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Tourism for the entire area was way down last year.. this is very well known if you talk to any of the business owners around the area.. at times I couldn't tell it was, but talking to a lot of business owners, they had a huge decline in revenue for whatever reason. Some have told me it was as low as the recession. Was Dollywood the cause of that? Not all of it but it's safe to bet the were for some of it. Most was the fires yes.. Ripley's lowered prices for most of the spring to bring folks in (as low as $5 & $10 for the aquarium) and it helped some in Gatlinburg folks said but not much 1.) Increased ticket prices - ended up causing them to run promotions pretty much all the year, at least until luminights (but a local hotel owner told me luminights didn't help them meaning it was probably a lot of locals) 2.) Surveys asking if people if they would be more likely to visit the area if LR was up and running (heck how many trips were put off from users on this post). Dollywood does know that was a concern and possible reason for attendance being down. 3.) Plus the fires Is Dollywood financially hurting? I doubt it. Would I rather see a custom design of a suspended? 100% would. But there is a great possibility that Dollywood did struggle some last season and a strong possibility they didn't meet their goals or plans. Was attendance down according to plan? Who knows, they never announced. Eitherway, hopefully this new area will revitalize the area! Especially with the negative news of the accident at the Opry show a week or so ago. I was at Hard Rock Cafe last night and folks were saying they weren't going to any shows in the area because of the carbon dioxide accident in a backstage area away from guest at the Opry! I'm just glad national news didn't pick that up! I'm sure this new area, clone rides or not, will help the entire economy here.. As long as Dollywood doesn't get into the habit of clones, I'm i will be fine. I do see what ASE is saying.. another ride that would possibly have a lot of downtime, while it won't bankrupt Dollywood, it could hurt the area even more! Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Exactly what I said! But everyone here disagreed lol.. I really hope if it is a clone it's a one off and they go back to building custom designed coasters, even if they just change the layout of a standard coaster. But heck, half the same people jump all over six flags for the same thing, maybe because it's just six flags... Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

That's just the way it looks...It's an Eli Ferris Wheel, they all look like that. Like every ride at Dollywood it's inspected and maintained properly. Wonder Wheel is a perfectly safe attraction. Oh I'm not saying it was unsafe. I know it was safe Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

A new pair job might make it look better but there is a reason people say it looks scary on here and other locals Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I wonder why they would remove it? I can't think of much else that could fit in that ride spot, but I hate to see it go. Because it looks like it could fall apart any minute and it was closed a lot this past season.. I tend to visit a lot, mostly on slow days I'll admit that, but over half those slow days it was closed But not being listed doesn't mean they got rid of it.. could just be a glitch, Dollywoods site has glitches like that from time to time Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Most flats are open during the cold, so I'd imagine the flats up there being open. Dollywood builds their winter around shows and lights, and they always have.. but over the next 5 - 10 years, while they develop this land and the 100acres (if the develop a lot of it) we can see some huge growth of their indoor attractions. They clearly said, when they announced their 10 year plan, by the end of their plan they want to start their expansion to the train loop. Will they make it all the way to the train loop? No one knows, but this is the start, and I fully see them working their way up the mountain over the next few years. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I see them opening other resorts but not other gated parks unless they bring another small concept to the area.. if this new area doesn't end up being Glacier Point when a snow theme in it somewhere, I see a small snow park possibly opening in the future. Or something with a small idea like that, that will work on it's own. That very well could be it's own attraction and can give Dollywood a year round attraction.. but yeah, during the non summer months, I don't think they have the draw for two theme parks. They just want to be a national destination Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

For now but I am sure the area will grow. His question was, is their another way out? Dollywood almost had a riot on their hands last year with people climbing fencing because of a bottleneck in timber canyon during luminights. It would only be smart not to dead end this area and provide another exit, even if it's just an emergency exit (one of the blueprints shows a possible service exit towards the back that might be used for emergencies) When the park hits max capacity, it's packed and slow moving.. only one way in might cause and issue. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

A lot of things change over the years but when the 10 mil expansion was announced one enterance was supposed to be around FC. Dollywood gets too packed for "dead ends" instead of loops especially on their 25 - 35k people days. And that area, at least Timber Canyon, gets packed anyways so hopefully they have multiple ways in/out. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I thought the same thing seeing Dollywood also trademarked the sign for Glacier Ridge just a few days before the meeting on Feb 28th. I thought a bobsled coaster would fit perfectly if they do extend glacier ridge further then the show area Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

It's the colorful thing lol. Looks kind of like a waterslide or something Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

That's a good possibility and similar track style I'd imagine. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Wild eagles not a clone. In my eye there is a difference. A clone can become unqiue and special, especially if it's themed well. If this is a standard layout, I hope I has a very nice theme to it. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I hope it's a suspended coaster, I really do, but I hope Dollywood puts their twist on it, even if it's just a simple gimmick.. Dollywoods uniqueness is why I spend so much money there every year.. even though that coaster isn't in America yet, I really hope Dollywood doesn't just start building clones of coasters from other places.. that's a Six Flags thing, not a Dollywood thing. Dollywood, please add your uniqueness to it! Haha Heck, most people on here would jump all over Six Flags for being cheap for doing this sort of thing haha. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Because the meeting wasn't for building approvals or anything like that.. it was just for environmental stuff. They might build everything exactly like the blueprints, who knows. Maybe the layout of the coaster isn't 100% finalized so they put the stock one down maybe they are just trying to save money and go stock If you notice, the coaster is the only part in color and the blueprint with the fans doesn't actually show the entire layout. That portion might be real Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

What if Dollywood figured the current layout of that coaster is already fantastic. That model has not made it to the US yet so why not use it? I think you are thinking far too much into this. Virtually every coaster type at dollywood has no "standard" model anyway. Just trying to spark discussion is all and exactly, pretty much every coaster Dollywood builds has no standard model so why start now.. why not make it their own But again there is probably a high probability those rides are placeholders anyways, at least some of them. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Haha but LR was actually very reliable this year after it's early downtime.. summer - Fall/winter it was probably running 85+% of the time Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Another thing to consider.. would Dollywood even plop down a standard model coaster? That's completely against their personality. They heavily customize or theme everything (aside from the small kids coaster) they do unless the entire area is heavily customized and themed I don't see them just plopping down a standard model coaster.. I saying it won't be a family suspended coaster, but it would concern me more if Dollywood didn't customize the layout or anything.. I'd be concerned they were losing their creativity. But if the entire area has some sort of gimmick then I could see them plopping down a standard model. Those giant fans might point to some sort of gimmick for the coaster or area (unless they are queue fans).. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I don't think we can accurately say everyone is guessing but u do believe they are.. only folks at the meeting (or wherever those blueprints came from) can say that 100% for sure but I am very curious about the fans.. blowing snow around would be awesome and her snow park idea was an OUTDOOR snow park. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

The larger building does look like it could be a dark ride to me.. so it could be an eclosed coaster similar to BF Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I agree here.. that's what I'm saying.. is 10 news guessing it's enclosed or where they told it was at the city council meeting? They did say no mention was made about rides so I am personally thinking they are guessing Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I think Dollywood in general considers all their rides family rides.. that's their entire principal. But like you said, calling it a family coaster is subjective and Dollywood has only done it officially on firechaser Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

LR was but they never called it a family coaster.. Fire Chaser is called a family coaster but doesn't look nearly as daunting to someone who is scared of coasters as the one you posted.. I'm not saying, I wouldn't consider it a family coaster but News 10 did say "enclosed family coaster".. So I'm just curious if Dollywood would consider that a family coaster or not. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk The layout and supports in the blueprints are identical to the Vekoma Suspended Family Coaster 453m model https://rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&mo=10901 Also the blueprints include station and queue buildings which imply that it isn't indoor (unlike the other two large enclosed buildings included in the blueprints). So if that's the case I wonder how much of it is going to be "enclosed" but again, no idea where news 10 heard that from unless they just assume from the blueprints Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

LR was but they never called it a family coaster.. Fire Chaser is called a family coaster but doesn't look nearly as daunting to someone who is scared of coasters as the one you posted.. I'm not saying, I wouldn't consider it a family coaster but News 10 did say "enclosed family coaster".. So I'm just curious if Dollywood would consider that a family coaster or not. While Dollywood tries to build rides for the entire family they don't throw the family coaster line around for their bigger coasters and never have.. But hey, we don't even know where 10 news heard "enclosed family coaster" at anyways because they did said none of the talk was about rides Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

But would that be considered family to Dollywoods standards? Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk