Dollywood Discussion Thread

[Shavethewhales]

It is curious that Lance mentioned the train loop and its proximity to Adventure Mountain's location. Perhaps, the new attraction somehow utilizes Adventure Mountain's spot and the train loop?

 

Pete pretty much shot this idea down in an interview. He said it's a good expansion spot, but not for 2014. He also said that the new attraction will take over AMs spot but some of the infrastructure may be reused, the new attraction is for familys, and the decision to put it in AMs spot is based off of the size of the new attraction as well as how it would allow them to expand outward in the coming years.

 

I'm extremely intrigued to find out what is so amazing that they decided they had to flush a $6 million, already popular attraction away to build it. Based on that it sounds like they messed up in the first place by putting AM where they did. Something definitely doesn't add up here, but I assume the reasons behind all this are more complex than any outsider can piece together. On some level though, something majorly lame and stupid must have been involved.

 

This 2014 attraction sounds like it will be a signature attraction for DW though. My bets are also on a major dark ride of some sort, perhaps inspired by WWHP at IOA.

[Fire2box]

Yesterday (sunday) I was at a little family gathering where my dad's aunt was showing pictures of their cross country car trip. One of their stops was Dollywood and they couldn't remember the name of the coaster they took a picture of when their cousin or niece rode it. So my dad and his cousin call me over and I instantly see it's Wild Eagle. Despite never having been east of salt lake city's airport.

 

If I owned a smartphone I would of pulled up a POV of it. I know my dad's aunt and uncle wouldn't of rode it and his uncle wouldn't of been able to with neck issues.

[cfc]

 

I'Something definitely doesn't add up here, but I assume the reasons behind all this are more complex than any outsider can piece together. On some level though, something majorly lame and stupid must have been involved.

 

 

Well, there's one answer that covers all the bases. The reasons are "complex," yet "majorly lame."

[PKI Jizzman]

I'm very sad about this but like everyone else said, I trust Dollywood. I'm glad I got to experience it this year, but damnit! Adventure Mountain was so much fun. Oh well I'll just have to go to Indiana Beach.

[jjune4991]

Damn. I loved Adventure Mountain during the IntimidaTOUR 2 years ago. It was such a fun experience and so unique in the US. To be getting rid of it, Dollywood must really, really trust what's taking its place. So I can't wait for it to come! Cause if it's so good that they get rid of Adventure Mountain to make room for it, it must be amazing!

[coasterfreaky]

I just listened to the podcast with Pete on another coaster site...and what i gathered was that Adventure Mountain is in the planned pathway up to the Upper Train Loop, which they have plans to develop soon (but not for 2014!). This sounded odd at first, to me, but Pete explained that it has to do with how steep the path is. For example, the path between the Main Gate and Thunder Canyon is also steep. It has to have all the switchbacks in order to make it less steep, and that makes it compliant with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). The planned pathway from Wilderness Pass to The Upper Train Loop will need to be similar in design, with switchbacks, because of ADA.

 

So, in order to develop the the Upper Train Loop, they need some of the space that Adventure Mountain currently occupies for the 2014 attraction and for access to the Upper Loop.

 

Pete said they did not know what would happen to Adventure Mountain. Parts of it could go to Stone Mountain in Georgia, as they have a smaller version of Adventure Mountain, but he said a decision hasn't been made at this point.

[A.J.]

I will keep a "wait and see" attitude myself, but if the new attraction is as good as they're saying it's going to be, I'm going to put off going to Dollywood for another season.

 

I know that I shouldn't be whining and avoiding a park like the plague just because of one attraction, but I absolutely love ropes courses (especially the colorful Sky Trail ones) and Adventure Mountain was probably the one I was most looking forward to trying out since I heard about it. I think that it and Thunderhead are would be worth the Dollywood admission price, and everything else is just a bonus. Whether you agree or disagree with my thinking doesn't bother me at all.

 

2014 better be absolutely fantastic!

[ernierocker]

Well, we have confirmation about the expansion up to the train loop. You can pretty much guarantee they will put a station up there. I think a Mega Lite would look perfect in the middle of the loop.

[cfc]

^I like the way you think, sir.

[Guy T. Koepp]

So glad me n tha fam are getting up there for a few days between Xmas & NY. We will have to go get our AM on and pay our last respects.

[chickenbowl]

I really liked Adventure Mountain, but if there's one park I can trust to have a worthy replacement to such an attraction, it is Dollywood. I don't about you guys, but I think a new RMC woodie would round out Dollywood's coaster collection quite well

[gisco]

Kind of sounds like some plans came together that will add an attraction and pave the way for future expansion in the area. Unfortunately Adventure Mountain was in the way. Probably thinking that losing one attraction and getting another while being able to open another area of the park a win-win situation.

