Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
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 11/6/2004 9:09:04 AM
I'll be visiting the park for sure sometime this coming December. Those of you familiar with the park and the Christmas event, do you have any tips or suggestions? Will all major rides be open(TT, TH, etc.)? How bad are the conditions down there in winter? If any, where could I find discounts to the park, like at a grocery store, pop cans, etc? All comments would be appreciated. Thanks.
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BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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 11/6/2004 11:11:57 AM
One thing I forgot to mention in the other post is that the area has some really high sales taxes, lik 9-10% if not more, which kinda sucks. As far as the park, in the peak of summer, Thunderhead and Tennessee Tornado were walk-ons, so I suspect that it will be the same in December. You can ride both of these as much as you like I'd bet, but the one problem is that Thunderhead is right near the entrance, while TT is in the far back corner of the park, they are probabl 3/4 of a mile apart  Anyway, I don't know what sort of flats you like, but they have a descent assortment of rides, and I loved their train. Its a 20 minute voyage through the backcountry on a genuine steam engine. At night, it may be a bitterly cold voyage, but if you can, I would take a relaxing ride. To me, Dollywood has the best hospitality of any park, which is a big  , and they also had fairly cheap (for an amusement park) food, which is really good because it is amongst the best park food around, nothing from a can or a box in that park, unless you buy some candy. That's about it for now, its awesome that you get to go, Here's my TR, scroll down a bit and it details a little more I hope.
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Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
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11/7/2004 9:31:09 AM
Thanks, BobFunland for those great tips. It seems as though we will pass on Dollywood this winter and instead go to the Los Angeles area parks: KBF, SFMM, USH, and DL. This was a trip we were planning to go on early this summer, but got cancelled due to my job.
Reason for this was the weather. We wouldn't have that great of a chance to ride the coasters because they close down in 40°F and below. For some reason, I don't think the winter weather would be nice like that. Don't feel like your tips and suggestions won't go unnoticed, I'll be sure to use them for our trip next summer. Once again, thanks for taking your time to reply and help out.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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11/7/2004 11:54:23 AM
Hopefully some of the Southern California residents hear can give you some advice. I was conteplating going last year between Christmas and New Year's and was dissauded by others talking about how crowded it was. Good luck maybe you will have the first review on the site for Silver Bullet.
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Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
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11/11/2004 4:56:55 PM
Forget that plan, we're going to Dollywood 100%. Keep those suggestions coming.
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BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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11/11/2004 6:27:38 PM
Lucky dawg... I myself really want to head up there in December, it's less than 4 hours for me, maybe I could do long-day trip
Some more tips:
1. Bring a camera, there are a lot of photogenic opprotunities in the park, including Thunderhead, which was a beautiful coaster IMO, plus, there will be some damn good decorations I'd bet, I don't know, I haven't been there in the winter.
Beautiful ain't she?
2. Shows, I know that it may not be the most appealing types of shows, and I know that you don't like the type of music, but Dollywood has among the best shows in the business, so I would at least check out one or two, depends on time and what not.
3. The shopping is good, especially for people who like arts & crafts
4. Eating, this is my overall favorite suggestion to be giving. Food at Dollywood is pretty cheap, especially for the quality AND quantity that you get. My suggestion (what we did) is snack all day, there is so much good food and such a variety, that I would buy one thing (ie, a bowl of sausage at Hickory House BBQ in the back, a BBQ sandwich at the BBQ pit/Miss Lillian's...) so you cna sample the park's huge array of different foods. I doubt that you will be dissapointed with the food. Ah, finally, leave room for desert and buy either a funnel cake (a tradition of mine, and Dollywood has some good ones) or go to the Spotlight Bakery, near the entrance, on the way out or over to
Thunderhead. The confections there are amazing, they are delicious and thrifty
You could always go to Red's Diner too  , but I can't tell you about it 'cause I didn't.
That's all I can think of for now
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My Track Record
Message updated 11/11/2004 6:28:22 PM by BobFunland
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coasterSS
Posts: 3249
Registered: 10/1/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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 11/11/2004 8:47:50 PM
Bob, you are the only person I ever knew of who could sum Dollywood up that good! I tried but I just can't. I have only been once during Christmas. About 7 years ago, I was only about 10 at the time. I only remember a lot of lights and seeing DOLLY. Dollywood during Christmas is the best opportunity to go for the scenery!!!
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Thunderhead Maniac
Message updated 11/11/2004 9:22:10 PM by coasterSS
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battleflag
Posts: 1884
Registered: 4/22/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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11/13/2004 10:48:53 AM
well when you go to dollywood definately go to gatlinburg for some extra fun . and some of the go karts in pigeon forge are fun nad they have tons of places to bunjee jump and they have like 4 skyscrapers.
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BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001
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11/13/2004 12:02:38 PM
Yea, but will Gatlinburg's fun stuff be open, I don't know, there might be snow up there.
