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On an unrelated note, I was at the park today for work. They have already started setting up for luminights! No real pumpkins yet, but some of their large displays are up Very hot day at the park today and the first time I saw dragonflyer as a walk on BUT wild eagle was only running one train (rare) and it was a walk on, firechaser was a walk on, LR, and so on. Pretty much everything was except for the air-conditioned restaurants, and river ramplage! Aunt grannies had them out the door, front porch cafe also had them lined up, and even reds took 30 mins to get food. What does this bring me to? Dollywood needs more indoor stuff for days like today or more water rides.. the park was DEAD and people still couldn't escape the heat! Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

Not necessarily. I've received 2 or 3 surveys this year and the one before the coaster survey was actually a dark ride survey as well. Personally, I think they have something picked out already and are working towards planning rides for their next 5 or 10 year plan. They said they will move into another plan next It's probably safe to say a coaster and a dark ride are coming. The question is, what's first? I will also say, the themes in this dark ride survey sound better than the first. Possibly why the sent out another dark ride survey Also, founders day sounds similar to the walk through area I received in a survey

That's been mentioned a few times but no timeframe on it. Even the CEO of HFE mentioned that Dolly's resort business is doing well so they will be looking into that soon. Again, no dates though. I always figured that would be part of their next 5 - 10 year investment/expansion as they are technically just nearing the end of first investment. It's no secret that the resort expansion is coming though, multiple people have mentioned it on Dollywoods leadership team. Years ago, when they announced the current expansion and monetary investment, the new area was always hinted as being the final part. The new area includes Wildwood Grove and the rest of the clearing. A few of us even believe a resort will be built into the park as part of this new area. The area is on the edge of the park so it's possible guest will still be able to get in and out of the resort without coming through Dollywood. Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

I'm almost positive we dug into the zoning a few years back and found that most of that was for the strip. Dollywood is off the strip. They didn't have any issues with drop line. Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

Yup so that's actually proof they are trying to pull those folks south Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

And not to mention, Dollywood is competing with the area. Their attendance is dropping but the areas attendance is going up. They've got to do stuff to pull folks in that are visiting the mountains and Pigeon Forge, but not coming to Dollywood. The island is rated higher on trip advisor in surveys when it comes to amusment parks and it's not even a true amusment park haha Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

You got to always add "Thrill" or major e-ticket (large dark ride, large water ride, and so on) rides to stay competitive. Maybe not every year but every 5 - 8 years. If you don't, you grow stagnant with all the other parks adding thrill. Dollywood has said multiple times their attendance goes way up years the add thrill and then declines. Not sure what their attendance is like this year, but last year they reported pretty poor attendance numbers compared to recent years. On days I have visited this year, their attendance still seems down (although splash has been busting at the seams!) Dollywood does pull a good crowd but it's a very diverse crowd. That's why, on a busy day in the middle of summer, you can find the majority of their rides being walk-ons. A lot of the guest aren't there for rides and no, that's not a bad thing, but there is huge opportunity for growth there. As to Kings Island, why wouldn't they be a competitor? They reach over 3 million guest a year with a shorter season than Dollywood. Dollywood reaches right under 3 million. I guarantee they want to pull some of those guest 4 hours south to visit Dollywood! Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

That's the biggest argument I see from the enthusiast crowd. Most enthusiast news sites are saying Dollywood shouldn't get a hyper or giga due to Carowinds and SFOG already having similar but from the GP standpoint, that's the reason to get one! I remember growing up, going on a business trip with my dad, he gave us a brochure to Kings Island (Paramount Days) or Cedar Point. We were actually closer to Kings Island but picked Cedar Point due to the coasters in the brochure I'm sure people are still like that and when they see the tall hypers and gigas at Carowinds, might skip Dollywood for one of those "giant" coasters Heck, most folks don't even talk about Kings Island as a competitor to Dollywood, but they are also a big competitor. I can get to Kings Island almost as quick as Carowinds, and they also have a hyper so it wouldn't hurt Dollywood at all to get one. Dollywood can still out their unique twist on it and make it "record breaking" or "a first" somehow Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

I believe that would be a great idea personally Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

Same, except I do ride FCE often when lines low. I enjoy it I'm curious if Dollywood might put a large raft ride somewhere like Silver Dollar City. They really need more water rides. Also, nothing anyone is really talking about in this thread (there is a different thread opened for it) is the new waterpark coming to town. On paper, it looks to be on Splash Country level, if not higher quality. (I know that's just on paper). With it being closer to Knoxville, it's liable to get all my waterpark traffic (as well as other folks in Knoxville) and my wife and I visit splash a lot. I think Dollywood will need to do something at Splash to keep me coming there Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