[Chittlins]

I just listened to the podcast with Pete on another coaster site...and what i gathered was that Adventure Mountain is in the planned pathway up to the Upper Train Loop, which they have plans to develop soon (but not for 2014!). This sounded odd at first, to me, but Pete explained that it has to do with how steep the path is. For example, the path between the Main Gate and Thunder Canyon is also steep. It has to have all the switchbacks in order to make it less steep, and that makes it compliant with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). The planned pathway from Wilderness Pass to The Upper Train Loop will need to be similar in design, with switchbacks, because of ADA.

 

So, in order to develop the the Upper Train Loop, they need some of the space that Adventure Mountain currently occupies for the 2014 attraction and for access to the Upper Loop.

 

Pete said they did not know what would happen to Adventure Mountain. Parts of it could go to Stone Mountain in Georgia, as they have a smaller version of Adventure Mountain, but he said a decision hasn't been made at this point.

 

 

Wish they'd ship it to Silver Dollar City.

[rcdude]

While I did enjoy Adventure Mountain, I have to admit that it didn't seem like the best fit for a large park like Dollywood. I'd guess the capacity of the attraction was probably only a few hundred people per hour, and I heard plenty of stories of two hour waits for it while everything else was under 30 minutes. It's a unique attraction, that's for sure, but I've got a feeling that whatever replaces it, as well as the expansion of the park, will probably be worth the loss. Dollywood rarely disappoints, and there's no reason they should suddenly start to do so.

[Chittlins]

While I did enjoy Adventure Mountain, I have to admit that it didn't seem like the best fit for a large park like Dollywood. I'd guess the capacity of the attraction was probably only a few hundred people per hour, and I heard plenty of stories of two hour waits for it while everything else was under 30 minutes. It's a unique attraction, that's for sure, but I've got a feeling that whatever replaces it, as well as the expansion of the park, will probably be worth the loss. Dollywood rarely disappoints, and there's no reason they should suddenly start to do so.

 

 

Herchend should sell it to the partners they manage Eilitch Gardens and Darien Lake for and send it to Magic Springs. Capacity shouldn't be an issue there and it would fit in.

[Taylor Finn]

I think capacity was definitely an issue, partly because you could get off one course and stay on for the other two, so the attraction would take a good 45 minutes to get through. I'm happy when I went, there was no wait really. It seemed like it would be something that every person felt obliged to do when they went there, unless they were season pass holders. The ride will definitely be missed, though I am sure they know what's best.

[Shavethewhales]

So from a lot of the recent discussion I'm gathering that AM was more somewhat poorly thought-out for the park with bad capacity and taking up real estate that is already needed for park expansion. It wouldn't be a big deal at all if it weren't for the fact that they shelled out $6million for this thing and got just three seasons out of it. After the cluster that was Timber Tower, it's kind of concerning to see that happen again....

 

Is there really any substantial evidence point to them adding a second station to the train ride though? I haven't ridden this one yet, but it seems like it would ruin the train ride as a signature attraction of it's own and reduce it to just a transport means.

[ernierocker]

^There is no evidence, just an assumption. The whole original attraction of the train ride was taking the journey up the mountain with the loop going around the top of it. It provided the illusion of taking a train ride through the Smoky Mountains. Now that they have excavated all of that and it is just a flat, treeless piece of land (which will now have the park expanding onto it) it will seem kind of silly to just loop around it and not have a way to get off.

[Guy T. Koepp]

Is there really any substantial evidence point to them adding a second station to the train ride though? I haven't ridden this one yet, but it seems like it would ruin the train ride as a signature attraction of it's own and reduce it to just a transport means.

 

A second station would work out nicely for them actually. It's a 5 mile round trip. And you pass all the same scenery twice. Breaking that up into two seperate but equal trips would be easy. It might also afford them the ability to add another train and double capacity at the same time. I could totally see them creating some sort of Moonshine themed backwoods village. Perhaps a whole Smokey Mountain area based on the movie Deliverance. They could have a dueling banjos show. An awesome a canoe adventure that could have a shooting dark ride portion. They could even have a Dumbo style ride with squealing pigs just for the kiddies. So much potential with this concept alone. I'm shocked Disney hasn't already scooped up the Deliverance rights.

[EquusStorm]

Huh. Well that was totally unexpected. Then again, they have to deal with space and elevation issues, so it'll likely turn out for the better in the end.

