Update... We loved Dollywood. It's not a park where you're going to smash rides all day, but it was a nice park. We got the qbots on the Saturday, but we didn't need them at all, either day. Even though we didn't really need them, we both decided that we will probably always use a system like that when on vacation. It simply makes things easier. Tennessee Tornado is one of the best Arrows I've ever ridden, and Thunderhead was awesome. I would love for Kings Island to get a GCI. I was not able to ride Mystery Mine, however. I think there is an issue with my chest being too big, or with me just being too tall.
The discount that the season pass affords a guest is tremendous. With using the pass, we got parking for three days ( we processed our passes the night we got to town to save time), my wife bought a windchime from the glass blower, I got a break on the qbot, we got the discounted price at Dixie Stampede, and we bought clothes at that large gift shop on the way out of the park. All told, with food, and everything else mentioned above, I believe that I definitely recouped the difference between the regular pass and the gold pass, maybe twice over. All in all it was a great visit and we both can't wait to get back down, hopefully later this year.