Dollywood Discussion Thread

[dstephe9]

It was closed several days ago as well and interesting enough, both were rainy days.. wonder if the rain messes with something on it at times?

 

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[MindbenderManiac]

Maintence is currently out working on the ride, one of the trains is sitting at the bottom of the launch. Ride has been listed as "temporarily closed" all day so far today, though it has not yet operated.

 

Waltzing Swinger is reassembled and operating also!

[between3and20]

You guys will never guess what's been broken all day. When was the last time it ran? Like 5 days ago?

 

How long has it been since LR has run?

 

I took an amazing night ride last Sunday, probably around 7 and we got stopped on the transfer track. After a few minutes some management type came out and told us no cell phones, then they manually released the restraints and led us back into the station. Has LR ran since then?

[coasterbill]

I don't believe so no, and it's closed again this morning.

[coasterdude5]

Yesterday it was "temporarily closed" until around 7:45 when it became "closed for the day." Until then, ops outside the entrance were telling guests that maintanence was working on it and that they were hoping it would open before the end of the day.

 

I was bummed that I didn't get one more ride in this season, but I'm thankful I had the chance to ride it as many times as I did.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens during the off season...

[prozach626]

It sounds like it's past time to put the moose at the entrance and try again next year. I think if I were to have the desire to visit this park again, I would bank on the ride not running and try not to even think about it. If it would be open for 30 minutes or so for a ride, that would just be a plus.

[dstephe9]

Has nothing closed yet due to the weather? There app still list everything open

 

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[coasterbill]

It's 38 degrees but they reached the start up temperature earlier, they won't close the rides for another hour or so. Well... except Lightning Rod. Lightning Rod is probably FUBARed for the day like normal. At this point it won't get above the start up temperature again and it hasn't started up, so even if they did fix it it probably wouldn't open. They might as well throw the "CD" up now on the app.

Edited December 18, 2016 by coasterbill

[dstephe9]

Knoxville is already below freezing, it was 63 here when I woke up

 

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[Dollywoodlover20]

According to a YouTube video I watched, LR experienced a rollback which was why it was at the bottom of the hill. In the video it shows around 10 workers having to push the train into the station after the rollback system gets the train halfway around the turn. What some may not notice is that straight bit is at a downward angle so the rollback LSM has to push it up hill and around a curve if it can. Not sure if rain or temps caused the rollback though.

[prozach626]

It's 38 degrees but they reached the start up temperature earlier, they won't close the rides for another hour or so. Well... except Lightning Rod. Lightning Rod is probably FUBARed for the day like normal. At this point it won't get above the start up temperature again and it hasn't started up, so even if they did fix it it probably wouldn't open. They might as well throw the "CD" up now on the app.

 

LR only runs between 63 and 67 degrees, when it's partly cloudy, low humidity, no wind, and the unicorns are feeding within a 100 feet of the Dolly humps. There was one occasion where it ran in the rain, but the ride ops had to go out and instruct people to put their cell phones away, which completely fried the ride program for the day. Other than that... it's awesome. Or so they say.

[coasterdude5]

According to a YouTube video I watched, LR experienced a rollback which was why it was at the bottom of the hill. In the video it shows around 10 workers having to push the train into the station after the rollback system gets the train halfway around the turn. What some may not notice is that straight bit is at a downward angle so the rollback LSM has to push it up hill and around a curve if it can. Not sure if rain or temps caused the rollback though.

It appeared to be at the bottom of the hill multiple times yesterday, but I may just not have noticed when I first saw the coaster.

[dstephe9]

If they had to manually push it back, I would be willing to bet money something tripped a safety sensor or the entire ride lost power. Most of the moving the train around is actually done by tires isn't it? And those guys pushed it way past the tires.

 

So something in the computer or a sensor wasn't letting the train move at all? Or did it lose power? Or maybe the tires were slipping bc of the rain?

 

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[dstephe9]

According to a YouTube video I watched, LR experienced a rollback which was why it was at the bottom of the hill. In the video it shows around 10 workers having to push the train into the station after the rollback system gets the train halfway around the turn. What some may not notice is that straight bit is at a downward angle so the rollback LSM has to push it up hill and around a curve if it can. Not sure if rain or temps caused the rollback though.

It appeared to be at the bottom of the hill multiple times yesterday, but I may just not have noticed when I first saw the coaster.

Did anyone actually see it rollback? The video just shows it sitting there. Maybe the launch want working at all and it never actually rolled back. Maybe something want letting it launch

 

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[Dollywoodlover20]

If they had to manually push it back, I would be willing to bet money something tripped a safety sensor or the entire ride lost power. Most of the moving the train around is actually done by tires isn't it? And those guys pushed it way past the tires.

