Trip Advice: Dollywood/Pigeon Forge

Don't you just love last minute coaster trips? My aunt and I are leaving this Friday morning(10-26) from Michigan to meet a few friends at Dollywood. We'll spend the half day there on Friday and then another half day or so on Saturday and return home on Sunday. We will fill in the rest of the time in Pigeon Forge.
I have more questions about "The Strip" in Pigeon Forge than about Dollywood itself. For anyone who is familiar with the attractions there, which ones would you classify as "Can't miss"? What do they charge for rides in that neck of the woods? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
I'm so geeked, it looks like "Thunderhead" will be my last coaster experience in '04! :)

best gocarts IMHO is at Nascar...(go figure)

there's a kiddie coaster there too...

Enjoy Thunderhead...It's an incedible ride!!!

Before I begin:

Standard Disclaimer: hours and prices of attractions in the Pigeon Forge region, like other tourist trap regions are highly subject to change wihtout notice.

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Allow me to first start off with an hours advisory for NASCAR speedpark, the night we visited the strip attractions, NASCAR closed around 8pm while a lot of other attractions were open past the midnight hour. You may want to plan on hitting NASCAR first, in other words.

NASCAR speedpark contains numerous go-kart tracks, if thats your thing, prices range from 3 tickets to 7 tickets per 'race' ($1 tickets), with a POP for around $25. The POP does not include the expert $7 track, nor the mechanical rides. (There is a seprate POP for rides and they also have ala carte prices of about $2-$3 each) NASCAR is located in Sevierville which is at the far north end of the strip.

Off hand they had a Rocking Tug themed to a muscle car, a double deck carousel themed to auto racing, and a kiddie coaster themed to auto racing.

You wll find numerous go-karting and mini golf places along the strip, some of which have amuement rides, though these fall mostly into the kiddie/family cateogry. There are also a fair number of bungee jumps, and 'challenge park' style extreme attractions.

My advice : Cruise the strip a couple times, just about everything attraction wise is on the main drag, and see what jumps out at you.

Also you may consider the 5 mile drive oer to Gatlinberg, in addition to all the shops they have a couple walk through haunted houses, a quirky dark ride/simulator combo called "Earthquake: the Ride", a bona fide amusement park called "Gatlinberg Fun Mountain", a ski-resort with an alpine slide and other amusements (Ober Gatlinberg), and the usual mini golfs, ripley's attractions, etc. I kinda like Hillbilly Golf where you have to ride an incline up to the course.

None of this stuff comes cheap, on LDW most attractions were in the $8-$10 range.

If time permits you may want to take in a dinner show, there are several in the area, something is sure to appeal to you. I chose Dixie Stampede myself, and really enjoyed it. Pick up an attraction guide in your hotel and look them over.

Dollywood advice - great food, and they have two AYCE restaurants that are priced around $10 and put out a decent spread. Both major coasters at Dollywood are real winners.

Expect to pay about $45 for Dollywood + $6 to park. Discounts are hard to come by, and are sually in the $2-$3 range if you find one. However, I think the season pass upgrade is only like $30 more if that would help/

Also, if you arrive at Dollywood after 3pm, your ticket is also good the next day

^The "After 3 Next Day Free" offer is not valid during November and December because the park opens later in the day and stays open later at night.

I think Fun Mountain in Gatlinburg is SBNO. This past summer I don't recall it ever being opened, and from what I've seen the promotional stuff seems to have disappeard from the resturants and hotels around town.

Be sure to ride some of the unique attractions at Dollywood like the Steam Train and Blazing Fury!

*** Edited 11/23/2004 11:09:50 PM UTC by Dukeis#1***

The earthquake ride IMO is a can miss ride. Its a tourist trap. It takes you inside the building like 10-20 feet shakes you around lightly and they blink the lights a couple of times. Other than that its beautiful country to be around.

Theres a place called Flyaway. It's a circular shaped building on the south bound side of the strip.

Basically they put you in a round padded room that has a screen for a floor. A airplane motor and prop are under the screen. You get in full skydiving gear and you fly over the stream of air inside.

Chuck, who did it once but didn't get very high. My brother hit the 40ft ceiling and crashed hard. Good thing for padding :)

All the above and the chinese place that served the best DUCK in the world. :-P

-Tina

<-------who can't wait to revisit the area in a few weeks!!

You're used to being in round padded rooms, though Chuck... ;)

Pigeon forge/Gatlinberg are great! If you like the strip at Niagara Falls Canada, then PF/G will blow you away.
I recomend the Tram in Ober Gatlinberg, simply for the view and the ride itself.
Tina: The chinese place is great! I agree with you completely!
Macho: you will have no problem eating in the PF area. they have every concievable restaurant, and in most cases, two of every one of them! price-wise: no differance in a
Golden Corral there vs. Cleveland ohio.
there are at least 5 go-kart places and about7 putt-putt places...
If you like X-mas stuff: The Christmas store on the strip, which is huge, is a fun place to shop and look at the stuff.
All in all, you'll have a great time!
We are going back there next june.
DollyWood is very good! Hit Thunderhead and Tenn Tornado (smoothest arrow on earth!)
Blazing is nice.
make sure you eat at least one Italian Sausage (there's are the best anywhere!) Hit the bakery in the park, (i can't believe i just said that... lol) Well, just goes to show how i love that park...
Take care, and have a great trip.
btw: The smokeys are truly a site to see.

Thanks so much for all the information! We will definitely be leaning towards big thrill stuff as far as the strip is concerned. Does anyone know what those really tall spinning needle type rides are called? My friend was trying to describe them to me and I think I saw one of them on the travel channel.
I've always been afraid to bunjee jump after hearing stories of the cord wrapping around various body parts and snapping them but maybe I'll go for it when I'm there. Thanks again all! :)