memphismass

I finally made it back to Dollywood check out the Christmas festival and see how Adventure Mountain was progressing. I have to say AM looks really good. It looks like there will be plenty of things to do. I was really surprised to see the course where you go out across a cliff with a very NARROW passage. It looked really fun! They have done some theming but knowing Dollywood I'm sure there's a lot more to do. I really enjoyed the Christmas festival too. The lights looked beautiful! Here are some pictures I took while I was there. Enjoy!

Well, if anyone wants to see it, there is a decent POV video on youtube: It may end up being taken off but it is there for now. I started to watch it but then I stopped it pretty quickly because I want to find out the mystery myself

Wow, looks as great as I was hoping. Not too much longer until I can ride it myself. Thanks for not spoiling any of the dark sections I am very happy to hear that there is lots going on inside the mine. How were the vertical lifts? Were they intense? How fast are the lifts? I was looking at the picture of the tressel and noticed that there was a large wooden gate just past the tressel section at the end of the path . . . similar to when they were constructing MM . . . kinda makes you wonder, now doesn't it? Thanks again for the pictures, can't wait to see more and maybe even a video of the outside run.

Now that looked pretty intense! It just goes to show that the sky is the limit for designing new roller coasters. It would be great to see a ride like this with a longer layout in the US.

This was the home of my first rollercoaster. I absolutely loved the Comet. As stated earlier, there just aren't a whole lot of amusement parks in this area. There is something very unique about northern new england in that everyone is usually so busy that they don't take the time to enjoy an amusement park - it is only now that I have moved to TN that I can really see this. I can remember as a teenager going to Whalom park on field trips and when I got older, going with my friends. No it wasn't "Six Flags" or any caliber like that, but it was just FUN. That was the one place that I could go and relax and do something that is hard to find in that area. I do admit that it was a dump at the end of its life, but I am fortunate enough to be able to remember when it was a pretty nice place to go. I really wish the best of luck to these people but I really don't seeing it happen; especially now that land is a commodity and you are always about 2 hours from SFNE if you are in MA. Of course this doesn't have any impact for me now that my home park is Dollywood!

To make a short story long... -My original home park "was" the classic Whalom Park in Lunenburg MA (RIP) which was 20 min from my house and where I rode my first rollercoaster ever on the Comet with the "Black Hole". -Riverside Park in Agawam MA (now SFNE) which was 2 hours away. Now that I have moved to TN I am happy to say that -Dollywood is my closest and home park about 2 hours away -SFOG is about 4 hours away, but I still have to make it there

This is my first posting so I figured I'd make it memorable and do a photo trip report of my favorite park: Dollywood! I'm not going to write a lengthy report of my day; I prefer to just let the pictures do the talking. I will however say that this was my favorite trip to Dollywood since I started going there. The fall leaves with all the beautiful colors were amazing and only made it that much better. It was a perfect fall day and the park was as perfect as ever. Don't forget to look for a few bonus pictures of Mystery Mine construction in the photos. I hope you all enjoy the pictures from my day at Dollywood. The park was filled with lots of decorations for the Fall Harvest Festival going on. Dollywood's most popular water ride the River Rampage. These people were some of the few that I saw riding all day being so cold. This is the 2 room house where Dolly Parton grew up with, I believe, 6 or 7 brothers and sisters Fall decorations in front of the Parton family homestead. More country themeing One of the many, many demonstrations durning the Fall Harvest Festival: Apple Butter Making kettle corn. A must have when visiting Dollywood. This is a really cool building but is closed. I wonder if they will ever turn it into an attraction?? Dollywood's steam engine as it drinks from the water tower before it's next journey up the mountain. Ummm....looks like this tree has some kind of a bladder problem. Turning sugar cane into Sorgum (molasses) Dollywood's classic carrousel. Grist Mill (working gristmill and Dollywood bakes delicious cinnamon bread everyday they are open) Really nice Harvest Festival decoration as you enter Craftmen's Valley. Daredevil Falls as it comes down the hill into the splashdown. (notice the lack of people riding) ....and after the splash (too cold to ride this today) Chapel in the Craftsment Valley. They make and sell the wagons in the park. One if the craftsmen demonstrations in Craftmen's Valley. During Harvest Fest they have a large number of folk type demonstrations. Entrance to probably the most over-looked and underated ride at Dollywood Really cool themeing on the way up to the Tennessee Tornado Entrance to the Tennessee Tornado with the giant vertical loop in the backgroung. Track coming back into the station. Yet another very well themed attraction. Going vertical through the giant vertical loop. We'll have to see if everyone is still smiling at the end of the ride... Signature lift-hill shot. I love the "false" first drop right before the real drop into the tunnel. Flipping through the right side of the "Iron Butterfly" section. Flipping through the left side of the "Iron Butterfly" section. Unbelievable G's when I rode today. Coming out of the intense first drop through the tunnel and into the vertical loop. Coming out of the final turn back into the station. I really liked all the colors of the trees as you entered the Country Fair section. My favorite ride in the new Country Fair additions: The Sky Flyer The one kiddie coaster at Dollywood: Veggie Tales Slide Show Spin. The deceptively fast lemon twist (tea-cups). Dizzy Disk (Disc-O to most people). I have to say that I really like this ride compared to most people. Classic scrambler ride. New wave swinger added with the Country Fair additions. Fun shooting gallery with typical Dollywood themes. (I set off all of the animations with my flash!) Really nice fall decorations as you walk up the path to Thunderhead, Timber Tower, and soon to be Mystery Mine. Back side view of the over-banked turn as you get sent through the fly through station. (Building with the red roof) It really looks like they are beefing up the theming in this area. All of this is new since I was last here. Looks really awesome and adds to the entire area of the park. My first lift-hill signature shot. Overview of Thunderhead as you walk up the long path to Thunderhead Gap and Timber Canyon. This banked curves is awesome as it shoots you through the only fly through station on a wooden coaster. Banked curve after the first drop. I love how Thunderhead crosses under itself so many times. The headchoppers get me every time. Last one of my lift-hill signature shots. Another banked curve after the first drop. One final shot of Thunnderhead's twisted goodness. Timber Tower is one of my favorite rides here. A lot of people have said it is lame, but I love it now that they have improved the speed and tipping cycle. What a sight to see..Timber Tower with Mystery Mine in the background. Now this looks like an interesting addition to the construction site... Soon the heart-line roll and the half-loop will be as one Close up of the half-loop. Closer view of the Tressel. Finally we get to see some work being done on the Tressel section. Close up of the heart-line roll. Double inversions back to back. Gotta love that! The half-loop after the heart-line roll will be an awesome end to the ride. The Mine will look awesome once all the theming is done. Hard to believe the lift hill is in there somewhere. Dollywood has been hard at work on Mystery Mine. Cranes laying track in place are ALWAYS a good sign. More construction of the Mine. The Rockin' Roadway is very popular with the kids but doesn't do much for me. Red's Restaurant in the 50's area. (Cool to look at but definately not the best food in the park) Main St. of the 50's theme area. More fall decorations. One of the Harvest Festival decorations at the entrance of the park.