dstephe9

Exactly, just a slow day lol why don't we talk about the 0 min wait on River Battle? Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Anyone at the park? Can anyone confirm they are running two trains or not? From the wait times, it doesn't look very busy and we are at 30 mins now so I would imagine only running 1 train? Even Firechaser only has a 5 min wait as of now. Maybe the entire park flooded to LR when they saw it open lol Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Knoxville got hit.. two inches of hail at my apartment.. the storm headed right towards Dollywood but i believe West Knox got the most of it.. I was actually headed back from Gatlinburg when it hit and drove through it.. when I got hit by it there was no hail and this was between Kodak (the interstate exit for Dollywood) and Knoxville.. but I still had two inches of hail at my apartment when I got home. I live in very close to West Knox around the papermill area Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

We really don't know. There was much speculation, and contradictory statements by various people. Yup, like he says.. and I don't think they are purposely trying to avoid the question, I just feel there are so many small issues here and there that they get it wrong. I mean, a lot of the statements have been from very high in the parks management. I will say that personally, I haven't heard one person higher in management say it is the launch that is the issue.. doesn't mean it wasn't. Probably the most trusted source I have heard, for me at least, was when Pete said it was the trains in that video and they planned to rewire them.. but that doesn't mean he was correct either. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Honestly it depends who you ask.. Pete at the coaster event this Nov said it all had to do with the trains and they planned to rewire them this off season which will fix most of the issues.. the video was posted here back in Dec.. ride ops will say launch and some say launch is beautiful. other people will say launch. The maintenance guy that posted here last year said launch was beautiful and sensors and software had been the issue.. the software folks then posted that the software was fine.. other folks say sensor.. Point being, you can't trust anyone and not even the park haha.. I mean the video of Pete was clearly Pete haha.. the maintenance guy that posted might have been fake but he knew a lot about the coaster and most of us felt he was real.. ride ops are the least trustworthy when it comes to issues.. the reason I say that is with most of the issue maintenance even made the ride ops leave, especially early on. Last year when he video of the rollback was posted, it was clear that a safety system stopped the launch before it could fire.. with everything working together like it does, maybe the park really doesn't know or didn't know.. ultimately, all the issues where keeping it from launching which could be why the say it was a launch issue.. but that doesn't mean the launch itself was the issue Looks like it's about to open Maybe.. wait time is less than 15 mins so something is happening but usually it'll give exact wait times not less than 15 Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Looks like MM has opened but LR still down Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Not sure I've ever tried to ride very early, but I don't recall many problems on any of my visits over the last several years. That includes several spring break trips, late May/June when school is out, late summer/early fall (Aug - Sep), and late November. They only had the major downtime really early for that one season but it does seem to be TC a lot early on every year.. like LR it's up and down, but it usually hits a groove very early on with very little downtime.. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Idk, mid-late September, October, and November last year it had a pretty good groove going with very limited downtime.. although it only ran one train Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Mystery Mine has issues every year early during the season it seems.. was it last year it was down for almost a month or the year before? All kinds of rumors had been spreading to why it went down from broke arms to waiting on a part haha. That was last year or the year before, I don't remember Eitherway, it does go down a lot early on for some reason Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I don't think we are out of LR troubles yet.. it's been down most of the day according to their app.. I have been checking on and off all day and have only seen it open once. I know the park just opened a few hours ago but Sunday they had this same issue.. it was down a lot of the day.. I wasn't watching it Monday so no idea how it was running then. Of course the app might not be correct but when I was there Sunday it was updating almost instantly with in park status Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

