PKIguy14 Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 Ok, I know this isn't a PKI trip report but everyone here either works at the park or has been there 100 times and knows everything about it, so hopefully you all want to read my Dollywood TR. So, I got to the park around 11:00 AM, and the parking lot was filled up to the second to last section. I hate that parking lot. It is very long and narrow so you either have to walk 2 miles to get to the park or wait in the lines for the trams. Very badly designed. Upon getting off the trams, we noticed the line for the season pass processing center was huge, so we just scanned the voucher for the season pass they gave us and went in the park. I can't believe I have a Dollywood season pass and not a PKI pass, and Dollywood is farther away from me. I immediately headed for the new coaster, Thunderhead. Just walking up the hill, you know you're in for a great ride. After a 20 min wait, I boarded the back seat. I love those trains. They're very open, and the restraints are very comfortable. I don't know if those are possible to hold people in on SoB, but they should consider restraints like those sometime in the future, although it probably won't happen. That ride is my second fav. wooden coaster ever. (Beast is my first) Thunderhead never loses speed throughout the ride, it is an airtime machine, and is always crossing over and under the track. I love that ride so much! After Thunderhead, my family and I went to eat. After lunch, we went to the Smoky River Rampage, which is a ride like White Water Canyon. I like how every ride is themed to the 1800's. The Rampage was fun, but nothing extremely great. After the Rampage, we needed to kill time while waiting for the next train, so I rode the carousel twice and then rode the swings. Zephyr is way better than Dollywood's swings; Zephyr holds twice as many people. The train ride was great. It allows you to see through the park and surrounding areas, and I think its a lot longer than PKI's train, but I haven't ridden PKI's train in many years. Next, my parents and grand parents wanted to go watch a steel drum band, so my brother and I went to ride the Tennessee Tornado. It is a very unique Arrow looper. It features a tunnel drop down the side of a mountain straight into a 110' loop, I believe the biggest loop Arrow has built. It then dives up, then back down into another vertical loop and a side winder, a few more turns and the ride is over. It is also very smooth for an Arrow, and never has a long line, despite always only running one train. The bad things are it is very short, and you have to walk up like 40 feet to get to the station. After TT, we rode the blazing fury. It is a little kids' roller coaster, but I still like it. It is indoor, and themed to a fire that swept the whole city. Its pretty fun. After that, we rode Daredevil Falls, which is just a log flume, but themed to being stuck on a winding river course and getting lost and going over the waterfall, then I rode Thunderhead a few more times and we left. It was a great day at Dollywood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby_Doo Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 Yeah great report! I love the Tennessee Tornado and I have been hearing that the thunderhead is a ''Beast'' killer I will be the judge when I go down their this fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastdude Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 I don't know if you mentioned it in your TR but ,Which is better Thunderhead or The Beast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby_Doo Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 Beastdude its your own opinion I cant judge it just yet I havent been on the Thunderhead..but my G/f has and she loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanA Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 Nice TR! I haven't been to Dollywood in quite a long time, though with the addition of Thunderhead, I just might. As for it being a "beast killer", I doubt it. Nothing beats The Beast, and I doubt Thunderhead is as rough and speed crazy as Mr. 25. On a sidenote, I think if PKI did some more work on The Beast's structure to where they could remove the mags(atleast on the incline before the second drop)then I think the ride could have one of the greatest airtime moments of any coaster(I believe it once did). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKIguy14 Posted May 11, 2004 Author Share Posted May 11, 2004 I think The Beast is better than Thunderhead, but Thunderhead comes in a close second. The Beast has the length and setting in the woods, with the crazy helix. Thunderhead is out in the open, but it has great airtime, keeps its speed throughout the entire ride, and has insane twists and turns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastdude Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 I think The Beast is better than Thunderhead, but Thunderhead comes in a close second. The Beast has the length and setting in the woods, with the crazy helix. Thunderhead is out in the open, but it has great airtime, keeps its speed throughout the entire ride, and has insane twists and turns. I guess I have to go ride it. You didn't have to twist my arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Punk Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 I cannot wait to ride Thunderhead on June 13, that is when I make my trip to Dollywood. I heard that the ride is UNBELIEVABLE! As for Dollywood's train compared the PKI's, I went to Dollywood last summer and Dollywood's train is about five miles long, while PKI is about a mile. (Correct me if I am wrong.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrz Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 I don`t know how long Dollywood`s train is, but PKI`s track is 1.1 miles long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Punk Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 I am pretty sure that Dollywood's is at or above five miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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