jarmor Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Well not exactly but anyway, I went up or should I say over to dollywood to check out christmas in the smokies yesterday. After almost not making it there, got pulled over for going 130 in a 60 zone 5 miles from the exit AND I didnt get a ticket , I finally got there around 3. I decided to take someone to the park w/ me but the question was who? I began to think...disney world to kids is like dollywood to old folks so who would be more fitting to take a trip to dollywood w/ me than an old geezer! I mean think about it, they would fit right in and I wouldn't look stupid riding around in the hover-a-rounds! Stay tuned to see if I survived this ride...(well if im sitting here typing obviously I did but hey lets keep the suspense going!) Since Dollywood is in the business of changing the names of sections like a year after they open I think they should name this "Mystery Mine Midway! "Hey im the biggest woodie in Tenn and no one wants to ride me..." Getting closer and closer to april 13th! The obligatory thru The Thunderhead shot...hey why do they call it "The Thunderhead"? Whoa its the Adams family coaster first presented by paramount parks, I mean you know they are the same.../sarcasm Whats that lurking? Why do I take this same shot EVERYTIME I go to dollywood? Thunderhead gap/Timber Canyon seems to have some new displays this year! And I like them!! Good ole knee slapping church music! At mid afternoon i tend to turn colors... The purdy entrance Save all the "hey you look like a gap commerical goes ghetto" jokes! "Hi, im mccarthy and this is my first time here but from the looks of it...not my last!" ahhh the first thing you see when you approach the park... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarmor Posted December 2, 2006 Author Share Posted December 2, 2006 Ok im back and I survived..wait this isn't HHN, but anyway here are some MM shots. While talking to a ride op at lumberjack falls I found out some interesting tid bits about the park and the coaster itself. She seemed to know her stuff and it made me even more intrigued with this ride. The actual building should be complete by the end of the month then work will be focused on the show scenes since the track is already completed. Also the buzzard now tells a story about the grandson of some miner and how he took off his boots in the mine and was whistling and stuff started to happen. All I can say is that I feel this will be the best new attraction of 07! Now lets go check out some lights... Later MM see ya in a week or two! One more overview. Kinda blurry but this place should be called christmas ghost town! Looks like electrical stuff... Loop-de-loop Closer look. Random workers. Hummm... MM: "Im a mystery how about you?" Me: Im a libra! I wonder what the landscaping will be like... The first half seems to also be interesting! Only this missing from this is an enterprise...DOLLYWOOD NEEDS AN ENTERPRISE!!1!!1!! You pull i'll point and shoot! Similar but not the same! The "corkscrews" as many of the employees like to call them. Heck even one of the employees stated he liked Son of Beast! Cool angle. Thats gonna cause quite a frenzy! Herein lies a mystery...a mystery drop and some other "interesting" stuff! Mean while back at the ranch THE Thunderhead keeps a rolling! wooooow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shavethewhales Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Fantastic stuff, THE Thunderhead looks great in your shots. How good of a ride is it? All I've heard about it is that it's full of cross-overs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginzo Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Fantastic stuff, THE Thunderhead looks great in your shots. How good of a ride is it? All I've heard about it is that it's full of cross-overs. Â Personally, I like KY rumbler better, but this is a minority opinion. Thunderhead is fun, but there is little airtime, which makes me subtract a few points. Back seat rides are fun, but they started to hurt my elderly back after a while. So, I think it's a good ride, but a bit overrated. Â Jarmor, thanks for the Mystery Mine pics. That mine house looks awesome. Dollywood sure has their act together when it comes to theming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDG Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Wow, those are some great photos. Â And Mystery Mine is coming together nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterfreak101 Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Wow, great pics! Especially of MM, I've been looking around for new updates! Â So then, does this mean that the big drop at the end is inside the building? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarmor Posted December 3, 2006 Author Share Posted December 3, 2006 ^yeah it will be in there along w/ some other "special effects" Â Fantastic stuff, THE Thunderhead looks great in your shots. How good of a ride is it? All I've heard about it is that it's full of cross-overs. Â It does have cross overs galore AND it gives that out of control feel and some decent pops of where you would think it wouldn't have it! I really enjoy it and it seems like it goes on forever! Â On to some more photos! First I want to say I left my tripod at home so some of the pics maybe a tad bit blurry but they are still pretty good. I am now on my quest to find PEOPLE in this park. I really hope it will be this slow on april 13th ! And just like a kid after a fun day at disney world Mccarthy falls out as soon as we get to the car! I bet he is dreaming about his fun day! Time for the parade! While its not main street electrical parade it's still pretty cool! Close up w/ the nutcrackers! The tree at night... I GOT MY CREDIT!!! (just as soon as she turned her back!) Would I be a pig if I go back to aunt grannies for a second round... they even look good at night! If only it were "er" (tallER. fastER, biggER) That blue tree again! the finally of "Babes in Toyland" but it should have been called "where all the old folks go to sleep" I forgot what this thing is called... The amount of lights are abundant. "Jingle bells batman smells robin laid an egg..." This HAS to be the picture of the year...and I didnt even have my tripod. The lights back here are just thrown around...on purpose! Ahhh...the best thing arrow has going for it...ironically the last! Some school was singing...meh i'll pass. The infamous blue tree. The lights are just awesome! Its getting darker and the lights are getting brighter. "...and when I stick my thing in the glory hole..." Humm...the gloryhole seems to be the hottest! WOW I was right...but hey...they are LEAVING!!! Well since no one is here im gonna head to aunt grannies to get a bite. Maybe they will show when I come out! Well...theres the angel Another view. Some more changes where the angel tree which is now this tree. Can you tell me where the people are? Ohhhhh Ahhhhh "Im smiling because finally a theme park were im not the oldest thing roaming!" Could it be...people...RATS they work for the park...nevermind. talk about VIP treatment. I called dollywood ahead of time and gave them a simple request, to be alone in the park, and low and behold they came thru! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeezus Juice Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 Wow, Tower of Terror at Dollyfood looks great! Â Is this REALLY the Addams family coaster concept? Now that you mention it it does seem VERY familiar to the Paramount survey concept art. Â If it is then why, by Tom Cruise's beard, did they go with the stinky Italian Job? Â So it looks like MM closes out the back end of Thunderhead Gap. Does this rule out the idea of a pathway connecting T-headGap to the back of craftsman valley? I don't want to have to walk through crowds of old people at the entrance just to get to the new B&M! Â Great pictures Jarve, even if you did forget the tripod...sigh... Â -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shavethewhales Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 Wow, DW looks way more decked out than SDC nowadays, crazy. Do they have a big emphasis (sp?) on nativity scenes like SDC? How many lights do they have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginzo Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 I don't want to have to walk through crowds of old people at the entrance just to get to the new B&M! Â What new B&M? Mystery Mine is a Gerstlauer ride. Do you know something that I don't? Â Here's to hoping for that new B&M hyper at Dollywood. Doesn't seem out of reach considering what they shelled out for Mystery Mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holtskee Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Nice pics Jarmor! Must be great to catch the park on a deserted day...I went on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and the park was so crowded one could hardly walk around. Â Infact, it seems that Dollywood is ALWAYS crowded now...its been several years since I've visited on a dead day. Here's to hoping for that new B&M hyper at Dollywood. Doesn't seem out of reach considering what they shelled out for Mystery Mine. Hyper coaster at Dollywood? Ehhh...a hyper would clash too badly with the mountain landscape. It would never fit in with the rest of the park. Â I'd rather they leave that sort of stuff to the "thrill parks". Do they have a big emphasis (sp?) on nativity scenes like SDC? How many lights do they have? This year Dollywood had a lot of toy decorations to go along with the "Babes in Toyland" show. They seem to have an overall theme for the Christmas festival that changes from year to year - one year it was Angels, and another year it was "Old World Europe". The park also used more colored lights this year. Â I'm not quite sure of the number of lights used. Dollywood claims to have 3 million, but I read SDC has more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgwfreak Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Â Uh...Christmas Pyramid? Â I loved the park last year at Christmas, but Thunderhead in 40 degrees really isn't my idea of fun. Â I still say that Mystery Mine looks like some Swiss ski lodge or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomizzle For Rizzle Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 ^ That is not a Christmas pyramid, that is the Christian-Go-Round. Â Last year at Carowinds, their Kwanzascope was a big hit also at their Christmas event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scaparri Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 How on Earth do you get pulled over going 70 over and not get a ticket? Let alone get arrested!? Â Anyway, freakin' sweet TR Jarvis. Those pics are awesome. Especially that Tornado pic. Keep the updates coming. I'm counting down the days until April 13th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahosifatz Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 So amped for the Dollywood Tower Hotel, ahem Mine. Never thought I would go back after ridin' Deliverance Water Flumes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkStitch626 Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Â This kinda makes it look like a mini Tower Of Terror Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnome Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 for having next to no one at the park, they sure went all out on decorations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coasterboy2 Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 For a themepark named after a singer, this one rocks! Dollywood is one of the (many) must do parks for when I visit the US. Dollywood, here I come! O BTW, your pics are great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida420 Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Great pics Jarvis, although I was hoping to see more pictures of the " old geezer " but they where still good. Â Â Â I hope to make it to DW one day....one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrider1998 Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Nice Pics! Oh and By the way for all you DW fans. I am seriously credited for the first test seat pic of Mystery Mine. It was taken on July 16,2006. Â Thunderhead for all known is a great ride. The cool thing about it is during the day, there are misters going up the lift to keep you cool. Â /Cr98\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy T. Koepp Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 God do I miss this park. It is so beautiful. Seriously! My God what an awesome day to go as well. the plsce was dead. Lucky you. Â Excellent TR! Â DW is my only saving grace for being in Tennesee next year. Well, that and being close to Cwinds, 6FoG, BGE, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coastercameron Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Nice PTR, but I REALLY have to know... Â How in god's name did you get caught going 70mph over and not get arrested or ticketed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsguilkey Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Nice Pixs Jamor! I'm now more motivated to prep more for my trip to Dollywood in the Summer 2007 along with 5 other parks as well!! Â You went 130 mph on 70 mph and no ticket? I went 90 mph on 65 mph and I got the ticket coming back from Washington, D.C. in Fall 2004. You're one lucky guy! Â I am all boot up for Mystery Mine! Wonder if there is no light in the tunnel!? Can't wait to see the first POV and actually riding on it after April 13th! Oh... that's on Friday the 13th! Was that set up intentually or just happen to fall on the spot? Deja Vu spirit may come by to the mystery mine on that day! Good luck to all going on April 13th! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarmor Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 lol lol how I got away...well it was like he was intimidating me the whole time on the interstate and I basically told him I thought he was trying to get around me so I increased my speed a tad bit. It didnt take me long to get to 130 in a jaguar but honestly I dont even think he had a radar to see how fast I was going. His whole agenda was to see if it was my car (which he asked me lol lol) and why I was in Tenn from SC. Â And MM actually does look like a smaller version of tower of terror and if you wander if there is light at the end of the tunnel...does an explosion count? (not including the one at the top of the larger lift!! **disclaimer I dont know any facts just going by what seemed to be a hardcore park employee/fan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Thanks, Jarmor--I might be checking out Dollywood's Christmas stuff myself this year (and playing freeze out on the coasters). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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