STDog

What are you looking for in BBQ? Beef or pulled pork, ribs? What sort of sauce do you like? Sweet, spicy, vinegar, etc? I often visit places with rave reviews (online and from acquaintances) and am not impressed.

Not sure. Haven't seen whether there's an easy exit option there or not.

You mean like their initial website notification that went viral across several news organizations? That can be called a misunderstanding of the notice received. But embellishments like claiming bankruptcy is a whole different category.

That's way off script, and yes they have a script. Did you catch the name? They nerd to be reported for that. As a representative of the park, making public statements like that is bad news.

They've had a pretty miserable month or so. But they have had some fun too. I saw a photo of them drawing with chalk on the street.

I completely forgot about the double drop is how, but if the train crests the second hill at 21mph, then it wasn't even going that fast when it crested the launch hill, assuming that the second is lower than the first (and I believe that's the case). It felt like it was slower cresting the 2nd time, but only 2 rides (in different places) and it's been~2 weeks so the recollection could be off. (That and the excitement, my daughter's excitement and the girls in front of us the 2nd ride...) http://www.dollywood.com/themepark/Guest-Services/Timesaver-Pass You scroll through the list of rides with the wait time listed. You select the ride you want. After the listed wait time you can enter the TS line (well be where it's checked). You don't have to be there right then, you can come anytime after. So you look through the list at 11:00 and see LR has a 45 minute wait. Select that and head towards that way. Stop and grab something to drink and some kettle corn. Maybe browse a shop or watch part of a show at the Back Porch or the Gazebo. At 11:45 it beeps and you go to the TS entrance. If you like the show, finish it then go enter. Or finsh looking around the shop, check out (sending purchase for Package Pickup), maybe stop at the bathroom, then go to the TS entrance. Once the TS is scanned/checked at the ride, you do it all again.

As mentioned, it's just holding your place in line. So if the wait is 45 minutes when you select it, it's still 45 minutes before you ride. You just don't have to stand in line. And as mentioned selecting the next ride while waiting to board can save you a few minutes, and even more since it's a good walk between some rides. TH and LR are a good ways from the other coasters. Even MM is a few minutes from WE/FCE/TT. Having walked quickly up the hill, be it Craftsman's Valley or Timber Canyon, having that count like you're in line would make a more enjoyable experience. But how long are you there? One day? If you want to get several rides on each in one day, even on a slow day it could be helpful. But if you are wanting to ride one a few times be fore moving on, it reduced the utility no matter how slow or busy. I'm usually in the park for 2 days at a time, and just haven't bothered with it. And it would have been 2 or 3 people I'd pay for so that matters too. How are you accounting for the double drop? I've not seen much on how far or what angles or the rise to the second crest. Didn't seam like it slowed much when I rode it. Certainly faster over the top than any chain lift I've ever been on. They were always like WE/TH/TT.

It doesn't crest the first hill at 45 MPH. No, but it doesn't slow down much from the max speed from the LSMs. Remember the back of the train is still in the LSMs for most of that. I'm guessing still doing 35-40 at the crest. Watch the POVs and off ride videos of the launch for reference. Need someone with a speed detector to check a few points. I want to see confirmation of the 73MPH too. A chain would be much slower going over the crest. I've never seen a chain lift do more the 5-10MPH at the top, that's why you creep over the crest, even hang there in the front.

For a one day trip perhaps you're right. Especially if you are just interested in coasters. But I'd never visit the area for just one day. Between the late entry - extra day option, the low rate for the season pass*, and the gold pass discounts (20%) and free parking can easily pay for itself ($45) a day if you have a family/group, it just doesn't make sense to do one day. *less than 2 one day tickets, though the 3day-2park option is OK unless you might return later, like in Nov/Dec. And the super pass is just the price of one day at the water park above the other pass.

Hit or miss. Most of the time I haven't felt it worth the money, so I've never had one. Maybe better for show reservations than rides. Some of them can have really long lines (Festival of Nations, BG&BBQ, Christmas) though the summer shows usually aren't bad. Granted I tend to pick less busy time of year (when heat isn't as much of an issue either) but I've seen 45min + on TT and WE. It's really just an automated wait in line so you can do other stuff instead. You select the available time slot than arrive then or after and got straight to the front. But it doesn't really get you in much faster. It would be nice to not have to wait in line for 30-45 minutes, instead getting a drink, a bite to eat, shopping, watching a craftsman, etc.

For the money, I'll take DW's food in Aunt Granny's, Miss Lillian's, Backstage, and Ham & Beans over any other park. Obviously Disney has some really nice restaurants, but that's $$$ comparatively. General park food though (burgers, pizza, etc) sucks everywhere. Obviously if southern style isn't you thing, DW's food won't be your cup of tea. Neither will many area restaurants (like Paula Deen's or Applewood Farmhouse). I do wish the shows changed up more often.

I'm wondering why it was even out there to begin with.

I count 4: WE, TH, TT, MM. And FCE is fun, especially is you have young one that don't like inversions. Hard to crest the first hill at 40MPH with a chain.

Maybe right. The image quality is crap. Couldn't seen that on my phone. I do see a bit more on the tablet Odd there's only the one picture. You'd think it might get more attention.

Known to overheat? Known by who? The same sources that claimed it was doing 90MPH and had to be slowed down?

In my opinion, the Goat Coaster is the best, but you definitely cannot miss the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster, which seems to be much more popular, for very good reasons. I personally prefer Goat Coaster because I love the seemingly constant turns on it, but SMAC is definitely my second favorite, and I prefer night rides on SMAC to the Goat Coaster. I agree with the others, preferring the Goat Coaster. But both are great and worth doing. I can't say the same about the one in Gatlinburg or the one at Ober Gatlinburg. While I've never personally rode either, the info I have found tells me not to bother as the other two are far better. I guess if you were at Ober and would be able to get to the good ones it might be OK. Or if you were in Gatlinburg and on foot. Also, I liked them both (SMAC and Goat) better at night before all the lights and headlights on the cars (the lighting at night has increased over time). I keep trying to convince one or both to do blackout or tail-lights-only rides around Halloween.

That's the point, it's scaring people now. Confirm what's going on. GM announcing a problem with 2016 cars doesn't cause much concern for 2015 or 2014 cars and certainly not for 2010 models. If it's limited to 2 models from 2016, few would be concerned about other 2016 models either.

It might not have been initially, but when 2 parks made the recall public in the manner they did (casting doubt on other rides) it is in RMC's best interest to be open and clear about it. A simple statement that some part only used on A, B, etc. Is being recalled due to a possible defect. Like other recalls, clearly stating the affected rides clears the others. Leaving it so open makes others suspect.

I find it annoying to edit out when quoting posts. Forum signatures don't get quoted like the TT sig. Email apps are just as annoying when they don't follow the rules to prevent quoting. Back on topic, why hasn't RMC issued a public statement on the closures/recall?

Tapatalk default signature. Checks for device info. Most probably don't realize it's configurable.

Good to hear.

I don't recall anyone saying there never was, only that I had never seen or heard of it. If that's the case there, that's something that needs corrected. No reason for them to not match and it does a disservice to the park guests.

I wish they would. Not just Dollywood, but all parks with similar restraints. That seams to be a big no at Dollywood, even to point of putting people in danger. I've seen people allowed to ride with stuff they should not have and would be a danger to other if lost during the ride. Never seen them pull someone off a ride that refused to hand stuff over. Granted most at DW aren't going to do that either. The geniality works both ways. Much like this year is the first time they've had bag checks of any kind. And even then I still see plenty of outside food and drink in the park.

Really sucks on a hot day to sit in the brake run while one guy fights to get in a seat he's too big for. All because he's smarter than the ride ops that put the test seats out there to prevent such issues. If the test seat doesn't give you a GO comfortably, then you shouldn't be on the ride. If you ever manage to find seats that you do comfortable sit in (or reduce size so you fit comfortably) I'll bet the ride is more fun. And the same goes for small people, who while tall enough, end up loose in the restraints. My daughter really doesn't like a few rides because she's really not quite big enough for them. Sure they hold her safely, but the ride is less fun. Thunderhead in particular, with the bar all the way down she slides around in the seat. A few yeas ago this applied to TT and MM too, though less of an issue than TH.

That would be Owens Farm, across from the entrance to Barnstormer and Mountain Slidewinder. The latter being a nice, unusual ride and great views of Wild Eagle on the walk to the top. It's also one of the older rides there, and one of the first after Dolly got involved, being added in '87.