Dollywood Discussion Thread

[dstephe9]

The Christmas event is great.. Especially if you like night coasters.. The Christmas event is the longest dollywood is open after dark.. You normally get 3 hours of after dark rides just keep in mind most of their coasters close at 36 degrees I believe (Give or take a few degrees). This is due to something happening to the wheels when they are cold..

 

I have been to Dwood during December and it never even get close to 36 but I have also been there when as soon as the sun goes down you may have time for one coaster before they are all closed.. Early Dec probably wont be very cold..

 

Their lights are amazing!! They are everywhere and it adds a lot to the park.. They also have a parade right after dark but imo it is pretty lame.. Nothing like a parade you would see at Disney or somewhere.. It last about 5 minutes and is just a few carts.. They also have some good shows during Christmas..

 

Be sure to check out the surrounding areas to like pigeon forge and gatlinburg.. both places also do their lights up very nicely!!

 

As for the coasters, after dark they are all mostly walk-ons if they are still open.. Last year Wild Eagle was the only coaster I was able to hit before 36 degrees.. Waited like 15 mins... The year before I was able to ride Thunderhead, Mystery Mine, Wild Eagle, and Tornado multiple times in the dark.. During the day, even on Saturday they are usually pretty dead with waits under 30 mins.. The Christmas stuff pulls in a huge crowd but most of the crowd isn't there for the rides..

 

Also, just as a tip, if you do plan on riding coasters in the dark hit Tornado first if you want to get all of them and there is a chance it will be cold.. For some reason it closes first so i believe its closing temp is much higher than the others.. If there is a 100 % chance it will be cold, get in line for the coaster you want to ride most.. In my past experience they will try and empty the line before fully closing if it is safe to do so.. That was my case with the Eagle last year, it closed right after I got in line BUT they let everyone already in line ride

[jray21]

Is the temperature limit for certain manufacturers, or is it just a park thing? I know that some parks, like in Japan, will operate with tons of snow on the ground.

[cfc]

^I know that 42 degrees F is the minimum temperature for the B&M rides at BGW, although I've ridden Verbolten on colder nights during Christmas Town.

[dstephe9]

Not sure, one of the ride ops tried to explain it to me so I believe it is from the ride manufacturer but not sure..

 

He said the wheels expand and like to stick making the coasters move slower after the low temps.. Like I said, I believe Tornado even has a higher closing temp than the others bc it always closes before the other 3..

 

I know Dollywood is lower than 42 it is mid 30's.. Last time I was there, when I got on eagle it was 35 but like I said it had already closed they where just emptying the line.. I am pretty sure the ride op at thunderhead said 36 for them and eagle..

 

 

If i had to guess the unsafe temp is actually lower than Dollywood uses as their closing temp.. I believe this is what enables them to empty the lines so maybe the actual unsafe temp is 30 or even lower

[tntornadox]

Each manufacturer sets the operating parameters for coasters in regard to minimum and maximum temperatures. While it is true most guidelines are *very cold* most parks give themselves plenty of cushion to get the rides down gracefully. At Dollywood, each coaster has its own weather station that reads the temperature at that particular location, hence why they don't close all at once. Tornado is at the tip of Craftsman's Valley and is the coldest area due to the convergence of two valleys into the ride perimeter, so it almost always closes first. The others follow 30 minutes to an hour later.

 

Wild Eagle typically stays up longest as its weather station is atop the lift so it takes longer to reach the shutdown temp.

[Garet]

Not sure, one of the ride ops tried to explain it to me so I believe it is from the ride manufacturer but not sure..

 

He said the wheels expand and like to stick making the coasters move slower after the low temps.. Like I said, I believe Tornado even has a higher closing temp than the others bc it always closes before the other 3..

 

I know Dollywood is lower than 42 it is mid 30's.. Last time I was there, when I got on eagle it was 35 but like I said it had already closed they where just emptying the line.. I am pretty sure the ride op at thunderhead said 36 for them and eagle..

 

 

If i had to guess the unsafe temp is actually lower than Dollywood uses as their closing temp.. I believe this is what enables them to empty the lines so maybe the actual unsafe temp is 30 or even lower

 

I think it can depend on ride manufacturer, everland keeps a detailed page listing all conditions for each of its rides on the website , t express is made to close down in quite a small wind when rides that are higher up the mountain and exposed to more winds are still open it can vary a lot between rides: http://www.everland.com/web/multi/english/everland/attractions/popup/pop_attraction_standard.html

[coasterbear30]

Dollywoods steel coasters are supposed to close once it hits 40. Thunderhead will still run until 34 or below. That's what they told us at the holiday event. I have been at least 3 times.

[dstephe9]

I have never been there once when Dollywood closed their steel coasters at 40 (but i try to plan to attend on warmer days at least during the day). Last time I was there it was actually 38 most of the day and the coasters where all open all day until it got dark.. Now the sun hitting the weather stations could have been a factor.. This could have also been due to each ride having their own weather station like mentioned above. I know thunderhead told me all the coasters close at 36 but again its hard to trust all ops and 36 might have just been thunderheads temp.. But like I said last time I was there during Christmas it was supposedly around 38 all day and all the coasters ran until dark. I say supposedly bc I didn't actually have a thermometer on me hhaha.. That was just the weathers reported temp so it may have actually been over 40

 

 

Each manufacturer sets the operating parameters for coasters in regard to minimum and maximum temperatures. While it is true most guidelines are *very cold* most parks give themselves plenty of cushion to get the rides down gracefully. At Dollywood, each coaster has its own weather station that reads the temperature at that particular location, hence why they don't close all at once. Tornado is at the tip of Craftsman's Valley and is the coldest area due to the convergence of two valleys into the ride perimeter, so it almost always closes first. The others follow 30 minutes to an hour later.

 

Wild Eagle typically stays up longest as its weather station is atop the lift so it takes longer to reach the shutdown temp.

 

 

And yeah that has always been my experience as well.. Tornado is always the first to close except last year when I was there, they all closed about 15 mins after dark.. 30 minutes after dark it was in the upper twentys! haha that was the day it was 38 most of the day..

 

Eagle was the only one still running at that time BUT it was closed.. they where just emptying the line.. The other coasters really had no line so they emptied in less than 10 mins.. Needless to say I had left dollywood about 6:30 that night and didn't even look at the lights.. it was just to to cold

[Garet]

Taken from screamscape:

 

Negative-G reports that the Wildfire trains at Silver Dollar City have installed new red brackets into a few select locations on the trains. According to the crew, B&M is working on making some kind of special 5-point harness that amputee guests can wear and be secured to the seat, allowing them to ride. In park testing has not begun, but the crew at Wildfire seemed to think that Dollywood may be testing it on Wild Eagle right now.

 

Does anyone know more or did anyone see these being installed? I'm assuming it's a harness that can hold amputees but can also be used for normal guests otherwise wouldn't those seats be going around empty quite often, i'd be interested in seeing the design on a rollercoaster that wouldn't be overly restricting on movement for a normal rider.

[coasterfreaky]

I haven't seen the ones on WE, but these have been around on other coasters for awhile right?, i seem to remember seeing them before. The one's i've seen are like a small metal bar with holes in it that you can add a strap to...it fastens somehow. But when it's not needed its not in the way of normal operations, so anyone can sit in these seats. Great news really.

[Aceattack52]

So the reason a coaster has to close due to too low of an operating temperature is because of an issue with the wheels? Or is there something else that factors in as well?

[coasterfreaky]

Silver Dollar City has a page about its rides and temps. Dollywood doesn't have one that i can find, but here's SDC's...

 

http://www.silverdollarcity.com/theme-park/attractions/rides/Ride-Temperature-Guidelines.aspx

[kailisun98]

What I don't get is that I've been to a few small parks in Japan near Tokyo and even Hokkaido and they keep their coasters running through the SNOW!!! Its absurd. Its like freezing and yet the coasters operate. Well, technically, they have heatlamps below the station and on the brake run to warm the wheels. But still, its INSANE!!!

[coasterbill]

Silver Dollar City has a page about its rides and temps. Dollywood doesn't have one that i can find, but here's SDC's...

 

http://www.silverdollarcity.com/theme-park/attractions/rides/Ride-Temperature-Guidelines.aspx

 

I find it odd that Fire in the Hole would even be on the list. Does Blazing Fury close due to low temps? Why wouldn't they just heat the building?

[coasterfreaky]

^I've never seen Blazing Fury closed due to cold. It's usually pretty hot and steamy in the station when it's cold outside. I'm not sure why Fire in the Hole would close at 32, that is an odd one.

[ernierocker]

^Especially now that there is no water in the building.

[dstephe9]

So the reason a coaster has to close due to too low of an operating temperature is because of an issue with the wheels? Or is there something else that factors in as well?

 

Yup, thats what I was told..Issues with the wheels.. Dunno how true it is or not but thats what the ride ops said.. Pretty sure he said they expand and cause it to run much slower but again he could have been pulling that out of his you know what

[ThePasswordIsPie]

I just came back from Dollywood. I saw them placing down the track for FireChaser Express

[gerstlaueringvar]

I just came back from Dollywood. I saw them placing down the track for FireChaser Express

Yay! Thanks for the update!

[ThePasswordIsPie]

I was in line for the Wild Eagle. The train was coming back..... And it shut down

Edited November 17, 2013 by ThePasswordIsPie

[DBru]

So the reason a coaster has to close due to too low of an operating temperature is because of an issue with the wheels? Or is there something else that factors in as well?

 

Yup, thats what I was told..Issues with the wheels.. Dunno how true it is or not but thats what the ride ops said.. Pretty sure he said they expand and cause it to run much slower but again he could have been pulling that out of his you know what

 

 

Basically, except cold causes contraction, not expansion.

 

Most coasters run a huge risk of valleying when the temperature is too low, especially if the trains are too light/not full of people. Hence why a lot of coasters that are able to are tested with water dummies on mornings when it isn't warm out or when it's windy. In fact, some coasters won't open at all until the sun/warmth comes out in full force, because they don't have water dummies available and it's too risky to send an empty train.

[HWFan]

So the reason a coaster has to close due to too low of an operating temperature is because of an issue with the wheels? Or is there something else that factors in as well?

 

Yup, thats what I was told..Issues with the wheels.. Dunno how true it is or not but thats what the ride ops said.. Pretty sure he said they expand and cause it to run much slower but again he could have been pulling that out of his you know what

 

I was told that it has to do with the grease used. When it gets cold, it hardens leaving the wheels less lubricated.

[Vonni]

I just came back from Dollywood. I saw them placing down the track for FireChaser Express

 

 

Thats great to hear! Did you take any pics?

[dstephe9]

Was there yesterday and as stated they are laying track for firechaser.. The only track I saw though was the track coming out of the station or showroom, which ever building is currently being built.. No other track, or even stands have been placed yet.. The track is green like in the video. Really, not to much to see.. they had the track covered with clear plastic even and only about 5 foot was coming out of the building

 

Also eagle did go down on Saturday but was only down for a little while maybe an hr. Don't know why it keeps going down but looks like another poster said it went down Friday to. I noticed when I rode it Saturday night they where having station problems.. It didn't want to line up with the gates so the op kept saying "reset" and everyone touched their "buttons" and the train inched fwd about a foot.. They did this 90% of the time when the train came into the station.. Maybe this is whats causing it to go down

 

The park was PACKED.. When I got there shortly after 1 they where already parking in G and H lot (Splash Country lower Lots).. At that time all the coasters where a walk-on with Eagle being a 5 minute wait.. Oddly enough blazing furys line was out the door and down the hill!!! I waited and came back to fury around dark and it only had a 5 minute wait.. I like how they put Christmas lights inside fury! After dark the coasters had a surge of riders!! I hit tornado first and it had a 15 minute wait.. Next I hit Eagle and its line was out the door which is between 45 - 1 hr.. I think it took us about 50 minutes.. MM also had a 45 min wait after dark so I skipped it and Thunderhead was a walk-on after dark but mainly bc it had all trains running unlike the other coasters except eagle (Eagle had all trains like always)

 

The shows stayed full all day but I finally was able to see a Smoky mountain Christmas and it was decent.

 

Leaving the park was the worse.. The line for the trams was all the way down to the ticket booth. For us in G and H we had to get off in lot F and catch a special tram to G and H.. This was bc dollywood didn't want all the trams crossing traffic to get to splash country while a lot of guest where trying to leave.. I noticed some people parked in G and H where getting off at Tram stop D & E and just crossing the HWY to splash country.. This was probably a good Idea that some of you may want to use if you park in G and H

 

Overall I had a lot of fun!! Temp was great! Just a very very busy day.. I have never had to park in splash country to visit dollywood! haha

[coasterfreaky]

^I was so tempted to go Saturday but i was worried about the crowds. I've experienced some 'fish-tailing' in the back seat of the tram (4 car Chance tram) coming down the hill from Splash Country's parking lot before...it was wild and scary at all the same time.

 

Your report reminded me of the other Weather Condition that Dollywood has and that is that they go to One Train Operation when it gets down to 45 Degrees - for Wild Eagle, Thunderhead & Tornado. So that can really make the lines long long long...and they don't do a very good of job of explaining this either.

 

this post is from Nozzy back in oct 15, 2012 -

Last year I was told by operators that

-Coasters open when the temperature is above 40 degrees

-Coasters close when the temperature drops below 36 degrees

-Flats (or at least the Screamin' Swing) close when the temperature is below 32 degrees.

 

All rides should be open except the water rides, and Adventure Mountain closes at dusk. I went twice last year, and could get plenty of rides in and then switch to shows when it got chillier and the coasters closed. You should have a blast!

 

I think most of the rides in the County Fair section can operate under 32, it's worth checking out if you're at the park and the coasters start shutting down.

 

And my last tip is to Wear a Hoodie! Dollywood has a No Hats policy, so no hats on the coasters....hoodies are good though.