bill_s

Seems like a socially distanced train, huge for its capacity, due to the ATV motif on every car. Strange.

If it's say, $100 a week plus the 300 federal = 400, that's equal to Dollywood's starting $10 an hour and at $12 that's $2 an hour over staying home, not counting expenses. There may be people higher up the pay scale that can't get anything suitable, but for theme park employees how can it not be relevant? That article says Tennessee is one of the states cutting benefits, so we'll be finding out. This has been going on for long enough I think they should have been able to figure out how much people actually need and isn't giving them a raise. I worked all last year, in person, for less, so not sympathetic.

From what I've seen, the front of the park gets more crowded at the beginning of preview hours, and is least crowded just before. Useful both days. On Lightning Racer, watch the other train, so fascinating. If you ride it like a normal coaster it's a bit forceless, but smooth. Wildcat was terribly rough a few years ago, not so much now, but a great layout either way IMO.

I'm mostly enjoying my closest park being open again, riding more and driving less. While it has been worse than normal for sure, last Sunday rope dropping it for a couple of hours was both effective enough for riding and about the only thing that could be done for the heat. Might just have to take a break if it gets even more mobbed, after all been riding almost continuously since 7/6/20 with the BGW "year round". KD just opened 5/16 so of course is mobbed. BGW has been crowded/understaffed since Spring Break but I haven't been for a month, don't know if the masking changes have affected it much. These crowds could continue or normalize later in the year. So I'll take the advice as a warning if I travel, but don't necessarily stay home if you don't have the extra bucks.

The family coaster might have a lower cost of ownership than a comparable woodie. Therefore it makes sense in view of the chain putting in wood coasters. They also seem to want just a little more than what the usual wood coaster can deliver, and can probably make it more visible from the road than Six Flags. The Raptor may seem to make sense as its weakness is low capacity, but with only a couple of coasters that could be a problem. I would think they would want a gentler one, more a floater air machine.

The mine train is popular and low capacity enough I'm sure it can get a wait. Don't skip it though, I find it only halfway down that cliff -- while not on the scale of the top 4 it's a good ride on its own terms. It's also right in the middle of the park, essential to get the lay of the land and implying a certain history. It would be in the way of new additions except everything else is already around it. When they're ready for a new coaster they'll probably remove Nighthawk and Vortex next door. (I'd love Nighthawk if it went straight into a brake run after swooping over the water but the rest is trash, or makes me feel like I am. Could be great for a laugh with friends.)

Of course they prefer single day ticket sales. That's reservations 101. Hint: these are not 2020 level restrictions most places, if you can't get a reservation, probably dodged a bullet.

It's a beautiful and amazing place with many wonderful things accumulated over the many years, not just coasters. It has some rough spots and is definitely overcrowded though.

TRUE, but hope you have a strong bladder if you don't bring a mask.

^- yes, even if the advantages of TRex were clearer, it might never really be the best thing for the company, much less now. They are surely aware of the role of huge projects in the demise of Arrow. I doubt the Trex track that the test track section has been shown takes any more steel than B&M spine track, but contrary to claims the narrow track is less suitable for inverts or 4-wide seating due to the twisting stresses of that weight distribution. If scaled up even larger, comparably to B&M wing coaster track, it would use more steel. In either case it could have a greater span between supports but this is essentially due to the relative limitations on the trains. Even with 2-wide seating it doesn't have the track-straddling, closer center of gravity to the track advantage of Raptor. I don't think a website is for selling to TRex-sized customers. It is as much for increasing public interest in their creations -- indirect selling -- as directly selling coasters. And T-shirts.

I strongly expect the full existing coaster lineup to be open. Maybe not all rides and operations. Regular operations, almost surely not until June 15 and who knows after that. Pantheon is unknown, I'm thinking opening and promotion could be reversed. Covid trend looks great, don't catch it before it's gone.

I see wood ledgers on the 208 Retrak instead of the steel of IBox. Topper track looks to be gone. IBox may be smoother than any tubular track. It could be time to push its inherent advantage seperate from crazy designs.

It's now at least 7500 with speculations of higher, or maybe I'm behind too. Reports are that you can usually get in without a reservation. Whatever, it is possible for it to become crowded at their current staffing and opening level, especially to get food.; Spring Break was bad. Don't buy a huge tasting plan in advance you might spend all day in line.

Like the case of Busch Gardens, I can't imagine they'd want to change the name unless they had to, even if everything beyond that is debranded. There are some disadvantages though of the association,, not everyone likes country music or Dolly, and she's not becoming more popular. Hershend is expanding though, so it could become "Silver Dollar City's Dollywood" or "... a Hershend Park"

Negative: new ride not open Positive: less chance of overcrowded hell.