Overly-long wait times aren't the best guest experience, you'll get no argument from me there! I also think that that's their plan but I'm leaning more toward a new dark ride than another roller coaster. I do speculate that the "new hotness" of Dragonflier -may- fade during the next operating season. Obviously you can't predict everything that transpires after a new ride opens (Lightning Rod, I'm looking at you), but I'd be surprised if Dollywood built Dragonflier without a long-term strategy in mind for Wildwood Grove or whatever new area they end up building up past it. Could be a mixture of rides over the next few years. That would explain why they wanted to go ahead and balance it out with all the flats.The last survey mentioned a few different things. 1.) Large Coaster - I see this but see it due to all the coasters Carowinds has recently built especially Fury. Carowinds and Six Flag over Georgia are probably Dollywoods biggest concern when it comes to local parks. I promise they are watching them 2.) Another themed area with flats. I don't see this happening unless they have a plan to remodel the fair area again. That's very possible, it's needed 3.) Dark Ride - I can see this, Dollywood needs a good dark ride even if it's a smaller dark ride. I would personally like a large dark ride, maybe a revamped flooded mine about the size of pirates of the Caribbean but I don't see anything that large happening. I see Dollywood doing something about the size of Justice League 4.) A walk through area - I'm not a fan of these but seeing forbidden frontier at CP, I really enjoyed it and think Dollywood can do something like that easily. I actually think Dollywood would do a great job on that and it would fit the Wildwood Grove theme perfectly. IMO, in order to to these areas right, they take up a lot of space and not sure Dollywood would want to use so much space on one As for Wildwood Grove think about it. 2018 Carowinds revamped their kids/family area and six flags built their new kids area 2016 or 17? Dollywood is playing catch-up there. Camp Snoopy and DC super friends, or whatever, aren't little kid areas but more family areas. Heck, they even share some of the same rides. Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

That was kind of my entire thing when this ride was announced. The new Wildwood Grove area was supposed to help with park capacity and then they decide to build and off the shelf design coaster with very low capacity, although it is a very fun ride. But here's what I keep remembering 1.) Dollywood doesn't have the funds of Disney and they wanted something inexpensive, and quick to build 2.) The expansion isn't complete, and when it is complete I do see a much larger ride, rather it be a coaster, new dark ride, or something else being the main headliner of the area to pull some of that crowd To me though, that doesn't excuse a family coaster with low capacity. Family coasters, in most parks like Dollywood, draw some of the highest crowds. So while the ride is new, I don't see the lines going down even after the newness wears off. And yes, Dollywood does treat it as the headliner. All the billboards around here either have it or the tree on it, but there's nothing wrong with it being treated as a headliner. It's a fun ride, it just kind of defeats the purpose of being used in an area to help with overall capacity of the park. Also there have been several interviews of people worried about the capacity of it and they always sneak around that question so Dollywood was aware of it, possibly just all the could afford money wise or development wise (time and energy) to get a coaster in the new area quickly Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

The most recent coaster survey for Dollywood (this year) included an out and back hyper. Not giga but they might go the giga route All the themes for the other rides and coasters made it sound like they were looking for interest in rides for the area next to Wildwood Grove Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

My only dislike about it is capacity is horrible. I was there a few days ago and the park was dead, everything was a walk on except for it. It had about a 30 minute wait. I know it's new, but when you see the 30 minute line, you will know what I'm talking about. A thirty minute line would be like 10 - 15 mins max on a regular coaster at Dollywood and pretty much any park. A 30 min line isn't a very long line of people on dragonflyer The day I was there only had a small portion of parking lot c full. A is handicap, B is a very small lot, and C is next so that shows you there weren't many guest The ride itself is great and it really comes off the drop at a great speed and feels like a zippy little coaster. I enjoyed it my few rides this year, but haven't ridden it much due to the wait Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

Last year it was right after October when the passes started being offered that included the rest of 2019 and 2020. I'd imagine as soon as Smoky Mountain Christmas starts the passes you buy will be good for 2019 and 2020 Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

I think this will get a lot of the Knoxville water park traffic if done correctly and prices right. My wife and I are already talking about dropping our Splash Country season passes for this. We can get here in about 30 mins. Because this one is supposed to be opened to the public and full size unlike the other parks at this resort. Last I heard, even resort guest had to pay for this park, although would get a discounted rate. Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

The first year it opened, the first week was very very packed. Local fall breaks are actually that week, at least Blount County. (Haven't looked at the school schedule this year,but I'd imagine it's the same) I was at Disney last year during the first week of Luminights at Dollywood Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

I assume you mean the opening an hour early on Saturday? Yeah your friend should be able to get in but no guarantee they will let them on the select ride that's opened early. The park usually opens the gates early in general and let guest into the front Midway of the park (they have ropes blocking off the rest of the park) so your friend should be able to get in. How early they open the front gates varies. I've seen it an hour early and sometimes only 15 - 30 mins I've personally never been for the select early opened ride so not sure how they manage that and who rides. Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

So just got back from Dollywood, not really any new wood on the water run but parts have been pressure washed and cleaned. There were a few new fence pieces here and there and possibly a new board here and there on the run that had to be replaced. To me, it looks more like sprucing up that area vs anything bigger. Probably for the movie or just general maintenance. And those tiny spotlights have actually been used there before and around the park. I thought you meant bigger spotlights Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

If I had to guess it's just general refurb, especially if the movie is being shot in this area. Spotlights are to help with lighting during the filming. Some of the area looked kind of rough and a movie like this is essentially a commercial. I wouldn't be surprised if Dollywood has invested some in the movie.. Again, this is all just general observation due to the lights being put up so early in this area. Like the original poster of the lights in this area, my wife and I also thought it was very early but didn't think much into it. We just assumed, with Wildwood Grove, they just expect it to take longer to put lights up so they are getting an early start. On a side note, I haven't noticed any work being done on the millrun but I haven't paid much attention to it. Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

They actually have lights up already in parts of the park that have been up a month or so now. Not everywhere but mainly in Craftsman's Valley Edit; someone already mentioned this above your post, sorry, I hadn't read them all yet. But like that post said, I'd imagine most of the movie will be shot in that area. I'll probably be headed to the park today and we have a meeting at the park for work in a week or so so I'll keep an eye on lights! Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

Man I know you love arguing with us but I'm saying I have witnessed what the other person witnessed in person a few times this year. That the app doesn't update correctly and shows open on but rides aren't they aren't open. But like he said, you can't argue with someone who only visits the park once or twice a year vs someone who is in the park so ok you win man. Have a good weekend! And by humans I mean humans input the wait time and it's not done by tracking cards or anything like Disney Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

I believe you! There's been several times this year when I've been there the rides show as open on the app but find a message on the screen that doesn't say closed or temporarily closed but says "temporarily delayed". (I noticed that's what the site says, delayed, but like I said they sometimes update delays on the app. Not sure if the sites getting data from the app with a spoofed location but I'd imagine it is) To me that's the same as closed sometimes, but they weren't always updating the app with that delayed message. Is that maybe what Mystery Mine said instead of closed most of the morning? Plus, a few weekends ago, on a lot of the rides, the ride ops did a piss poor job updating the wait times anyways. I was at barnstormer and it had a 0 min wait most of the day but my wait was clearly 10 mins. Finally the girl assigning gates, opened a tablet box right in front of her and changed it to 5 mins, but the line was even longer then. LR said 20 mins but it was over an hour. On the other hand, other rides said their waits were over an hour but were only 20 mins. Unlike a lot of parks, humans put the wait time on Dollywood's screen so if they are busy or forget, it might not be very accurate During my experience, they didn't use the temporarily delayed message often last year. Biggest difference I've noticed is the leave the line open if it says temporarily delayed, at least on LR and firechasher (the two rides I've seen it the most) however LR stayed temporarily delayed for over an hour one day. Personally, that's why I consider it the same as closed. 5 - 10 mins while loading a train is a delay, not an hour long closure but that's just me. Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

The issue with going at the end of May is that the "Bring A Friend Free" passes that you get with your season passes expire at the end of May. Everyone waits till last minute to use them so its nothing to see the park at or past capacity. I've learned to avoid the park on Weekends in may at all costs. Even the food lines will be 45 minutes. This year it was worse the first day of the passes. I went the first day of being a friend and they filled up splash country parking lot. I never got a number on attendance for that date but the next weekend, it was also crowded but not nearly as bad. I heard from multiple team leads that the attendance that Saturday was 28,000 so I'd put the first Saturday over 30,000.. a lot of people were using friend passes both Saturdays to get in Both weekends were beautiful though! Low 70s, and sun so yeah with Dollywood it also depends on weather. Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Depends on the amount of rain. Can't really go but the weather around here. It might rain for a few hours and be sunny the rest of the day. I'm sure you will be fine! Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk