TEDodd

This. Exactly. I've never paid more for the gold pass (or whatever name, all parks and parking) that the price of the cheapest membership ($72/yr now). And I'd have to check, but last few years, the season dining with 2 meals was cheaper than the same member dining. The membership perks were useless to me, so not worth the extra cost.

That sucks. I like that they added parking to that single pass, but I travel for work and occasionally go best other parks. $40 for the single park pass isn't bad, but I'd like at least the option for more without being stuck with monthly payments

Just for the special 2022 pass offer. But it's only the single park pass. And looking closer I can't find the gold pass anywhere. Is it just me or has SF killed off the multipark season pass?

I thought that was Florida. That's all the news ever talks about.

Looks like it was open most of the day. Down for an hour around 2, then an hour for weather later. https://www.dollywoodwaittimes.com/ride.php?ride=Lightning+Rod&day=2021-08-15

it ran Sun and Mon, Aug 1st and 2nd. So technically today, Aug 9, made rne 7th day, so only a week not over. park closed Tue, so doesn't count. Maybe it'll be up Wed. I wouldn't call it over a week til then. But I am curious what happened Aug 2nd to have it down most of the last full, week of the season. Over all it's had a great year though.

I haven't seen that since the year it opened and lines went out past the statue/sculpture.

After the initial mess, I wouldn't count on it. Maybe the guy on ParkFans can find something new. He found where they finally got the rezoning approved June 24, 2021, well after they started teasing the ride.

Hmm. Some new renders. But nothing about progress on the approvals to continue construction.

That's what was posted over on the Park Fans site which seems to have the most active thread about the coaster. Appears the park hasn't done this sort of thing before and jumped the gun. Not a clue on when it might open.

On another forum it was mentioned that they jumped the gun. Making announcements before the rezoning was complete/approved, never mind other approvals needed to start construction.

I found the opposite. I was constantly reaching to rub/scratch an itch where the mask touches my skin. Not to mention not being able to see as the masks tend to fog my glasses. So then I'm adjusting the mask again to try an prevent that. Works for a bit then it all shifts again and start over. Have the same issues with CPAP masks. Certain styles I just can't wear effectively. Only respirators (like used in a paint booth) or CBRN type masks, properly fitted were ever comfortable enough to wear for more than 10-15 minutes without constantly adjusting.

Why? Masks have always been to protect others from you. They don't keep you from getting anything. OK so a CBRN mask with a P3 rated filter will but I doubt that's what you are wearing.

One of my favorites. And don't forget the Farmhouse Restaurant a little farther back. A lot of the same items, but different menu and feel. https://www.applewoodfarmhouserestaurant.com/wp-content/uploads/2021-AWF-ALL.pdf vs https://www.applewoodfarmhouserestaurant.com/wp-content/uploads/2021-AWG-ALL.pdf

Everything? How many weeks you going to be there? Seriously, there's a lot between Sevierville south to the National Park. I've been there for a week at a time more than a dozen trips and still haven't seen/done everything I want to. And there's new stuff coming all the time. I've only hiked a few trails in GSMNP. A few river floats, but still haven't done any whitewater there. A few zip lines but more on the list. Haven't done any mountain biking yet. I haven't been skiing or tubing at Ober Gatlinburg. Lots of attractions and shows I haven't seen yet. Never mind all the tourist trap shopping stuff.

Oh, LR is first on my list, just not because of reliability. Start there work around the park, hit LR again. Maybe eat then LR again. Random stuff (rides/shows/shopping) until dark and hit LR again after dark.

It hasn't done that in a long time. I just looked at all of July and not once. It has a few rough days, but the worst looked to be Jul 16. opened at 10, down at 1:15 for 30 min then up from 1:45 til 2:30 before going down for the rest of the day. (Was that a weather day? a lot was down that afternoon) Back up the next day after a late start but only down for an hour around 5:30.

Money for gas, to go to movies and such with friends, buy clothing your parents won't, buy video games, All the same reasons most teens worked 30-40 years. We didn't have too, but wanted the money to do/buy stuff. I was buying concert tickets, records/tapes, car audio, etc. At least my kids peers aren't/weren't investing in anything that would help their future. Video games and consuming social media. As for bouncing around, maybe in high school and college. A year+ at a steak house, about that long at a grocery store, then a technical job in college for a few years ($10/hr for part time work in the 90s). I started my first post college job at 25 and stayed there 12 years. I'd probably still be there if they had not closed the location I was at.

You know exactly what that term means. Specialized skills above the general level with specific training and experience. Changing the oil in a car is unskilled. And random person can be quickly taught how to do it. Rebuilding a car engine is not something you can teach in a week. Any random person can make burgers food restaurant. That doesn't mean they are a Michelin star chef. Most can drive a car, that doesn't mean they can safely operate a semi-truck.

Yet. Right now they are just trying to stay operational. We haven't seen the effects of the higher wages yet. If they raise prices much right now they will loose customers. But just like in the past with increases in minimum wage it takes a while for the effects to be felt. But every time it's been increased in my lifetime the result was the same. Within a year prices increased such that the buying power stayed the same for those that were making minimum. And those that were in the gap between the old and new minimum saw buying power reduced to match those at minimum. And those slightly above minimum saw a reduction in buying power.

Mainly because the effects are just starting to be felt. Sure they announced the terminations in May and June, but most weren't effective until July. Tennessee announced in mid May with an effective date of July 3. So it's barely been a week. Here in Alabama the effective date was June 19. And that was only the federal $300 extra. Regular unemployment continues, though they have started requiring reporting again. Hopefully they add back the requirements to show you are actually applying for jobs. Beyond that, most teens don't appear to interested in working and that was the case pre-pandemic. Even fast food places were staffed with a lot of older people instead of the teens that were the norm when I was a teen in the 80s. My kids peers don't generally don't work nor want to. Both 10 years ago when my soon was a teen or now when my daughter is one. And a lot of his peers still don't have long term employment. They bounce around changing jobs all the time, seldom staying at one place for more than a year.

$20/hr for that sort of unskilled labor? Might entice a few but then ticket and food prices will increase a lot to cover such high labor costs. The problem with the government paying more to sit at home and do nothing. At one point here it was equal to $15/hr for a 40hr week (more if you include taxes which generally wasn't deducted), For part time people with only 30 hrs it was like $20. $20/hr is more than my son makes as a mechanic for the city (not unskilled labor).

Where do you suggest they get employees. Close rides to put bodies in food servIce? I'm sure they hire anyone that applies right now. Per the wait time site, WE tried to run Fri (10:00-10:30) but otherwise down since. It did run all day last Thu though.

Have to have a license to perform it in public. Different licenses for different types of performance, but still a license. And every band that records a cover has to have a license a license to do so. Oh and Disney will happily license their property for the right fee.

DW has had problems before. They had a license to play some songs in the park and got in trouble for performing them in a show because they didn't have a license for that. Here's one https://www.wbir.com/article/entertainment/dollywoods-response-to-song-lawsuit-yeah-we-used-it-but-we-did-nothing-wrong/51-08f13219-2155-4279-ae11-988c92271d2e