Dollywood-America's next top park?

---

Phil Budnick said:

I don't get Dollywood - what do people do there all day?There isn't much to the park - I felt ripped off actually.

---

I laughed when I read this, Phil. You will think I am crazy when I tell you that during each of the five times that my family has made the 700 or so mile drive from New England to East Tennessee to visit Dollywood (among other attractions between here and there), we have spent three or four entire days at Dollywood per visit. It truely takes that long to see and do all of the things that the park offers in the summer.

Hersheypark and Busch Gardens Williamsburg are other favorite parks of ours that we spend three days of our vacation visiting. I guess we are a family of varied interests, and we like to do all that we can when we know we won't get back to a park for another couple years or so.

Anyone remember a hillbilly/country park called Opryland?

It became a competitor in the business(i dont think attendance was why Opryland closed,I think Gaylord went money hungry)after adding rides and it was in a tourist destinantion like Dollywood.TT-Best ive rode(ive ridden many steel coasters)Blazing Fury-A good coaster in it's own right.And the fact remains it was built by Intamin!(Tip:Ride in the back seat;its extremely rough!)Daredevil Falls-Best Waterfall ride around;Slidewinder-good!Named best non-coaster ride in America countless times!And hte only country music in Dollywood is in the shows and are only pumped into the park at the main entrance.Some of the craft demenstrations are intresting.

Dollywood......a couple of big new developments.....

.......[blush].......

Pigeon Forge, Stone Mountain and Branson all draw older demographics and the SDC Inc parks cater to them. Their parks are not trying to be "thrill parks". If you only go to parks to ride as many coasters as possible then you have lots of different choices but if you want a park with execellent food, crafts, friendly employees, shows, that is scenic, clean and has free parking then SDC or DW is a good choice. While the chain does not have a huge arsenal of coasters the ones it does have are top notch.

TT is considered a unique and smooth! Arrow multi-looper, Wildfire has one the best if not the best first drop of any B&M, ThuNderaTion is easliy one of the best mine trains anywhere, Blazing Fury and Fire in the Hole are great fun, Buzzsaw Falls is a very unique hybrid ride.

SDC Inc this past fall bought a small amusement park called Branson USA. No real details yet but SDC Inc is reworking the park over for a hopefully 2003 reopening and it looks like this park will be geared towards families and young people as Branson is starting to attract younger people.

Hope I do not sound defensive but I really like SDC and the people on various groups/forums that I see berating it tend to have never been to it and only have prejudgemental opions about it. I grew up in Ohio going to CP, GL and KI and yet I totally enjoy my new homepark of SDC. Season passes are $49.00 and parking is free, there are no up-charge rides, no games, nobody bouncing basketballs everywhere, no gum walls, no graffitti and the park is beautifull and relaxing unlike a lot of parks.

SDC and DW each draw slightly over 2 million vistors a year. SDC's nearest competitors WOF and SFStL draw 1 and 1.8 million visitors a year respectfully. SDC Inc parks also have great per-caps compared to other parks.

Jim "unofficial cheerleader for Silver Dollar City" Wolgamuth

*** This post was edited by Jimbo on 5/30/2002. ***

---

Paris said:

Dolly Parton is huge in philanthropy (well, huge in other ways, but you get the point). Did you know that she sends out five free books to every baby born in Pigeon Forge?

Not just newborns.. she gives 5 books per year until the age of 5 to all children in Sevier County and about 25 other counties across the south and midwest. She gives back TONS to the community and that is what makes her the single most important celebrity figure in that part of Tennessee.

Give it time.... SDC is spending ALOT of money on DW in the next 4 years and there will be more thrill rides coming....

-----------------
WCUSA-The World's largest theme park is coming!
Theme parks will NEVER be the same!

---

If DW built just 3 more decent size coasters, they'd have as many as BGW (not including their wild mouse), and by then might be in about the same league as BGW is now, which would be great. It's hard to travel to another state or even across state to a park and pay $40 for admission if they only have 1 coaster, regardless of what else is in the park, but add even 2 more, and if there are also other things to do, then it would just probably be worth it. Someone tell Dolly to get to work!

I wish SDC was a little closer to me in middle TN. A little too far out in the middle of nowhere for 1 (even if great) coaster.

Somebody needs to email Dollywood concerning the matter

Seriousely,they might listen!

guestservices@dollywood.com

-----------------

RIP

Opryland

1971-1998

I agree completely with Swoosh and Jimbo. First, SDC will always be the top park in the chain. Second, thrill rides are not the main focus of the SDC Inc. parks. Yes, they will get many more new rides, but the parks will continue to focus on other things. The parks' main focus will be (and will always be) on providing a safe and fun experience in a frontier-type atmosphere with many things to do for the entire family. You may come to parks only for coasters, and that's fine, but if you don't like SDC Inc.'s style, you don't have to come to the parks. Some of the GP comes to parks because of enormous amounts of rides, but SDC parks are doing just fine with their fun and unique atmosphere, which attracts many guests. I know that atmosphere is a huge reason why I love SDC. I'll admit it, I love to go there and ride the rides, but the best part (and what attracts me the most) of SDC parks is that they are different and unique. Need proof? Go to SDC during the Christmas festival. That is awesome.

-----------------
Sit back, hold on tight, because Mamba is about to strike! Enjoy Your Ride!

IMO, Dollywood is the best park outside of Florida(WDW, IOA, BGT), California(DCA, DL), and Virginia(BGW), period. Holiday World and Hershey Park are the only two I see even close to that. I like almost everything about the park, so I really don't think I need a long review for it. TT is outstanding. Blazing Fury, Rampage, Smokey Mtn. Tours, and Slidewinder are uniquely fun and key attractions which make the park so special. When you have this type of atmosphere, you don't need a ton of coasters to have fun. Well, at least I don't anyway. :)