megan
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Posts posted by megan
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57 minutes ago, u4icmusic said:
Does your son and your teen that loves Dolly go to Dollywood to listen to the Kingdom Heirs? My only thought was that other music choices would bring in other people that may not have visited before because of the artists they regularly book at Dollywood. It's my opinion, which I have a right to have.
Mine don’t, but they love to go for rides, food and the overall experience. My parents don’t ride rides, but they love to go to the shows, food, shopping and overall experience. Thanks for pointing out that they have successfully established that hard to achieve pinnacle of appealing to different ages and demographics.
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49 minutes ago, u4icmusic said:
Exactly, with 99% of the items for sale made in China that could be purchased for half the price on eBay or Amazon. I've seen items sitting on their shelves for so long they have to be regularly dusted. The only time most of that stuff sells is when it goes on sale or clearance. It's a marketing ploy. Have a craftsman that makes a handmade item when the rest of the merchandise in the store is imported from China. It's all fake. The other "home good" stores sell stuff you can find anywhere else or online for much cheaper. It's gotten worse of the last few years too and Herschend pushes for more and more profit over the guest experience.
Good shopkeeping and maintenance should dictate that all items are regularly dusted regardless of turn. Thanks for reporting that they are doing a great job keeping the shops clean!
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18 hours ago, TEDodd said:
Typically twice a year. Once in the spring and once at Christmas.
Not sure what you mean by appealing to an older crowd. Me in my 40s? Or my son in his 20s or my teen who loves Dolly.
I have a lot more disposable income to spend at DW now than I could have in my 20s.
I think he’s trolling for an argument.
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21 hours ago, u4icmusic said:
I have to respectfully disagree with you on that. Craftsman's Alley is only one section of the theme park. There are eleven themed areas. Each area could have different music, stages and theaters with different music options. I don't know anybody that goes there for the music and the music typically appeals to the older crowd that doesn't spend any money in the park. Bringing in new music, I think, would bring in new guests. How many times can someone go see the Kingdom Heirs?
It’s valley, not alley, and different areas of the park already do have different styles of music. I’d suggest you do some research before you “theorize” about someplace you seem to know little about. The “older crowd” spends heavy on food and merchandise, the areas where the profit margin is (unlike rides which generate no ROI directly) so the park will always cater to them. Since you “don’t know anybody that goes there for the music” you and your peer group are clearly not their target demographic.
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On 5/2/2021 at 8:22 AM, bill_s said:
Like the case of Busch Gardens, I can't imagine they'd want to change the name unless they had to, even if everything beyond that is debranded. There are some disadvantages though of the association,, not everyone likes country music or Dolly, and she's not becoming more popular.
Hershend is expanding though, so it could become "Silver Dollar City's Dollywood" or "... a Hershend Park"
She NOT becoming more popular????? She on probably the biggest awareness high she been in YEARS right now. I could actually see her thinking “I’ve got so many development deals going on right now that the last thing I need to boost my awareness is this” I don’t think that’s the case, but waning “popularity” is NOT the reason.
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On 4/10/2021 at 4:35 AM, middle_keeny said:
Looks like Dollywood is adding drones to their Summer Evening Show.
That’s pretty “known news” at this point, but yeah... drones.
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19 hours ago, u4icmusic said:
Just got back from Dollywood. I left early because it was so crowded and after waiting 40 minutes to buy a Coke, I had had enough. Also, Dollywood also more than doubled the price of their fudge since two weeks ago. You used to be able to buy 6 pieces of fudge and get two free. It came out to about $20 for 8 pieces of fudge and $16 with a gold card. Now the fudge is all pre-packaged in plastic containers with 2 pieces for $10.99. That same 8 pieces of fudge will now cost you $43.96 plus tax without a gold card or $35.37 with a gold card PLUS tax.. Dollywood no longer cares about the guest experience and is only looking out for the almighty dollar. Dollywood should be ashamed of themselves. Even the employees were upset with this change. I'll never buy fudge there again at those prices.
Oh the horrors!!! A business trying to make money during a horrible year with mounting losses. It’s fudge. But it. Don’t. But I doubt the price of fudge means they have thrown the entire guest experience out the window.
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I think people are reading WAAAAAAY too much into the “strikes twice” line. I think they are making some necessary modifications to ensure better operations... threw RMC under the bus a bit by clearly stating they are involved (like the GP would really care? Maybe part of the lawsuit settlement), and will reopen AGAIN (strikes twice) with the same ride experience, but with better reliability. I think people are setting themselves up for disappointment with all these wild “two launch” theories. It’s marketing spun guys. Nothing more.
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Try sending communication directly to Pete Owens in charge of PR. I at least got a “halfway personal not totally form response” last year during the Wildwood Grove “that’s not exactly what we promised” fiasco. Their entire PR team is seriously lacking and has been for a while. Not sure if it’s staffing or ineptitude, but if they want to be the “national destination” they are striving to be, they HAVE to get better at social media responsiveness. Having a successful Facebook feed is not just posting what you want (good about yourself) and ignoring all the negative comments hoping they go away.
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Dollywood has been BEAT UP in social media for their customer service all around this year yet they stay mum on everything. I’m not sure it’s ALL warranted, but they have certainly tarnished their image a lot and I’m not so sure they will get some of the shine back
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I personally think that’s a bAd idea when the ride system is intended to be supplemented by a themed environment. It results in a sub par experience for the first while, and if “successful” gives little incentive to go back and finish adding the elements later. I can’t see herschend operating this way
Imagine mystery mine as just a gerstlauer euro fighter plopped there for a few years then “ hey now it’s a mine ride”
Don’t see it happening. Do it all the way or don’t do it.
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Huh? How do you get burnt by chain?
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Tennessee sucks. I’m not in pigeon forge, but visiting in middle Tennessee and keep getting stared down for wearing a mask when I go in stores. This state gets what it deserves if this thing spikes.
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tomowers the day I found on the dollywood website where the they metion it on the website its at the pines theter if any one is going I was up there the day anounsed wild wood so I wish I could be up there
Are you drunk?????
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I've highlighted in red the area that has been cleared already and what will likely be the areas for the next expansion.
Train loop is to the east from here and has a significant elevation change that will have to be dealt with to ever expand that way.
Is that where the cabin was and the area where they launch the fireworks from?
I was up in wild wood grove waching the fire works this summer and I think they may have chagende the launching spot
correct - the launch has been moved to the center of the upper train loop - its in a new fenced in area in the middle of the field
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They group on the lower platform, but 2x its happened where no one actually goes to those lanes once they go up the steps and it totally defeats the purpose. I don’t understand this change. There no communication to the upper deck, so no one really knows what lane people are supposed to be in.
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^I really don't want to come off harsh or anything. But if you look at the last couple pages of this forum or any forum on this site, you'll see that folks talk in full sentences and make an effort at punctuation, spelling, and good dialogue. Saying things like:ok im going up friday and im staying in gatlenburg what shuld I do on the way up for lunch when I get there and friday night
need stuff to do also shuld I ride mystry mine
Corrected: Hey everyone! I plan on staying in Gatlinburg on Friday. I will be coming from ________ and was looking for suggestions on places to stop for lunch along the way, as well as things to do in the area that night. Also, how do people feel about Mystery Mine? Worth riding?
ok 2021 perdictionsI could fix this, but I am sure there has been dialogue already around 2021 predictions. You could just add to the discussion (even if that is not what is currently being talked about).
ok with a bear theme I would thnikCorrected: I personally think a B&M Hyper in Wildwood Grove would fit well with a bear theme. Also, I am sure you could add more to this point. And if all you have to say is that... maybe it is not worth posting at all.
Not capitalizing beginning of your sentences
Not capitalizing Friday
Not capitalizing Mystery Mine
No punctuation
Accidental enter after "friday night"
Misspelled Words:
I'm as im x2
Gatlinburg as Gatlenburg
Mystery as Mystry
should as shuld
predictions as perdictions
think as thnik
Maybe I am off base here. Someone let me know if that is the case. I realize no one is perfect. I often find typos in what I post here and other places. But I make a conscious effort.
WOW!
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Dragonflier peaked at 60 minutes according to the app earlier. I’m surprised they don’t have two trains for it even though it is rather short.
Previously discussed. Brake run is in station. 2 trains would have been a huge redesign vs a minor layout change (the tunnel?) to a stock ride.
And as CB previously discussed, was a miss from the park imo. There’s no reason that short little family coaster should have a 60 min wait. The payoff just isn’t there.
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Was off earlier in the season than that and I’ve seen lights on with full water flow before. Even during Christmas event. The water has been off since I came in late May.
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Not sure what’s up in craftsman valley. Waterfalls been off most all season. School house closed all season. Some of those details missing make this park unique. Hope there’s a plan to get these back up soon.
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Love the idea of s more “in park” resort. I always felt the “siting” of dreammore was a bit odd in that it felt so removed from the park. I wish they could at least route the DreamMore trolleys on a private road that didn’t “leave property” also they REALLY need to offer shuttle service to their dinner theatre attractions. You would have a better chance of a “captive audience” if you truly never had to move the car.
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I'm not sure I'm convinced that a significant amount of people are skipping Dollywood due to a lack of larger roller coasters, nor am I convinced that Kings Island is as much of a competitor as you're making them out to be. Carowinds and Six Flags Over Georgia, perhaps.
Dollywood is just in a different segment. They're a full-on theme park, with a four-star resort and spa, and a dedicated water park, in a picturesque tourist destination. I'd air that there are just as many people interested in Dollywood's shows, food, exhibits, and atmosphere as there are interested in the thrill rides. I could see a family of six (two parents, two children, one set of grandparents) going to DreamMore for several days to experience everything that Dollywood has to offer, but only three people of that same family (two parents and perhaps an older sibling) may get the same fulfillment out of a coaster park like Carowinds or Six Flags Over Georgia.
I distinctly remember going to Williamsburg, Virginia with family every year when I was younger and my younger sibling was a toddler. We would always go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg over Kings Dominion because there was always more for our entire family to do at Busch Gardens.
Totally agree. I don’t see DW adding a hyper just to compete. I actually HOPE they don’t add one just to compete. I feel like right now, with the last few additions they have a well rounded, well spread out coaster assortment. There are big thrills, medium hills and family coasters spread fairly evenly. I think the last thing they need to add would be a “family thrill” to replace skidewinder, but I think they really could be done with “thrill” after that and start developing more proprietary content to use the Wildwood grove characters or other IP to populate more dark rides and even shows that pull those characters in fir a more wholistic experience.
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I would actually venture that ALL the rides in wildwood are bad with capacity. Cycle loaders are always going to be slow and that’s what they mostly filled the entire area with (and a slow loading bear ride) If funds were an issue, I think it would’ve been better to open with 1 capacity killer and maybe 1-2 other fillers instead of trying to fill it with as many off the shelf cycle load rides as they could for the money.
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They are going to have to spend a little more to customize some things to accommodate larger crowds. Even an unload break run before the load station might have worked to run two trains and keep the line moving better.
That particular Vekoma layout and its smaller sister (Kvasten, Freedom Flyer, et al) have only ever been designed to accommodate one train, as the only brake sections are in the station. A brake run before the station would really shorten the ride, those layouts don't last very long.
I wouldn't consider Dragonflier a headliner though, on Disney's scale that's a D-ticket at best.
Perhaps they're accepting that wait times for Dragonflier will be a bit unreasonable for a few seasons but, long-term, will eventually die down when another major family attraction opens.
You made a few of my points. I know that’s an off the shelf design. That’s why I question them even using it. The point being they’re going to need to spend a bit more to meet their growing demand. And yes, it’s a “d” on a Disney scale, but DW is marketing it heavily and treating it (as part of the entire expansion) as their headliner this year.
They may be “accepting” unreasonable wait times, but is that really the best guest experience?
Dollywood Discussion Thread
in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Posted
They are in the BUSINESS of entertainment. They still are a business with a P&L sheet and responsibly to investors. Their reason for existing is NOT to entertain, it is to run a successful and profitable entertainment business.