entire back of the park was a ghost town and I'd imagine Lumberjack Lifts could easily go an hour without seeing a single rider. They should honestly just lie and say that Lumberjack lifts can't operate in temperatures below 36 degrees just so they don't have to waste time and money staffing it.

Luckily, Lightning Rod sort of fixed that since it gave you a reason to go up to the front near the car ride, screaming swing and within reasonable proximity to the county fair and now adding these two rides in near the coasters does make it feel a little less like the coasters and family rides are both as far as possible from eachother and all strangely grouped together for no real reason.

Does anybody else find it weird that they put the kiddie coaster in an area of the park where there are no kiddie rides and the only other rides in the area are a huge wooden roller coaster and a drop tower?

Not at all. The point is a ride for the little kids while the older people in the group ride the big rides.

There was a play area by Thunderhead, Lil' Loggers Landing. Whistle Punk Chase will replace that (or at least most of it).

From the looks of things it's replacing all of it. If I were a kid, I'd consider that a major upgrade.

From the looks of things it's replacing all of it. If I were a kid, I'd consider that a major upgrade.

Well there's the 36" height requirement (42" to ride alone).

But the play area had a requirement for under 12 yrs old too.

I never found it weird, just a relic of the past. Look at how the park as grown and expanded over the years.

When they put in big rides they added play areas instead of kiddie rides. It even happened recently with Fire Chaser, no kids ride just a play area.

My theory is that we will find a whole new area in the next 4 - 5 years branching off wilderness pass somewhere and it will include the kids rides for the area.. This has been their original plan for years and with the new planning survey that has asked for theme suggestions shows that they might be in the planning phase now

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If the coasters closed for temps (which is a common occurrence at night), the entire back of the park was a ghost town and I'd imagine Lumberjack Lifts could easily go an hour without seeing a single rider. They should honestly just lie and say that Lumberjack lifts can't operate in temperatures below 36 degrees just so they don't have to waste time and money staffing it.

There are a couple of areas at Silver Dollar City (my home park) that are just like that, too. Is Dollywood's layout as confusing as Silver Dollar City's?

I honestly find the entire setup of that park weird and I'm incredibly happy to see the new drop tower and kiddy coaster going in to help make it less weird. If you go during Smoky Mountain Christmas (as everyone should) when the water rides are closed, you used to have (before Lightning Rod or on day's when it's closed all day... aka: most days) all 6 coasters right next to eachother a ridiculously long way from any other ride with the weird A$$ exception of Lumberjack Lifts. All of the family and kids rides were a ten minute walk from the coasters and vice versa. You almost forget that the park has anything else after awhile.

 

If the coasters closed for temps (which is a common occurrence at night), the entire back of the park was a ghost town and I'd imagine Lumberjack Lifts could easily go an hour without seeing a single rider. They should honestly just lie and say that Lumberjack lifts can't operate in temperatures below 36 degrees just so they don't have to waste time and money staffing it.

 

Luckily, Lightning Rod sort of fixed that since it gave you a reason to go up to the front near the car ride, screaming swing and within reasonable proximity to the county fair and now adding these two rides in near the coasters does make it feel a little less like the coasters and family rides are both as far as possible from eachother and all strangely grouped together for no real reason.

I know there are areas like that at Silver Dollar City (my home park), too. Is Dollywood's layout as confusing as SDC's? I've always thought SDC has hard to navigate.

It's not hard to navigate, it's just weird. It's basically one giant loop with one weird offshoot where County Fair and the train is. Prior to Lightning Rod, all coasters were at the far end of the loop and probably a good ten minute walk from all of the flat rides and family rides. They were nowhere near each-other at all. During Smoky Mountain Christmas when Daredevil Falls is closed there are no operating rides between these areas at all except for (I guess) The Screaming Swing which is almost all the way over towards the family rides anyway.

It's not hard to navigate, it's just weird. It's basically one giant loop with one weird offshoot where County Fair and the train is. Prior to Lightning Rod, all coasters were at the far end of the loop and probably a good ten minute walk from all of the flat rides and family rides. They were nowhere near each-other at all. During Smoky Mountain Christmas when Daredevil Falls is closed there are no operating rides between these areas at all except for (I guess) The Screaming Swing which is almost all the way over towards the family rides anyway.

SDC is kind of the same way! There is a weird loop but then there are paths that shoot off that lead to Wildfire and the American Plunge, one that goes to Powder Keg, and then another path that leads to Wildson's Farm/Westward Expansion, then Fireman's Landing is right off the main circle, then a path leading to the Grand Exposition. Thunderation is right off the main circle. Although its entrance is a bit hard to find, and for some reason they just moved it about ten feet to the right for construction.

Is Dollywood's layout as confusing as SDC's? I've always thought SDC has hard to navigate.

Looking at the SDC map, not nearly as many dead ends at DW. DW is a big loop with a small section off of one side (Country Fair/Village areas). But even those have multiple routes back to the rest of the park.

Owen's Farm could sort of be off to the side, but it's more parallel to part of Craftsman's Valley.

Still nothing more strange to me than when Thunderhead was built (and then Mystery Mine) with no connection to the other side.

Literally a large "U" with coasters at each end.

I knew that connecting the paths was a part of the larger plan (and the area still feels a bit empty at the top), but that will fill in with time.

^ I'm hoping this is how HW will eventually end up lol!

WE HAVE ROLLLLLLLBACCCCCCKKKK!