Dollywoodlover20

So this is pretty much what we are looking at correct? With the red being the 2019 area including the entrance to the area, and the green being possible 2020 coaster expansion? Plenty room remaining there after this expansion. Plus I don’t see anywhere else for them to go at the moment except on into this current loop. I don’t see them going into the other loop either at all, or for a long time.

Here’s my thing though. They just added a family, well kids coaster and a thrill ride (that could’ve went into the new area but fit better in Timber Towers spot). So, would they really go all out for a kiddie section? The last time they had one was the treehouse area where barnstormer is that my mind can’t seem to name. I mean they have Country Fair, I just personally feel like the Mystery Mine/Thunderhead end is where your thrill rides just somehow seem to fit.

Dolly has removed herself from the homecoming Parade. Hmmm. Saying that Dollywood has hogged the spotlight in the area for long enough. Honestly that just sounds odd to me. Thoughts?

The train ride has started to actually promote and tease the expansion. They say, like right up near the loop “I bet y’all are wondering what all this dirt is being moved for huh? Well miss Dolly was up here the other day and lost her ear ring and they are trying to find it *guests laugh* nah but seriously, they are making room for Dollywoods biggest expansion in history coming in 2019, but miss Dolly has asked us to keep it a secret for now”

Just thought I’d update you all on this too. Markers have now been spotted at the actual train loop. Like right beside the track where the train blows the whistle. And it makes me think....what’s Dollywood honestly planning for 2019? Dad said the train can be stopped because they used to do it back when he was going in the early 90’s and said they would do a train robbery type show. But if they are going to make the loop an area too along with this new land clearing Dollywood is about to look seriously different in a year. It already looks way different with the mountain gone behind thunderhead and trees gone behind Mystery Mine.

Today is an example of how the weather in TN can change in an instant. Dollywood is covered in snow, beautiful from what I’ve seen but the only thing running is the train and blazing fury haha. If you’re just going for lights no worries. But here in this last stretch keep a CLOSE watch on the weather at every hour. Here in south weather changes at random.

Also with this snow park idea, I’m not sure how it blends well with the rest of the park. I mean you have to think Dollywood is based on the 1800’s/Dolly’s upbringing. Most is sawmill/coal/and the 50’s. To me personally, a big blob of snow and guests on inner tubes doing what they do at Ober (which I’ve done and it’s nice and fits Ober because it can snow on the smokies at any time lol) but to me, it would just look and feel like a soar thumb. I have no clue what the theme could be or it could be, but just try to picture in your mind this area. You can fit 2-3 thunderheads up there or 2 wild eagles, multiple mystery mines. I mean the footprint is huge and it’s not all flattened out yet to their liking. No where near lol. Some are hoping for a Mack coaster, some B&M. But like I was talking to any employee friend of mine about (who is just a ride op so has no more than a daily view) this is more than a ride addition, it’s bigger. Dollywood is trying to get up there with the rest.

LR at night is honestly the most amazing/scary coaster experience I’ve ever had. Got a few night rides during Luminights and not being able to see a thing while going through the top hat and the twist and shout made me grab the Oh sh!t bars for the first time haha. It seems like someone’s holding the pedal down to it in the dark and it’s getting faster.

This was on IG. Looks like clearing has made it all the way to in front of Mystery Mine. How large is the expansion really going to be? Haha

So this here is pretty much an overview of the clearing size?

What do y’all think about this? They’ve now cleared from across river battle majorly all the way down to where thunderhead kinda is.

The trim thing with lightning rod, i rode it before the fire. When you crested the first hill you were ejected out immediately, and from then on were holding on. Now it creeps over the top then continues as normal as always. Whether or not it’s trimming, i was in pigeon forge last weekend and decided to watch it go through the back course from the employee lot. While doing that i could hear the trims let go as the train passed. Actually filmed a launch with it on it. 0DE3D40A-F177-42E5-9D63-289F9A2126CD.MOV

Now, my neighbors need to stop complaining when I start installing lights on my house in September! Thank you so much. It was really cool to see the behind the scenes work that goes on to make it happen. I got some more articles to come and I hope to answer more ride questions in some of them. Ride questions such as?

If you get a ride on the train, see what you see for yourself as far as the land movement. I think I’m more interested in that myself than I am with whatever is happening to River Battle haha

Hmmmm, wonder what that could be for? The river battle site or the clearing? Would they have to present something to the board even if it had already been cleared (RB site). Sorry if that’s obvious, I don’t really get presenting things to boards for approval. I did understand having to get LR approved because it did cross over into new property that Dollywood had to buy as well as made some noise to those camping rental properties over the ridge.

