gatorchomp83 Posted November 2, 2007 Posted November 2, 2007 So me, my roommate and my boy Daryn from Gainesville decided to make the 11 1/2hr drive to Lexington, Kentucky two weeks ago for the Florida-Kentucky football game, and during planning, realized we were going right by Dollywood. We left Tallahassee around 9am Friday morning and checked into our hotel in Kentucky about 10:30pm that night. It was a looooong drive, but I must say, the eastern side of Kentucky is a LOT nicer than the western side. I always thought Kentucky was kind of a dump, but this trip changed that opinion. After going out in downtown Lexington Friday night and spending the whole day Saturday tailgating and watching the Gators win (45-37!) we hit the beds earlier Saturday night and left for Pigeon Forge around 8am Sunday morning. We got parked and into the gates by 11:30am and headed straight to the Q2Q booth to pick up our Bot on the suggestion by Sean Flaharty. First ride of the day: THUNDERHEAD! Thunderhead was my SUPPOSED to be my #100 but come to find out later, my first coaster actually was Thunder Express, ironically at Dollywood, when I was about 10 years old, which slid Goliath into the 100 spot. I'd heard Thunderhead was a afternoon/night ride, and our first ride on it was decent but not what I was expecting. By 4:30pm when we left the park, the coaster was FLYING and shot up to my #2 spot, firmly behind Voyage. After two rides on Thunderhead, we zipped over to Mystery Mine and rode twice. What an awesomely unique ride! I HATE steep lift hills and this ride totally tripped me out. That first vertical drop was nuts and the ending sequence was incredible! Awesome ride for this park! The rest of the day was spent credit-whoring (although I skipped on the Spinach coaster, or whatever it's called) and going back to Timber Canyon for more rides. Tennessee Tornado was the easily the best Arrow coaster I've ever ridden (yes, better than Magnum!). Overall, we had a great 5 hours at the park and the Q-Bot saved our lives on a decently crowded day! My camera died about two hours after we got there, so most of the shots are just from Timber Canyon. Enjoy! Me being a tourist in Gatlinburg...With my dead camera Only in Tennessee (Part 3) Nice, cool, relaxing cave to the back of the park Looked soooooooooooo good Only in Tennessee (Part 2) The theming outside the ride, inside the ride, in the queue, the loading dock and the trains was immaculate Ground hugging! Heading back into the building Oh snap! My restraint came up! The hangtime here is ri-donkey-diculous! Well, I THOUGHT it was #100 Second row...Did you enjoy your ride? Are you alive? "Let the Thunder Roll!" Heading into the station fly-by Did not ride the Topple Tower but it was very well themed. I particularly enjoyed the beavers. Peaking thru the foliage This park is GORGEOUS...It's also the worst laid-out park I've ever been to and is confusing as all get up to navigate This vulture was giving life lessons about women and the damn bird was RIGHT ON. I videotaped him talking for about two minutes and was going to post it with this PTR but apparently I deleted the file. Grrrr. Enter If You Dare! More Thundy Perfect ride for this park! Bathroom signery Thunderhead! (Thru the leaf!) Awesome ride, awesome setting, terrible for shooting Only in Tennessee (Part 1) I totally thought the train was going to be coming from the other direction, dammit! First things first...Shower time HELLO THUNDERHEAD! Getting closer..... Definitely a great purchase! We only saw about 10 other people with these throughout the entire day. Early morning fog in the Smokies Daryn, me and my roomie after the game That's right! Hey! Nighttime falls in Kentucky A helluvalotta orange! Our defense PROBABLLLLLLLLY got burnt on this play Tailgating at the GameDay set in Lexington! BEST location, ever!
Scaparri Posted November 2, 2007 Posted November 2, 2007 Dude, awesome TR!!! Great pics from Dollywood, and what a game to go to! Go Gators! (Note: I am NOT a bandwagon fan.)
larrygator Posted November 2, 2007 Posted November 2, 2007 Dollywood is so purdy! Who would have thought that Kentucky game would be our only win in a month? Boo!
gatorchomp83 Posted November 2, 2007 Author Posted November 2, 2007 Yeah, Dollywood is definitely a beautiful park. I wish you hadn't put October in that perspective...Kiiiinda depressing! I've been to every game this year except for LSU, and the Georgia game last weekend was the hardest to swallow so far. We'll be alright, though. And thanks for the comments.
CoasterFanatic Posted November 2, 2007 Posted November 2, 2007 Excellent Report Steve. // Now when does that whole Florida leapfrogging WVU take place again?
mcjaco Posted November 2, 2007 Posted November 2, 2007 Gorgeous pictures. I'm not a huge college football fan, but I have been to Kentucky to watch a game. It's a great stadium.
Jayjay719 Posted November 2, 2007 Posted November 2, 2007 Dollywood looks so awesome. Hopefully I can make it there soon. Great PTR!
gatorchomp83 Posted November 2, 2007 Author Posted November 2, 2007 Yeah, that's not gonna happen this year haha. However, if we win out, Georgia and Tennessee lose, we'll be in Atlanta. If we win that game, we'll be somewhere WVU won't be: A BCS bowl.
gnewton34 Posted November 2, 2007 Posted November 2, 2007 There's no way you would see me in that mess for the football game. I work at UK hospital. The only thing the games do for me is make me wonder how crappy my drive home will be. I love Dollywood though. Thunderhead is freaking awesome! And I too was surprised at how much I like Tennessee Tornado.
kraken613 Posted November 2, 2007 Posted November 2, 2007 Dollywood is eisly one of my favorite parks!
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