A little Disney...at Dollywood?

[trennr]

Saturday August 25, 2012 my youngest and I found ourselves home alone for the weekend...so we decided to have a Dad/Son Adventure to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN.

For the 2012 season Dollywood added a very nice Coaster called Wild Eagle. We both loved this ride...our goal for today was to see how many times we could ride it.

We got a late start leaving the house around 10:20am...We live about an Hour and a half from Dollywood... maybe 2 hours depending on traffic.

So we get in the park and notice how low the Crowd is and it's Noon. Cool. Wild Eagle is located a good distance from the entrance...so we make our way up the path to Timber Canyon... this is where one of the Fastest Wooden Coasters in the US is located called Thunderhead. (As seen on Bert The Conqueror)
Here's a nice Youtube of it...
http://youtu.be/Wf6Zi49TM40

Usually you can see the line for this ride... I see no one on the Steps... I know there is no line so we go for it. i tell you for a wooden coaster... You are lifted out of your seat for long portions of this ride... I'm talking serious airtime. I find the middle of the Coaster to have the best Ride. DS and I rode this twice. Coaster Total = 2.

Next up the Path... Mystery Mine. I tell ya... this has got to be the Best Themed ride in the Whole park... however.. the nature of the Rides Turns are very Rough... almost always hurts my neck and DS bumps his head on the Harness padding... so we opt out.
Here's a little Video with the lights on to give you an Idea of the ride.
http://youtu.be/8uALvK5DqiU

We pass another nicely themed Ride called River Battle... mainly because we didn't want to get drowned so early in the day.

Finally we arrive at our target Destination... Wild Eagle!!!

Again... virtually non-exsistant line. We get in the sub-line for the Back seat...our goal became to ride in every Eagle this day. There are 7 Eagles per train... they run 2 trains.

Here's another Video...
http://youtu.be/PxJlPQhEn7w

We get 3 Eagle Rides in and it's only 1:52pm we got here at noon. Coaster total = 5. We are getting a little hungry so time for some Grub... To be Continued

 

[trennr]

OK so we took a breaks for some food... we decide to check out the Tamer parts of the Park. We head to the County Fair section... this is just what it sounds like... It's typical Fair Rides...Bumper cars...spinny rides... Ferris Wheel... Carrousel... Games... Chance Wanted to ride one called the Dizzy Disk... I've alway refered to it as the Flying Saucer.
http://youtu.be/AqKLaOpLaX8

Then we tackle the relaxing Waltzing Swings... sorry no video.

So... that's about it... for us in this section... so we make our way back to the thrill rides... on the way back Chance noticed a sign for a Roller Coaster Museum that is being Housed at Dollywood until Sept 16. So we go in and have a look... And What do I see...

A little Futher in...

Then I find this little hidden Gem...

I kept sending these Photo's to my 17 year old... asking him to guess where me and his little Brother were at. :lol:


Thought it was cool to find a little Disney in Dollywood.

After the Museum we decide to try the Slide Winder. Nice little ride... used to be "The Ride" at Dollywood. It's been years since I've made the Trek up the Side of a Mountian to ride it... at the top gasping for air... I remember why. :lol:
http://youtu.be/BtXe_tlmYUo

Then we tackle Daredevil Falls... think Splash Mountian without great theming...story...or Animatronincs.
http://youtu.be/xxbZoCGdtYI

Then we take on the Fastest Coaster in Dollywood...The Tennessee Tornado... Coaster total = 6.
http://youtu.be/LGAcrmufN78

Then back to Wild Eagle...
After Ride number 5 Chance's Hair was cracking me up... so a photo for mom was due...wild-eyed crazed look was a bonus as to how much fun he was having... :lol:

The Crowd was actually picking up now... After that Photo we take another break for a drink. We get back to Wild Eagle for Rides 6...7...and 8!!! on wild eagle.
So we accomplished our task plus 1. Twice in the Front seat Right side. Seats 2, 3, 6, and Back also on the Right side... Seats 4 and 5 on the left Side.

We left Dollywood around 6pm. 8 Rides on Wild Eagle... 2 on Thunderhead... 1 on the Tennessee Tornado. Coaster total = 11. in 6 hours. plus 4 other rides and a museum.

Got the trolly ride back to the Van... We stopped by the Outlets... Under Armour... Nike... Disney. Got myself a new Mater Shirt... DS got Avengers... we also got a Stuffed Oswald for my new Nephew. :thumb:

Grab a bite to eat at Popeye's and hit the Road home.

Great Day spent with my Youngest. :thumb:

 

[AirGoofy]

Sounds fun. We were able to RNRC three times like that with rain last year before dd had enough. I'm not sure how much longer i would have made it.

We did Dollywood once when DW was pregnant so we didn't do the coasters, but had fun anyway. We had a Spring Break trip in Gatlinburg which was fun and thought about going to Pigeon Forge one time with the dds.

 

[Jousey]

I have always wanted to check Dollywood out. Sounds fun may have to consider a trip next year.