Dollywood-4/4 first time

My home park is Cedar Point, with Michigan's Adventure being the 2nd so most of my comparisons are with those parks.

All of the hype around this park is well deserved in terms of theme and beauty, although it was difficult getting used to seeing mountains surrounding the rides instead of a Great Lake, which made it difficult to judge height. I also liked how quaint the park felt even though it is a good sized park although I don't think it would be fun on a busy day because most of the midways are narrow.

I especially liked the food, friendly staff and the lower height requirements on most rides. The parent swap was also easy and hassle-free and I liked that most of the major rides had a playground nearby. I also liked the overall quality of the rides at the park.

Now for the coasters/rides

Mountain Sidewinder: not open, but I really wanted to try it as I've heard great things.

Lightning Rod: not open, but I give it 5 of 5 for how impressive it looks. The final turn looks insane and you really can't see the rest of the ride from the midway.

Tennessee Tornado: Fun and dizzying! It was a little short but packed an intense punch. 4.5 out of 5

Wild Eagle: I loved the straight first drop! The vertical loop and near misses with the trees were great too. 5 of 5. I may even put this above Gatekeeper if for no other reason than its superior first drop.

Firechaser Express: The perfect family coaster has been found! This thing is a blast for everyone! The backwards section and launches are very unique and it's smooth for a junior coaster. 5 out of 5

River Battle: This was my first time on a ride of this kind. I found it very entertaining . The kids loved it! I think every park should have one of these! 5 of 5

Mystery Mine: What a quirky coaster! The theming is well executed and the vertical lifts are unique. The downside is its roughness and there was no airtime where I expected to find some. 3 of 5.

Blazing Fury: I wish this was advertised as a dark ride and not a coaster. With only a couple 10 foot drops, it was more reminiscent of a flume than a coaster. The dark ride aspect was fun though. 2 of 5

Thunderhead: I adored this ride! This was my first GCI and it did. It disappoint. I couldn't believe how much air I got on a twister! 5 of 5. It was my favorite ride of the day and it helped me get over the fact that Lightning Rod wasn't open yet.

Overall, I'd give the park a 4.5 out of 5. My only complaint would be the capacity on the coasters. Even Wild Eagle had a slow-moving line. I can't imagine what this park is like on a busy day.

Did you catch any shows? They're pretty awesome and part of the experience in my book.

The only show we saw was Heartsong, which was more of a film. The other regular shows were not running since it was the Feetival of Nations, so most of the shows were world-music related.

I'll assume Feetival of Nations includes world-dance as well. :)

You missed some great shows, Dollywood has no "normal shows" festivals bring in shows throughout the year. Festival of Nations is my second favorite festival (Smoky Mt Christmas is #1)

Never skip the shows at Dollywood (nor her sister park SDC)

What if shows aren't your thing? I skipped the shows at Dollywood.