I see this being a better spot for a new coaster/area than the loop everyone is looking at (where the train does it whistle blow) just because I don’t think Dollywood wants that area really disturbed. It’s got perfect views, it holds a perfect story telling set for them to tell about how life on the farm was, and I think it’s a spot to not be touched. Now the spot where they are moving dirt was just a hidden spot that no one really paid attention to. It’s kinda before the fake bear encounter and those random moonshine stills. It’s in that area. So I think that leaves PLENTY room for expansion for anything really.

EDIT: I found a video someone IG filmed of another view of the land being cleared. You can see an access road on the far left. This one shows an actual active dozer.

Yes my visit was LR with 2 trains. Only thing is, it’s slower dispatches just because the 2nd train doesn’t even slightly enter the station until the 1st is for sure up on the launch, going, and not going to fail. Once it’s past that point they’ll then pull you forward and unload/load.

Speaking of new things, my cousin took her visit to the park today and seen something on her train ride that caught her eye. As normal we always look over into the hollers etc and enjoy the experience and look for any back work going on. Well this round she found some. Clearing and land work is being done. She said as the train passed multiple dozers were working away moving dirt and tearing away. She also noticed markers on the bank and along tree lines. Yes I have pictures that she took. She also explained to me where it was located so I guessed at a map drawing. It’s in the first curve the train makes after Thunderhead. Kind of in that area.

I wonder when we’ll hear anything about the river battle spot? When did we hear about drop line?

I’m glad someone else got to experience those rude guys and it wasn’t just me overthinking things. Well I mean I’m sorry for their absolute rudeness but ya know. These guys’ rudeness is just plain out bitter and almost has a cold evil feel to it, or it did the day I was there. One of the men named Toby told a woman that she didn’t look like she would fit on the ride (rolled his eyes) but he would try to fit her in. He then proceeds to ram the lapbar into her stomach and goes “Welp you fit, have fun.” Made me friend and I cut our Barnstormer rides off quick. Once Drop Line opened up we replaced BS with it.

Here are some photos from Luminights

After the fight broke out we were told if you are exiting down go through the normal entry and if you wanted to re enter you needed to circle around. The park extended an extra hour til 10pm which pissed of certain ride operators. Barnstormer has the two of the rudest operators I’ve ever had a park in my life and that shocked me. They were both older men in their 60’s and I’ve been coming to the park for 20 years, this shocked me. LR’s employees were amazing. They were really entertaining guests and the revving was working so that built guests up especially on night rides. One moment that made me laugh was when the operator came on and said “Guys if you don’t stop shaking the gates this ride will honestly shut its self down and you can’t ride it for the rest of the night because it’ll be down”. That moment everyone’s hands went off the rails and to their sides.

I was at Luminights last night and was in Timber Canyon during the fight. Here’s my review of the festival. Luminights is a FANTASTIC addition to the park. It makes wilderness pass and Timber Canyon have a needed feel during this time of year. Thunderhead glows a bright green, Drop Line a purple, Mystery Mine glows the eerie green with a red/purple on the half loop. The path up to everything floats with fog and has songs such as beat it and thriller blasting along with a personalized Dollywood Halloween track. The smells are great too. I think I like it a tiny bit better than Smoky Mountain Christmas. Here are the cons. Last night the crowds were absolutely awful up top. The crowds came to a hault and it took an hour to walk from River Battle to Mystery Mine and that’s honestly no joke. People were trapped, and it’s due to the narrow pathway, the photo ops set up on the corners with people trying to get you to get pictures taken, and then a mile long line going out into the crowd from the glow maze. The crowds aren’t bad where the best of the displays are odd enough. The fight broke out in front of the glow maze. It was a fist fight and it was due to irritability and people being pushed around from not having any room to move. So fists started to swing. Cops were called and the women and man were taken out. Then the path was re routed that you had to enter from Tennessee tornado side ONLY to help traffic flow. It kind of helped. On another note. The traditional feel of Dollywood seemed to be back. Dolly was everywhere! Got my first night rides on Lightning Rod and I was honestly scared shitless the first 2 times. I got 5 night rides in and 3 day rides. Night is amazing!!! River Battle is completely gone entirely. All that’s left is the que house. I have some pictures that I’ll post later but here’s a crowd picture and a river Battle picture. A little preview for now

Dollywood doesn't allow alcohol. But the Island which is honestly 5-10 mins from the park has bars on every corner and Ole Smoky Moonshine, along with the bars on the strip. Gatlinburg is the same, with another Ole Smoky, Sugarland's, and there's another one I can't think of. Gatlinburg is where your "bars" are. Moonshine holler has a great atmosphere as well even if you don't drink. There's always live music in the afternoon through the night.