Dollywoodlover20

Luke are they really still under the transfer? I was looking everywhere and couldn’t see. Or do you mean in the maintenance bay? Went to the park today. Was there from 11:30-8ish. Then my family wanted to eat Cheddars and we were absolutely killed out. So, let’s see. Started the day off with of course, LR. What better way. They were running two trains and running great. Crowds weren’t all that bad, I think the heat kept a lot of people away. Still LR’s crew was prepared because I only waited 5 mins and got 3 rides in back to back. Before I go any further let me say this, at the bottom of the drop right as you crest flat something is up. The first ride I was like “Oop well there it is, ok”. The next rides it really felt like damage was done haha that’s how rough this was. On I think my 6th round of the day I heard the entire train say “UHMP OWW WHAT WAS THAT” followed by screams into the wave turn. I’ve ridden it 40+ times now though so on my way to 100 lol. So around like 2 everything shut down for lightning for 2.5 hours. Everything was working in Mystery Mine, I was impressed. Although you could get high while sitting at the top of lift 2. Fumes were strong today. New land? Same ole thing. No movement. Best view is MM’s que. All you can really see are placement for footers literally everywhere. They’re starting to do something towards the end of the clearing as well. Fireworks are now being shot up at the train loop and I assume that’s where they’ll stay for a while. Helped so many first time guests that traveled 8+ hours away. They said they were enjoying the park/loved it so much but just needed help finding things like Barnstormer, Mountain Slidewinder, Daredevil Falls etc. One guest didn’t know Lightning Rod existed until we were on Drop Like together and he asked what coaster that was. Told him I was going there next so I took his family there. They said hands down best wooden coaster. Pete, where’s my job? I’ll start ASAP.

Wonder when we’ll see the cosmetic changes made to the trains? It’s like the hoods/trunks appeared then disappeared haha. I’ll be at the park tomorrow if all goes well. First time of the season (a bit late for my usual but life happens) and I’m so ready. Season pass is ready to go! Question, my parents have the McDonalds 10 dollars off cups for each ticket. So you just enter that code on the cup online when you order your ticket and print it out? I know we used to do the cup deal when it was just 5 dollars off for one ticket if you brought the cup there. I go more than my parents do they didn’t get a pass. I go with friends like 5+ times.

I see them going year round as well. With them now only really getting a month and a half off or so, from early Jan-mid March they are practically open that already. The off time now is just really to clean up and get things done faster without guests there essentially. I wonder what Dolly meant by giving Disney a run for their money next year? Theming? Size?

Glad you enjoyed your visit! A lot has changed huh? Haha As far as the pothole on LR, I felt it on my first ride back in Nov. of ‘16 but haven’t “felt felt” it since. Although I do know if you ride more towards the back you’ll feel somewhat of a “slam” down when you get to the bottom of the drop. I think it’s like the last 2 or 3 cars you’ll feel it. Simply because you’re floating down the drop on the upstops at high speeds then once you start to crest you touch back down. Unless the track does need smoothing out again in that area. I haven’t gotten down to the park this year yet, fingers crossed this weekend.

Any differences in the trunks? I thought they’d leave those off after the problems they caused.

I mean I live up here in KY only 2.5 hours from Pigeon Forge so we get the same weather they do. Just here the past week or so it’s been a constant down pour, flood, mudslide or something of the sort. It’d be nice to see some sun and coasters for a change.

Now it’s changed back to all day thunderstorms with a 90% chance of rain. If it doesn’t change we’ll push back to next weekend. I really don’t feel like walking around a soaking wet Dollywood all day haha I done that back in December. Yea the lines were low but I was just so uncomfortable. Soaking wet feet, etc. One thing I’ve never understood about the bring a friend passes is why they only have certain dates. Like mine are 4/30-6/3 and 8/6-8/31. Especially for the August one, that’s called a fall ticket, and that doesn’t even cover any fall festival lol

Anyone in the pigeon forge area got a look on this weekends weather? I keep watching from my phone and it’s changed 6 times. I’ll be going to Dollywood possibly on Sunday and I want to dodge the thunderstorms and rain if possible. I have a bring a friend pass and Sunday is the last day to use this one.

This video was posted today showing a construction update. I’ve seen some footers being placed for the coaster already. Something I’ve been really focusing on though is the back area near the train loop. Some dozer work has been going on there. If they weren’t going to develop that, wouldn’t they just leave it well undeveloped? In the video it is being leveled and has like an orange liner around an area. Could Dollywood develop the whole plot in one?

As far as River Battle coming back I feel it will. Especially if it was spotted a week before Splash opened. The kids loved it, me personally I don’t like getting THAT wet. Slidewinder is my limit really. RB for me was too much lol but it was fun to watch the kids have fun. I think if it’s briugh back it’ll be rethemed to a less...”whimsical cartoon”. Maybe go more realistic. I seen somewhere this area may be Geyser Gulch? Isn’t that an area River Rampage is themed around? Onto Lightning Rod, so I just checked the Dollywood snap story, and apparently LR has no new additions to it. (No new hoods, lights, etc.) So what were those hoods in the grass for?

Anybody heard anything about if the hoods were on? Any updates on the trains? I know it was running all day today.

I really, really hope it’s not back to this consistent TC/CD stuff again where it’s like we are back in 2016 again. Memorial Day weekend is next week, I’ve never been during then so I can’t say how busy the park will be but I would expect busy. Plus it kicks off BBQ and Blugrass. You’ll have older crowds going to the concerts and younger wanting to hit LR.

It’s down because of the train change/modification. When they got the new hoods is exactly when it went down from TC to CD. Hopefully it’s back up by next weekend.

