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Dollywood Discussion Thread

P. 796 - Ride closing 10/30 to remove launch and install chain lift!

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I'm 21 and when I met Dolly in 2012 I cried tears of joy (no shame here). She grabbed my hand and said "Lord honey don't cry over this old thing..HAHAHA" but it's Dolly, she carries this aura and brightness to her like no other. My girlfriend seemed jealous that I cried over Dolly but not her. We had a great day on Wild Eagle though and at the opening.

 

Anyway I do agree that Dolly just says what she is usually told or what's on a prompt. She doesn't know what Lightning Rod does in every detail. She just knows it's a roller coaster that goes fast and that she has to open. Yes she does have some say so in attractions, probably more years ago than now, but she doesn't know what Pete knows.

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I mean, yes it sucks if the ride doesn't open with the park, but you can't rush things of this magnitude. I feel bad for anyone who planned an opening week trip and might end up getting the shaft. But hey, on the plus side, you're still in Dollywood, one of the best amusement parks in the country with one hell of an attraction lineup. When I visited back in 2012 Tennessee Tornado was shut down all day. We still had a fantastic day, though!

 

Personally I'm in a similar boat. I'm visiting Holiday World for the first time mid-May and I have no idea if Legend will be operational. I'm sure hoping but if it's closed I'll just spend more time on Raven and Voyage.

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I mean, yes it sucks if the ride doesn't open with the park, but you can't rush things of this magnitude. I feel bad for anyone who planned an opening week trip and might end up getting the shaft. But hey, on the plus side, you're still in Dollywood, one of the best amusement parks in the country with one hell of an attraction lineup.

Bingo. Your first visit to a park you've never been to before will not be ruined if the latest and greatest attraction isn't open, especially if said park is on Dollywood's level. I feel like your first visit to a park should be about the complete experience. You save the next visit, when you're more familiar, to target certain attractions.

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I mean, yes it sucks if the ride doesn't open with the park, but you can't rush things of this magnitude. I feel bad for anyone who planned an opening week trip and might end up getting the shaft. But hey, on the plus side, you're still in Dollywood, one of the best amusement parks in the country with one hell of an attraction lineup.

Bingo. Your first visit to a park you've never been to before will not be ruined if the latest and greatest attraction isn't open, especially if said park is on Dollywood's level. I feel like your first visit to a park should be about the complete experience. You save the next visit, when you're more familiar, to target certain attractions.

 

During my first day at Dollywood, I missed an entire section of the park and still had an amazing time.

 

I'm sad to say I never had the cinnamon bread out of my 3 times there

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If it's not going to open on opening weekend an announcement should be sent out/posted the end of this week or the beginning of next week because can you imagine the reaction if all the spring break kids come down for opening and the worlds fastest wooden coaster isn't open when they walk into Jukebox Junction and get told at the que to turn around. I've seen it happen when Wild Eagle was down for bee's, some people can get furious. I'm just wanting it to be a successful grand opening for the coaster with amazing publicity! Lightning Rod gets the most hate for the list of 2016 attractions and I can't seem to find why. I can't wait for Dollywood to wow people with this coaster.

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Lightning Rod gets the most hate for the list of 2016 attractions and I can't seem to find why. I can't wait for Dollywood to wow people with this coaster.

 

Ummmm, really?

 

In defense of anyone who has been so skeptical about Opening on-time versus those (like me) who keep cheering Dollywood and RMC to make it just in time, I think that indicates some serious care and excitement about this ride. This is aside from the various national media and social media sources really plugging this ride since its announcement.

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Yeah it doesn't get any hate from me, it's going to be a fantastic roller coaster. I've never been more excited to ride any coaster for the first time as I am for this. I just can't blindly trust the timeframe we have now. Today is the 8th and in ten days they are supposed to have this coaster in opening day condition. I'm probably a pessimist, but I get disappointed less that way

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Dolly could right by saying "end of the month" as to when Lightning Rod will open. She could be choosing her words carefully as to not give the impression of a guarantee.

 

I will wait for an official announcement before writing off Opening Weekend.

This is my thought as well. Remember she's more of a "spokesperson" for the park and is not involved with the detailed operations, so perhaps she just said that knowing that it opens sometime it march and technically the 18th is closer to the "end" than the "beginning."

 

I'll wait for something official from the park. Either way though, Lightning Rod is a pretty aggressive roller coaster with a really tight schedule. Even if it ended up being a few weeks late I don't think it would impact too many things in the long run...

 

 

Robb, do you plan on hitting DW this season?

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Guys for all we know, Dollywood could be testing Lightning Rod right now and just not documenting it online. We know the track is done, and we know the trains were put on the track before the track was done. Wouldn't be surprised if electrical systems were being put in place while crews were installing track. Maybe PR is just waiting for a specific time to release a test video or something similar.

I'm planning on going the last week of March. If for whatever reason Lightning Rod isn't open then, it'll just give me another excuse to go back.

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Exactly, they could very well be testing and the employees telling us otherwise. I would love to have a Dollywood Cabin rented for the next two weeks. That way I could watch any action that goes on down towards the coaster haha. Seeing is believing for those that haven't had a chance to drive the old access road and see this coaster in person, it truly is massive and the most amazing element that my eyes last seen in person was the breaking wave turn. I literally put my car in park and gazed at it, just the way it looks to be tilting over is something in its self.

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^If they're into chicks who are almost dead and half plastic...

 

I guess at 14 anything gets you 'excited.'

You should be forever banned from Dollywood for your hateful remark of our beloved Dolly! (I am assuming you were just joking) However, (If not), You should be banned from using plastic to put fake parts on your fake little car you use as your avatar.

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Exactly, they could very well be testing and the employees telling us otherwise.

 

I'm confused, didn't someone post up close pics of the ride and say they hadnt tested all weekend or today?? there were things on the track (looked like width gauging) and nobody even around, they couldn't have been running it at that point.

 

have to say I've never heard of a park being so secretive about testing, especially after being so open and sharing during all the construction. deliberately keeping everyone in the dark and then suddenly coming up with a sneak-attack "hey the ride's fine and opening on time!" has to be unprecedented in recent times. They don't even respond to questions on their facebook page, doesn't seem like a great way to run your social media in this day and age...

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Exactly, they could very well be testing and the employees telling us otherwise.

 

I'm confused, didn't someone post up close pics of the ride and say they hadnt tested all weekend or today?? there were things on the track (looked like width gauging) and nobody even around, they couldn't have been running it at that point.

 

have to say I've never heard of a park being so secretive about testing, especially after being so open and sharing during all the construction. deliberately keeping everyone in the dark and then suddenly coming up with a sneak-attack "hey the ride's fine and opening on time!" has to be unprecedented in recent times. They don't even respond to questions on their facebook page, doesn't seem like a great way to run your social media in this day and age...

 

Yup! No testing again today. Those bars are still across the track and the train sticking out of the station has not moved.

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So, in these types of situations, what are usually the causes of delayed testing? Does it suggest that there is a problem with the ride? I'm pretty close to the park, so I don't mind a delay.. I'll be there several times this year, but I would be a bit upset about a lack of communication if I was traveling from afar to ride LR on opening weekend.

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^They're just running a little behind schedule, it's not a huge deal. At least the ride is complete and ready to start testing now. I expect it will be open in April.

 

You have to appreciate HFEC's efforts at getting new rides open at the beginning of the season, but sometimes things don't work out as planned.

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