 

So something in the computer or a sensor wasn't letting the train move at all? Or did it lose power? Or maybe the tires were slipping bc of the rain?

 

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In this picture I've taken from a POV you can see the parts that push it into the uphill LSM along with the rollback mechanisms. Again this section is angled down so the train rolls into the LSM's. something I didn't know until I actually rode it.

 

[coasterbill]

It's 38 degrees but they reached the start up temperature earlier, they won't close the rides for another hour or so. Well... except Lightning Rod. Lightning Rod is probably FUBARed for the day like normal. At this point it won't get above the start up temperature again and it hasn't started up, so even if they did fix it it probably wouldn't open. They might as well throw the "CD" up now on the app.

 

LR only runs between 63 and 67 degrees, when it's partly cloudy, low humidity, no wind, and the unicorns are feeding within a 100 feet of the Dolly humps. There was one occasion where it ran in the rain, but the ride ops had to go out and instruct people to put their cell phones away, which completely fried the ride program for the day. Other than that... it's awesome. Or so they say.

 

[coasterdude5]

Obviously we've speculated for pages upon pages about the causes of LR's woes, but I really wonder if the coaster -- in its current form -- is salvageable. And by salvageable, I mean getting to the point where it operates as reliably as the other coasters in the park. Is this something that can be fixed during the park's relatively brief off season? Or it something that's going to limp along until it's time to take it out back a few years down the road...?

 

I know I'm thinking way too far ahead here, but those were just my passing thoughts while at the park yesterday.

[coasterbill]

I know I'm thinking way too far ahead here

 

Yup..

[dstephe9]

I'm sure they will get it worked out eventually.. I mean worse case scenario is bring in a new group of engineers and have them redesign the mechanics of the launch.. we live in a day and age were nothing is impossible.. The key is will Dollywood spend the money doing it?

 

Of course that's worse case.. I feel Dollywood is close to getting it running and reliable on their own. Nov was a good month for it with very limited downtime.. I'm sure it'll be much better next year and if not, Dollywood will really need to take a long hard look into long-term plans for the coaster

 

Best case scenario is that the cold weather is just messing with it.. I mean honestly, it ran fine in early December when it wasnt as cold.. It went down on a wet weekend and has been wet this weekend as well.. Wet and cold

 

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[Dollywoodlover20]

When I went Black Friday weekend it ran absolutely perfect that Sunday and from what I heard that Saturday. We done Lumberjack Saturday. Anyway the only downs it had on that Sunday were when people would lean on the gates and it made the train stop on the brakes and have to be reset. The ride ops then told people that if they leaned on the gates the ride would shut down. I had never seen grown people jump back in fear so quickly in my life before. Another instance is when the train was coming into the station and a little girl ran through the exit gate to meet her Dad to do a parent swap. That made the train hault. This coaster is SUPER sensitive to everything which is good but it causes headaches. The only other time I can remember it went down was when temps dropped and they ran test runs to see if things were in check then they let people on. That was around 36 degrees. It was before the parade. People were starting to complain of not being able to breathe that night due to the fires which hadn't yet been discovered by everyone. It was later that morning.

[carolinaman]

I was looking at the season passes, and it said prices will go up after Jan.1. Anyone know how much they will increase?

[STDog]

I'm sure they will get it worked out eventually.. I mean worse case scenario is bring in a new group of engineers and have them redesign the mechanics of the launch..

 

That assumes the launch needs reworked.

 

Since day one people here have been faulting the launch but ever semi-official comment has said it's not the launch.

[dstephe9]

Oh and I'm one of the number one advocates that the launch is not the issue.. I don't believe it is, I'm just saying worse case scenario.

 

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[dstephe9]

I was looking at the season passes, and it said prices will go up after Jan.1. Anyone know how much they will increase?

They always say that.. Jan 1 it'll be "extended" and then "extended" again.. I believe the prices are already a little higher for the 2017 season passes but don't fall for the prices go up trick.. it's just their marketing lingo... I mean technically speaking they will go up but only because you no longer get the Christmas season this year as an extra

 

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[STDog]

I was looking at the season passes, and it said prices will go up after Jan.1. Anyone know how much they will increase?

I believe the prices are already a little higher for the 2017 season passes but don't fall for the prices go up trick..

 

They are higher for '17. It was discussed here back in early Nov.

 

Another thing that might change is the payment options. I think they want all payments done by Apr or May. At least in the past, 6 payments weren't an option in March.

 

Have to check a few time through the season to see if anything else changes. I've never done so.