[coasterfreaky]

So from a lot of the recent discussion I'm gathering that AM was more somewhat poorly thought-out for the park with bad capacity and taking up real estate that is already needed for park expansion. It wouldn't be a big deal at all if it weren't for the fact that they shelled out $6million for this thing and got just three seasons out of it. After the cluster that was Timber Tower, it's kind of concerning to see that happen again....

 

Is there really any substantial evidence point to them adding a second station to the train ride though? I haven't ridden this one yet, but it seems like it would ruin the train ride as a signature attraction of it's own and reduce it to just a transport means.

 

Timber Tower's troubles were all because that product from Huss was a lemon. I think it only worked properly for a few weeks, so that is 100% Huss' screw up (in my opinion - based off my observations). And TT is not at all related to what's going on with Adventure Mountain.

 

The top tier executives of the park has changed. Ken Bell, the former prez of dollywood just retired, so there's new blood and new and different ideas coming up. I think there's a press release (in the press release section of dollywood.com) about the VP retiring as well, so that's a big shakeup. New people will want to put their thumbprint on dollywood, so I think what we're seeing here is a transition between the old gaurd and the new. It doesn't seem to me to be cause for alarm, but rather i am excited to see what else is in store for the future.

 

Adventure Mountain will live on somewhere else, so they will get more return on their investment.

 

As far as the train is concerned, i don't see why they couldn't add to the route and go further around the property. Who knows what they have up their sleeve.

[coasterfreaky]

Dollywood touts new ride, shows in 2013-14

 

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/dec/13/dollywood-tours-new-ride-shows-in-2013-14/

 

Two Dollywood theme park attractions, Adventure Mountain and Imagination Cinema, will not return for the 2013 season.

 

Adventure Mountain, which is coming up on the end of its third season, will be replaced by a new attraction that will open in 2014. Details of that project won't be released until next year, Dollywood spokesman Pete Owens said.

 

"With the popularity of that area, we felt this is the perfect location of what has been designed. We know some people will be disappointed, but we think they will be pleased with the new project," Owens said.

 

Dollywood introduced Adventure Mountain, a $5 million, 2-acre play area in 2010 after being delayed a year because of the economy.

 

It features more than 100 obstacles including swinging beams, suspension bridges, flying islands and a tire traverse along a hillside, across from the park's newest roller coaster Wild Eagle.

 

The new project will encompass that property and some more, extending in front of the water raft ride River Battle, Owens said.

 

Meanwhile, plans have been made to convert Imagination Cinema into a 500-seat venue for a new Dolly family show. The theater, which is currently showing The Polar Express 4D Experience, will reopen in spring 2013.

 

The additional venue will be part of the park's plans to debut five more shows next year.

 

Earlier this year, Dollywood opened Wild Eagle, the first wing coaster in the U.S. Next year, it will open the state's first water coaster, RiverRush, in Splash Country.

 

In September, Dollywood dropped plans to partner with Gaylord Entertainment to build a $50 million water and snow park in Nashville, saying it would focus its attention on the Pigeon Forge theme park.

 

"When your business grows, it is important to evaluate and improve the experiences you provide to your guests," Dollywood President Craig Ross said in a statement. "For 2013, we're excited about Dolly's new family show and its new venue. Our guests will start to see construction activity for the new 2014 attraction as soon as the park opens next season. … (Families) are going to be thrilled and excited about the new additions. They'll be like nothing you've seen before."

 

[betterday85]

Was at the park on Saturday and noticed the "new" (since 2005) walkway connecting The Village to Country Fair has been removed (near Heartsong, with the pickle/potato displays along the path). Does anyone know what happened or why it was removed? It has been completely covered with dirt and landscaping.

[ernierocker]

^Not exactly sure which pathway you are referring to. I didn't notice anything different when I was last there in August.

[Philrad71]

Wow...that certainly stinks about Adventure Mountain.

 

I did it last year when I was there over Christmas and had a blast. Such a unique attraction and one that actually utilized exercise for families...it was quite the work-out & kids seemed to really love it. I will definitely make sure that I hit the course for one last time when we go over Christmas!

 

I'm sure what they're planning will be awesome though & I like the idea of eventually putting something up at the train loop, although that could be one heck of a trek to get up there, if not by train.

 

While I like the train ride, the loop part (where there is literally nothing other than a turn around in a large, empty field) could be so much better if they themed it and added another stop with some rides/attractions. The first time we rode it I was a bit disappointed that there really wasn't anything there as I was expecting a bit more after seeing some of the shacks and other theming they had on the way up.