Dollywood Discussion Thread

[coastersandhockey]

3 hours ago, AmyUD06 said:

The vests acted like every other B&M vest restraint I've been on did....so that's Valravn, Gatekeeper, and Banshee.  I'm not sure what you mean by "lock;"  Do you mean "impossible to tighten during the ride?"  I didn't notice mine tighten at all, but I usually don't.

Mystery Mine was a fun ride but the nature of the layout is going to produce some headbanging no matter how well its running.  I had 2-4 times of distinct head-to-restraint impact, and I am 5'6".

Go to Big Bear Mountain early.  This ride will get substantial lines and Timesaver does not work on it as of yet (unless this changed in the past week).  I'd also hit Dragonflier early while you're over there too.

Thunderhead is easily the star of this park, but if you've been there before, you know that.

I haven't ridden Thunderhead since before any of the trackwork so I'm very excited as I already liked it. 

As far as the vest restraints, the vests used to lock in place when the ride left the station, meaning you couldn't really move around much. They had absolutely zero give. Gatekeeper did the same it's opening year. So the above post is wonderful news. Thanks!

[teacherkim]

FYI - at the CoasterCon banquet Pete Owens and Eugene Naughton confirmed that they are looking at ways to improve the reliability of LR including the possibility of changing the lift hill mechanics. When asked if they were committed to keeping it a launch the answer was a clear and emphatic "no". I also talked to someone who did a VIP tour that included lunch with Pete Owens and according to that individual he discussed that they were looking at switching it over to a fast chain lift. While the extreme enthusiasts groaned a bit at this news (which in my opinion irritated the higher ups a bit but they were clearly expecting it) they did explain, and I clearly understand their perspective, that they just could not continue to have a $20+ million attraction that was only operational 65% of the time; which is probably a bout the percentage it was open during our 3 and a  half days there. We personally witnessed 2 rollbacks, heard about a few more, saw them waffle back and forth with 1 train versus 2 train ops, etc. 

[grsupercity]

I dont think LR's lift is any faster then say Skyrushes 

[neilnky]

I have put out two hummingbird feeders this year and love watching them. I got to thinking it would be cool to have a dark ride at Dollywood with a hummingbird theme or something hummingbird themed.  Is that a tacky idea lol. Just loving my hummingbirds and thought it would be cool to experience their flight.

[Chiselphane]

 

On 6/29/2023 at 1:13 PM, neilnky said:

I have put out two hummingbird feeders this year and love watching them. I got to thinking it would be cool to have a dark ride at Dollywood with a hummingbird theme or something hummingbird themed.  Is that a tacky idea lol. Just loving my hummingbirds and thought it would be cool to experience their flight.

Not at all. It would fit with their aesthetic, and they don't have many dark rides  . Bring it up to them! https://www.dollywood.com/contact-us/

[grsupercity]

On 6/29/2023 at 2:13 PM, neilnky said:

I have put out two hummingbird feeders this year and love watching them. I got to thinking it would be cool to have a dark ride at Dollywood with a hummingbird theme or something hummingbird themed.  Is that a tacky idea lol. Just loving my hummingbirds and thought it would be cool to experience their flight.

humming birds freak me out. Like a big bumblebee attacking wanting eye juices 

[Habreno]

Boom, haunted hummingbird dark ride

[neilnky]

Lol.  I was thinking a nice themed indoor coaster with a big hummingbird or two on the building maybe even a hummingbird statue like Wild Eagle.  I was watching Shawn and Charlotte's visit to Busch Gardens Williamsburg (other than returning to Dollywood, SDC, and Disney that is a park I would love to go visit as I have not been yet) and they had that one indoor coaster with a vertical drop.  That would be cool as hummingbirds can go straight up and down.  It would be like a "happy" colorful indoor coaster with bright flowers on screens and wildflower scenes everywhere like you were a hummingbird flying around Wildwood Grove visiting the fairies, Benjamin Bear, or heck even the rest of the park.  Hummingbirds remind me of little fairly like creatures . Oh well I can dream Pete or someone reads this and likes the idea.  I do think it would fit the area, be colorful, adventurous, and happy ! It is easy to dream about how to spend other people's money isn't it lol.

[teacherkim]

On 7/1/2023 at 10:48 AM, grsupercity said:

humming birds freak me out. Like a big bumblebee attacking wanting eye juices 

Got a hummingbird tangled in my hair once when putting my feeder out. She was so anxious to get me to leave it and go away and was dive bombing my head, add a little wind blowing my hair a bit and she was temporarily caught like a fly in a spiders web. Eventually we were separate with no harm to either of us. True story.

[teacherkim]

3 hours ago, neilnky said:

Lol.  I was thinking a nice themed indoor coaster with a big hummingbird or two on the building maybe even a hummingbird statue like Wild Eagle.  I was watching Shawn and Charlotte's visit to Busch Gardens Williamsburg (other than returning to Dollywood, SDC, and Disney that is a park I would love to go visit as I have not been yet) and they had that one indoor coaster with a vertical drop.  That would be cool as hummingbirds can go straight up and down.  It would be like a "happy" colorful indoor coaster with bright flowers on screens and wildflower scenes everywhere like you were a hummingbird flying around Wildwood Grove visiting the fairies, Benjamin Bear, or heck even the rest of the park.  Hummingbirds remind me of little fairly like creatures . Oh well I can dream Pete or someone reads this and likes the idea.  I do think it would fit the area, be colorful, adventurous, and happy ! It is easy to dream about how to spend other people's money isn't it lol.

We talked to Shawn and Charlotte at Dollywood. My son was one of the ride ops on the log flume at SFSTL when they were there and they remembered him and kindly stopped and spoke to us for a few minutes when we spotted them coming away from Thunderhead/MM area as we were heading toward it.

[prozach626]

You'd be better off emailing the creator of openRCT2 than annoying park management about a hummingbird themed ride.

 

Glad to hear Dollywood is considering a lift hill. I just hope they don't try anything innovative, to be honest. Just keep it simple so people can expect the ride to be open. Make a tribute to the old lift by doing an eternal flame near a "This ride is temporarily closed" sign.....

 

It may have been worth the drive just to see all of the coaster people get upset at the answer to the lift hill question.

 

Side story: When I was a kid my friend shot a hummingbird with an airsoft pistol. Although I was sad, I couldn't help but admire the skill I witnessed.

[tndank]

I've heard rumors of an announcement in Oct. Convert remaining track and lift hill changes.  I suspect they will have to start working on it around then. 

[teacherkim]

On 7/6/2023 at 12:17 PM, prozach626 said:

You'd be better off emailing the creator of openRCT2 than annoying park management about a hummingbird themed ride.

 

Glad to hear Dollywood is considering a lift hill. I just hope they don't try anything innovative, to be honest. Just keep it simple so people can expect the ride to be open. Make a tribute to the old lift by doing an eternal flame near a "This ride is temporarily closed" sign.....

 

It may have been worth the drive just to see all of the coaster people get upset at the answer to the lift hill question.

 

Side story: When I was a kid my friend shot a hummingbird with an airsoft pistol. Although I was sad, I couldn't help but admire the skill I witnessed.

To be fair it wasn't a lot of people, just a dedicated few, but the higher ups were clearly expecting and dreading the question. There was also more than one discussion that I heard about whether or not the speed of the lift hill would have any impact on the rest of the ride or if it just needed to clear the top. On a funnier note, toward the end of the morning ert session when we were still in the station but the early entry gp had started to file in.............sure enough the train right before we're due to get on has a rollback. The Ace Con thoosies being what they are were all excited about the rollback and subsequent evac, taking pictures, one couple thanking the people that had let them go first, etc, etc, etc. The completely bewildered gp woman next to me in line said with incredulity "are they HAPPY that the ride broke and went back down the hill". I started to explain to her why that was the case but in the end just gave up, said yes and shrugged 

On 7/6/2023 at 1:54 PM, tndank said:

I've heard rumors of an announcement in Oct. Convert remaining track and lift hill changes.  I suspect they will have to start working on it around then. 

I would not be the slightest bit surprised at that timeline. They are going to want to make the change and do the required testing in time for next summer at the latest.

[prozach626]

If I had someone trying to explain the inner workings of something I didn't care about, I probably wouldn't pay enough attention to understand, either.

[teacherkim]

8 hours ago, prozach626 said:

If I had someone trying to explain the inner workings of something I didn't care about, I probably wouldn't pay enough attention to understand, either.

Trust me, I'm well aware. I taught middle school history for 28 years. Hence why I gave up before I really even started and just gave her a one word answer.

[CoasterNerd87]

First time visit set for Monday, should I wait to buy a TimeSaver at the park or get it ahead of time? 

[tndank]

How much are you looking to ride?  Lines here generally aren't terrible during the week.  This is especially true the first hour or two and the last couple of hours.  

Get there early and stay all day. Skip the TimeSaver.  Probably still be able to ride everything multiple times.

[CoasterNerd87]

I don't have much of a trip report in terms of rides as Dollywood was absolutely slammed! Big Bear is a lot of fun and will only get better as the landscaping grows in around it. Caught an absolutely rare day with Lightning Rod where is opened 30 minutes late and I never saw it go down in the app. That is one hell of a coaster. The park is beautiful and have some of the friendliest employees I have come across. 

[tndank]

Lightning Rod is closing on Oct 30th for a high speed chain lift to be installed.  Top speed will remain the same.

Also getting new trains.

https://twitter.com/Dollywood

 

[TEDodd]

43 minutes ago, tndank said:

Lightning Rod is closing on the 30th for a high speed chain lift to be installed.  Top speed will remain the same.

https://twitter.com/Dollywood

 

October 30th, not September 30th.

Sadness.

[mikeykaise]

51 minutes ago, tndank said:

Lightning Rod is closing on Oct 30th for a high speed chain lift to be installed.  Top speed will remain the same.

Also getting new trains.

https://twitter.com/Dollywood

 

No surprise honestly, they were bound to do something to improve, great ride and love it, and I'm sure it will still be great.

[JJLehto]

3 hours ago, tndank said:

Lightning Rod is closing on Oct 30th for a high speed chain lift to be installed.  Top speed will remain the same.

Also getting new trains.

https://twitter.com/Dollywood

 

Shame but I suppose not surprising, and how much longer could they let the thing run like that if not getting worse. Still s a shame, that start is something else (and I know I was bummed I never experienced the OG version before it let up a bit) but yeah the ride will still be great and unchanged for most of it. Depending how fast the lift is it'll still be a fun start. 

May see if I can squeeze a trip in before the 30th just to get a last run on it (and I never got to Big Bear last time, arrived too late and lines were massive) 

[prozach626]

I wonder if they'll claim the world's fastest chain lift. That would be some great marketing.

[KBrylczyk]

About dang time.  I'm surprised it's taken this long to swap to a chain or cable lift.  They knew from the first signs of trouble that the launch motors kept shifting with the structure but they insisted on keeping it for some reason.

All that to say, I got to ride this bad boy in it's second year and it was wacky, especially the night rides.  There's nothing but inky blackness on the far side of the hill.

[CaptainUnknown]

51 minutes ago, prozach626 said:

I wonder if they'll claim the world's fastest chain lift. That would be some great marketing.

They'd have to beat boost mode on Tornado at Bakken. Which I don't think anyone* would have a problem with. 

 

*Except whiny thoosies who bemoan that it's "no longer a launch."