5:00 ish was when I was getting my pizza and I headed out shortly after which is why I never saw both trains running.. on a slow day like Sunday, I would have already given up at that point adding both trains lol Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I've been getting super passes since it doesn't add any more than the cost of a single ticket. So if the opportunity to spend a 2nd day at splash arises, I'm covered, and I know we'll go at least once. The half price day would be great, but it's never going to be a day when I'm there. One more perk for the locals that can go practically any day they choose. It's a 4.5 hour drive so has to be more than a day or two there and that means planning. The half price days are usually during the last 2 or 3 weeks of the season so yeah, they aren't available long.. they usually kick in right after school starts back and I believe they blackout Saturday? I can't remember. Like you said, it's just a way to bring in locals on days the park will traditionally be dead haha Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Well my price was high because one was a super gold pass which is right over $200.. This is the first year in a long time I have gotten super passes.. I normally just go to Splash when the 50% off deal happens on single tickets with a season pass.. that deal takes a ticket down to like $25.. With that being said, I'll only have to to Splash 2 times to make it worth the extra cost (figuring in the $25 price and not the full ticket price) Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Sunday it was down a lot and I don't believe they ever got both trains running Sunday.. they tried but it always broke down when they loaded the second train.. I think one poster here mentioned they got the second train running for a little while and then a breakdown but I never saw the second train running. I know personally I saw it broke "TC" about 6 times.. 3 of those where them trying to get the second train loaded.. they never made us leave the lines when it broke down though.. it did it twice while I was in line but only for about 15 mins each This is why it had a long wait on such a slow day And I to feel Dollywoods a good value, otherwise I wouldn't spend over $400 on two super passes but their prices are increasing quickly, at a rate higher then anything else in the area.. The average salary of workers in Knoxville is only $34,000.. Tourist have no issues buying season passes if they plan to visit several days, it's the locals who the higher prices will cause them to put that money towards something else.. I have even considered it before but then again, I have a wallet full of season passes for places now lol.. Ripley's Aquarium, Six Flags, Biltmore, Zoo Knoxville and those are just a few of my season passes. Last year with three trips to Disney, I even considered Disney passes this year but decided against it. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

But 28% inflation is a lot for a lot of the local folks around here in this area.. for me it's not an issue but for families on a budget, season pass money is something they can spend on something else for a vacation.. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Through work I can get discount Disney tickets, Nothing like what you mentioned though. Closer to $400 per person for 4 day hopper. But I can visit the Smokies 3-4 times for a week each cheaper than I can do Disney for just one week. And I can do a lot more in the Mountains too. For free. Yeah, most of my trips to Dollywood are actually after a hike or something in the Smokies. That's why I am there a lot during the evenings only.. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Season passes have gone way up over the years. With the new prices we are talking almost 25% in the last 4 years. When you look at it that way, it's a lot. For me it was over $400 for 2 super passes this year.. one was gold but still. Just a few years ago, the regular pass (not super and not gold) was only a little over $80.. $84 in 2014 to be exact. (Found the receipt in my email, purchased mid March 2014 so this is likely after a price increase already) Now, don't get me wrong, I'll get my money's worth out of these passes but the concerns over price that some folks have, I see it as a true concern.. heck, people even post on the Dollywood Facebook that they might as well go to Disney rather than buying Dollywood season passes.. my last trip to Disney for two, tickets cost around $400 total for 4 days in the parks with parkhopper. That's only $200/each! I got a good deal but still. (this was the price for tickets in a package from Disney plus 17 off each ticket everyday with my Disney Credit Card with a code that came in my email).. I still find the Dollywood passes a decent value, but the concerns some folks have over price is a good one. I know other parks are increasing in price as well (aside from six flags and I have paid the $4.50/month membership for like 4 years now) but you have to be careful not to price yourself out of the market by pricing high enough to make folks consider spending their money on other vacation ideas vs season tickets at Dollywood Sounds like Dollywoods timesaver system was a good deal, and still is a decent deal, but it has greatly increased in prices it looks like.. At $35/person, I don't think it's an outstanding deal but a decent one for those who don't travel to the park often. Seems like SFOG flash pass is $45/person this season (same as last I believe) but they usually have $10/off person coupons attached to the season pass making theirs a decent deal as well.. I usually buy it at SFOG. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Wow I didn't know DWs was that expensive.. I never paid for Dollywoods and only used it once when a friend had it.. people talk about the great deal it is but at $35/person, that's no different than the six flags over GA cost (the price with a season pass anyways, heck I have had random coupons for buy one person get one free at sfog) they didn't control the people either.. the bot just said 2 or 3 or how many ever were on it I guess I have a different opinion of what a good deal is haha! Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I assume you could, I didn't check the pricing, but in the past i thought Dollywood allowed you to include several people without much of a fee, if any fee at all.. Dollywood isn't like six flags where it's $35 for one person, $60 for two and so on.. So not really sure how much you would save with only one ba d Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Found an article, it's going to be used at the new universal waterpark in FL.. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-blog/os-et-universal-volcano-bay-taputapu-20170209-story.html https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/03/11/2-reasons-disney-world-fears-volcano-bay-1-reason.aspx The bands look to work like a Q-Bot system that alerts riders it's their time to ride.. I'd imagine you can Google taputapu bands (their name) and find more info These aren't bands you keep (they have a screen) but one of the articles I read said that universal plans to get the cost down and implement this in all their parks after the testing phase.. I can't find that article at the moment.. that same article said they planned to implement these with an app as well sometime during the testing phase.. the app would be more useful in the themepark as at the waterparks people don't carry phones Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I'll try to find the article about Universal.. it popped up in my Google Now news feed earlier this year.. my understanding is the testing is going on at one of their waterparks currently Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

