Leaderboard

The next morning we woke up early enough to be at the gates of Dollywood about an hour before opening. This would be my first time visiting in over 13 years, so I wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to experience the additions that the park had made over the last decade-plus. Going into this trip, I decided that no matter the crowds, getting the Timesaver Unlimited would be worth it for our visit. I'd read of reliability issues with Lightning Rod and Firechaser Express, so I wanted to make sure I had the chance to ride each of them as quickly as possible in case they went down for the day (which Lightning Rod ended up doing for a portion of our day). Timesaver Unlimited plus park tickets made this a pretty expensive visit (more than I realized it would be until I really started crunching numbers), but the time we got back for not waiting in the standby queue made our day more relaxed, guaranteed re-rides on Lightning Rod (four rides total in our one day) and allowed us to leave the park a little before closing without feeling guilty so we could spend some more time in Pigeon Forge. I was definitely excited to be back after so many years! It was neat that we were also visiting during Dollywood's Flower & Food Festival. One thing I forgot about is just how many theater venues there are in this park. The entry plaza had this fun touch of whimsy overhead. There was no shortage of flowers to be found throughout the park. My main motivation for planning a day at Dollywood... I'll admit, I'd watched POVs of this coaster way more than most leading up to this trip. Lightning Rod is only my third RMC that I've been on (Steel Vengeance and Iron Gwazi being the other two) and I think each has there own unique elements. I think the launch is a nifty element (though not worth the maintenance/reliability grief it has seemingly caused) but the mountainside setting of the coaster and with the six consecutive airtime moments in the back half being a delight, these are what distinguish it. That said, the coaster definitely feels a little short (it has such available momentum when it hits the brake run), and I was surprised at how shaky/rough it was by comparison to Steel Vengeance or Iron Gwazi--I did a lot of bouncing around on the track, why caught me off guard. Overall, this is a great addition for the park but I was expecting a little more for the hype. It was a little chilly during our visit to consider water rides in our day, but I love that parks like Dollywood still maintain tradition rapids rides in their lineup. The other reason why I planned a visit to Dollywood. I destroyed this loaf of heaven in five minutes flat. Also, don't skip out on adding the Apple Butter as a side for your order. Next level pairing right there. We were able to see a knife being fashioned at one of the park's live demonstrations. Since we visited on Sunday, the chapel was in use for services, free for any guests to attend. You can see candles carved live and you can dip purchasable candles in colored wax for an added price. Dollywood is a home to several bald eagles. Always impressive to see these beautiful creatures in person. If you know, you know. I had forgotten just how kitschy wonderful ride is and I was so glad I had a chance to experience it again. Tennessee Tornado has aged like fine wine. Easily the best maintained Arrow I've been on in the last five-ten years. Pretty ridiculously smooth despite its manufacturer. I love the layout and the non-Arrow-like maneuvers (including that funky vertical loop). I hope this one is keep around for a long time to come. Seriously, this ended up being one of my favorite rides of the day. This was new to me. As was this. Firechaser Express is WAY bigger than I expected it to be. I kind of geeked out when I realized that the station has trains enter and exit from the same side. It seems so simple considering that's part of the unique nature of the coaster, but it was so cool to me to see in person. And there are plenty of angles to watch the coaster fly by from on the ground. I do wish I'd had a chance to experience Adventure Mountain, but Firechaser Express seems like a way more unique use of this space. This was neat. NOT THE BEES! As only the second B&M Wingrider I'd been on (the other being GateKeeper), I was excited to try this one. Definitely a solid coaster. Nothing crazy from a layout standpoint but the location and the views make it a worthwhile experience. Dollywood isn't missing out on the chance to have their coasters sold as CoasterDynamix Nanocoasters. Mystery Mine was one of the newer additions at the park when I last visited. I was curious to ride again having had such time pass. Mystery Mine underwent a slight adjustment in 2021 where the layout was tweaked to remove the u-turn element. The coaster ultimately links back up with its original course. I love that the old track is still there as if it was always meant to be a part of the ride's theming. This element caught me by surprise. This side of Mystery Mine is quite picturesque. The last time I was here this space was used for Timber Tower, which closed a few years later. Drop Line wasn't in operation during our visit. Thunderhead impressed me during my previous visit so I was excited to ride again. Such a clever maneuver! Thunderhead appears to have gotten some love in the offseason with some fresh wooden throughout portions of the layout. And in those sections there was a noticeable difference in the way the trains felt rolling across the track. Mystery Mine is definitely my favorite coaster to watch from the ground here. For a Sunday, the standby wait times weren't unreasonable. I nearly missed Wildwood Grove because the entrance is kind of hidden in a forked path by Mystery Mine. That said, I'm glad I was able to explore the land, because it is full of family offerings and lots of available land for future development. See what I mean? Something tells me it won't be long until we see an addition in Wildwood Grove. Something my son could enjoy on a future visit. Another option for the little ones. If we had had more time, I probably would have given these flyers are try. There's even an indoor play area for the kids. For the love of Larry. This was a surprisingly fun Vekoma family suspended coaster. The first drop is a nice surprise and some of the banking makes this more thrilling than expected. I don't consider myself to be tall, but this netting structure that you pass under to get back to the rest of Wildwood Grove from the exit of the ride requires you to play limbo to successfully get under. Not sure how this got approved... This is quite a view. Wild Eagle looms large over this corner of the park. Because the majority of Lightning Rod takes place behind mountains, trees and/or buildings, it is hard to photograph. Here's one of the few shots I have. Dollywood is home to one of Dolly Parton's original tour busses, which you are allowed to explore in small groups throughout the day. Luxury living on the road. That's how you fit a king bed onto a bus. Just outside of the bus was a "show" where "seeds" would bloom into "flowers" atop poles. It was the most artsy/abstract thing we experienced at Dollywood. They sell two pound apple pie slices at Dollywood but I couldn't dare try it... Another rare photo of Lightning Rod. More flower fun. I stumbled upon the Barnstormer without remember that it was part of the park's lineup. I love S&S Screamin' Swings and I'll never turn down a chance to ride one. Thanks to the Timesaver Unlimited (and despite the fact that the ride was operating with only one arm swinging) I only waited five minutes. "Have you found him?" If it weren't so chilly, I might have considered a ride on Daredevil Falls. I didn't ride it during my last visit either but I hope it will still be around by my next. I was amazed at how popular the park's scenic railroad attraction is... Guests were lining up as early as 45 minutes before each departure on the hour. Dollywood also features a replica of Dolly Parton's childhood Tennessee mountain home that guests can walk through. We tried one of the food options (Korean meatballs) from the Flower & Food Festival and it was solid. With our Timesaver Unlimited we were able to reserve access for a showtime of our choice of the park's "Dreamland Drive-In" show in the Pines Theater. I was pleased to see some Disney find its way outside of Florida and California parks. No photos or videos were allowed from inside of the show but this was an enjoyable jaunt through decades of music with a talented cast. This was the longest show offered in the park, so we figured if we only had a chance to see one, this would be the one to choose. One more Lightning Rod photo for good measure. The Lightning Rod model was tempting but I resisted. The mountains in the model are a neat touch though. That closed out our time at Dollywood... All that would follow would be more kitsch and fun in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg!

