Dollywood Discussion Thread

[jimmiemac02]

so Dollywood is on our potential list of 2016 parks. We're NOT Country Music fans, but we do enjoy the occasional Dolly Parton song, so we figure we'd be interested in at least some of the shows.

 

and the park LOOKS phenomenal.

 

we don't do waterparks, but would spend likely two days at Dollywood.

 

is there anything else to do in that area? (either Culture, or tourist, or other parks?).

 

 

The Great Smokey Mountains National Park is a wonderful way to spend a day in TN. I would recommend a ride around Cades Cove or a hike to the top of Clingmans Dome.

[bert425]

(tho we love tourist traps too)

 

Oh do I have the boat ride for you...

 

Nice. .LOL

[prozach626]

Can we just take a moment to embrace how BEAUTIFUL this station/que house is? I am completely in love with the 50/60 era based coaster and how of course Dollywood is not going lightly with it like other parks would.

 

 

 

[DirkFunk]

anything culture wise? museums or historic sites?

 

(tho we love tourist traps too).

 

if we do go, we'll end up at the DreamWishes (i think that's what it's called) . the resort that is attached to the park, so we can enjoy the perks

 

The closest thing Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg has to "culture" are dinner shows. It is a tourist/resort town that has birthed itself from the huge groups of people that visit the Smoky Mountains National Park. Aquarium of the Smokies is probably your best bet for something with some "educational" redeeming value. But don't go looking for museums or oodles of farm-to-table food. Go expecting expansive mini golf, pancake houses, and multi-level go karts.

[prozach626]

As for the park being open on Thanksgiving, who's surprised? Modern society no longer has respect for simple things such as family time during the holidays. I'm sure many people on this site are even too young to remember the years during Thanksgiving and Christmas when EVERYTHING was closed.

 

Let's all be honest. For businesses/corporations, it's just another opportunity to cash in. For the modern (idiot)majority, Thanksgiving is just the day between getting hammered drunk on "Blackout Wednesday" and spending money they don't have on "Black Friday." This day in between is just the day where American society has another excuse to stuff their faces into their next carb coma. #yolo right?

 

Most businesses really don't care anymore to close on major holidays and the ones which 'pretend' to just use it as a marketing ploy to draw in the minority with old school values. The businesses which open late are the most comical of all, being that they 'don't open until the evening so that people can spend time with their families.' Because everyone knows it's so easy to relax and you can enjoy yourself so much when you have to go to the work in the evening.

 

Or, maybe we can just all pretend we're not fools who so easily buy into company with self projects 'family values' and realize that DW is out to make a buck like every other business. Enjoy it for what it is, instead of pretending the company is run by the Jesus himself. (or whoever you do or do not believe in)

[prozach626]

anything culture wise? museums or historic sites?

 

(tho we love tourist traps too).

 

if we do go, we'll end up at the DreamWishes (i think that's what it's called) . the resort that is attached to the park, so we can enjoy the perks

 

Here you go, bud:

 

HISTORY: Cade's Cove is in the State Park. It has historic log cabins and buildings from one of the original settlements in the area. (DO NOT GO ON A WEEKEND) It's also your best chance to see a bear. A windy road along the river takes you to Cades Cove after about a half hour drive. It's a very scenic drive and many people stop along points of the river to wade in the water or just break by river bank.

 

RECREATION: Moon Shine tasting. We went to Old Smokey Moon Shine and had a blast. EAT BEFORE YOU GO unless you want to get dizzy drunk after one tasting. Learn from our mistake on that one.

 

ADVENTURE: I highly recommend white water rafting. It's less than a two hour trip with the ride itself being about 45 minutes to an hour. You get a nice little taste of white water rafting with great scenery and class 3-4 rapids. It's very organized and about as safe as it gets. It was one of the easiest and well worth it hassle free experiences we've ever done. You don't need to be an adventurist to do it. There was a ten year old little girl on our raft who had a blast. They also take your pictures along the way, but they charge a pretty penny at the end for purchases. I think we paid about $20 for one picture on a flash drive, but it's a neat picture hanging in our house that always garnishes a lot of comments.

 

We didn't take a lot of pictures at Cades Cove, because we went on Saturday when it was very busy, but here are a few:

This was in one of the historic cabins.. again, not many pictures.

 

In the natural isolation valley. Pictures don't do the scenery justice. (old Subaru )

 

The old Church in the settlement.

 

Here's where we stopped and had lunch.

 

However, here's what your view will mostly look like on the weekend...

 

Here was our white water rafting trip. The company we went with was Family Adventure Rafting or something similar to that. Again, very hassle free and ANYONE can do it.

 

Moon Shine tasting was a blast. You can also take a tour of the distillery.

 

More of Old Smokey Moonshine. They play blue grass music right outside in the plaza. Aside from Old Smokey Brewery, everything else on the strip is pretty touristy. (good food and atmosphere... good beer, too).

