Taylor Finn

Wonderful report! It's been years since I was here. Someday I will head back!

I'm checking the website now and they have 25 rides closed at the moment? I understand staffing issues, but that seems like a substantial portion of the park is closed during the week. May need to do some more to entice folks to work for you.

We went to Dollywood for the first since November 2019 Friday and Monday. Some thoughts! On Friday, they were still requiring masks in lines and on rides and were actually doing a solid job of enforcing their own policies. We are fully vaxxxxed and felt comfortable at the park, overall. By Monday, the policy had been relaxed and masks were significantly less present. All Staff still wear. Thunderhead is running really great. The last 1/4 of the ride is just amazingly smooth right now and the first bit as well. We really loved it. Mystery Mine's new bit is fine. It's certainly smooth at the moment which is good. Lightning Rod does feel *slightly* slower over the first hill and throughout the whole course. It is most noticeable on the first element after the big drop. Still hauls and is an awesome ride. Shut down on us Monday before we could get on it (our mistake for waiting till 6:30). Oddly enough, on Friday the line was at 100 minutes midday. We walked right on at park close twice. Food and Flower Festival Thoughts: $28 for 5 foods ($30 without season pass) is actually really solid. Food item prices ranged from $5 for fruity drinks to $11 for fish and chips, without the pass. We got a lanyard each day we were there to share and ate well for $14 each. Some of the menu items (value is based on the lanyard not the actual sell price, which was often way too high). Fish and Chips ($11): one decent sized piece of fish with some thin steak fries. Pretty solid (value decent) Lobster Roll ($10): some pretty tasty, cool lobster salad in an untoasted split top roll with a whole bag of salt and vinegar chips. Tasty and refreshing, but small portion. Beef Bulgogi Nachos ($11): Large portion, honestly awesome but needed to ask for extra of the two sauces. Mountain Paella ($7): Meh portion, meh flavor, skippable. They also had some tasty dessert items! Overall, a solid visit and crowds were overall manageable if you avoid riding coasters between like 11:30 and 3:30 (we tend to do shows, eat, and ride train in this window).

I always enjoy seeing pictures of this place. I'll make it out there someday! Thanks.

Love seeing Phantasialand... I’ll make my way out there soon enough. Shame I couldn’t check out Coney Island. Hopefully I can make it out to Stricker’s Grove someday.

We bought season passes in November 2019 to run through 2020 season. Didn't visit last year. Got our first Vaccine shot last week, so we plan to visit before our passes expire on June 15th. I pretty much expected compliance to be very very poor at Dollywood. The demographics are so different. Not only are you in a different part of the country, you have a large portion of the guests coming NOT for thrills (ie- older). I'm sure we'll be a bit unhappy at the lack of compliance, but I'll be at ease because I'll still be doing the right thing and have my immunity. It just wasn't something I felt like I could handle without having the vaccine, but acknowledge everyone's situation / tolerance is different.

Doing a 2021 Season Update on this: (Prices 2001, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2021 via Wayback Machine); Inflation is $1 in 2001 = $1.50 today. Phoenix: $1.50 $2, $2, $2.50, $3, $3, $3.50 Flyers: $0.80, $1, $1.20, $1.50, $1.75, $2.50, $2.50 Carousel: $0.70 $0.80 $0.90, $1, $1.50, $1.75, $2 Red Baron: $0.60, $0.70 $0.80, $1, $1.25, $1.50, $1.75 Adult Wristband w/ Coasters: (not available), $31, $37, $39.50, $47, $50, Not Available Yet Other notes- Black Diamond is $3, Phoenix, Twister, Impulse - $3.50, Flying Turns - $4. Haunted Mansion increased from $2.50 to $3. All flats are $2-2.50, Ferris Wheel = $3. Kiddie rides are $1.50-2 (Kozmo's Kurves = $2.50) None of this will stop me from visiting. But I do think I'm likely to get a wristband, not tickets this year. I'm sure they're hurting a bit from a mostly lost season.

I'm just not sure what to make of the updates I am seeing in the various Facebook groups I am a part of. Certainly making some headway getting rid of some stuff. Clearly the Midway was in disrepair and it was hard to see a scenario where it would be lively and attractive. So I get taking it out. It leaves significantly less *park.* They removed Witches Stew and the Kiddie Carousel. If the park keeps the Blue Streak, Devil's Den, Carousel, and Tumble Bug, plus Kiddieland, I would be happy. The other rides are obviously replaceable, though I'm not sure that the intent is to do that. As for Blue Streak, I've enjoyed my rides on it recently. But, no doubt, it is sketchy. And the trains need work or replaced. The park has one thing going for it; there are devoted folks who want to see it succeed. That doesn't mean that there are the crowds at the moment to support that mission. But, if the new owner is smart, he would at least let those folks keep things clean on a volunteer basis.

Still have a Season Pass until like June 15th. Hoping to get vaccinated and get out there before then. Looking forward to hearing folks report on what Lightning Rod is *actually* like. And also what Craftsman Alley is like. I'm going to miss the little ceramics shop, but alas. Also, my guess is Cinnamon bread is $10/loaf now.

I am shocked that I haven’t been to Hershey since TPR New Hotness 2012, despite living 4 hours away. Really need to revisit Skyrush, among other things. I know I liked it but am always floored by its ranking.

Pleased to see my love of Pyrenees isn't out of nowhere. Just behind Nemesis for #1 invert. Was without a doubt my favorite coaster in Japan and SO grateful we managed to sneak a few rides in on a rainy, rainy day. I would return to that park before returning to Fuji-Q (probably not before Nagashima, though... need to get on Hakugei).

The tough thing is if someone comes in with a higher bid with the intentions of building condos or something else, that is what would happen. I don't feel super confident in the end game for this, but let's wait and see.

I liked the pottery shop... that's a bummer, really. I've actually grabbed a few things from there.

How can Kennywood justify closing FOUR rides (two great, one alright, one meh) and Lake Compounce gets away losing just one meh one? I know Kennywood has more to begin with, but still.

I mean, Kenny the Kangaroo is like... a mascot for the park? I totally understand Volcano being removed. Kangaroo and Paratrooper are directly adjacent. Bayern Kurve is on the perimeter and just sort of plopped down on the asphalt, so it will certainly be an eye sore but not going to require much in the way of extra work after removal. Clearly they're flailing from a financial standpoint, because to remove four rides in one year with no immediate replacements for any seems awfully stupid. Four empty parcels in the park? I am so very sad to see my home park continue down this path. It is remarkably sad to see the balance of old and new permanently shift for the worse. I am understanding of the need for change. If they had said they were closing the Volcano and Bayern Kurve, I would've totally understood and just crossed my fingers that Knoebels would pick up the latter. But to remove Kangaroo and the Paratrooper seems like a really heavy blow to the family lineup. They were both very popular. I wish there was a wealthy Pittsburgher who could just swipe the place up and press pause on the radical changes we're seeing to this park. Truly tragic.

I would recommend reading some other folks thoughts on here as well as on trip advisor. Especially of recent, because crowds seem to have ticked up. Also you need to make a reservation, they’ve been filling up most days.

Similar topic, but out of sheer curiosity looked into Dollywood one day ticket and season pass prices since 2005 via Wayback Machine, inclusive of tax. I think they're a pretty affordable park overall. 2005: $43.50/$72 2008: $50.20/$83 2012: $60.60/$96.50 2016: $73/$122.35 2020: $88.70/$150.4 Price increases seem to be relatively consistent from 2005-2021. 2005-2012, prices went up 40% on tickets and 35% on season passes. Over a similar period from 2012-2021, we have increased 45% on tickets and 55% on season passes. Considerable investments have been made in the last 8 or so years compared to the earlier period, so this makes up for the slightly more substantial increases as of late.

Robb, I just downloaded photos from my Google Photos to my desktop of my laptop and uploaded from there (that's been my practice normally as my phone doesn't have much storage so I don' keep them on there). When I open the photos from my desktop, they all appear to be the correct orientation, but then they upload and some are not.

For whatever reason, when I choose and upload files, some of them end up arriving incorrectly oriented. Is there a way to rotate photos when writing up a report?

Bert, I have a very, very similar Chocolate Crunch tin. It is my favorite souvenir of the trip and was super affordable. Best believe I would be grabbing some more when I return.

Love to see some Nagashima. I really enjoyed our day here. I know there were folks that preferred Fuji Q, but I think Nagashima has a more well-rounded complete lineup. I'm glad everything was open here for me except the Jet Coaster. Thought this park had a nice selection of flats and transport type rides. Plus the bobkarts were a blast!

I’m thinking maybe I’ll actually upload some Photo TR’s with the much easier tools... it absolutely was a bit tedious and frustrating before. Thanks again!

Knoebels is absolutely one of my favorite places to visit. And it would take a lot for me to be steered away from returning (ie- ripping down Phoenix, and Twister, replacing the bumper cars with standard ones, and getting rid of all the tasty treats). I think it is an interesting thing to look at and dissect, is all. I am really a numbers guy. There's no doubt that the value of parents being able to go in and ride just a few rides is immense and can offer huge savings over most parks that require an admission. The main reason for bringing them up is moreso to just point out that I *think* the ride increases are occurring at a faster rate than in the parks history. And so, if they get to a good level (like where they are now) and they begin to slow down again, I think that would be a okay. But ifi in a few years, the Flyers are at $3.25, Phoenix is at $4, and the kiddie rides are alll $2-2.50, that's a pretty quick progression and a slippery slope. I enjoy paying with the tickets for whatever reason (always at Weiss) and it allows us the opportunity to spread our fun out over two days and ride a bit less each day and save a few $$ over buying two all day wristbands. I did this just now out of morbid curiosity and figured I would at least add it here so my work wasn't for only me. (Prices 2001, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 via Wayback Machine); Inflation is $1 in 2001 = $1.47 today. Phoenix: $1.50 $2, $2, $2.50, $3, $3 Flyers: $0.80, $1, $1.20, $1.50, $1.75, $2.50 Carousel: $0.70 $0.80 $0.90, $1, $1.50, $1.75 Red Baron: $0.60, $0.70 $0.80, $1, $1.25, $1.50 Adult Wristband w/ Coasters: (not available), $31, $37, $39.50, $47, $50 Is it still super affordable and far cheaper by the ride than most other parks? Absolutely. Does that detract from the fact that I doubt rides saw these % increases in the previous two decades? E.G. were the Flyers like 25 cents in 1980? Hope someone besides me at least found the above mildly interesting!

I hope not! But would understand if so. My question is a simple one. Once on the Forum, is there a way to return to the home page of the site (ie- themeparkreview.com)? When I press home once on the forum or the big icon at the top, I just get sent to the forum home page. Otherwise, I am pretty happy with how everything looks so far! Thank you.

Two things: The thought is that they’re bringing a Bayern Curve for this time of year? Or as a new permanent ride? Also, looks like some rides saw pretty steep increases again. I’m wondering if they’re changed just for the fall or...? Because they just seemed to have increased. Thrill flats are all $2.25-2.50, haunted mansion is up to $3, etc. E.G. flyers were $1.75 last year or two years ago so $2.50 is significant imo. I know I’ve said this before but clearly if they continue at this pace for too long, I think it’s going to be start becoming cost prohibitive for some families. Just my two cents and I totally understand if folks see it differently.