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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 about 3 weeks away from my first trip to Dollywood. Quick question: For a family of six (arriving in a minivan) is the extra incremental charge for "Preferred Parking" worth it? How much of a benefit would you say it is?

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This has to be a PR nightmare for the park. I heard a lot of complaining waiting for the tram back to the lots.

Oh no no. According to this thread there are NO PR nightmares and saying anything negative is insulting and whining. This park and RMC has gotten the biggest "get out of jail free" card on this NOT DEBACLE.

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I'm about 3 weeks away from my first trip to Dollywood. Quick question: For a family of six (arriving in a minivan) is the extra incremental charge for "Preferred Parking" worth it? How much of a benefit would you say it is?

They have tram service in the regular lots that is very quick and free. I'd just park in the regular lot and take a tram.. preferred parking might be good if you plan to return to your car several times during the day

 

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Edited by dstephe9
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This has to be a PR nightmare for the park. I heard a lot of complaining waiting for the tram back to the lots.

Oh no no. According to this thread there are NO PR nightmares and saying anything negative is insulting and whining. This park and RMC has gotten the biggest "get out of jail free" card on this NOT DEBACLE.

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I'm about 3 weeks away from my first trip to Dollywood. Quick question: For a family of six (arriving in a minivan) is the extra incremental charge for "Preferred Parking" worth it? How much of a benefit would you say it is?

 

It means you can walk to the entrance, instead of taking the tram. However, the walk to the tram in your lot is often shorter than the walk from preferred parking to the gate. Preferred helps if you frequently visit your car, don't want to wait 10 minutes for a tram at park closing, or want to give more money to Dollywood.

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I'm about 3 weeks away from my first trip to Dollywood. Quick question: For a family of six (arriving in a minivan) is the extra incremental charge for "Preferred Parking" worth it? How much of a benefit would you say it is?

 

While handy, it's a steep hill from the gate to the lot.

 

Only busses/shuttles allowed down by the gate.

 

I like not having go wait on the tram, but after a long day that hill can be rough, especially if you have little ones.

 

Valet is nicer since drop-off/pick-up is right at the main entrance.

No hill to climb. With a few under 6 or 7 I'd go that route.

 

Or just take the tram to a normal lot.

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Finally, after several heartbreaking attempts, i got my first ride on Lightning Rod! It was worth every bit of pain, misery, sorrow, and frustration that came with getting the ride in. I waited in line yesterday for a couple of hours, through a few bouts of downtime ( one of them pretty extended ) only to lead to alot of folks giving up hope and leaving the queue ( as i have done before ). This time there would be no getting out of line for me, as i was on a mission to ride that M F'er come hell or high water, even i had to stay in that line all day. As us potential riders had just went through the extended bit of downtime, it was extremely upsetting to see it go back down after only three launches. This gave most of people in front of me the whole f+@k it feeling and they just poured out of the station. I watched as this was all taking place and said to myself " not me, not this time " and stood firmly with eagerness in my eyes, as the the result of everyone clearing out put me at the top of the final staircase. It was the first time i had witnessed the loading station with my own eyes, it was beautiful. Now the frustration set in hardcore, i had never made this far before, i was just waiting for one of the op's to say that the ride was going to be down for the rest of the day and evreyone to please exit the station. That didn't happen, the ride was back up in less than 15min ( so all those people that were so close completely screwed themselves, which like i said, i've left before. Patience is truly a virtue! ) I got on the third train after the re-open, i asked the row assigning lady really nicely if i could go to row 12, and she said "you go right on ahead honey", and there it was. I stood at the back row gate watching as the one train that was running pulled in with everyone aboard cheering enthusiastically, the gate opened, i sat down, strapped myself in nice and loose, and rode one the the best coasters i have ever ridden. This ride lives up to the hype people. It's just a shame you gotta go through like an epic fairy tale type of journey just to get on it. I can't wait until it's running like a boss and i get to have my way with it on the slow days like the other rides.

Edited by mordecai-75
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^

Awesome post! I loved how you illustrated your perseverance and it paid off. Crazy, what some people have to do to ride this new coaster. At least for now, you can brag (like me), that you've rode it, LOL. Welcome to the brotherhood.

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I have been to Dollywood before and love the park. I will be there in about a month, however if I hear LR is down or going to be down while I am in the area I will not be going. I also will not be complaining about it, I'll save the money for another trip instead. Not everyone has the same set of goals or are willing to front the money if the reason they want to go is not going to be open.

 

With that said though, I would much rather this ride see downtime all summer and have them eventually get it worked out over having them install another run of the mill B&M (yes i know there are standouts, most I find pretty average though) to each his own.

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I have a question regarding the Dollywood operating calendar.

Why do the operating hours drop to 10am-8pm after August 7th? They operate 10-10 all july, I would think they would continue that till at least late august.

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Schools start then around most of the area that's why I would assume

 

A few examples:

UT in Knoxville starts the fall semester Aug 17.

Vandy starts Aug 24.

UGA starts Aug 11.

South Carolina starts Aug 18.

 

Sevier County schools (including Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg high schools) start Aug 17.

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Congrats on getting on LR, mordecai-75!! Great story! I've waited in similar situations for coasters before and it's been worth it especially after many failed attempts. Can't wait to get on it someday myself, still hoping for the end of July!

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Schools start then around most of the area that's why I would assume

 

A few examples:

UT in Knoxville starts the fall semester Aug 17.

Vandy starts Aug 24.

UGA starts Aug 11.

South Carolina starts Aug 18.

 

Sevier County schools (including Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg high schools) start Aug 17.

Those are small areas considering the surrounding area.. Knox county starts Aug 8th (probably the largest local school system) Blount County starts early as well. When Knox and Blount start, attendance from local family's really drop during the week..

 

The extend hours are for the same reason Disney is open late on busy days.. essentially it's to help make sure you have time to do everything even with lines. if Dollywood ends up being busy, even after the 7th they will extend hours.. they do it all the time on busy days but it is a day to day decision

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

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Those are small areas considering the surrounding area.. Knox county starts Aug 8th (probably the largest local school system) Blount County starts early as well. When Knox and Blount starts, attendance from local family's really drop during the week..

 

I wasn't saying that the 17th wasn't valid reason. Hell I was agreeing that the start of school was the reason for the hours to cut back. If Knox and Blount are a week earlier, that just adds to it.

(I'm from west TN so I don't know the counties in east TN well, but we started in early Aug too. This year it's Aug 4)

 

The Universities supply a lot of the summer staff too. The students need to head back and get ready before classes start.

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Schools start then around most of the area that's why I would assume

 

A few examples:

UT in Knoxville starts the fall semester Aug 17.

Vandy starts Aug 24.

UGA starts Aug 11.

South Carolina starts Aug 18.

 

Sevier County schools (including Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg high schools) start Aug 17.

Those are small areas considering the surrounding area.. Knox county starts Aug 8th (probably the largest local school system) Blount County starts early as well. When Knox and Blount start, attendance from local family's really drop during the week..

 

The extend hours are for the same reason Disney is open late on busy days.. essentially it's to help make sure you have time to do everything even with lines. if Dollywood ends up being busy, even after the 7th they will extend hours.. they do it all the time on busy days but it is a day to day decision

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for the info. I'm trying to plan a trip in a few weeks. Even though LR is being very finicky, I want to ~maybe possibly please coaster gods~ have the window open for a night ride. I haven't seen any update on thrills in the hills, has anyone heard some rumors from the dippin dots guy or cinnamon bread bakers?

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Back from a weekend at Dollywood!

 

Crowds were very light Friday, and picked up some on Saturday, and more so on Sunday and Monday. Even with decent crowds on Sunday and Saturday the lines were not very long. Lightning Rod was a mess all weekend but it did on and off operate every day. They tried two trains Saturday morning and quickly went back to one. It was down more than it was up, and when it was operating it was doing so with one train and breaking down frequently. It was never easy to ride without waiting two hours or more really unless you got lucky and came right when it started testing. Even then, sometimes testing would go on for hours.

 

I was lucky to get five rides and I had exit passes for the last few which was very fortunate and a total lifesaver! Waiting in the line was painful but even waiting was worth it. Such an amazing ride. I actually like front row more than back row too possibly. The ride is so well designed that basically every seat is just as intense as the next though.

 

 

I just really can't wait until they get this thing consistently operating with two trains.

 

 

 

Splash Country was busy Saturday and even more so Sunday but the Time Saver is cheap and so worth it!

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This has to be a PR nightmare for the park. I heard a lot of complaining waiting for the tram back to the lots.

Oh no no. According to this thread there are NO PR nightmares and saying anything negative is insulting and whining. This park and RMC has gotten the biggest "get out of jail free" card on this NOT DEBACLE.

 

No.

 

Saying negative things and expressing disappointment is perfectly natural and acceptable. Actually saying Insulting things about the PR department at Dollywood (who read this thread and have been amazing to TPR members and to the general public in the past) is and should be most definitely be noted as it is rude. It isn't about having a negative opinion or being disappointed - it is about general manners and decency.

 

I am willing to BET that the people at the park are MUCH more disappointed in the delays and issues that anyone here.

 

I'm glad to hear that the bugs are being worked out and look forward to heading up there later this year or next spring. I've never had a bad experience in Dollywood and can't wait to get back!!

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This has to be a PR nightmare for the park. I heard a lot of complaining waiting for the tram back to the lots.

Oh no no. According to this thread there are NO PR nightmares and saying anything negative is insulting and whining. This park and RMC has gotten the biggest "get out of jail free" card on this NOT DEBACLE.

 

No.

 

Saying negative things and expressing disappointment is perfectly natural and acceptable. Actually saying Insulting things about the PR department at Dollywood (who read this thread and have been amazing to TPR members and to the general public in the past) is and should be most definitely be noted as it is rude. It isn't about having a negative opinion or being disappointed - it is about general manners and decency.

I didn't see anything insulting towards the PR department in his post. At all.

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sigh -

 

I never said he did. People were being kind of a$$holes many pages back when referring to the PR department and I said something about it then.

 

never mind - forget it - this thread, about one of the best parks around, has become toxic.

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Got off lightning rod a few hours ago..... And wow!!! It was amazing! The airtime on it is incredible!

 

How has it been running today?

 

Don't shoot me for asking this question

 

 

It was running fine! Only had one train going, only on row closed off.

 

Waited about an hour and a half for it, and 15 minutes was for them doing the "tone up

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