neilnky

I was just curious if you can buy photos of your ride on the coaster in a format where you can put them on facebook? I think I'll need to document this trip!!!!!

Will do! I wanted the closest place and it seemed to have great reviews and I liked the pictures. Hopefully all will go well!

Hmmm thanks so much! If there are no sidewalks I think I'll drive lol. I don't like to take any chances! It will be a quick drive at any rate. I appreciate your help!

So excited that I am getting back to SDC next month! I haven't been for years and need to ride Outlaw Run and Time Traveler. I had a quick question if I could for the locals. I picked the White Wing Lodge in my package as it was the closest to the park. I read it is within walking distance to the park and I thought that was appealing to not have to mess with driving. Does that sound like an ok plan to you guys? Just curious if you thought it would be ok to walk or go ahead and drive. I wasn't sure and was hoping someone might have done it and knows for sure. I wasn't sure of the layout of everything. Thanks so much if you can help!

I was just looking at the 2018 AECOM and TEA Theme Index and Museum Index Report (https://www.aecom.com/theme-index/) and I keep rooting for Dollywood to break the top 20 in North America. Dollywood's Splash Country is in the top 20 water parks so with the added competition coming I bet they will do some additions. I do suppose you are correct about having to add thrills to grow. I think Dollywood has entertainment down great. I personally would like a high quality large Dark Ride or even Indoor Coaster before a Hyper coaster. As mentioned in other posts the differing options were on that survey. It will be fun to see what happens. SDC sure is doing an impressive 27 million dollar investment with Mystic Timber Falls and Dollywood did their impressive 37 million dollar investment so we can see they are definitely trying!!! Don't they usually take turns doing big investments between SDC and Dollywood? I agree with all the stuff coming to Pigeon Forge Dollywood will have to keep up the great work to compete with the outside the park competition!

I agree with Megan and AJ. I haven't got to go in several years but I"m almost 50 and the thrill rides aren't as big a draw for me. I remember I was excited when Wild Eagle came out and went to ride it and WOW to me it was a thrill lol. I was a little sad though that it stuck up out of the park. I always liked that Dollywood is hidden in the foothills and that you don't seeing anything until you get in. I wonder if SDC is still like that since Outlaw Run and Time Traveler? I need to visit both again, I'm hoping for next year. When I have gone to Dollywood I see as many or more older people headed to shows as I do younger folks running to coasters. I haven't been since Lightning Rod was added and I am not even sure I could get my nerve up to ride it! I have ridden Intimidator at Carowinds and Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America so maybe I could get my nerve up. Nowadays Mystery Mine, Tennessee Tornado, and Fire Chaser are more my speed. If they do get a huge coaster I hope it is tucked away and not sticking out of the park. I would prefer a fancy dark ride themed to the mountains personally but heck I'll be glad for whatever we get. I love those spinning coasters or wild mouse coasters and think one would go over great at Dollywood as a cheaper, milder, fill in ride to get the coaster count up. I really like the Herschend style and look forward to what the future brings. I have to say I want to ride Time Traveler and SDC's new ride for next year the most. Both are so appealing. I think they did an awesome job on Wildwood Grove and want to ride Dragonflier when I get to the park. From all the youtube videos I've seen the new area will just blend in more with the rest of the park when the trees grow. I know it takes time. It will happen and be even more beautiful than ever as the years progress. I just wonder if there will be any announcement of any kind for 2020? Sorry if this was a bit of a choppy post I was at work and trying to hurry but also make some sense.

I've been watching theme park worldwide's youtube channel. They took a trip visiting 20 theme parks and really gave Silver Dollar City and Dollywood high ratings. Especially SDC. I love watching vlogs as I won't get to visit all those parks. I really appreciate Dollywood and other theme parks. I prefer those to amusement parks. The channel commentators said that other than Universal and Disney the American parks aren't too good at dark rides compared to European parks. I would love Dollywood to get an awesome dark ride. I think it would also be cool to add an iconic observation tower of some kind. The Eiffel Tower replicas at the Cedar Fair parks are 1/3 replicas I think so that is about 350 feet tall if I researched correctly. Dollywood could come up with some giant tree / flower observation tower with Butterfly and Bee shaped elevators on the outside maybe? I'm just brainstorming after watching so many of the videos. I am definitely more into SDC , Dollywood, and Busch Gardens type parks versus say Six Flags. Of course that is me. Many want the thrills. I am so glad there is a variety. I am so excited to see what the future brings !!! Sorry if I rambled I had to vent alittle after seeing all those vlogs lol

I would think that the new resort hotel Dolly has said is coming soon will be over in the area where DreamMore is and not anywhere near the main Dollywood area right? Just curious what you guys thought. I would think the immediate Dollywood land area would have to be for more parking and future expansions. I am not sure how much land they own just can't wait to see actual theme park attraction expansions over the next decade like this last one. I know Opryland ran out of expansion room and was hoping that would never be an issue for Dollywood.

