Some love for Dollywood

[BoddaH1994]

I had a heck of a couple of days last weekend. I had a friend in from Orlando who's a big park go-er so we took to a couple of parks in two days. Now, I'm just now getting into "theme park shape" (no jokes about that, please!) in which I can walk around for 5-12 hours and not feel awful the next day. I wasn't quite there yet last weekend so this trip took a lot out of me.

Day 1 was Kings Island. I'm not going to bore you with a full TR on this, but I will say that my friend is very particular about rides and attractions. He's unfairly harsh on Kings Island particularly, so I was a little worried about what he'd think of the new stuff. Fortunately, he was really impressed with the general park improvements and LOVED Banshee.

Day 2: Dollywood

This was my first trip to Dollywood. We met up around 6am in Florence, KY to head down there. This was a larger group than I typically with. It was me, Todd (Orlando friend), James, Bonnie (former Kings Island fudge maker), Erin (who I call "Colors" since she recently graduated college and is now a preschool teacher... so I assume that she majored in colors), and her friend Paige.

None of these photos are mine. It's easier to tell the story this way.

We arrived and parked in their parking lot. Their parking lot is the strangest thing in the history of parking lots it's only about a dozen cars wide, but it's literally miles long. I imagine that if you walked the entire length of their parking lot you'd be somewhere near Cedar Point. Kidding.

Our first ride was Firechaser Express

Photo credit: Coaster Crazy

Firechaser Express is an interesting ride. It's about on the thrill level of Adventure Express, but perhaps on a more mature scale since it goes backwards a few times. There's actually a few pops of air time, and a pretty neat show scene that involves live fire.

Next, Wild Eagle

Photo Credit: ACEonline.org

I didn't particularly like Gatekeeper at Cedar Point, and I found this one to be slightly better. The neatest part is how the lift hill is built into the natural hill. I found the ride experience to be pleasant, just not extremely thrilling. Still, not unlike Gatekeeper, the visuals for this ride are amazing and the experience is smooth and fast.

Next, Mystery Mine

Photo credit: TPR

I'm going to make this simple: Mystery Mine is one of the neatest rides I've been on in a very long time. I figured I'd like it, but wow... Not only are the "show" elements very unique, but the ride experience itself is nothing short of amazing. Both times that I rode, I literally held on in terror going down the drop after the second lift hill. I bet that never gets old.

Next: Tennessee Tornado

Photo credit:Coaster Critic

Now, I don't have the affection for this ride that some of you seem to have, but I can say that it was very smooth for an Arrow coaster. Apparently only Tornado and X were not designed by Ron Toomer. The ride itself reminds me of a less intense version of The Vortex. I like how you travel through the tool shed to get to the lift hill. Kind of neat, huh?

Next, Thunderhead

Photo credit: coasterimage.com

This bad boy won the Golden Ticket for best wooden coaster twice. Lots of air time lots of punch. You know what makes this ride great and other similar rides awful? Those Millennium Flyer trains. I'm not kidding. The air time is amazing, but let's not kid ourselves - you get slammed into your seat after that. If these were PTCs or G-Trains it would have been horrible. Fortunately you are slammed into the roller coaster equivalent of a bean bag chair so it makes for a wonderful riding experience.

Next, Blazing Fury

Photo credit TPR

Why does everything at Dollywood have to do with natural disasters or fire?

Anyway, I was told that this was a must-ride. I went through the ride experience thinking, "this is cheesy.. this is cheesy... this is cheesy" then WHAM! I entered a burning building and the roof collapsed! Such a cool effect! The last part of the ride doesn't make a ton of sense, but it's VERY well done and a lot of fun! I'm so glad I rode this.

We ate at Aunt Granny's Buffet under the suggestion of about anyone who had ever been to Dollywood and it delivered as well. Good 'ol southern home cookin'.

My only regret is that I didn't get to catch any shows. Not all is lost. This won't be my last visit, I'm sure. No Dolly, either. Maybe she was busy that day or was watching a Pawn Stars marathon or something.

Now, this park got pelted with Golden Tickets last year and I think some were really obvious, some weren't.

Best Food - The food I had there was excellent and any time the first recommendation a person makes when they find out you're visiting a park is to eat certain foods, you know you're doing something right. Was it the best I'd ever had? Possibly. Epcot's food is more diverse, but Disney doesn't always fit into the categories for the Golden Tickets.

Friendliest Park - Yeah. Holiday World won this for 13 straight years and I never understood it. Maybe it's the free Pepsi, maybe it's the old lady who hangs out front saying hi to acers... I don't get it. Are they nice? Sure, but not like "stand out" nice. Dollywood, on the other hand, was. I don't want to take anything away from other parks, though. The employees are acting like southerners do. When you cross someone, you smile, say hi, shake hands, make conversation, and be pleasant. In the northeast, people act in a manner that we may consider rude, but it's just culturally different. Cincinnati is unique too. It's not north, it's not south. It's in the middle. Here, if you try to push your point across you are considered rude, but if you try to make conversation you come of as nosy. It seems like apathy with key elements of manners are what's expected here.

Best New Ride (2013) - Wild Eagle. Sure. Why not? A coaster is going to get it every year.

Cleanest Park (second place) - The park is extremely clean. It's noticeable. It makes a difference. It improves the experience. I'm so glad that KI really feels that way too, as they didn't necessarily put it as a top priority years ago.

The GM/VP of Dollywood is former (Paramount's) Kings Island GM Craig Ross. I didn't see him down there, but I liked him at Kings Island. He's good people, and I'm glad that the park is in such good hands.

That's my story.

[LoraX]

I love Dollywood. I think we are heading there in December. I wish I could swing the cost for the trip prior to it.

Mystery Mine is one of my all time favorites. It's such a neat ride, it's fun. Tennessee Tornado is an ok ride, but absolutely love the theming of it.

Do they still have with eagles exhibit? That was one feature I love about the park. The times I have gone to Dollywood, I have never gone to see a show. I don't have a reason as to why aside from the fact I will ride Mystery Mine over and over.

I cannot imagine a friendlier park. In my opinion, it's far better than any park I have been to. I think Kings Island has really stepped up their game over recent years, but are light years behind Dollywood.

Glad you had a good time.

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[BoddaH1994]

Yeah, they still have the eagles.

It was particularly busy that day, but from what I understand the ride lines are typically never long. Everyone goes for the shows. Plus they win Golden Tickets for their shows... I think the evidence is overwhelming that their shows are worth checking out.

[Dieseltech20]

Nice report. I loved Dollywood.

[APE]

We went to Dollywood a couple of years back for the first time. We absolutely loved the park. All four major coasters were great. I think Mystery Mine was my favorite. I've read a lot of reports where people hate it, I don't get it.

[Banshee Back VII]

I would love to go to Dollywood someday...

[APE]

Do it. It's definitely worth going to.