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And if this is a multi-year project it can continue to grow.. a lot of these rides might of been in the planning for a while for Nashville.. it was supposed to be 114 acres which is larger than the magic kingdom! Waterparks aren't that large so I'm sure "rides" were being planned for the snow park portion of it. To backup glacier ridge (also announced during Christmas for the new Show Venue) https://trademarks.justia.com/878/10/glacier-87810968.html Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Also, notice one if the buildings looks fairly large and tall, while the other is shaped more like a restaurant.. dark ride possibly? One other thing you have to remember, theme parks do this a lot, we are so early on the approval processes still that those rides might just be similar to what Dollywood plans to put it.. those might not be the actual attractions at all.. just something with a similar footprint Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

It could be.. the "tubes" might just be the area the train will be located in and it is suspended. Only the blueprint with the fans makes it look like a tube.. however, the other blueprint gives it a simple layout like a water coaster would have, I would feel it's to simple for a suspended coaster if those two elements are indeed the same elements on the blueprints Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I agree, from the blueprints it looks like it's enclosed in a tube like structure.. one blueprint makes it look like a water coaster similar to Splash Country. That's why I think a bobsled type ride wouldn't be to far out of the question.. now, what are those giant fans! Snow machines? Part of the themeing to make a heavy wind! To keep the structures surface cool? Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Your large fan blueprint maybe a bobsled type ride? Snow machines? Or maybe it's an indoor bobsled type ride and the fans keep the tubes cool so ice doesn't melt? That theme in the survey a few years back (I know I keep saying that) Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

It looks right except for the new pic posted by WBIR.. while it's hard to tell where that pic was actually taken, the curve in the track does look like the new area is going all the way back to the bend. But your blueprints put it right where you have it marked lol Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

As long as Dollywood can maintain those themes! While they intensively theme, they have a record of letting their themes decay due to lack of maintenance.. Elments not working year after year on Mystery Mine, Elments not working on Dare Devil Falls, while they updated the track in Blazing Fury, they haven't done much else.. poor speakers, out of sync audio, broken arms, raggy clothing on the characters and so on.. that type of stuff wouldn't fly at Worldwide and National Theme Parks. Also, they don't seem to have a good track record of play areas either.. the empty building in the fair grounds (used for Santa and that's it now) used to be a great indoor are with Legos and other play themes.. Adventure Mountain replaced with fire chaser (and now adventure mountain type places are all over the area). Hopefully this new area will be an area of pride for them and elements on the indoor coaster (if that rumor is true) work longer than the first year (I am looking at you mystery mine). Hopefully the indoor play area won't turn into another abandoned building in 10 years or so. And finally, hopefully the flats area won't decay like the fair.. "Scary looking Ferris Wheel" is correct! Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Well according to this photo it is going all the way to the back with the tracks. Also indoor family coaster? And other indoor areas? Interesting http://www.wbir.com/mobile/article/news/local/dollywood-developing-5-acre-expansion/51-526144541 Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I see it being a mixture.. I see there being one or two thrilling flats like the country fair has and then a few kid flats.. I see a large ride eventually and the area expanding even more.. Dollywood is a family park, like Disney.. all of the lands at Disney have a variety of rides, fun for all ages.. We are just lucky at Dollywood and they throw in some very thrilling rides here and there. Just because they built the new kid coaster there doesn't mean they shouldn't build more kid rides on that end of the park.. heck, it might of been the plan Dollywood needs, desperately, a dark ride.. The summers are hot and dark rides can be for the entire family, and give you a place to cool off.. Six Flags Over GA just got a new one last year and we all know how competitive Dollywood can be with other area regional parks (even if they don't look like the are competing). A dark ride would fit nicely with the "8" other rides and attractions being built and would takup a small footprint. I'm still hoping, even though small 5 acres at this point, we see the ski theme pop up in the new area.. the survey a few years ago mentioned snow themed.. another rumors site heard rumors it was a ski resort being built (we all know there is no way a real ski resort is being built there), another rumor site heard in park cabins (fits the ski themed). Plus Dolly had a snow park planned and in development. The survey also mentioned a carnival theme. While I don't see a carnival theme due to them already having a fair and the fair area is now more of a carnival area due to not really having anything fair related anymore. Just keep in mind 5 acres is perfect for a carnival theme. The carnival them might also be a circus theme which would fit bur again rides very similar to the fair area (the survey made it sound like both) (Yes fairs and carnivals are different, carnival rides are smaller scale and carnivals don't always have the local feel fairs do, with the fair type activities BUT the country fair area at Dollywood doesn't have fair type activities anymore anyway. The pavilion there is always closed so unless Dollywood fixes the country fair I don't see it being another carnival) It also mentioned a fire theme.. That would fit perfectly especially considering one of the rumored access points for the new area is the road behind fire chaser, and Silver Dollar City has a fire themed area (probably around 5 acres) There was one other theme mentioned in the survey but it somehow got deleted out of my notes And heck it could be completely different from all those Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

The restaurants and stuff "might" not be in the new area. The might be leading up to the area. Fine acres is a lot of land for flats and possibly a dark ride. I don't expect there to be a big ride like coaster until after the expansion... I can see a new coaster in 2020. The entire area they are working on is much larger than 5 acres so this is probably a multi year expansion 5 acres does rule out the snow park theory I had unless 5 acres is just the start! Her snow park was supposed to be 114 acres (although it also included a water park, most waterparks are around 50 acres so 50is acres for the snow park) Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

