Opryland U.S.A.

[Velo_editor]

Opryland was totally focused on shows, the Opry and the hotel/convention center, not rides and the amusement side of the theme park. They didn't know what a 20-year plan was, or a 5-year plan, or any type of plan that had anything to do with rides and coasters, they just winged everything they did for the entire 25 years of existence, so they were unable to keep up with other parks who did know what they were doing - SFOG, Dollywood, etc. Also, they were landlocked and had no where to expand since the hotel got the bulk of the extra property. When an opportunity came along in 1997 to provide something (an outlet mall!) that generated revenue 365 days per year vs. 180 or so, then that was the path of least resistance, everyone who cared about the park-be-damned. That is the short answer, read back through this thread if you want more of the story.

 

Great answer. I think Dollywood and Opryland are polar opposites on how to handle things. Dollywood sees a huge opportunity with their shows as it makes a lot of money from folks who probably never step foot on a ride (save for maybe the train). BUT, they also know the importance of rides and attractions. They're not overloaded with rides, but each one is high quality and well-themed. Opryland never fully understood the ride part of the equation.

[ernierocker]

Does anybody remember the haunted walkthrough that Opryland built using the drained rapids part of Grizzly River? I think it was themed to like a biohazard zombie zone or something similar. From what I remember it wasn't very ADA-friendly since you had to use some makeshift stairs to get down there.

 

(I'm sure velo_editor does since he was more than likely there with me )

Edited June 27, 2011 by ernierocker

[Velo_editor]

Does anybody remember the haunted walkthrough that Opryland built using the drained rapids part of Grizzly River? I think it was themed to like a biohazard zombie zone or something similar. From what I remember it wasn't very ADA-friendly since you had to use some makeshift stairs to get down there.

 

(I'm sure velo_editor does since he was more than likely there with me )

 

You know I don't remember going to Opryland for any Halloween-related festivities. Was it something they did in the final couple of years?

[ernierocker]

^Hmm, I assumed you were there. Not really sure how many times they had a Halloween event, but I only remember going once. They turned the bumper cars into a haunted house (which was actually quite good) and obviously, GRR into a walkthough/haunted house. There was also a couple of scare zones around the park.

[coasterfreaky]

Does anybody remember the haunted walkthrough that Opryland built using the drained rapids part of Grizzly River? I think it was themed to like a biohazard zombie zone or something similar. From what I remember it wasn't very ADA-friendly since you had to use some makeshift stairs to get down there.

 

(I'm sure velo_editor does since he was more than likely there with me )

 

I remember when they did it, but i did not get to experience it Opryland did it before CP did, neener!

 

Yeah, Dollywood and Opryland are nothing alike when you take a closer look at both. An outsider would say, well, they're both musical theme parks and yes that's true, but that's where that comparison ends.

 

Opryland, with its Grand Ole Opry base, created areas of the park that emphasized different geographic locations that were music-centered, like New Orleans, the wild west, appalachia (Hill Country area)...whereas Dollywood's areas (loosely) represent different areas of Tennessee at different times in it's history...the 50's area is a recreation of Sevierville in the 50's...Showstreet is a victorian street, Craftsman's Valley is dedicated to the smokies where these craftspeople thrived, the grist mill and all that....and on and on. To me, there is a more coherent theme at Dollywood, where Opryland seemed disjointed...not quite right...forced/phony.

 

Opryland had some cool things too i think. I still believe Grizzly was the most exciting of the white water rides i've ridden - dolly's is pretty tame by comparison...but i like it too. SFOG's is very Grizzly-like, last time i rode it anyway. Loved the fact that the Flume Zoom was mostly up in the trees, rather than at the ground with several lifts. Opryland had in-park transportation down well - with a Von Roll and the train you could get around with very little effort. The Barnstormer, the airplane ride, remains one of my favorite flats. When the star would get to the top and it would lock in and the cables would snap - you could hear a collective gasp from the people that hadn't ridden it before...fantastic! The Little Deuce Coups - ahhh, good times. Bumper cars were fun...Tin Lizzies were fun when i was really young. Opryland's coaster collection was pretty much garbage imo. All off-the-shelf coasters except for tragic little Rock'n Roller coaster (i do miss the skid brakes, however, and the various ways they would stop it). in general, awful awful coasters.

