neilnky

Whoo hooo! I saw a youtube video last night showing a retaining wall built across from Mystery Mine and a huge big concrete square that has been made. Thinks are moving it appears

I sure am hoping they announce soon. It seems if a whole new area will be ready for next year they would have to start construction in the very near future. I am just so excited! I would be cool with just one attraction announcement at a time over many weeks. If I remember correctly didn't they do many teases on Mystery Mine ? At the time it was their most expensive addition.

I sure am hoping they announce soon. It seems if a whole new area will be ready for next year they would have to start construction in the very near future. I am just so excited! I would be cool with just one attraction announcement at a time over many weeks. If I remember correctly didn't they do many teases on Mystery Mine which at the time was their most expensive addition.

Oh I didn't mean at all it was run down. I love it so much except it could last longer lol. I just meant extra special attention since it is the oldest "big" coaster. I remember Thunder Express. I just think the dark elements would be cool but it is great like it is. I can just visualize going up the enclosed lift hill (although it may need to go slower if they could) with wind, thunder, lightning etc. Like I say just thinking out loud. I love Tennessee Tornado!

I have been watching lots of water park and theme park videos on YouTube and got an idea. It seems to me Tennessee Tornado could use alittle love since it is their oldest coaster (not counting good ole Blazing Fury that is). I was thinking they could add some storm elements in the tunnel even if they had to extend it alittle. I mean like lightning bolts and maybe fans for wind and even a funnel cloud visual effect so you felt like you were in a tornado and whoosh you fly out into all the loops. Or better yet. Maybe start the dark park at that second station and continue it up the lift hill to the existing tunnel. That may be expensive but not as much as a new coaster. Everyone says it goes so fast I really think enclosing the slower first half with the lift hill with all those wind and storm elements would do Tennessee Tornado some long overdue justice. Most reviews I have seen rate it in the very best of arrow coasters. It would be so cool like a mini Space Mountain except it would be a Storm Mountain lol

I hope Dollywood is having some good seasons. It seems they must to be able to do their largest expansion ever next year. I was thinking they paid as they went and didn't take out loans so if they have a bad season or two I bet that could delay things.

I have been going to the water park in my area more often this year. I would usually put in contacts (which I hate wearing ) so I wouldn't risk losing my glasses. I decided this year to get a strap and it has been great. I intend to use it for future roller coaster rides at theme parks or really just for a whole theme park visit in general. I just like my glasses as they have transition lenses and the strap takes the worry out of the risk of losing them and I can still see everything lol. Come on with the 2019 announcement already I thought it was going to be early this year. August is sort of normal right? I am hoping we get it between now and the end of July but if not it is a lesson in patience.

My world has always been Opryland, Holiday World, Dollywood, and a few Six Flags parks (St Louis, Ky Kingdom) due to them being closest. Dollywood is furthest so always stay two or three nights when I can go. Dollywood is my very favorite of all of those. I have never been to Disney but know many (including my best friend) who have been at least one time. I have recently started looking at all the Disney youtube ride videos and their park maps and I have to say I am impressed. I mean they spend 100 million on some single rides! I have to say my favorite I would love to ride the most is Splash Mountain. If Dollywood can give us a taste of Disney that would be awesome. I think they have started with the fireworks show they have added. I have to say Mystery Mine was awesome when it came out I love the themeing on it.At any rate, I know Dollywood can't spend the bucks Disney can but I think they are doing so well. I love when I get to go and can't wait to get back in 2019 or 2020 for the new land.

Always so nice when Pete pops in! I can't wait until I can make another trip to Dollywood. It will be so cool having a new "land." I really enjoy Splash Country too and I look forward to it continuing to expand. Maybe Dollywood can get to be a year round park at some point. I know the weather won't permit that for Splash Country but with Dollywood being known for such great entertainment the theaters could go year round right? Maybe just a new festival to cover when Dollywood is closed currently. Oh well I'll hush now and continue trolling youtube, screamscape, and this board for all the inside scoop lol.

I agree! They should use the River Battle ride or part of it if they still have it. I enjoyed that Sceamscape update and look so forward to the official announcement. On another note regarding being able to handle larger crowds: I was watching a youtube update on Dollywood's 2018 updates and one of them was that they widened the pathway in Craftsman's Valley. That is great. I have read how crowded Timber Canyon was during the new Luminights event and was thinking some walkway connecting Timber Canyon to Craftsman's Valley would be so nice. Even if it was a tunnel walkway thru the mountain. I printed a park map but can't tell where this could be feasible. It may not be. If there was a connection between the Daredevil Falls area coming out around Mystery Mine with maybe a see thru ceiling area as Wild Eagle soars over you that would be cool. I wish i could remember the layout of these areas from my prior visits but it has been too long. Anyway I was just thinking out loud again.

Great I was hoping Splash Country got off to a good start. It would be cool if they could make a long ride in the mountainside similar toTeamboat Springs and maybe call it Grizzly Gulley or something like that. A super long raft ride built in the mountains would be cool if you ask me. I loved Splash Country the times I have been able to go.I can't wait to see how it continues to grow.