I was curious if Mountain Slidewinder is already torn out or if they will do that over the season or off season? A park's work is never done is it lol

Looks like rainy weather for the opening I hope it clears up. I tell you I love looking at Thunderhead in all the videos and the live cam. I just never realized how beautiful it was when it was all hidden. I think it is so cool seeing so much more of it.

Here is a video of folks visiting Wildwood Grove: I think it looks beautiful! I can't wait to see all the videos coming up after this weekend! This one didn't go all the way down to the entrance end.

Wonderful video update! It is looking beautiful!

Thanks for the pics! Very nice! Loving the fallen log entrance! I can sort of tell their designer guy used to work for Disney

Thanks so much! I haven't checked it in awhile I wasn't sure if it was really working lol. I see the tree is coming along. I just found a new video showing how the tunnels going into Wildwood Grove are now looking like trees. I thought that would happen soon. I knew those concrete tunnels didn't look like a fallen log but now they are getting there!

Just about two weeks until Wildwood Grove opens. Any local folks thinking its looking on schedule? I haven't seen any videos or pictures of the tree going up yet. Hoping too soon. Was curious if folks were seeing lots of planting to give it the "Grove" feel. I know they are spending at least a million on landscaping.

Whoo hoo there are some Wildwood Tree parts at 3:30 to 3:50:

Since the rest of the expansion area is flat I think a great decorative mountain type or other forest themed shaped building would add some character. I doubt they could invest 100 million like an Expedition Everest building or a Splash Mountain but it would look cool! I haven't been to any of the Disneys but riding Splash Mountain is a dream of mine. I love those you tube videos of Splash Mountain. Especially the bee parts buzzing around all those honey combs lol. With Dollywood being literally in the foot hills of the Smoky Mountains I know they could come up with a high quality indoor coaster or dark ride with an appealing outdoor appeal that blends in the area. Oh it will be great to experience Dollywood's future I loved Chaos at Opryland. I think that may have been the very first indoor coaster I ever went on with Blazing Fury the second. I am just excited they are exploring the indoor options!

I don't even get to go much but I always liked how Dollywood was tucked away in the mountains. I can handle Wild Eagle sticking out but it just seems more magical to be tucked away. I am looking forward to walking thru the log and Boom! seeing Wildwood Grove Haven't been there recently have you? Haha, Wildwood Grove is level with most of the park now so it won't be hidden from Wild Eagle, Thunderhead or any of that. Probably one reason they redid the drop and that end of thunderhead first this season, it will be very very visible and almost a part of Wildwood Grove Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk I meant how you never saw any part of Dollywood until you got inside. Now you can see Wild Eagle from outside. I haven't been since Lightning Rod was installed so I bet you see it too although I bet it blends in more since it is a wooden coaster. I like that tucked away feeling versus like driving by a six flags and just seeing everthing before you get in and also as you drive by on an interstate. I think Wild Eagle was the first thing that stuck out so high you saw it from a distance. I think I recall conversations on that issue on here back then. At any rate, when I get to go to a park it is Holiday World and Dollywood. I bought a Dollywood pass for this year so I hope I get to use it and see all this stuff live. I have been watching lots of youtube lol

I love how they have designed the building with the indoor children's play area so I think they could pull off designing the exterior of an indoor coaster ok. I am hoping we can find out lol

I don't even get to go much but I always liked how Dollywood was tucked away in the mountains. I can handle Wild Eagle sticking out but it just seems more magical to be tucked away. I am looking forward to walking thru the log and Boom! seeing Wildwood Grove

I want the Indoor Coaster (thinking Space Mountain) over an Interactive Dark Ride

I am excited about the possibility of a great high quality dark ride! I hope it comes true! On another note, someone I work with just got back from Dollywood and they don't see how Wildwood Grove could be done by May 10. I told him they are planning on it and it will be interesting to see how it unfolds. I think they will make it!

I liked the name "Sycamore Swing." I wonder why they are changing it to "Great Tree Swing?" I like that name too but not quite as much lol

Ok so what do you professional theme park fans think will happen with this area? I am glad i got to ride it over the years but sort of can also see how its' time has come. It is a pretty big footprint don't you think?