 

So, yes, very very different. Opryland kind of suffered from too many cooks in the kitchen with putting "Music & Opry Stars" up there as its main billing, Dollywood has the one, the only Dolly, and people IDOLIZE HER. She's giving back to her family, her friends, her community by way of jobs and has philanthropic stuff going on all over the place, genuinely cool, salt of the earth, a real working class hero. We know now, Opryland was only important in the accounting books....how different the two parks are.

[ratdogg68]

I have great and wonderful memories of working at Opryland in it's last few years, such a unique park. It may not have been the biggest park or had the biggest rides but it was a beautiful and relaxing park, with a few thrills and had a atmosphere like no other. In 95 there was talk of buying farmland across the Cumberland river and expanding, they even told my boss to work up plans of rebuilding the Petting Zoo in the middle of Grizzly River and using the former Petting Zoo area as a bridge over the river to the new area. I wish those plans would have came forth, but the higher ups in Gaylord decided no and just to close the park and build a MALL.

 

I don't care what all the " Thrillseekers" say Opryland was a great park," park" being the keyword. It was beautifully landscaped and in such a natural setting that's what stood it out from the rest. Most parks now-a-days are consumed with thrills and emptying your wallets, they have forgot about giving the consumers a relaxing, yet enjoyable day out at the park. Not only Thrillseekers want to visit, but families who just want a relaxing day out with the family. That's why places like Dollywood and Holiday World draw so many family's, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks have forgot about families and just want to get you there for your money. Yeah Opryland didn't always build new attractions every year but they always provided a nice, clean and relaxing day out for the family, with employees that made you feel welcome. Not like the parks of today who just want your money and don't really care how the employee's treat you, they have employee training, when your hired " I worked for Six Flags for 5 years" but nothing after that. Opryland we had " customer service meetings every month" to ensure we was giving the best service to our guests.

[Velo_editor]

I worked in the park back in 1992 or so. I was stuck in a coke stand for the first half of the summer that had a leaky pink lemonade machine. That attracted bees and so I was stung at least 3-4 times and learned very quickly how to swat and kill bees with one precise swat of the lid to the ice container. For some reason I was obsessed with riding Chaos so I typically rode it about 5-6 times a week. No ride was ever the same and no element seemed to consistently work on it.

 

Anyway I do remember the rumor of expanding across the river. I never knew if it was anything more than just that, a rumor. I'm pretty sure the land they would have used is now the Shelby Bottoms Greenway. It's the only land across the river they could have used since most of the opposite shore is lined with houses in Inglewood on the higher bluff. They would have had to do a lot of work to get that land ready to build a park on it as it's a flood plain and was under water in the great flood last year. There's now a pedestrian bridge that crosses the river in to the Bottoms, but it connects further up the river at Two Rivers Park and the Wave Pool.

[coasterfreaky]

Spreading out across the river was a rumour in 89/90 when i worked there...which never made sense to me b/c of the big flood in the early 1970's. They could have easily moved the employee parking lot elsewhere and used that land for park expansion without building a bridge and having the same threat of flooding as you would across the river. They never owned the property across the river, so, also weird. To me that just means it was a rumor...they were not clever enough to have an actual plan in place. no plan = failure.

[DarienLaker]

For some reason I was obsessed with riding Chaos so I typically rode it about 5-6 times a week.

 

Well I rode Chaos 7 times in one visit!

Edited June 28, 2011 by DarienLaker

[ernierocker]

^Please read the thread as this has been answered already.

 

Hint: Check the first couple pages of the thread.

Edited June 28, 2011 by ernierocker

[Quartz]

 

I assume this was the ride's pump house?