Well right now the app says the coaster is TC so they could be changing them out right now as we speak. I know they had the whole day yesterday with the park closed as well so we will only be able to tell once a new photo arises or someone on here visits the park. I may be going next weekend. According to weather and crowds. If not next then the weekend of the 3rd.

Yea looks like they’ve brought back a windshield and the headlights, although the grill design looks cheaper and more cartoonish and is it just me or have they removed the stacks from these hoods? I just thought of something, could Lightning Rod be getting the new RMC Trains? The have smaller fronts on them than previous models. Just a thought.

My question about this area is, Yes we know it has a coaster in it but it’s more along the lines of a family coaster(I.e Firechaser) right? So, is what I’m trying to think, my friend was just there yesterday and I’ll be there at the end of this month. She said all the major work stops really where the service road seems to divide. So would we be looking at an actual coaster expansion in 2020? If so, what kind? I’ve not been in person this year so I can really judge on how wide it is towards the back of the clearing.

Wow...there really is no helping how bare this looks is there? I don’t mean to complain and yes I know in order to expand removal of trees had to happen. It’s just in the manner they’ve done it, it makes it feel completely not Dollywood. While the rest of the park seems to have this hidden “what’s around the next turn” feel..this has an eyesore feel to it. I’m just hoping they do some serious Disney type tree transplant to help. As far as Rod Run crowds....avoid. We always avoid Rod Run if we can every year simply because you will sit in traffic starting from Sevierville and you will sit there for 2+ hours if you’re lucky. As far as the park it has been known to pack up badly. I went once with friends and lines were all at an hour min. So put it at a peak summer day. Although the most crowded I’ve ever personally seen the park is last year’s Luminights. I was there when the fights broke out, lines were jumped, etc. It was hectic and hopefully it’s better this year. The main problem was bottlenecking up near where Firechaser/River Battle was. Lots of photo ops, kids running to coasters, characters dancing, vendors, photographers trying to get you to get a photograph...Yea messy. Beautiful but messy.

I guess the park got tired of going with the route of building a coaster up a mountain haha they have 3 that use that method and use it well. I think LR uses it the best just because of how it literally rides that hill and drops off. Which while I haven’t been in person yet, I know that as I walk into the area it’s going to take me by shock and take getting used to. Especially with Thunderhead looking like a GCI in a parking lot right now. Also, I was thinking where the train does a loop around this new area could this be like a new “town/village” type area. I always pictured that in the upper loop but I don’t see that loop being touched. That’s a beautiful photo opp spot with the Smokies. I do see the next large coaster going there (2020?)

My friend was at the park yesterday and said staff was extremely friendly compared to our visit together back during Luminights haha were literally screamed at by “Bob” at Barnstormer. Anyway, she said LR had a loud squeak during the last turn that she noticed. Told her Outlaw Run had squeaks like that but I hadn’t heard them on LR, hoped to not hear them actually. She also said as soon as you get to Thunderhead it feels odd haha. Just the whole area seems different due to the clearing. Like how it used to feel like you were hidden in the hills. That’s totally gone.

Maybe they’ll put an inventor theme up on the ridge. Or, I’ve been thinking about where it includes water (waterfalls) maybe it being a theme similar to the Cascades at Splash but fit for Dollywood. Just throwing out ideas. I had a feeling the mansion was going to get torn down ever since the “it all began here” sign was posted. To me, that was a hint that change was coming.

Yea Dollywood was working with RMC before LR (retracking of Blazing Fury’s last drops). I’d say they’re in the good with them. Why cut ties with an atm top name in coasters? They’ve worked with Gerstlauer twice, whose to say RMC couldn’t be twice?

Random thing here, but after seeing a clip of Wonder Woman testing I really want Dollywood to get a Trex or Raptor track from RMC. I can see Dollywood doing a very unique layout with one and doing some really amazing inversions!

I doubt Dollywood would do live ponies. You’ve got to maintain the smell for one haha you don’t want a theme park smelling like a rodeo/carnival. The way I see it if people want to ride them Pigeon Forge has plenty of trails along with a petting zoo. The only time I’ve seen Dollywood have an actually horse is during the Harvest festival to help make molasses. Or maybe it’s a donkey...either way haha.

Yea it does make for good convo and I’m really glad I caught the advert to see the Glacier Ridge art. It looks like a really nice festival area. I seen somewhere on a YouTube video that someone had a theory of Dollywood taking a play on SDC’s inventor/time travel theme? Anyone? One thing that makes me think this is possible is, the coaster could go along with any theme, the building is obviously a play area for kids, but the swinging ship? To me, that is just out of theme for Dollywood. I’m not the only one to think this, it’s been mentioned. Just seems thrown in there at random. ANYWAY, remember the sign under the old Inventors Mansion? “It All Started Here....” Could that be tying back to this new area? Yes I’m just piecing together random ideas but let’s layout this. Dollywood is a theme park based around the life/upbringing in the Smokies in the 1800’s/early 1900’s primarily. With that said you have this: 1. Timber Canyon- Logging/Mining Area 2. Wilderness Pass- Random Wilderness Area? 3. Craftsman’s Valley- Logging/Woodwork/Crafts Area 4. Jukebox Junction- 50’s/60’s 5. Rivertown- What the name says- Smoky Mountain River Rampage 6. Country Fair- Fair/Kids section 7. Owens Farm- Farming 8. Showstreet- Main area/Moden with tribute to Dolly So... with it basically around logging/mining/woods/Dolly, how wood random snow/resort fit?

Just something to throw in, Just seen an advert for the 2018 season on TV. For the Christmas season, the music venue where River Battle was becomes the new Glacier Ridge. With the huge tree, snow fans/ blowing snow, etc. If you can catch it you’ll see. They’re running two at the moment that I’ve seen so far. So Glacier Ridge is not the name/theme of the new area.