DollyWould

As seen on Facebook earlier today! Looks like we have our first official attraction teaser for 2023.

Yes, I suppose suggesting that replacing Lighting Rod with a more reliable coaster (eventually) is a completely drunken & insane idea. *confused*

It needs to be replaced with a more reliable B&M Hyper by 2025. Turn the train approach out of the station around & put the lift hill going out over the employee parking lot to run a longer course. Put a fork in LROD already...it's done.

Even if the name does change in some form, such as to Silver Dollywood, no one is going to be going out of their way to call it that, with the exceptions of employees maybe. So that means if that were to happen, Splash Country would officially be Silver Dollywood’s Splash Country? LOL...I mean, give me a break. No one calls it Dollywood’s Splash Country now. It’s just commonly referred to as “Splash Country.” I think the park is sending out mixed messages this season anyway. This year’s park brochure is the first year to prominently display Dolly’s image in as long as 15 years! She has been absent from it for quite some time now (with the exception of her image associated with her Stampede Dinner Show.) Also, she has been doing more voice-overs lately in television and internet ads as well. So if she is truly on her way out soon or not as involved, why would the park’s current marketing efforts include expanded use of Dolly’s contributions?

I give it MULTIPLE thumbs down, if true!

What I mean is, it probably will not feel as out of control, and have that balls-to-the-wall, OMG...what TF just happened (?) feeling. But that's just IMLO. There are some of us that like it rough!

Coaster Crew's Facebook page is reporting that Lighting Rod's rebuild will not be completed and operational until mid-April. Sadly with the new I-Box track, it just will not feel the same. But hopefully, it will still be an "off-the-chain" experience (get it, it still launches...no chain lift...BAAA HAAA HAAA). Here's to RMC-ing the first RMC!!

We rode the train last night & can confirm the wood homestead structures (farmhouse, outhouse, wood shed) have all been removed from the upper train loop. There is some speculation that this may be for future expansion, but aren’t the next expansions supposed to be going behind the current Wildwood Grove area? Perhaps they were removed for fire safety concerns, due to their close proximity to the fireworks launch pads? It’s sad to see even more original theming continue to disappear!

From Dollymania.net: "Gospel Hall Of Fame Leaving Dollywood The Southern Gospel Music Association announced Monday on Facebook that its SGMA Hall of Fame and Museum at Dollywood will be closing after 21 years at that location due to the park choosing not to renew the lease on its building. The park has not indicated what may be going into the building in its place, but SGMA President Arthur Rice thanked Dolly, Dollywood and her partners, the Herschends, "for giving us a home for 21 years. We could not have done it without you." This is an interesting development for the prime location adjacent to the main gate area of the park. According to the dipping dots guy (lol), one rumour suggests that the space will be utilized for administrative offices (hopefully not). Seems like a disappointing choice when there are other dormant buildings in the park. I would rather see the park continue to use it as a museum to showcase the park's history from the humble beginnings as Rebel Railroad to present day. I always thought they could use a place to display memorabilia, including the numerous Golden Ticket Awards they have won throughout the years! Another thought is, perhaps this is the beginning of a redesign for the main gate area, which is long overdue. Before Covid, the park was drawing in record numbers of guests in the peak season and the current turnstile plaza could barely handle an efficient entry process for the influx of guests. Other possible uses could be a new addition for a Food & Entertainment Hall, which has been speculated for some time but the park is challenged to build one because of limited open space in high traffic areas. It would be nice to see and it would be a great opportunity for them to add a Coffee House! Also, could a dark ride fit in the space? Likely not, as that should be going in Wildwood Grove as the next major new attraction (2022?) But what IF it's going to become a station for a Sky Bucket system to link the front of the park to Wildwood Grove or the upper train loop? Anything is possible...

Last night as I was perusing around the Dollywood website, I noticed that the Summer Celebration Festival has been removed from their festival lineup for the rest of the year. However, the new Food & Flower Festival remains and now says coming this Summer, rather than coming in May as before. Perhaps they are merging them together or maybe they are forgoing the Fireworks this year in attempt to promote social distancing? I am not certain how social distancing can be achieved in any theme park. Yes they can mark the ride queues where guests should stand and monitor guest flow in and out of the ride buildings, but how can social distancing be genuinely maintained on the midways and other common areas of the park? I'm hoping the park makes an announcement very soon before the end of the month for their reopening plans, and plans in general for the rest of the year. Season Passholders are supposedly going to be informed first (email blast maybe?) and then the general public. I'm really looking forward to getting back there soon (please!)