 

Someone had mentioned in this thread that they were going to expand the hotel and it was assumed that they would finally remove what was left of the ride. Looks like they still left part of it.

 

 

I helped build the rockwork at Grizzly River Rampage in 1981. This building was not the pump house. the pumps were actually located at the top of the ride under where the rafts were loaded.

 

BTW. The large rock waterfall was, at the time, the largest artificial rock in the world.

[John DeSantis]

Hello All, My name is John DeSantis I am a rock work artisan. I built the model and then constructed the artificial rock for the Grizzly River Rampage. I supervised a crew of about a dozen people. We all worked for a Company called Rock and Waterscape Systems. Our hours were long, the deadline was difficult to meet, but we made it. The crew were some of the finest people I have ever known. I still keep in touch with a few of them and I miss them all. I'm glad folks enjoyed the ride over the years and I was saddened when the park closed. Stumbling into this website and seeing the pictures of the remnants of our work brings back fond memories, and makes me feel very old.

[Chittlins]

I stayed at the Opryland Hotel this past weekend. My first thought is that they could add another wing with and indoor park like the Mall of America that catered to families. They had booths set up for met and greets with Dreamworks based Sherik. Along with the recent announcement that Gaylord is partnering with Herchend to build a waterpark and snow park there, it seems like a no brainer. The hotel was booked full the entire weekend and the Opry was sold out with the Marshall Tucker Band headlining and a Tim McGraw/Kenny Chesney concert that we attended at LP Field downtown on Saturday nite. There was tons of empty parking around the place, meaning expansion room.

 

The Mall is new and improved since reopening after the flood. the Bass Pro is blah but the mall was mostly full with most all outlet mall storefronts represented and anchored on both ends by a Imax and regular theater, Dave and Busters, an Aquarium restuarant, Fridays, Claim Jumpers, Chuys, and a Rainforest Cafe.

 

All the place is missing is rides and water slides.

 

Nashville is building a very large convention center downtown that's impressive to the eye.

 

As a Kid, I thought that Libertyland one up'ed Opryland cause Revolution had a corkscrew and loop and Zippin Pippin was the bomb. Grizzly River was my first rapids ride and I loved it, though.

[Chittlins]

My very first roller coaster was here (The Little Rock'n'Roller Coaster). I remember the one time I went and Hangman got stuck on the lift and the riders had to be evacuated (my aunt being one of them). It was a nice park. I'm pretty sure it closed because business wise it was not doing well at all. Most employees were drafted from other countries or something like that.

 

I've rode its twin at Six Flags St. Louis where it started out at, the coaster itself at Opryland, and it's home today, Magic Springs.

 

Same for the woodie from Boardwalk and Baseball and now Magic Springs. I've not yet rode Hangman at Wild Adventures.

[ernierocker]

Hello All, My name is John DeSantis I am a rock work artisan. I built the model and then constructed the artificial rock for the Grizzly River Rampage. I supervised a crew of about a dozen people. We all worked for a Company called Rock and Waterscape Systems. Our hours were long, the deadline was difficult to meet, but we made it. The crew were some of the finest people I have ever known. I still keep in touch with a few of them and I miss them all. I'm glad folks enjoyed the ride over the years and I was saddened when the park closed. Stumbling into this website and seeing the pictures of the remnants of our work brings back fond memories, and makes me feel very old.

 

Thanks for sharing. That rock work was a major part of that ride and I too have fond memories of it.

 

My very first roller coaster was here (The Little Rock'n'Roller Coaster). I remember the one time I went and Hangman got stuck on the lift and the riders had to be evacuated (my aunt being one of them). It was a nice park. I'm pretty sure it closed because business wise it was not doing well at all. Most employees were drafted from other countries or something like that.

 

I've rode its twin at Six Flags St. Louis where it started out at, the coaster itself at Opryland, and it's home today, Magic Springs.

 

Same for the woodie from Boardwalk and Baseball and now Magic Springs. I've not yet rode Hangman at Wild Adventures.

 

Rock N' Roller Coaster had no relation to the mine train at Six Flags St. Louis. You are probably thinking of Dollywood here. They received one of the mine trains from Six Flags St. Louis (Thunder Express) and it is now located at Magic Springs (Big Bad John). Opryland's Rock N' Roller Coaster is now at Great Escape.

Edited June 30, 2012 by ernierocker

[Chittlins]

Hello All, My name is John DeSantis I am a rock work artisan. I built the model and then constructed the artificial rock for the Grizzly River Rampage. I supervised a crew of about a dozen people. We all worked for a Company called Rock and Waterscape Systems. Our hours were long, the deadline was difficult to meet, but we made it. The crew were some of the finest people I have ever known. I still keep in touch with a few of them and I miss them all. I'm glad folks enjoyed the ride over the years and I was saddened when the park closed. Stumbling into this website and seeing the pictures of the remnants of our work brings back fond memories, and makes me feel very old.

 

Thanks for sharing. That rock work was a major part of that ride and I too have fond memories of it.

 

My very first roller coaster was here (The Little Rock'n'Roller Coaster). I remember the one time I went and Hangman got stuck on the lift and the riders had to be evacuated (my aunt being one of them). It was a nice park. I'm pretty sure it closed because business wise it was not doing well at all. Most employees were drafted from other countries or something like that.

 

I've rode its twin at Six Flags St. Louis where it started out at, the coaster itself at Opryland, and it's home today, Magic Springs.

 

Same for the woodie from Boardwalk and Baseball and now Magic Springs. I've not yet rode Hangman at Wild Adventures.

 

Rock N' Roller Coaster had no relation to the mine train at Six Flags St. Louis. You are probably thinking of Dollywood here. They received one of the mine trains from Six Flags St. Louis (Thunder Express) and it is now located at Magic Springs (Big Bad John). Opryland's Rock N' Roller Coaster is now at Great Escape.

 

Yep, sorry, It's easy cause when I hit Opryland it was usually in route to Pigeon Forge.

[thrillerman1]

Unforunately, the Grizzly River Rampage rock work and river path has all been removed now that Opry Mills has reopened. I was there just the past week, and it's just a big green lawn space now sadly.

[disneylanddude]

i am still looking for the rct 2 opryland usa file

if anyone has it, i would like a copy

You could post it here for all to enjoy or pm me

[ernierocker]

^Try posting this question in the Games forum. There are a lot of members that post in there that don't look on the main forum and they will be the ones to most likely have it.

[robbalvey]

I only got to visit this park once, the year before it bit the dust. I really wish I could have visited it again as the world needs more parks like this!

[ernierocker]

It would be interested to see what the park would of looked like today if it had stuck around. The park didn't have a good lineup of coasters, but it did have a unique set of attractions that gave it charm.

[cfc]

I remember reading about this park when it first opened, but my family never paid a visit to Nashville. It did look like a nice place.

[EquusStorm]

I'd been to Opryland at least once, probably twice, before it closed, but I was so young that I never rode anything other than possibly a couple of kiddie rides or water rides. Based on basic SLC height restrictions, I might not have even been tall enough to get on Hangman, at least, even if I had an inclination to do such things when I was a young one. I would've been six last time I was there, and if I had been in the past before that, I would have been no more than 4 or 5. I think I may still have a couple souvenirs buried in boxes somewhere, but I do have a a 1997 park brochure. It's a damned shame what happened to the park, but it happens way more often than any of us would like to think about. Ah well, at least we still have Dollywood.

[Meteornotes]

Never managed to make it to this park. Would have really liked to have seen it once, as it looked really nice in all the photos I've seen.

 

dt

[EquusStorm]

HEY so I was looking through some old family photo albums earlier today, and came across several photos from Opryland from a 1993 trip! I was just 2 years old at the time. There are a few nice shots of a couple of the kiddie rides there. I'll scan them or find some other way to get em up here and post them for all to enjoy and reminisce. I also found a couple of photos from Six Flags over Georgia in 1993, but those photos are very few and not all that great. We'll see.