 

Again... EAT BEFORE YOU GO.

 

Now... I know everyone is fanboying out over the new DW "resort," but like I've continued to say, you should at least consider renting a cabin. It really is what draws most people to the area. Ours was extremely clean, massive, and it had a great view. It was also equipped with a hot tub on the porch, which over looked the mountains. I really think it lets you take full advantage of the area. I believe ours was $150-$200 a night. Maybe more, but well worth it. It was right on the side of a mountain.

 

I'm VERY picky about hotels. My career has allowed me to know too much of what goes on in cheap hotels, so won't stay in anything lesser than a Hyatt. However, this place was great!

 

The master bedroom was in the loft.

 

Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll have a blast. We really didn't enjoy Dollywood much when we visited in the summer of 2014, but we had a great time in the surrounding area. I think our experience at DW was cut down by expectations that were set a bit high after reading all of the reviews. I'm not trying to offend anyone, but it really seems like there is a bit of fanboy syndrome with this park. Spend as much time as you want at the park, but between the few hours we spent in the early day and the few hours we went back at night, it was plenty for us. ( We took a moon shine/brewery break during the mid day.) I think two full days would be a little much, which is why I recommend going on park preview night and the following day. Wait until you visit the area before you buy an additional one day pass, because there is plenty to do in the surrounding area. I personally enjoyed SDC much more, but maybe that will change with the addition of Lightning Rod. Take what I say about the park with a grain of salt, considering large CF parks are my go-to style of park. Just don't set your expectations sky high until you go there yourself and make your own judgement.

 

Cheers!

[Philrad71]

^Definitely doing a cabin the next time we go...thanks for sharing the photos.

 

I am also quite surprised that DW is open Thanksgiving evening. Not at all what I would expect given the "rural ultra conservative" feel of the general area.

[Devins3]

Definitely second the cabin. We stayed at a cabin through cabins USA and the cabin was great, about 130 bucks a night after taxes and fees to have our own space with a hot tub. What cabin company did you go through? The one we stayed in was nice but we had some problems with getting towels and some little things throughout the stay.We're looking to go with a different cabin renter next time.

[Firechaser]

Dollywood Cabins are great as well almost all of them have a good view of the mountains!

[prozach626]

If I remember correctly I think we found our cabin on VRBO. It was a last minute booking where I think we booked three nights and got the fourth night free.

 

I think Dollywood Cabins would probably be fine, as they offer a similar experience probably to most other cabins in the area. They're probably all constructed by the same contractors, anyway. As long as you get that secluded feel with a great view, you're on point.

 

DW has a lot to offer, no doubt. It was our main reason for going to the area. However, it actually ended up being the least memorable out of everything we did. From what I experienced, if you come to this area and focus only on DW, you're really not taking advantage of your trip to the Smokies. Are tourist traps your thing? If so, Pigeon Forge is definitely for you, so stay close. The strip is full of commercialized "Pay $10 to walk through the hall of mystery/Pay another $5 and ride our sling shot ride." type of attractions. You'll have no trouble finding 'make your own tee shirt' shops. We personally couldn't stand Pigeon Forge, but everyone is different.

 

If you're more of a Moon Shine Tasting/Micro Brewery kind of person and want a more upscale feel (exaggerated) you should probably stay closer to Gatlinburg. There are still too many 99 cent souvenir shops for me, but it's not nearly as bad as Pigeon Forge. The State Park and Cades Cove area is also closer to this area.

 

BE CAUTIOUS of cheap motels. There were plenty of heroin/crack den looking establishments in the area. I have an eye for this, since I deal with that garbage for a living. You get what you pay for.

 

Also, if you have a fun car to drive, leave the mini van at home and bring something that can carve corners. The roads in this area are awesome. Driving our WRX on some of the twisty/hilly back roads made going to and from everywhere a lot of fun. It was worth the sacrificed gas mileage and we're definitely taking our newest turbo charged all wheel drive beast next time we go back.

[CP Maverick]

By "something fun" you mean the Zonda that was doing 85 on the Smokey Mountain Parkway?

[prozach626]

Yep. Something like this gem.

 

[Dollywoodlover20]

If we vacation to the area we do cabins because you'll come out with a better deal in the long run, no neighbors who can annoy you, and you really get to take it all in. You get to take in the views, the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and you're away from it all. Now if we are just down for 2 nights we do a hotel on the strip and those are usually Riverside Towers, Willowbrook Lodge, Comfort Inn, and I think we have done James Manor. We have had our share of the bad ones (River Chase..ehem..roaches and bed bugs) but it's all in trial and error. When you've been going since you were like 2, you have experience.

[Devins3]

Yea when I was driving up to clingmans dome I was thinking man this would be an obnoxious amount of fun with a VW GTI. Saving up for one now!!

 

I've stayed at quite a few hotels in the area, if you do stay at a hotel the difference between 40 dollars a night and 70 dollars a night is well worth the difference. We stayed at river place inn and it was great for a 45 dollar a night place until we found bed bugs and their solution was to move us to the room next door, it really put a damper on the whole trip. We stayed at the clarion inn this year the first night before going to the cabin and it was a beautiful hotel, was only 70 bucks.

[jjzadero]

This will be my first year going to Smoky Mtn Christmas... just a quick question guys. I have the option of going on Dec 19th or Dec 26th, both are Saturdays. Does anyone know which would be less busy? I would have assumed the day after Christmas, but with it being a Saturday I'm just not sure.

[coasterbill]

This will be my first year going to Smoky Mtn Christmas... just a quick question guys. I have the option of going on Dec 19th or Dec 26th, both are Saturdays. Does anyone know which would be less busy? I would have assumed the day after Christmas, but with it being a Saturday I'm just not sure.

 

If it's feasible, don't make the decision until a day or 2 before and base it on the temperature forecasts (coasters only open if it gets above 40 degrees, it usually does but not always). Crowds are a non issue because the skip the line passes are insanely cheap.

[prozach626]

Yea when I was driving up to clingmans dome I was thinking man this would be an obnoxious amount of fun with a VW GTI. Saving up for one now!!

Go big or go home, Devin. Golf R or bust.

[fireman1000]

Yea when I was driving up to clingmans dome I was thinking man this would be an obnoxious amount of fun with a VW GTI. Saving up for one now!!

 

I've stayed at quite a few hotels in the area, if you do stay at a hotel the difference between 40 dollars a night and 70 dollars a night is well worth the difference. We stayed at river place inn and it was great for a 45 dollar a night place until we found bed bugs and their solution was to move us to the room next door, it really put a damper on the whole trip. We stayed at the clarion inn this year the first night before going to the cabin and it was a beautiful hotel, was only 70 bucks.

 

My wife and I stay at the Clarion Inn also. We only had one bad experience out of many good visits!

[Philrad71]

We stayed at the Comfort Inn/Suites near the entrance to Dollywood Lane and that was quite nice - I believe it ran about $100 per night.

 

Regarding the bed bugs, I don't think that moving to the next room would have worked for me...if one room is infested, chances are they all are. I wouldn't have been able to sleep at night!

[Dollywoodlover20]

Ok so I was just curious. Someone said that the structure on the top of the launch was to keep bee's/wasps away right? How would just only that structure keep them away when in result that would give them more places to build nests and hives. I could possibly see them putting a mist to keep them away up there but other than that, still not for sure. You would think if there was going to be a tunnel they would've announced it at IAAPA.

[mordecai-75]

Thanksgiving Day at Dollywood was much more busy than i thought it would be, still had a good time though. Anyone know why the Mystery Mine vulture is missing? (I love that little guy) The pre-drop fire wasn't working either, it was just a sorry version of lighting effects. I really don't know what's up with that as it was fine a week ago. Anyway, Thunderhead at night is one of the parks greatest experiences. (Highly recommended)

[A.J.]

You would think if there was going to be a tunnel they would've announced it at IAAPA.

No they wouldn't. A tunnel, especially one that only exists at the tippy-top of the launch hill, is trivial and they could very well add it after opening if they wanted to.

 

Was there this much commotion about tunnels when Gold Striker was being built? I don't even remember.

[dstephe9]

Thanksgiving Day at Dollywood was much more busy than i thought it would be, still had a good time though. Anyone know why the Mystery Mine vulture is missing? (I love that little guy) The pre-drop fire wasn't working either, it was just a sorry version of lighting effects. I really don't know what's up with that as it was fine a week ago. Anyway, Thunderhead at night is one of the parks greatest experiences. (Highly recommended)

I figured it would be busy.. It gives family's something to do while they are all together.. Some people can only make it in on Thanksgiving day and leave out the next. That's my theory anyways ha-ha.. Glad it worked out for them but i still feel bad for the employees.. I'd rather be running a ride though than working black Friday at Walmart haha

[Devins3]

Thanksgiving Day at Dollywood was much more busy than i thought it would be, still had a good time though. Anyone know why the Mystery Mine vulture is missing? (I love that little guy) The pre-drop fire wasn't working either, it was just a sorry version of lighting effects. I really don't know what's up with that as it was fine a week ago.

I asked an employee when I was there and they said he was getting refurbished and will be back. The timing of the fire seemed to be a little bit off when I was there also. Before,the drop and fire seemed to be synchronized but it seemed like now the fire went off then you were held for a second and then dropped. Hopefully they are just working on it because if that was not on the ride it would really take away from it IMO.

[mordecai-75]

^ I agree, thanks for the bird knowledge.