Dollywood Discussion Thread

[u4icmusic]

On 11/27/2021 at 8:07 PM, IzzyB said:

I have been pretty lucky myself.  Almost all of my visits it is open and each vacation it has always been open at least one day.  I actually have less luck with Mine Train.  I think what helps us is a lot of our visits are in the first week of the park being open in March or June during Covid.  But we went this year in June and it was open.

The main issue with Lighting Rod now is that they are only using one train at all times and load times are extremely slow causing very long wait times. This coaster was designed to run with two trains so one can load while the other is on the track and without the second train running, the wait times are doubled. The ride is too short and not that great to wait 2 plus hours for.

[grsupercity]

RMC has had ties with Vekoma, S&S, Chance and Intamin. You would think Vekoma could come in and fix whatever seems to be the issue 

[I306]

I visited the park for the first time since March on Saturday. Lightning Rod was down intermittently throughout the day, but they were able to reopen it relatively quickly each time. The coaster was definitely smoother than this time last year, but when compared to its opening season, it’s noticeably tamer — still the best ride at the park, though. I do hope they are able to reintroduce the second train someday, because that line is brutal otherwise. A TimeSaver pass is a must (or the single rider line).

[BotanicalStig]

Wow.. Lightning rod still doesn't work? I went for a 3 day trip opening year and rode it twice (lucky us!). Everytime we saw it go, we RAN to it. Got denied a ride countless times. What a POS. 

 

I really wonder what the issue is... I know it was speculated to be electrical/sensor issues at the launch & station. I wonder if RMC even knows what's wrong with it at this point. 

[tndank]

It's running. It's just goes down now and again like every other coaster. Last month and most of this season have been fine.

[SharkTums]

1 hour ago, tndank said:

It's running. It's just goes down now and again like every other coaster. Last month and most of this season have been fine.

Whoa whoa, no...not like 'every other coaster'.  Unless every other coaster is Dragster, Deja Vu, Hang Time...

[BRTeller]

2 hours ago, tndank said:

It's running. It's just goes down now and again like every other coaster. Last month and most of this season have been fine.

I've heard the horror stories, but the five or so trips (Probably 15 days total) we've been to the park since it's opened I've only experienced one break down with us on it on our first ride. I think two years ago when we went for Christmas it also went down for weather for one of the days, but overall we've been lucky I suppose. It seems that when it is running, it runs well, just the periods it goes down for are extended. The launch is great, but the ride is great with or without it in my opinion. I could really see them ditching it after the re tracking didn't work, or completely work I should say.

[TEDodd]

Last Wed would have been a good day to be there.

 

[Taylor Finn]

One thing that has always frustrated me about Lightning Rod, even when running two trains, is the time it takes for the train to get from the brake run into the station after a train dispatches. By the time the gates open to load guests, the other train is already completing its circuit. If you design roller coasters, shouldn't this be a MAJOR priority? Obviously parks like Disney don't mess around with this. They have separate unloading areas and trains move very quickly into the station.

Just a musing. It applies to other coasters but is especially noticeable on LR.

[TEDodd]

1 hour ago, Taylor Finn said:

One thing that has always frustrated me about Lightning Rod, even when running two trains, is the time it takes for the train to get from the brake run into the station after a train dispatches. By the time the gates open to load guests, the other train is already completing its circuit. If you design roller coasters, shouldn't this be a MAJOR priority?

I think it's just how short the ride is also with how slow it is to unload/load.
I've usually sat just outside the platform, not on the brake run.

A separate unloading platform would help, but add a lot of cost both construction and personnel.

The last time I rode with 2 train ops (Nov 2019) it was moving pretty good and they lines weren't very long.

[Taylor Finn]

28 minutes ago, TEDodd said:

I think it's just how short the ride is also with how slow it is to unload/load.
I've usually sat just outside the platform, not on the brake run.

A separate unloading platform would help, but add a lot of cost both construction and personnel.

The last time I rode with 2 train ops (Nov 2019) it was moving pretty good and they lines weren't very long.

I'm definitely not asking for a separate unload. The train just CRAWLS back into the station. At a pace that is just unacceptable, IMO. RMC could absolutely design a faster system. And it would probably improve speed of dispatch (whether running 1 or 2 trains) by a healthy bit. Just seems like it should be a priority of manufacturers and parks, as it is doesn't cost them anything in OPEX but improves the dispatches.

[southpuddle]

Yeah, somewhere along the line after Arrow left the scene, coasters went from whizzing right into the station right at the end of the ride to a 20-30 second long production of inching along a half-mile brake run into the station. I don’t get it either. 

[Rai Fox]

2 hours ago, southpuddle said:

Yeah, somewhere along the line after Arrow left the scene, coasters went from whizzing right into the station right at the end of the ride to a 20-30 second long production of inching along a half-mile brake run into the station. I don’t get it either. 

Which is even stranger when you consider that Lightning Rod was designed by the same person as the Arrow across the park...

[megan]

DW is getting called out a lit right now by passholders for their seemingly “sudden” switch to making reservations required again. They really need to get their operations under control going into next “normal” year or they are going to further erode their “good guys” image. They seem like they have struggled this year to have a consistent operating message. 

[u4icmusic]

On 12/6/2021 at 5:03 PM, tndank said:

It's running. It's just goes down now and again like every other coaster. Last month and most of this season have been fine.

It has not been running fine this season. It is mostly down and when it is open the lines are horrendous because they are only using one train. I was there yesterday and it was down right after it opened for the day, which was already short because the park didn't open until 2 pm. I was lucky to be walking by when it reopened at 4 pm and got in two rides. The first ride, we barely made it over the first hill, while the second time we shot over the first hill much faster. It seems to me the speed going over the first hill should be the same every time. I was asked at the parking booth if I had a reservation, but not at the gate.

[coasterbill]

On 12/7/2021 at 3:40 PM, Rai Fox said:

Which is even stranger when you consider that Lightning Rod was designed by the same person as the Arrow across the park...

When I think of coasters that haul ass back into the station and definitely don't take 100 years to get there, I think of Tennessee Tornado.

22 minutes ago, megan said:

DW is getting called out a lit right now by passholders for their seemingly “sudden” switch to making reservations required again. They really need to get their operations under control going into next “normal” year or they are going to further erode their “good guys” image. They seem like they have struggled this year to have a consistent operating message. 

It seems like they struggle more and more every year with operating a theme park well, but you can say that for a lot of companies right now.

[Hilltopper39]

46 minutes ago, megan said:

DW is getting called out a lit right now by passholders for their seemingly “sudden” switch to making reservations required again. They really need to get their operations under control going into next “normal” year or they are going to further erode their “good guys” image. They seem like they have struggled this year to have a consistent operating message. 

We've got tickets for a few weeks from now and I kinda freaked out a bit when I read the post about the reservations, but daily tickets have a reservation  already included. I'm a bit out of the loop but haven't reservations been required for a while now? Maybe they haven't been checking or enforcing them or something but seems like every time I've gone to the website over the past several months there's been a disclaimer about reservations being required. 

[bert425]

1 hour ago, u4icmusic said:

It has not been running fine this season. It is mostly down and when it is open the lines are horrendous because they are only using one train. I was there yesterday and it was down right after it opened for the day, which was already short because the park didn't open until 2 pm. I was lucky to be walking by when it reopened at 4 pm and got in two rides. The first ride, we barely made it over the first hill, while the second time we shot over the first hill much faster. It seems to me the speed going over the first hill should be the same every time. I was asked at the parking booth if I had a reservation, but not at the gate.

[megan]

10 hours ago, coasterbill said:

It seems like they struggle more and more every year with operating a theme park well, but you can say that for a lot of companies right now.

Not sure why Kings Island can run on no reservations this year and pull off a reservation-free Christmas event and Dollywood is struggling with guest experience so much.

[megan]

10 hours ago, Hilltopper39 said:

We've got tickets for a few weeks from now and I kinda freaked out a bit when I read the post about the reservations, but daily tickets have a reservation  already included. I'm a bit out of the loop but haven't reservations been required for a while now? Maybe they haven't been checking or enforcing them or something but seems like every time I've gone to the website over the past several months there's been a disclaimer about reservations being required. 

I think thats the issue - Its on the website, but they've not been checking - even telling people they "suggest" but don't require, then overnight earlier this week they became "mandatory" again right as they have bee pushing season pass sales - now people that bought to "take advantage of Smokey Mtn Christmas this year".... can't because so many days are already sold out. I just think this park needs to get a handle on a lot of things as they keep growing and chasing a bigger and bigger slice of the tourism pie.

[u4icmusic]

3 hours ago, megan said:

Not sure why Kings Island can run on no reservations this year and pull off a reservation-free Christmas event and Dollywood is struggling with guest experience so much.

Because Dollywood's pay is crap. There are so many employers in the area starting people out at higher wages, like Cedar Fair parks are. They realized quickly that they had to up their wages to keep the park staffed. Dollywood is doing nothing to entice workers to the park. The employees they have left are being worked to death. Dollywood doesn't realize or care that this is a negative for guests at the park. Nobody wants to wait 90 minutes for a hot dog, but that is what is happening at Dollywood this season.

[megan]

31 minutes ago, u4icmusic said:

Because Dollywood's pay is crap. There are so many employers in the area starting people out at higher wages, like Cedar Fair parks are. They realized quickly that they had to up their wages to keep the park staffed. Dollywood is doing nothing to entice workers to the park. The employees they have left are being worked to death. Dollywood doesn't realize or care that this is a negative for guests at the park. Nobody wants to wait 90 minutes for a hot dog, but that is what is happening at Dollywood this season.

That’s why we didn’t do season passes on our “every other year” plan. We live in Cincinnati and alternate with KI, but this year we are skipping Dollywood until they get their act together. And I love all these people saying “Dolly needs to know what’s going on” LOL Like she cares about the day to day running of the business venture she’s a part owner of! 

[TEDodd]

4 hours ago, megan said:

I think thats the issue - Its on the website, but they've not been checking 

Checking really seemed to restart in October.

But 2 weeks out I had no issue reserving Wed, Fri, and Sat the week of Thanksgiving. Finding a place to stay with dogs was harder.

 

Earlier this week someone complained so I looked and only the weekend of the 18th was full. Every other day left in Dec was green.

 

[megan]

5 hours ago, TEDodd said:

Checking really seemed to restart in October.

But 2 weeks out I had no issue reserving Wed, Fri, and Sat the week of Thanksgiving. Finding a place to stay with dogs was harder.

 

Earlier this week someone complained so I looked and only the weekend of the 18th was full. Every other day left in Dec was green.

 

Right. There’s perception and reality in social media land, but when you have a free bring a friend incentive that ends in the 19th that was used to sell passes, they should’ve expected that weekend to “sell out”. If you wanted to go that weekend to use those incentives, then the fact that later weekends are available is pretty much moot. 

[tndank]

I think it's a bit crazy how they flipped on reservations, especially considering it's the opposite at SDC. You can make reservations but they don't matter and you will have to wait when they hit cap even with them.