Dollywood P:TR 5/21

[DarkStitch626]

So I finally got my butt out to Dollywood after many years of missing out. Pufferfish (andrew) and I decided to start planning road trips not to long ago and figured this would be a good idea to test run.

 

I had gotten up at around 4:00AM and gotten ready, keep in mind its about a 4 hour drive from where I live. I got my wife out of bed and then we were waiting on one other another friend of ours.

After Andrew arrived we waited a bit and had to blow up the other's phone to wake him up, as we expected delays due to rush hour and construction on I26 and I40. Thankfully none happened.

 

So we started our journey with a winding road path through the mountains and such down major highways.. The directions printed on paper were so funky at times. We kept having near the end to look for ONE street and it never showed up till we put on the GPS.

We finally find the park and are guided to the parking area which wraps around the area quite nicely. We got B lot and they go from A-F. Once parked we had paid $8 for that, not to bad.

 

We all decided why not warm up the morning with Thunderhead, I had a set of expectations for Thunderhead when I got on it after riding Lightnin'Racer at HP. Now here's where the trouble comes in. I can't debate on this ride which is better front or back seat. I'm so at ends with it. The front on most rides is just for view but you get extreme speed and air time on both ends of this thing. Its relentless! Especially great for days like this, No lines or crowds.

 

So we got a few rides on that and figured Mystery Mines in the area. This ride has such a great theme. This was the only line of the day. I'd say about 5-20 minutes because of stacking but not bad at all.

 

The shopping and walking around alone can be an experience but keeping with the rides everything is so excellent.

 

When we headed over to Tennessee Tornado though my friend didn't fit on it so he had to wait for us in the exit. Now this is the only ride I have a slight tick about. Its a great ride ! Insane Gs to be had!

 

We hit up Blazing fury later in the day , let me say this though for as old as the ride is It still has a great experience. This ride is a combo of alot of experiences. It will get you wet though its not Dan friendly.

 

I miss Thunder Express!

 

After all the riding we decided to hit up Mountain Slidewinder. Such a trek up the hill side for this ride and warning as Andrew will vouch for me DO NOT sit in the back seat you get soaked. I love the ride though I kept sitting up front I got soaked either way!.

 

Same with Dare Devil Falls. Back seat though on this you stay dry! I sat in front and um..I collected 40 pounds of water after the the lift hill. The front of the boat dips down into the water with force. Warning to all who want to keep their ears though the saw is LOUD.

 

We hit up a few more rides and watched Splash battle for a bit at this point. We also had the worlds most awesome thing. Cinnamon bread! We had Lunch just after . By this time my friend who trek'd out from Virginia was in PF though he had gotten lost we met him after his 8 hour journey. He was afraid of inversions before this trip too. We soon knocked that fear out of him. At Dinner this lady made him adorn a chicken outfit and dance for 8 minutes or so around in the suit , she even spoke to his mother on his cell phone .

 

 

Over all a great day 10AM-7PM the best staff I've ever seen that also included ERT on Thunderhead we got the last trains of the night.

 

Now On to the photos!

 

 

The on ride picture has a back story to it also. Andrew was going for a dead drunker look and I actually was just being myself I slammed my arm into him accidentally. I went to throw my arm up and grab his for a victory shot and the forces pulled my arm down interlocking us. It was weird but we had such a laugh at it!. That ride has freakin forces!

 

Oh another running thing yesterday was the ride op on Mystery Mine. right as we started going he some how managed to get me snapping my fingers and singing "dum dum dumdum dummmmm dum beee dooby dum!" what ever the heck that song is the tune was stuck in my head the whole rest of the day

So right about here the girl in the back seat pee'd herself. She actually screamed "MOMMY!" lol!

If your not wet by this point of the ride you don't know what water is.

So a member here kept asking me for a pic of Dolly..so here you go KUMBA830! here is your side-dolly-parton-boob credit.

Some rides there are so well hidden until your right on top of them! Through the trees!

This ride now has a running joke with Andrew and I. "Dang Beevuh gonna kill ya!"

NO wonder this got Golden Tickets!

This place is awesome!

Andrew and I's last ride on ThunderHead!

Group from Left to right. Me! my wife Kelly. PufferFish, Sean, Spike.

[DBru]

Oh another running thing yesterday was the ride op on Mystery Mine. right as we started going he some how managed to get me snapping my fingers and singing "dum dum dumdum dummmmm dum beee dooby dum!" what ever the heck that song is the tune was stuck in my head the whole rest of the day

 

LOL! I know exactly what song you're talking about. It's called 'Come Go With Me', and it is annoying as heck, but very catchy. (I had to sing it a couple weeks ago in our school's Spring Revue...)

 

But anyway, great TR! I had actually talked with Andrew about meeting you all today, but it turns out I'm going to miss you by one week. (I'm heading to Dollywood next Friday.)

 

But it sounds like you all had a great time. Dollywood is such an amazing park, with great rides and the best atmosphere you can find. What was your 'tick' with Tennessee Tornado, though?

[DarkStitch626]

Oh the tick's not such a big deal I guess for the times, but the ride audio when your going through the transfer track area is suppose to simulate a tornado. Its not loud enough it just sounds like a gentle breeze blowing through. The train slowly goes through and you hear the woooosh but with as elaborately themed as all the rides are this one just felt like it was put in. The ride is great! don't get me wrong its just I wish that part was made better than just passing by the transfer tracks hearing "wooshhh ffffff woosshh"

 

I guess thats okay though being as the rides main focal point is extreme G forces and it delivers ten fold!

[Coasterlvr_nc]

looks like you guys had fun! too bad i missed out on the fun >

[DarkStitch626]

Collin, it wasn't your fault. Your parents were the stopper here. You still have a chance to go with us to SFOG next week. We had a great time, I kinda tried to call you right before I got on Mystery Mine.

 

More Photos!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay one thing about the last shot here. The brakes are hilarious. I think when they made this coaster they had trains in mind because it chugs through them. "Chugga pop chugga pop..chugga pop!" it was funny and cool!

[kumba830]

So a member here kept asking me for a pic of Dolly..so here you go KUMBA830! here is your side-dolly-parton-boob credit.

 

 

Haha thanks a bunch Sean!

 

Great to hear the park was deserted when you went, but now it seems I just to get over to Dollywood that much more!

[DarkStitch626]

Your welcome Nathan.

 

Now onto a bit of interesting news, If your in the local area and would like to attend SFOG on the 28th let us know, we can try to meet up.

 

[Pufferfish]

^ Seriously? We already have a group of 6 people going. Anymore and we could just make it an informal meet. Also, I just realized how bad my hair had gotten from wearing my hat all day in the main picture in front of the sign. Oh well, nothing tops marathoning on Thunderhead right before the park closed. Oh also, we need to go to Carowinds and get an on ride photo from Afterburn. Our still cameras are up and running now.

[tntornadox]

Actually, Tennessee Tornado has an extensive back story- however, unless you actually have to wait in the lower queue house and have time to read all the informational signage, you wouldn't know it.

 

Truth: TT replaced Thunder Express, an old Arrow mine train that originally operated at what was then Six Flags over Mid-America- in the late 90s, Silver Dollar City, Inc. (Precursor to HFEC) decided to enter the major thrill market starting at Dollywood with the installation of Daredevil Falls in 1998.

 

In 1999, SDC received Wildfire from B&M and Dollywood got TT from Arrow- the reasoning is simple- TT's back story is a tornado blew through and twisted up the track of the Tennessee Mining Company- so they had to keep the station intact; considering the old mine train was an Arrow and the track gauge is the same, they went with Arrow for Dollywood's major addition.

 

It is short in length and the story goes is the 'tunnel' ran the entire project way overbudget so the ride had to be shortened to make up some of the difference, whether it's true or not is up for interpretation.

 

Speaking of TT, this season is its 10th Anniversary- as I have said before- Thunderhead may have put Dollywood 'on the map', but Tennessee Tornado got the ball rolling into turning DW from a small regional park into the acclaimed attraction it is today, and is still one of the smoothest Arrow loopers in existence.

[skiparoo37615]

I was just at dollywood 2 weeks ago. Its the second time i went and it is a really nice park. as compared to huge corporations like six flags and disney, the nice thing about Dollywood is that its small and very comfortable. I absolutely love the addition of mystery mine. i think the theming is incredible. i love all the weird little dips and unevenness of the track. i love the 90 degree climbs and drops... all great stuff.

 

also i am moving to orlando in the middle of june. i am centered at 4 to 5 miles from disney and seaworld, and a little further from universal. if anyone needs a place to crash, ash and i would love to meet fellow theme park addicts like us.

 

Skip

 

p.s. wow, i love the spell check feature!!!

[DBru]

^^Thanks for the info, I always wondered why Dollywood went with Arrow for TT...I have noticed the signs in the lower station before, but never took the time to read them. Do they explain all of that? (I am going Friday and will make sure to read all of them.)

 

If the tunnel thing is true, then it was a good sacrifice. That first drop is simply amazing.

[tntornadox]

^ Some of the signs tell the story of the 'Tennessee Mining Company' who 'owns' the ride since the Tennessee Tornado blew through and carted all the coal off to West Virginia... LOL (seriously, one of the 'twister tales' says this).

 

Note: The TT ops shirts say "Tennessee Mining Company" on them.