Today I decided to do what a good coaster nerd does, and go explore the local theme park. I realize this park doesn't get a lot of attention but it has some pretty decent rides! The park is located about 15-20 minutes west of the city of Catania in Eastern Sicily. The water or 'aqua park' seem to be the main draw during the summer months, when the water park will operate during the day and the theme park in the evenings. Currently just the theme park is open. The main entrance plaza Turnstiles were quick and efficient, but this was also a pretty quiet day when the waterpark was closed. Once you enter the park, there is a large lake on the left side where you can drive some boats around. From what I could tell...there didn't seem to be any guide cable or track, so I think you can go wherever you want? Provides some great views of Mt. Etna which has been fairly active this week. Sadly the cableway ride was not open during my visit. Boat Hire mode (where are my RCT2 nerds?) The first main pathway leading to the drop tower. The main attraction is obviously their Mack 'Mega-Lite' called The Storm. which opened in 2013. The ride layout is somewhat similar to the Intamin version and almost a clone of Alpina Blitz at Nigloland. The difference being that this ride has the inline twist at the very end. (which is near impossible to get a good photo of) The park has some decent theming throughout. Not always a cohesive one though.... The Storm has a 'tropical storm' theme on the outside, yet the station features a drum set and stadium lighting. The station queue rows are divided by large 'speakers' playing what I think is an original song called 'Sweet Thunder Love' over and over. (felt bad for those ride ops) Signage Quick lift hill gets the ride started. Lots of views of Etna. This overbanked turn is one of the best parts of the ride. Was unexpected and forceful! Nice pops of airtime throughout the ride. You can see the entrance to the barrel roll at the bottom of this small hill. This moment would be very unexpected for the GP. You can barely see it from anywhere inside the park. This was taken through a gap in the fence. Serves up a quick hang time moment. A few pics from outside the park. Moving on the some of the other attractions. There is a large mountain in the middle of the park that contains the S&S Family coaster 'ElDorado'. This ride packs way more of a punch than I think most family's would be expecting. Nice positive G's in the helix's that wind in and out of the mountain. There is also a cool small guest path that goes inside the mountain under the track where you can see the train fly by in the dark. Sign info The first "drop" Entering the mountain again to fly by the cave you can walk into. Giving some Big Thunder Mountain Vibes. Nearing the end of their rides. Helix through the mountain Emerging from the caves. Station shot. The ride ops were all very friendly but in typical Italian fashion....not very efficient. One of the park midways. Overall the park is very clean and the staff I interacted with knew enough English to communicate. (with my very little Italian thrown in) They also have an S&S Drop tower It seems to run the double shot ride sequence. Gives great views of the volcano from 2 sides. One of the biggest surprises for me was this 'interactive' dark ride called 'The School'. I had no idea they even had a ride like this. I couldn't follow the story, bu the vehicle do rotate to fave various scenes and they have 3 buttons that you can press to make a selection during each scene. Labeled A, B, C with corresponding colors. From what I could tell, each selection you make in the scene gives you a different scare effect after the scene is over. Clever low-tech system that worked surprisingly well! Signage The ride vehicles were simple and ran on essentially a powered coaster track. *NOT A CREDIT* lol Next up was time for a snack! And although all the food and pizza looked great, I couldn't resist some arancini! These are fried rice balls that contain epic deliciousness. The main type you will encounter and almost every snack bar/cafe in Sicily is the Ragu. Its filled with a hearty meaty tomato sauce with cheese and peas. THEY ARE INCREDIBLE. Even the bad ones are still pretty good. It's a handheld food to eat on the go. Photos do not do it justice. Some of the other quick serve options. There are 2 more traditional sit down restaurants in the park and the menus looked fairly standard for an Italian park. Within the 'dry' park they have 4 main water ride. The first and most impressive is the Jungle Splash. The theming is pretty good and consistent throughout the ride. Once you dispatch the station you are in the dark...under the parks footpaths. There are various African warrior style scenes before you get to the turntable and elevator lift. The main drop is fast and fun, and you will get wet. Which is why it's so popular on these hot Sicilian days. The big splash. Trying to be clever with the camera. The station and queue are well themed. The park does have a log flume called Dragon River....but its very much family oriented. The max drop height is about 20ft. Again, some will thought out theming, but not so much on the upkeep/maintenance. This is the main drop. So don't be expecting and massive thrills. Ride sign I think this is why its called Dragon River....cant be sure though. To protect their privacy.... Theming! You don't get very wet on this one. The first small lift. Nice themed station in the background. Next is the parks river rapids 'Crocodile Rapids'....which I did not ride. Most of the ride is hidden from the dry part of the park. They are still dry... The rides finale at the bottom of the hill. They also have a Mack Twist'N'Splash. Not much to say about that one. There is also one other "water ride" which I have never seen before. Its called Aqua-Bum. While the ride vehicle do appear to be Bumper Boats....the pool is basically a circular track almost like a lazy river. I didn't see much bumping happening and people just seemed to be floating around in a circle. Not sure of the appeal. But it must have the worst capacity ever during a hot day. And takes up a lot of space. Signage There are 2 kiddie coasters. Hip Hop coaster (Zamperla) and the Miao coaster (SBF) Signage Small footprint. Not sure what makes it 'Hip Hop'. Cat in a Hat? The kids area is called the Ciclopino Circus. Its basically in the middle of the park and has pretty much what you would expect from a small kids area. Yep Ballon ride. The park has a 4D cinema and some Go-Carts. The park has a few thrill flat rides. A small inverting frisbee ride called Revo-Rock 360. They have a Zamperla Disk-o called Quasar. Like I said, not a busy day. All in all I spent about 4 hours there from park opening at 9:30am. Hopefully the park will add some more rides to the theme park in the future, but it appears most of the draw is to the waterpark and the water rides. The main take-away is this....WHY IS NO ONE ELSE BUYING THESE MACK/INTAMIN MEGA COASTERS? The Storm was honestly a great ride and super re-ridable. Its kind of a perfect blend of height/speed/airtime/helixes. So if you ever find yourself in Sicily...make a stop at Etnaland!