Here is the "contact us" link with the form, but I am certain a response will be extremely delayed as the majority of their staff is currently furloughed. https://www.dollywood.com/Contact-Us

If you recall the names, would you mind to share them here? Unfortunately, I did not receive the survey. Was one of the names UnderGrove Cavern? ~Thanks

I suspected the ziplines were being taken away once all the signing was removed from the kiosk, as well as when it's web page was pulled. I still "wonder" why the Wonder Wheel was ever removed at the end of 2017, too. :**-( Could it be that phase 2 of WWG will bring a new ferris wheel to the park? Hmmmm....

Thanks! Hopefully it’s still like that this year. Anyone know what’s up with Mystery Mine? I haven’t seen it open on any of the Dollywood wait time websites this whole weekend. Did Mystery Mine open today? The app no longer has wait times available if you are outside the park, obviously. Just curious, what is the url for the site that still list wait times?

A dark ride might fit in the slide’s landing/entrance area possibly, if configured correctly. But the rest of the terrain would be wasted. However, I completely agree it’s time for a new indoor ride.

^His comment somehow got placed in the quote; It's in the paragraph before the last sentence (about how DW could add their version of Timetraveler on the former Slidewinder site).

To further solidify the rumors of Slidewinder's demise, it has now been listed on Wikipedia as being defunct (if you believe Wiki). Also, the link to the ride's separate description web page has been deleted. It now redirects to the general ride and attractions page I also suspect the SkyZip will not be returning for the 2019 season as well, which is not as a big of a loss for me personally. I took the opportunity to ride it once, in it's opening season way back when (and now zip lines are all over the area, so it's wasn't that unique of an attraction anymore). However, the Mountain Slidewinder, imo was the park's best water ride—definitely the wettest! Such a classic staple for the park to quietly remove, with no last-rides opportunity for us longtime fans. How does the park decide what to announce which rides they are removing, such as River Battle? While others, such as the Wonder Wheel, and now Slidewinder & SkyZip just fade away. I do have to wonder if Slidewinder is actually in the process of being dismantled or if it will just sit dormant until the park finds a reason to re purpose the land? I guess we can find out on March 15, about a month away now!

Not only may the Mountain Slidewinder not be returning in 2019, but SkyZip as well. The signing for the upcharge attraction has also been removed from the kiosk in Wilderness Pass and the description page is gone form dollywood.com! BUT, you can still find Slidewinder's page here: https://www.dollywood.com/themepark/Rides/Mountain-Slidewinder Go figure...

Mountain Slidewinder has also been removed from the list of rides and attractions on dollywood.com! It typically stays listed on the site throughout the year. Has anyone heard more about what's going with this long-time ride

Exciting news! According to Screamscape, the 2019 announcement date is set for Friday, August 3rd!!! I can't wait to see all the details to be revealed. Tell us about, Dolly!!!

Pete Owens said earlier this season that the 2019 announcement would be coming sooner in the year than past announcement times. Has anyone heard when that time may be? Dolly is in town this weekend to at least open the revamped My People, My Music show. Could there be more in the works for this Friday? Typically we would be seeing some teasers leading in to announcement day, but the park's social media has been completely silent on the issue.

I was at the park over xmas week and do not remember seeing this butterfly you speak of. We hung out with Larrygator for 2 days and he's more familiar with the park than I am so maybe he can chime in on if it was there and I simply walked right past it. I don't recall seeing it, but then again it's not something I was looking for at the time. Maybe it was incorporated into the Parade of Many Colors (which I did not watch). Thanks guys! Unfortunately the early January freeze-out kept me out of Dollywood to see for myself. Perhaps the butterfly was out for repair this time around. Hopefully it will reappear in 2018, just as the Caroling Tree is slated to be new in Wilderness Pass Plaza (former River Battle site).

It's probably more along the lines that Hershend/Dollywood has removed Dolly from the annual parade. But anyway, she is planning to be on park Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17. Hopefully they will at least have a Festival of Nations parade in the park as in years past. On a unrelated note, did anyone on here make it out to the park before or after the frigid shutdown on January 1st and 2nd? I am wondering if the lighted butterfly was ever brought back to the Christmas festival anywhere in the park. In recent years, it was hung rather inconspicuously on the side of the Emporium facing the tram pickup pavilion. I expected it to be placed back in it's rightful home where the butterfly "planter" is located, between Showstreet Palace and the Sweet Shoppe, but I didn't see it there when I attended the festival twice in November.

^^^With the Carol of the Trees not showing on the website or on the Entertainment Schedule, I wouldn't be surprised if they have put it on hiatus this year. Perhaps it will be receiving a revamp for 2018 and will return with updated technology, effects and sound presentation. It has been difficult to hear it in recent years when it was in Timber Canyon, with the volume either being too low or it was competing with the park "background" music. (I remember when it used to include a small Fireworks finale as well!)

Just curious, do you know where the Carol of the Trees is located this year? I don’t see it listed anywhere on Dollywood.com and it’s not shown on the new online Entertainment Schedule for this weekend. Has it returned to Rivertown Junction?