Great point. That explains my observation of no large roller coaster tracks popping up. It was funny that was one thing that stuck out to me. Watching Dollywood videos Wild Eagle, Tennessee Tornado, etc stick out and are fun but Disney is more like super Blazing Fury's all tucked inside. It was obvious when I watched a Disney video and then a Universal video and immediately I saw Hulk and was like, Disney didn't have that. Just very interesting. I have been on a theme park kick lately and I consider Dollywood "my park" so can't help but compare it to everything else.

Thanks so much I loved all that info! You have made a lot of things clearer. So very interesting!

OMG, man. The return key exists. Oops so sorry. I don't post that often and tried to make the sentences coherent but it didn't even cross my mind about paragraphs! I guess my mind was thinking one post not splitting up in paragraphs. I'll remember that for future posts! Thanks for pointing that out lol.

I know Dollywood has been growing a lot with the 300 million investment. They now have the DreamMore Resort and spa along with more coasters and shows investments. I have never been to Disney ( I don't get to travel much lol). I have been watching lots of youtube videos and looking at Disney park maps. I can't believe how expensive their rides are wow! I want to ride Splash Mountain so bad!. It cost 75 million when it was built and was their largest investment to date at the time. At any rate, I could go on but my point I want to get to is how do you guys that have been to both compare the two parks. If I am not mistaken, Dollywood is actually larger at 150 acres (soon to be 155 right) where Disneyland will be around 100 after Star Wars Galaxy's Edge is built. I think I read Magic Kingdom was also around 100 acres maybe a little more. Disney seems to have wider walkways as there are trams inside the park. I think I read their train ride is about 1.2 to 1.5 miles while Dollywood's is 2.5 miles. I know Dollywood can't spend 75 to 100 million per ride but when I was at Dollywood several years ago some visitors I was talking to actually preferred Dollywood to Disney. One different thing about Disney it seems I have noticed on all the videos is you don't see roller coaster tracks anywhere. They seem to all be super themed inside a 100 million dollar mountains (Six Dwarves Mine Train, Expedition Everest). Anyway , I have been on this Disney info kick lately and have always loved Dollywood and its history and was just curious to hear c omparison observations from you well traveled folks if you cared to share. I am so proud of Dollywood's progress I was just amazed to find it comprised more acres than Disneyland or Magic Kingdom. I don't see how Disneyland and Magic Kingdom accomodate so many more millions of visitors. Could Dollywood ever be able to do that? Anyway this was all on my mind and I thought I would see what you guys thought. I just can't wait for the new expansion announcement to get all the details. I hope Dollywood can be like Disneyland or Magic Kingdom someday and be a national destination.

I have to say I was sort of excited when Time Traveler was announced but seeing actual footage it seems a bit cumbersome. I sure would prefer another log flume family ride or indoor family coaster or dark ride but that is just my two cents. I haven't ridden Time Traveler I have just seen videos so if you think its great your experience I'm sure is better than me just watching a POV! I would prefer Dollywood have a long log flume meandering thru the woods. I love Daredevil Falls but it could be alittle longer. But Alton Towers just ditched their flume for a roller coaster so what do I know lol. A wild mouse coaster would be something fun too that isn't to extreme. Maybe they could put one in some of the new expansion areas. I have only ridden one but really did like it. Not too intense but definitely some thrills!

It will be so interesting watching the development of the cleared land over the next few years. I search you tube for new progress videos regularly. Does anyone know how many acres have been cleared? The five acre expansion just looks like maybe a third or less of the total cleared area judging just by videos and photos. Hopefully the economy will stay strong so there are no delays in finishing it all out. It does look a bit bare as mentioned by several but I have faith the Dollywood team will make it beautiful!

I may have messed up. In my mind I'm thinking inverted roller coaster but it was called suspended roller coaster. I have just always known coasters where you ride under the track as inverted. Sorry if that was wrong I'm not as technically savy as most on here seem to be on that type of detail.

Inverted coaster is that better lol.

I think you meant Big Bad John at Magic Springs Oops! My apologies. I just edited. Thanks so much!

The more I watch the Orkanen POV videos the more excited I get. I am so thankful Dollywood is getting an inverted coaster. I could use a mine train that weaves thru the woods like Thunderation at SDC. The older I get the more mild I seem to be getting as far as roller coasters. When I rode Wild Eagle the first time it was such a rush! I am not sure I can handle Lightning Rod lol. I was watching lots of coaster POVs and it was cool finding Big Bad John still in operation which was Thunder Express at Dollywood before Tennessee Tornado was built. I'm rambling so I'll hush just I just can't wait for more info!

I just watched the POV of Laff Trakk at Hersheypark and would love a Smoky Mountain themed version at Dollywood! That would be a great indoor family coaster where you could cool off in summer and have a nice ride! Maybe that big building in the 2019 expansion could be something like that!

Wow I haven't been in years but always watch the new developments since I'm a huge Dolly and Dollywood fan. I am sure they are working on this issue. Hopefully having 5 more acres next year will give more room for everyone to spread out lol. From all I've seen the clearing is way more than 5 acres so I bet it will be developed faster especially if this problem persists. I plan on going again in 2020 I have had so many remodeling projects going I haven't had the time or money to go in several years. Boy it will be different when I get back. They have come such a long way!