Dollywood Discussion Thread

Does Herschend use a name repeatedly on their major projects? I don't think so.

Why on earth would they choose to announce something this soon? Well, I guess PortAventura did just announce Ferrari World...

 

Last year they announced that they were investing $300 million in to their properties over the next 10 years. $150 million is for the phase one of the resort, and $150 for Dollywood and SC. I'm sure they have their plans made for the next couple of attractions and land expansions - we know they're expanding Dollywood up to the upper train loop.

 

Wild Fire....is slightly different than Wildfire, like it is spelled for SDC's coaster, but i'm not sure what to make of that.

It's like Dumb Starbucks, they changed the name slightly. They could use it, if a park wanted to name their coaster Wild Fire, that is slightly different then Wildfire.

Maybe they're adding flame effects to Wildfire at SDC?

Now that, that would be cool!

TPR just posted on FB that Wild Fire is for Kolmarden...

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ok so its not goin to dollywood. Glad we got that cleared up. Hey does any one by chance have any current construction photos on the Dream More resort?

^Try the Dream More Resort website for updated pics. I don't believe vertical construction has started yet, but i haven't seen the site in person since December. Last i saw the site was still being prepared for construction.

Heres a news story w video from today's semi opening...

www.wate.com/story/25031283/dollywood-unveils-new-family-roller-coaster?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9967806

Here is another one: http://www.local8now.com/home/headlines/Dollywood-gives-preview-ride-of-FireChaser-Express-251316161.html

A nudist coaster!?! Count me in!

Just got back from the media event for FireChaser Express.

 

It is a fun ride. As far as thrills, I'd put it on the level of the Gerstlauer Spinners. The initial launch is just enough to feel some forces and the two "airtime" hills, have some decent forces in them. The show before the backwards launch reminds me of Mystery Mine before the final drop. Well, done by the park. The ride will be perfect for kids and the general public. I can see myself giving it a ride every visit. Most importantly, the whole area looks fantastic. There is a nice waterfall that runs underneath the ride and down the hill towards the entrance of the ride.

 

I'll have a full Photo Report later on today, but I just wanted to share my thoughts on the ride first.

Edited March 21, 2014 by ernierocker

^Sounds like they accomplished their goal.

Here is a quick report from the media day. We are still waiting for the POV video, so we hope to get you guys the report up tonight!

This is the line 20 minutes after opening. This is much longer than Wild Eagle's line two years ago when it opened.

At 11:00, one hour after the ride opened, the line was all the way back to River Battle!

The new ride area looks fantastic!

If Mystery Mine and a Gerstlauer Spinner were to have a baby, it would be FireChaser Express!.

The "Show" building where the backwards launch occurs. This is what sets Dollywood's ride theming apart from most other parks!

Definitely has a non-scary Mystery Mine feel…seems fun.

Just watched the POV and a few offride shots and it looks like good fun. I found it interesting how the trains get to their storage place via the building where they are launched backwards, I also noticed the unusual anti rollback system as it isn't the traditional ratchet that covers the entire lift length but some random ones here and there which can be seen in the POV.

I've also been thinking that using three trains will probably result in stacking all the time but I guess time will tell.

They only had two trains running today. I don't see now running three trains will increase capacity. They can only load a train and then launch it before the next train can enter the station. The ride isn't long enough for a third train to be on the course and not stack. They would have to double the load times they were producing today for three trains to work.

Edited March 21, 2014 by ernierocker

^I don't think the ride is appropriate for three trains either but, on coasterforce's offride pov, you can see them running all three.

No doubt they will test it for three trains, but they will have to increase load times to make that possible.

So got back from a day at the park and it seems like they have a real solid winner for families on their hand. The line was at about an hour and half most the day and when we got in line at 5 pm it still was a full que and took an hour. All the kids and parents coming off we're smiling none stop and the group of friends I was with coaster and none coaster fans all felt it was a fun ride. Simply put It's just a ride that will make you smile.

Edited March 22, 2014 by SuperShawn

Based off of the off ride, I love how everyone can get a good look of almost all parts if the coaster! I always love that. Man, hard to believe that this is in place of the pile of dirt that I saw when I went back in November. Time flies.