In this photo here, I can see the new area being where the service road is now.. you can see a new road being possibly built beside the parking lot. (That could always just be access for the clearing) This would put the area behind Thunderhead (it's technically there anyways, the entire area, even the Mystery Mine portion is being TH) and beside the trestle for mystery mine.. so I can see that being true Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

So if your map is true, the cleared land is the entirety of that portion of the train ride which is a huge area. That's exciting to hear! However, they weren't clearing that far back during my visits. Doesn't mean it's not happening. (There was some minor clearing when I was there at the back but it was very minor and might just be backstage area)(you can see access roads being cut in the back on my photo but they could just be for storage of the equipment) Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Haha no worries! I didn't know that was your site, sounds like an honest mistake and I just wanted to let people know who saw it on here that the area is actually probably going to be to the right of the area in your photo. Again, I know none of us know where the actual "area" will be and the newer Google maps photos really just short infrastructure such as roads and whatnot. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Exactly but compare the photo that is in the article and the photo from Google.. half the marked area in the article is now the new parking lot. I just hate when news sources publish the wrong information or outdated data is all. If the photo in the article had the new parking lot on it, the so called "new area" they have marked would be very tiny Like I said, they might put the new rides and stuff on the hill behind Thunderhead (more to the right) but the expansion looks to include more.. I'm sure the restaurants and stuff will be on the path leading into the new area Photo from article (notice the train track behind Thunderhead inside the marked area) Edit: just to make it easier to compare here is the Google maps again (see how close the parking lot is to train tracks) Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk Now I understand, from the Google maps screenshot, you can't tell well the new area is actually going to be (it's mostly roadwork and infrastructure) but I don't think it's going to be all behind Thunderhead like the article makes it look. If anything, most of the leveling is actually happening behind mystery mine and on the right side of thunderhead in the Google maps photo. I know the area probably looks a lot different now though My point is the photo in the article is way outdated and the actual clearing is happening to the right of the marked area in the photo heading closer to mystery mine and further down towards river battle

This is an older Google maps photo of the expansion and it goes much further than the marked area on the article.. while the rides and the new area might be behind Thunderhead, this expansion is covering much more area It looks like the photo that site posted is more for the new parking lot the built s few years ago! Hahaha Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I'm not sure the marked area in the photo on the article is right.. it might be correct for the first portion of the expansion but those of us who visited in December clearly saw the expansion going as far as Mystery Mine (at Christmas it was as close as 10 - 15 ft from the Mystery Mine track) at that point, with markers going much much past that point. The markers actually went to the area of hillside accross from river battle. This is why everyone feels the river battle entertainment area will be the new hub. While a lot of work is being done behind Thunderhead, there isn't really any access to the new area at Thunderhead. It's much higher up the hill Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Exactly, another reason to drop the after 3 promotion.. it doesn't mean the can't run different "after" promotions throughout the year.. the various hours Dollywood us now open allows for various promotions.. I have seen post on this forum several times where people ask about the after 3 promotion. It can be very confusing, especially during parts of the season when the park is open very late or opens up late. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

See and you got lucky they honored it.. I had friends try to use it and they simply replied "we opened at 2, if we did the promotion 90% of the guest would qualify" I guess it really depends on the day Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I'd expect the next day after three promotion will still be offered on/off throughout the year as a temporary promo... I have seen this coming for a while and here's why. Over half the season, it couldn't be used anymore!! Most of the summer they are open until 10 and didn't really honor the next day after 3 promo (that's over 7 hours free!). Also, the next day after 3 didn't work during the holidays. Park opened at 2 most of those days. So to stop confusion, maybe Dollywood is just "ending" it and only going to offer it during portions of the year when it's actually usable. Just a thought Not to mention the 2 day 1 park ticket for $89 isn't bad especially during the summer and holidays when next day after 3 didn't work. (Although a season pass is a much better deal) Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Pretty much everyone here has an infestation of black rat snakes if they know where to look lol Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

I to don't believe snakes closed Flooded Mine either, never have, but log flume wasn't retired until 2004 (part of the country fair 2005 remodel) and dare devil falls was opened in 1998. Now I am sure Dollywood knew they were closing log flume a few years before they did but not sure they knew it 6 years before. The space that Flooded Mine took up, plus it's age just made it a perfect closure for Daredevil Falls in my mind. Plus that was when Dollywood started building more thrilling rides.. Daredevil Falls in 98, Tornado in 99, new area in 2004 (Thunderhead Gap with Thunderhead) Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

There is a rumor that they had issues with snakes however I have heard three different snakes that were inside the ride 1.) Water Mocassin - This snake doesn't live in this area if East Tennessee.. there is a snake that looks similar and lives in the water but doesn't have venom. 2.) Cottonmouth which are only west of the Tennessee river 3.) Copperheads which don't really like water. Yeah they will tolerate it but with all the places to live stream Dollywood, I'd doubt they would choose flooded mine Were there snakes inside the ride? Probably, 25% of homes around here have snakes in them or under them.. it's not uncommon, but snakes are also territorial meaning if one water ride was replaced by another, they would just inhabit it as well Folks at Dollywood will say the snake story is an urban legend. Dollywood does have snakes, I saw snakes several times this visit but none venomous. So is it true or an urban legend/rumor? I'm sure we will never know the truth but I'd imagine if it were true, the snakes were harmless Harmless snakes still = scary though! Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

The water also made it hard to keep open during the winter.. with no water, it's a good very cold weather ride Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Flooded mine was for space, BF was because they added magnetic brakes. Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Where Daredevil Falls is now Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk