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And the angels sang, HALLELUJAH (the launch is not the issue confirmed) He's been saying that for years.. next month folks will be saying the launch is to blame yet again lol. That's why I always try and remind folks lol The launch is the only part that has actually been mentioned several times as consistently running great every since opening season. Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Parking capacity is low. A couple years ago when they were breaking their own records, it wasn't uncommon to have guest park in splash country for Dollywood.. they haven't needed to do that this year or much last year because attendance has been down but if it brings a lot of guest, yes parking will need to increase Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Haven't been there this season so not sure.. I know the last time I purchased one you could book the newest rides (or backwards Batman, VR DDD or whatever other gimmick they had instead of a new ride) as often as you wanted but must have the highest level flash pass. Also not sure on price either.. Memberships always have discounts so for the basic I have paid as low as $35 total for two people and as much as $50 total.. other levels also have discounts but I'm thinking the highest one was $75ish each so $150 total for two. I think one of their new membership levels might even include one of the flash passes now.. can't remember Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Did you see the "mountain" that was there before building this area? It's a huge, I mean huge elevation drop.. they removed the trees so they could chop down the mountain.. it's not like they removed the trees just to plant them again..if I had to guess, parts of the mountain dropped 100ft in elevation if not more. Can't move the mountain without moving the stuff on the mountain I'm excited about this area and excited to see what's next! Several interviews have bee released from top HFE people that make it sound like Dollywood isn't done with these large investments, at least anytime soon. I see another hotel or resort in the next 5 years or so, I'd say another lathe coaster, and possibly another area.. this new area looks nice but I'd bet it's just the start of something bigger like they keep teasing. One of those, at the end of the season "oh we aren't done yet" moments. Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

It's actually it's third year and that makes it even worse Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

It's Dollywood Lane off veterans.. closer to the strip. the gates to get to it from the parking lot are normally closed (or have been this year) so you access it from the employee entrance. I avoid that end of town due to traffic lol Yes upper middle Creek is the other side of Dollywood lane Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Rides move faster then haunt's but it does take a good 30 mins sometimes for the ride to be ready, at least on sat nights.. that's the basic flash pass though Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Yeah I just browsed through Instagram post and found a bunch of nonsense.. one guy said he was told it was down due to brake issues. Instagram is full of different reasons, some might be true but I'm sure all aren't. When LR first opened, ride ops knew nothing.. Dollywood wouldn't tell them a think and even made them leave anytime anything was wrong with the coaster. I'm sure they have backed off that a little but I'm still sure they don't tell the ops muxh. Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

SFoG can get insanely crowded during Fright Fest. Saturdays are (of course) the worst. Friday and Sunday not quite as bad. Nice thing about Friday and Saturday is they stay open 'til midnight. A couple things to keep in mind - the later you get into October, the more ramped up the crowds get, as you get closer to Halloween. Having said that, I did notice the park added October 29-30-31 to the calendar, so going on Monday the 29th or Tuesday the 30th might have less of a crowd due to being weeknights, plus the fact not everyone will be aware the park is open! As for the clientele, I have not been privy to any issues or rowdiness, etc. Yes, the place can get crazy busy but I have not seen unruly crowd behavior. Not saying it has not or cannot happen, but being my 'home' park I am not aware of anything like that. The haunts range from OK to pretty good, perhaps getting gradually better year by year. IMHO none of them are really scary but the park does give good attention to detail on some of the haunts. Lines can get very long so if you can splurge on a VIP haunt wristband, go for it as you can bypass the sometimes horrendous waits. Also you don't want to miss the Dr. Frights Dead Mans' Party show. It is extremely popular - and has been rockin' since 1994! I did post a TR without photos for FF last October - more of a review of Fright Fest itself. Since many haunted attractions are recycled and/or somewhat modified each year, that report will at least be partially relevant to this year. Best of luck- hope this helps! In the past SFOG has had an outside company do their haunt's and the company that does them is one of the best in the south! I have gone every year for the past 6 or so years.. last season was a wash out and we really didn't do anything or stay.. Crowd's are very large and the haunt's have a very long line normally. My wife and I get a flash pass because we like the night rides on coasters but you can't do both (night rides and haunt's) without a flash pass.. we book a ride and then wait on a haunt.. (flash passes aren't good for haunt's).. after the haunt we ride our ride and then book another and wait in line for a haunt.. Keep in mind, they have a few indoor haunt's and I suggest doing those during the day. One is small but on is fairly large.. no lines for those during the day.. the "free' haunt's are small and basict tiny themed area's.. the larger haunt's cost money but are worth it if you like that type of stuff.. just check their schedules!! Some of the haunt's take a break about halfway through the night. Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

I think 99% of the people at sfog have season passes or memberships.. the busiest day I have ever been there was on season pass holders night during frightfest.. never doing that again! It was only open to season pass holders and their friends. (Friends got a discounted ticket) Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

I don't know how anyone would see that it's been removed without driving to the employee side of the park but if it's true, I'm really curious what keeps causing the issue.. it was repaired once after being confirmed by the park during it's original season and has came back Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

I was fascinated by the dorms when I was there.. rustic and old looking, it reminded me of my old summer camp staff days.. I asked a few workers about it and they all seemed to enjoy them.. some sid lived in local hotels/apartments that had summer only rates for park workers and they noted the experience in those is much better than the dorms but much more expensive.. it seemed mostly newer and younger staff lived in the dorms.. after talking to a lot of folks, they actually reminded me of old College dorms, after a year or so people got burnt out on the dorm life and rented apartments Again, I have no experience with them but they did fascinate me so I did ask around.. I believe CP has some nicer housing in town as well from what I heard from workers and I did see a built on my way out in town that said something about staff housing but it cost more. Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

I know your probably trying to find places that are only outside the park to eat but TGI Friday's in the resort is open until 1 on weekends. Not sure if they are during the week or not.. my wife and I ate there twice and it was only a couple more dollars than our local TGI Friday's (local is 12.99 for the burger I eat and resort was $15.99).. but TGI Friday's gave me my rewards points for eating there, although they wouldn't let me redeem my rewards there. (I have enough for several free buggers lol from past visits) Edit: Side Note Bout earning Friday's rewards at the resort.. the barcode on my receipt wouldnt scan into their app and the waitress said you can't earn them there.. I simply emailed Friday's my receipts and had my rewards the day after my email.. no fuss no fight. They said it's a corporate Friday's and while they don't accept the coupons there due to price differences, they do allow you to earn rewards. I was told at the park that CP owned the Friday's so your results might be different depending on the CS agent you get at Friday's Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Yeah the pathways is a good point. The old side of Dollywood looks more grown in, 1.) Because of it's age, but also because of the narrow paths.. the new part is now much wider.. it has rides vs buildings only going up the path again making it look like it never grew back.. it's a much more open area if Dollywood was simply building a ride like LR, they wouldn't need to level everything.. but this is a new land with not only a ride or two but new infrastructure, new buildings, new sections and more.. they will replant the area with smaller trees and I'm sure they will do a good job And yeah I also agree with the one big swoop thing. It's much easier to scale the way they want by doing it in one big swoop, even if it requires leveling the place.. when this area gets built they might do it again in 5 - 10 years for a new area or might announce something sooner and continue with the growth in one big swoop Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

So they should just stop growing and not stay relevant? While it sucks, I'm a huge supporter of nature in that area.. I love the area and mountains, this doesn't feel corporate to me.. it feels like survival and growth Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

But there really is no choice if you want to grow.. the entire area is still heavily wooded with the foothills as the backdrop.. it's either stop growing or start moving mountains.. When parks stop growing physically, that's when we start loosing rides so they can build new ones to bring folks in.. And I feel this isn't the end.. we will see more demolition of trees, but the park will replace those trees somewhere.. they don't necessarily replace them at the park though Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

You'd be surprised about how much magic can happen with good lighting. One news report I read talked about fairies and everything.. while I don't think it will be that fantasy, I do lean towards fantasy.. and yes, I'm sure they will plant new trees but if they do all Bright and fantasy type stuff like the artwork so far, I do see "fake" fantasy type trees being put in And for the large centerpiece type fake tree in the center, the old blueprints do have something like that. It's actually the only tree in the center.. I'm thinking that will be some treehouse type attraction though haha Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Hey the blueprints have a pic of one tree on it! No, I think it's funny as well and another reason I feel it might be a fantasy area with fake trees Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

It was also opened for early entery both mornings I was there, although the line was still 30+ minutes.. my days were Sunday and Monday. Still better than waiting 2 hours though Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/travel/experience/america/theme-parks/2018/07/24/tripadvisor-names-top-amusement-parks-in-travelers-choice-awards/37090157/ All Disney, SeaWorld, and Universal parks listed here, aside from the island.. is the Island really that popular with travelers? A thorn in Dollywoods side? I know attendance was down, tourist going the free route in the area Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Possible.. there is a single large tree in the center of the blueprints.. the neon, flashy, Bright tree might simply be that single tree and it might be an attraction all in itself. Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

But that's exactly what all the promotion and artwork for the hints is.. Bright and neon. I think it would fit fine, amusement parks don't have to match.. that's why they have different lands.. different places to get lost in. Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

An interview with the HFE president said they are already discussing the next five year plan for Dollywood so I see no reason they wouldn't continue the expansion. So who knows And all of Dollywoods hints match the Wildwood Grove logo that's floating around.. Sounds like this area might be very heavily themed in a fantasy like way from things I have read/seen.. sounds exciting. Some of the comments I have read though talk about if it's actually a Grove, why did Dollywood take out all the trees but maybe they will put fantasy type magical trees in Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

My OnePlus six is thin and weighs nothing.. my last couple phones have been the same. While my bifold wallet isn't as tall, it's much thicker, almost the thickness of two phones and weighs close to the same, if not more.. New iPhones are super thin as well. A full leather wallet is very dense. I know a lot of folks carry money clips now days, but as seen in the past before a ride opp saw something in a pocket that looked like a phone so I'm sure that rider had a failr large wallet. My mom's and wife's wallets, in their purse, are much taller, thicker, and probably heavier than my large 6inch phone If I'm allowed to have my wallet just let me keep my phone.. I don't break rules and would even risk losing my expensive phone lol Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Yeah but be honest and say that's the issue.. I have read several articles about this and park officials say they are worried about the stuff coming out of folks pockets.. I think most of us know "idiots" have caused this issue by pulling their phones out.. while I'm still not going to be understanding about their solution, I'd be more understanding of their reason if told the truth Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk