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Dollywood Trip


Banshee Back VII
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Hey, I will be too!

The biggest tip I can think of that's really helpful is, walk all the way to the back of the park as soon as you get there. Wild Eagle, Firechaser Express, and Mystery Mine are all near the back and all don't have long lines early in the opening hours. Then just make your away around the rest of Dollywood.

Watch a show. This week they have an international festival with music and entertainment from different countries. I'm sure it'll be really good. Dollywood's shows are amazing.

That's all I've got...just enjoy your trip there. It's an awesome place!

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I'd also suggest going down there for more than Dollywood. The Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area has tons of things to do, and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is not to be missed.

I prefer to stay away from that area, honestly. It's all tacky and way too overwhelming. Dollywood is really the only place where you can get that Smoky Mountain charm. Gatlinburg is full of those danged Ripley's Believe it or Not museums, mirror mazes, and arcades, along with dumb earthquake simulators and others like it. Pigeon Forge is just one long road full of go-karts, mini-golf, thrill rides, and dinner shows. Of course, plenty of people enjoy this stuff but I wish Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge would be a more calm, tranquil area than hopping and buzzing with all those tourist traps.

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If the park is crowded, I recommend grabbing a Q2Q "Q-Bot" to rent for the day. It's only about $21. It electronically "reserves" your spot in line for the ride you choose and it "waits" in line for you while you do other things. At a certain time it lets you know when it can go to the ride by beeping and vibrating. All the rides have special entrances for Q2Q users (kind of like Fast Lane) that integrate with the regular line at a certain point. Once you check in (one of the attendants has a Q-Bot to check you in with) you can "reserve" another ride while you wait to ride the ride you just arrived at. It's very convenient.

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I used one during my visit back in '13 since it was super crowded. I loved it! I would've gotten less than half of the rides I did that day if it weren't for it. (I live over 5 hours away from Dollywood, so it was a big help.)

(P.S. Another ride that is in the back is Tennessee Tornado. I highly recommend that ride as it is one of my favorites! Don't skip it! ;))

(Edit: ImageShack wouldn't let me post the picture in a bigger size unless I upgraded to "Premium" membership which costs money. Ugh...)

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I'd also suggest going down there for more than Dollywood. The Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area has tons of things to do, and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is not to be missed.

That is what we are doing. We are also planning on going indoor skydiving, visiting the National Park, and riding the Alpine Coasters.
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There are several amazing places to hike. There is a trail that will take you to a place called Abrams Falls. It is listed as a moderate trail (I found it far more difficult than moderate) that leads to one of the most breathtaking waterfalls you can ever see. It's along the Cades Cove loop.

Clingmans Dome is cool, too. On a clear day you are supposed to have an amazing view. I strongly suggest if you go there you take a jacket because temps drop rapidly even if the temps are very hot in the area. I did say it was cool.

As you go through the park, there is a rest area that has a state line sign. Make sure you get a pic on both sides of the marker. One side says Tennessee / North Carolina state line the other reads North Carolina / Tennessee state line. Nothing major, but just a point of interest.

Comedy Barn is silly, but very clean and family oriented. The last time we visited the area all the shows offered discounts for other shows.

As far as Dollywood goes, I love the eagle sanctuary. It is really neat being up really close to eagles.

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We had a blast. We purchased a Q-Bot and found it very convienent. I did the SkyZip and really loved it. Thunderhead was the best ride there, with Mystery Mine a close second. I also found the Lumberjack Lifts to be whimsical. The staff was very friendly and Dollywood as a whole gave off a charm that I had only felt at Holiday World. The bad thing about the area is the unbelievable amount of traffic. It took two hours to get from Sevierville to Pigeon Forge. I type this as we are sitting in the Kentucky traffic, bumper to bumper, trying to find our way back to Indiana by midnight.

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