Usually (not always, but most of the time).... the park will have two designations in terms. "Temporarily closed" means that the ride went down for some reason but it supposed to be open. "Closed" means that it's not being offered at all. So if it was showing as temp, then that should mean it's not on any kind of extended closure. (Fun fact: they started doing this a few years ago on the app, after I sent an email to Guest Relations expressing some frustration that there was no way for guests to tell the difference. So sometimes parks DO actually listen and take suggestions!)

Thank you (and Kim) for the tips. Sounds like arriving mid-day at Holiday World, especially on a holiday weekend, is a no-go. Perhaps I'll take your guys' advice and do the reverse and start there, and hit KK on the way back if time/weather allows. I think I'm more interested in HW than KK. I've been on a million RMCs but the Voyage has been a huge bucket list ride for me, rough or not lol. Sad to hear you guys had a rough experience there. So hopefully arriving at KK mid-day wouldn't be as bad as HW, and if so I'd just skip it and go back to KI. I guess I'll see how things play out before buying tickets. Thanks

Theme Park Review was invited to Knott’s Summer Nights! Knott's Summer Nights has started! It will be on select days throughout the summer. Ghost Town alive really was alive yesterday. Knott's seems to have double or tripled the amount of characters walking around the streets. Characters were seemingly everywhere. I mainly like to come to Summer Nights for the food and entertainment. I wasn't able to stay too long, but I'll be back to watch some bands play. I did get to see some of the food offerings this year. Knott's also provided lunch from Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner restaurant. Here's some pics and Knott's press release... Summertime at Knott’s Berry Farm brings back exciting entertainment with the return of immersive, western escapades in Ghost Town Alive! This summer, Knott’s is bursting with adventure, both day and night, with Ghost Town Alive!, Knott’s Summer Nights and Knott’s Soak City. BUENA PARK,CA–There’s something fun for everyone at Knott’s Berry Farm this summer, with original adventures that can’t be found anywhere else. Starting with the exciting return ofGhost Town Alive! with an all-new storyline, the night timeblock party liveliness of Knott’s Summer Nights and Knott’s Soak City Waterpark reopening its gates for another wet and wild summer. There’s only one place to experience fun all day and night and that place is Knott’s Berry Farm. Ghost Town Alive! Your favorite town of Calico comes to life once again with the return of the award-winning, interactiveGhost Town Alive! Two years have passed without a celebration and the citizens are determined to make this year’s return a great one. Guests are invited to become the star of this summer’s new action-packed storyline in the streets of Ghost Town. Each guest has the power to unlock secret missions with characters, influence the day’s events, and take on mind-challenging puzzles in this immersive version of the Old West. Ghost Town Alive! will offer new adventures, roles and characters this summer on select days startingMay 20. Summertime Entertainment Venture into Fiesta Village to be charmed by the colorful and light-hearted showing of Alegre! by theBob Baker Marionettes, a Southern California treasure since 1963. The entertainment continues with sounds from South of the Border as the Mariachi Angelitas present a lively show filled with rich history and tradition.While in Boardwalk, tune into the coolest station on the dial as our resident K-NOT Radio DJs are back to keep you up to date on all the happenings! A trip to Knott’s isn’t complete without checking out the shenanigans of Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies in the Wagon Camp. Grab a seat for the most toe tappin’ and downright funniest band of musicians this side of the Calico Mine. Also in Ghost Town is Miss Cameo Kate’s Western Burle-Q Revue at the legendary Bird Cage Theatre. Miss Cameo Kate returns to the World-Famous Birdcage Saloon, bringing with her a vibrant travelin’ troupe of singers, dancers and tuneful musicians who perform a daily rip-roarin’ western musical can-can revue. Knott’s Summer Nights The summer adventure continues long after the sun goes down, with a nighttime summer party that will liven up the evening. Knott’s Summer Nights offers a variety of live music, classic summer eats and games for the whole family to enjoy. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of top 40’s bands that rotate throughout the event at the Calico Mine Stage. Those in attendance can also choose between bopping to the beats of the Boardwalk DJs around Charleston Circle Fountain or jamming out to an array of bands, including the genres of Latin, Reggae and Zydeco all performing at Calico ParkStage. Classic backyard games and festoon lighting will set the stage for guests to enjoy their summer nights at Knott’s. The Party Planning Crew of Summer Nights encourages good ol’ fashion fun and games that keep the party going all night. A summer night party is not complete without an abundance of food and drinks, and no theme park does food quite like Knott’s. The Knott’s culinary team creates tasty twists to classic summer dishes, from Crab Cake Sliders and Korean BBQ Burgers to Vegan Lettuce Wraps–not to mention Peach and Pineapple Shaved Ice. Guests can experience their favorite summer food in a whole new way at Knott’s Summer Nights. A great way to indulge in all the new food items is by purchasing a tasting card priced at$50 (or $45for season pass holders). The tasting card will offer six tastings from a selection of over two dozen seasonal-inspired dishes and drinks. With a hub of live music, unique summer food offerings, Instagram-able photo opportunities, interactive experiences and family-friendly games, Knott’s SummerNights will be an event to remember.

Don't worry this thread is spicy. Consequence of becoming a good park.

wtf