So here is the POV video that Dollywood sent us.

Edited March 23, 2014 by robbalvey

This is the line for Dollywood at 8:30...

Yesterday, Theme Park Review was invited out to Dollywood to take part in the media day for the opening of their 7th coaster, FireChaser Express.

 

Like I said earlier, FireChaser Express is the perfect roller coaster for families with kids. This was already obvious by the enormous line that had developed shortly after the park opened. (see the photos below!) Dollywood did a wonderful job as usual making the ride area look fantastic.

 

Onto the photos and video(s)!

 

They were already allowing VIP guests to ride the ride before the media event started, so it was a great opportunity to snap some photos of the ride in action.

We are here for the opening of FireChaser Express. What could that 7 stand for, hmmm???

Poor Wild Eagle remembering how all of this was for it, two years ago.

The centerpiece of the ride plaza is this vintage Fire Truck.

I love how much you see of the ride as you enter the queue of the ride.

Here you can see some of the landscaping Dollywood used for the hillside underneath the ride. They did a fantastic job!

This sweeping curve meets you directly after the initial launch from the station.

More natural theming. As Robb put it, these are the tears of all the Adventure Mountain fans.

A little train detail for ya!

The entire plaza was full of media members and VIP guests. Dollywood sure packs them in for these things.

Official FireChaser Express Fluffy,

Official FireChaser Express Fluffy, Fluffy Bunnies with Goo!

And how about some lift chain motor action!

It was a nice touch, for these real-life Firemen to get one of the first rides on FireChaser Express with their children and family.

Not surprisingly the queue lines will be well-themed as is par for the course with Dollywood rides.

Gerstlauer makes some nice, looking trains, don't they?

More of the ride as it sprawl out over the hillside.

Could this sign be foreshadowing something?

If you want to ride, you better do what this sign says!

Like I said, Dollywood really packs in the plaza for these ride openings!

Craig Ross, General Manager of the Dollywood company, started off the event by welcoming everyone and then proceeded to introduce the one-and-only...

Dolly Parton!

Dolly sang a song and gave some brief info about the ride, as well as talked a little about the DreamMore Resort.

And then these local area Firemen helped officially open the ride!

First official launch of FireChaser Express!

And there were fireworks! I wonder if you will see any on the ride???

First official riders climbing the lift hill!

And immediately everyone started queuing up for the ride. Let's go ride!

There is plenty of things to look at as you wait for the ride.

More foreshadowing???

And we've made it to the ride station!

More of the brand new ride station.

It didn't take long for the line to fill up!

And it didn't take long for the line to spill out of the queue line!

Did I mention the ride looks fantastic???

They did a good job of using part of the Adventure Mountain for the ride theming.

This may or may not have more airtime than Millennium Force.

Holy crap, the line really did spill out of the queue fast!

At 11:00 it had reached the River Battle sign!

More of the ride from Wilderness Pass.

You navigate this turn right after the initial station launch.

The way the ride sprawls over the area, you would think it was longer than it really is!

The ride station where you launch into your ride, as well as finish your return, backwards journey.

Here is the show building, where the reverse launch is located.

Something goes terribly wrong in here!

More remnants of Adventure Mountain.

The final turn into the brake run, taken in reverse!

The backwards portion of the ride can mostly be seen in this photo.

Awww, poor Blazing Fury is sad it is no longer the only ride themed to Fire.

Walking towards lunch we found a new addition to the park map!

Speaking of lunch, it wouldn't be a media day without some awesome food!

Fun fact, Firefighters love Chinese Food!

At lunch, I got my official FireChaser badge.

When we were leaving the park, I had to check out the new path that was recently opened up between Country Fair and Rivertown Junction.

This used to be a backstage area for park employees which they recently opened up as a public pathway.

And you get some awesome views of Smoky Mountain River Rampage!

Couldn't see the ride from this perspective before!

That's all! I leave you with this.

Oh, and this too.

Edited March 23, 2014 by robbalvey

Definitely some nice work on the entrance plaza and station theming. It's good to see parks put more effort into "family" coasters to make them more entertaining.