OK. I was just wondering how the scheme you were discussion would work as I've never dealt with one. Practically anything would be better than DW's current plastic bands and tabs. I don't care for the concept of a limited number of uses and I suspect existing DW customers to really dislike that. 10x (and only 1 or 2x for certain rides) is a massive change over what was previously offered at the price point, limited only by your choices and hours of operation. Add in the ease with which the tabs fall off becoming unusable or even lost, and I see real headaches ahead. Even changing the policy to have them collected so that loose tabs that fell off can be used (as long as you have the band) won't correct the lost tab issue. While I don't care for the systems in general, I find the virtual queue concept most palatable. Next most the Disney FastPass (and the + system in FL) next most. The express lane style from Universal I like the least. Luckily, from what I have heard, Universal is testing a new system with NFC bands like Disney but much more advanced Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I'm not really sure how integrated their systems are.. I have a fairly decent background in Microsystems and it looks like they might be using a few different versions of software or at least the systems might not connected For example, last year I was looking for Advil towards the end of the season.. (a lot of places had been out of stuff like this because it was after Christmas) the clerk could see his location​ was out on his system but couldn't see what other locations had.. I know six flags can see other locations so can Disney and other parks This isn't hardcore proof that Dolly's systems don't talk to each other but they weren't that day or the clerk didn't know how to make them. They very well could talk to each other though Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

And that's how you end up with 45 minute waits in the "fast" lane. Yeah and I see, potentially, on a busy day folks buying these bands up like crazy thinking there will be no wait.. I have faith Dollywood will actually cut the bands off at one point but who knows what that true number is, if anything At least having an electronic system like Q-Bots, or app based or whatever will allow the fast lane line to be a little more manageable.. Eitherway, it might be a mute point and we may not have any issues with the new unmanaged line system.. it'll be interesting to hear thoughts on it on a busy day and how it worked.. I try to avoid busy days personally but usually get caught on one of their record days every season Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

The same way they're keeping track of it now with plastic wristbands... simple, basic inventory tracking. You described stacks of bands/cards at multiple locations. Does each location get an daily allotment and when they run out send people to other locations hoping that place has some Or is it centrally controlled, ie location has to verify that they can sell another one each time? Both sound more troublesome than a single point of sale in the park. I imagined my last trip to Biltmore when I read "qtys limited".. online Biltmore said "sold out" but tickets still available at the mansion.. They didn't turn anyone away that was willing to pay the $85 for the ticket when they arrived that day.. about a hundred people had been in line when I was there and they didn't turn any of them away and everyone had a view time of the mansion.. it was so packed, we Upgraded to a season pass and came back later in the week So do you feel a theme park would really turn money away if someone was willing to buy those passes? They might!! Not saying they won't, but for now I am skeptical.. to early to say what will happen I guess Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk