Dollywood Discussion Thread

[tntornadox]

I still hold that the drop will be more than 110'... into a valley.

[dragonskeep]

Eagles Fortress 2. But really it would be cool to use the terrain going down and then launch back up to the top. It would also be cool if it had a moonshine type theme and be inversionless if possible.

[coasterfreaky]

I went this morning. Loved Barnstormer, a great addition. The 2012 area...the only clearing in sight was behind Blazing Fury, right behind the construction walls.

barnstormer envelope.bmp

barnstormer!

barnstormer from queue.bmp

from the queue.

barnstormer overview.bmp

overview

slidewinder entrance.bmp

slidewinder entrance

ride envelope.bmp

ride envelope

project 2012 construction1.bmp

Project 2012

project 2012 construction2.bmp

Project 2012

project 2012 construction3.bmp

Project 2012

project 2012 construction4.bmp

Project 2012

[Intimidator305]

Thanks for the update! Barnstormer and the whole Owens Farm area looks great, can't wait to get down there to try it out! As for the 2012 project, I can't believe that they cleared the trees that close to the side of Blazing Fury. Hopefully a building goes in front of it or they theme the side of it. As for the actual coaster, I could see it going up following the maitenance road path since it isn't as steep. This project is definitely going to be interesting!

[ernierocker]

^^Thanks for the report. Couldn't really tell from the photo, but how did they modify the entrance to the Mountain Slidewinder?

Edited March 27, 2011 by ernierocker

[coasterfreaky]

^Slidewinder, everything from the wooden steps up to the ride station looked the same. It was running, but i did not ride it. In the picture, the entrance to Barnstormer is on the right, and then the path on the left to Slidewinder seemed to be improved with new paint, signage, concrete and landscaping. It deserved a more impressive entrance and it got it.

 

And i didn't get a good picture of the kids water play area, it is to the immediate left when you enter the area from Showstreet side.

 

OH, ALSO! Blazing Fury has a Q-bot entrance now. Off to the right side of the entrance.

 

Barnstormer is really cool. You get about five or six good swings. I definitely noticed the magnets that slowed the ride at the end. I rode Skyhawk@CP its first year and the magnets were the biggest difference to me...not a big deal. Otherwise, very similar on the thrill scale. I thought the tallest swings on Barnstormer were pretty intense. I rode in the ADA seat once, the only difference was the center 'cup' piece was missing...the seat seemed the same size as the others. I was impressed with the automatic doors on the station and exits and i thought the crew was great. I think we rode six or seven times in each of the seats. There wasn't any waiting today.

[ernierocker]

Hmm, I thought Pete Owens said they were going to reconfigure the entrance to Slidewinder making it easier to get up to the loading platform. Oh well, that area definitely looks great now!

[Shavethewhales]

Barnstormer is really cool. You get about five or six good swings.

 

Nice, I knew they were still improving the design. The SDC verison only gives you about 3 proper swings, and they aren't even that intense. From the sounds of it, they really improved a lot of the systems on this model making it more efficient all around.

 

Interesting to see the clearing, but I can't picture anything there yet. This will definitely be an interesting year watching the clearing progress.

[disneymoc]

Hmm, I thought Pete Owens said they were going to reconfigure the entrance to Slidewinder making it easier to get up to the loading platform. Oh well, that area definitely looks great now!

 

I may have confused that!

[disneymoc]

From Pete Owens FB Page:

we made the big announcement today that Dollywood would be making its 2012 announcement at #boomsday11. This may be an unprecedented effort.

 

It is the largest fireworks event in the Southeast. It is the Sunday of Labor Day in Knoxville. There are typically about 3-400,000 people there.

[coasterfreaky]

^ I heard that on the news and i thought that was an odd way to bury the real headline! Boomsday is Sunday September 4th, 2011, for those who want to note it on their calendars!

[shivtim]

At Winter Warm-up at SFoG, a Dollywood rep mentioned they would be making the announcement at an event with 400,000 people in attendence. At first I thought it might be a NASCAR or Indy race, but then I saw Bristol only holds about 150,000. So this clears a few things up! And hopefully an announcement at a fireworks event bodes well for a powderkeg type ride!

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Doing a press release at a fireworks show would lead me to think the announcement will have something to do with "explosions" translating to a launch ride. So I'll go with all the powder keg ideas that people have. I'm really excited to see this park grow.

[tiger01]

Saw this on GCIs Facebook page regarding the 2012 roller coaster...

gci.bmp

 

This is the article questioned...

PIGEON FORGE — There weren’t many details and there was no discussion as the Pigeon Forge Planning Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the proposal for Dollywood’s 2012 addition.

 

Not even a name was assigned to the new ride, which one planning staffer has said looks in draft plans like some type of roller coaster, as it was presented to the group. Still, there was some additional information beyond what the site plans in the planning office provide revealed by the engineer who presented the proposal, which requires approval by the planning group as does most any addition to a property in the city.

 

Vision Engineering and Development Services staffer Guy Wantiez told the group it will be a large project near the intersection of the Wilderness Pass and Craftsman’s Valley areas, at the entrance of Sky Zip. Work is expected to begin even while the park is open for the season, which starts Friday.

 

“A large portion of that is located outside the public area, so we can get started on it early,” Wantiez said.

 

Typically work at the park has only been possible during the stretch from January to late March when it is closed.

 

The site plan approved by the group shows considerable excavation that will have to be done on the hill below the Sky Zip platforms to carve out a place for the ride. It also depicts a lengthy and winding ride track, the relocation of a few buildings, and plans to construct a couple new ones. One of those structures is being considered for a retail space, Wantiez said.

 

At its highest, the attraction will stand 11 feet. The project has already received approval for its stormwater impacts from state regulators, Wantiez said.

 

Outside that there weren’t many secrets given away about “Dollywood addition 2012,” as it has been billed in the plans. Park spokesman Pete Owens has said there will be some hype for the new ride starting perhaps as early as April. The full announcement, which Owens said will be unlike anything ever done to promote a planned theme park addition, is expected in the summer.

 

The group also voted to approve:

 

Special Events

 

n Job fair at The Christmas Place at Bell Tower Square, 2470 Parkway, April 17-19

 

n 25th anniversary celebration for The Christmas Place, June 15

 

n Chevy Classic at The Inn at Christmas Place, 119 Christmas Tree Lane, May 20-21

 

n 35th Annual Smoky Mountain Fun Fest Parade on the Parkway, sponsored by the Kerbela Shrine Center, May 7

 

n King of the Smokies Triathlon Sporting Event at the Community Center and on the City Park Greenway, Aug. 27

 

n Sevier Heights Baptist Church South Dakota mission fundraiser at the Conner Hill Motor Lodge, 3921 Parkway, April 15-16

 

n Vietnam Veterans Line Haul Reunion at Twin Mountain Inn and Suites, 4120 Hitching Post Lane, May 16-22

 

n 26th Annual Dolly’s Homecoming Parade on the Parkway from River Road to Wears Valley Road, May 6

 

n American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Community Walk on the city greenway and in the Old Mill Area, Oct. 1

 

Planned Unit Development

 

n Joy Restaurant Group mixed-use development at the corner of Lafollette Circle and the Parkway

 

Site Plan

 

n Duncan’s Clothing at 2668 Parkway

 

Miscellaneous

 

n Minor zoning text amendments to the proposed C-6 Mixed Use Commercial District regulations.

 

The board opted to reject a few of the requests before it, as well.

 

A proposal for a planned unit development that called for the construction of a warehouse complex at the corner of CA King Boulevard and Keegan Drive was turned down on staff concerns about road access and errors on the maps. A site plan to bring a furniture store on Veterans Boulevard into compliance after lengthy operations without city approval was given a thumbs-down, also on worries of the planning staff and with no one there to represent it.

 

Acting as the Board of Zoning Appeals, the group turned down a request for a taller sign that allowed from Riverstone Resort. A variance appeal on signs from River Road Pancake House, a new business set to move into the BP Gas Super-center Complex on the Parkway near Jake Thomas Boulevard, was withdrawn when the board seemed on track to deny it.

 

 

 

Read more: The Mountain Press - Planners OK 2012 addition for Dollywood

[coasterfreaky]

^I'm sure they're as anxious as we are to find out. Thunderhead is a GCI, so having two in one park would be pretty unlikely.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

I agree. Unless GCI is adding to their products offered.... Doubtful, but its possible.

[disneymoc]

Going to DOllywood tomorrow. I plan on posting a trip report sometime early next week.

[alpengeist04]

I agree. Unless GCI is adding to their products offered.... Doubtful, but its possible.

 

 

I agree. Then again, Hershey park does have Wildcat and Lightning Racer.

[tiger01]

I agree. Unless GCI is adding to their products offered.... Doubtful, but its possible.

 

 

I agree. Then again, Hershey park does have Wildcat and Lightning Racer.

 

But Dollywood dosn't seem like the park that would do that.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Yes, and if this is indeed a wooden coaster, then it would be totally different then Thunderhead. This would be closer to a terrain coaster. Still, id love to see GCI tackle a steel coaster.

[tiger01]

Yes, and if this is indeed a wooden coaster, then it would be totally different then Thunderhead. This would be closer to a terrain coaster. Still, id love to see GCI tackle a steel coaster.

That would never happen.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

^LOL, and Intimin would never make a wood coaster either...just saying.

[chickenbowl]

^Intamin has been making wood coasters since 1981, with American Eagle, when their first coaster, Jr. Gemini, was made in 1979.

[Ed Farmer]

/\ One of Intamin's first coasters was the wooden American Eagle in 1981 and they've built 5 or 6 more of them over the years before they started with the pre-fab.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Haha, ok, I didnt know they made them before the pre-fabs. Still, it was just a wish.

Edited March 31, 2011 by COASTER FREAK 11