Speaking of, there is a parkway (simply called "Parkway" I believe) that goes from Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg, and just past Dollywood, it enters a thick, dark forrest and the speed limit changes, a lot. It is a speedtrap, don't ask how I know 
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battleflag
Posts: 1884
Registered: 4/22/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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11/13/2004 1:22:33 PM
yea your right when we go we go down that road alot ,they shouold be open , i know all of pigeon forges stuff is open and some stuff is open in gatlinburg unless it snows really bad .make sure to pay a visit to the Sky Lift to get some great views of the city do not go to the dixie stampede its very nasty , if you like good mini golf go to hillbilly golf its very fun ,if you wanted to be scared go to the mysterious mansion or ripleys haunted adventure , the ripleys believe it or not museum not all that interesting , the ripleys moving 3-d theater is fun ,if you want to burn some time go to the village to look around ,some nature stuff is the national park and go to the chimneys and one last thing is if you are going to stay in a cabinmake sure you dont get one with sulfer water thats happened at least 3 times with me and my family .
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
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11/28/2004 12:53:37 AM
suggestion - dress warmly and bring gloves. It dropped into the low 30's the past two nights. I didn't see any coupons in town for discounts, but luckily the guy in front of us on the ticket line gave us a coupon for $4 off per ticket. Since we did not have a car we took a taxi to the park. The Parkway (the major road) was like a traffic lot because it is a big outlet mall area. There is a trolley that costs $0.25 that runs along the length of the Parkway (where all the hotels are also) but if traffic is bad we were told it was not worth the time delay. We called a taxi to take us to the park, it was about $10 but saved a lot of time since the driver took the back roads. It was something like Old Mill Road, to Teaster Lane to Middle Creek Road and that circumvented the traffic jam. We took the trolley back to town when the park closed and it was pretty easy (and cheap).
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It's not a choice between war and peace. It's a choice between war and something much worse.
Message updated 11/28/2004 1:04:44 AM by larrygator
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tntornadox
Posts: 22
Registered: 3/25/2003
Rank: Coaster Critic
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11/28/2004 4:28:53 PM
Bob had some wonderful tips, I visit DW every Christmas, my tip is prepare ot be amazed! The Park is decked out in millions of lights, and the friendly employees get even friendlier during Christmas. (Dont Miss Carol of the Trees on Rivertown Lake, or the Parade of Lights, you won't be sorry)
Best thing about this Xmas, Both Tenn Tornado and Thunderhead are open, but close if the temp falls below 40 degrees. (Dont worry about it, the temp hardly ever goes lower than 45-50 while the park is still open).
and last tip- Have Fun, be sure to post a TR!
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
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11/28/2004 11:53:54 PM
I heard the same story about the temp never going below 50 but last Friday night, the day after Thanksgiving, the temperature dropped to 42 degrees at 7:30PM. At 7PM when it dropped below 45 degrees they took the second train off the track for Thunderhead (which is standard practice per the ride ops) causing the wait time to increase to about one hour.
The lights throughout the park are beautiful.
Message updated 11/28/2004 11:54:36 PM by larrygator
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Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
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12/3/2004 11:28:15 AM
Thanks guys for the feedback. What are some good hotels around the park? I've been thinking about that music hotel, not quite sure of the name, saw it in a vacation book. Also, are the Ripley's attractions near Dollywood?
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BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001
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12/3/2004 12:21:38 PM
The Ripley's is in Gatlinberg, about 10 minutes from the park (Dollywood is on the edge of Pigeon Force, right next to the forrest that seperates PF and Gatlin.) Ive been there, years ago, and it was pretty cool, but once you've been to one Ripley's, its like going to all of them (at least from my experience). As far as hotels, I don't know, I stayed in a cabin that was on top of a hill across the street from the entrance. Speaking of, not that it probably matters all that much, but on the road in front of Dollywood (which bear's the park's name I think) they we doing construction when I was there. Farther down that road, you can see the Governor's mansion atop a hill on the left (headed away from the park) and that road will eventually take you to Seiverville. If you go left onto the main road, it will take you over to Parkway, so you can avoid traffic, if it is bad at this time of year (Larry will be able to update the more recent situation) and there is a pancake house on the left, just after the left, that I thought was pretty darn good. Sorry if any of that is confusing... I tried 
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coasterSS
Posts: 3249
Registered: 10/1/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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12/3/2004 9:30:50 PM
Good Hotel? Hmmmmm..... I really can't think of the name, but if you drive into Gatlinburg form Pigeon Forge, there is a hotel that is on piers on the river's edge. It appears to be clean and always has vacancy every time we go. So chech into that. Maybe someone else knows the name.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
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12/3/2004 11:12:54 PM
certainly not the Howard Johnson's in Pigeon Forge. It is a hole.
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coasterSS
Posts: 3249
Registered: 10/1/2004
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12/4/2004 10:43:36 AM
No, this is in Gatlinburg, Right after you get to the end of the road throught the woods, right there on the left in GATLINBURG!!!!!
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
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12/5/2004 12:22:38 AM
Quote:
coasterdad said:
No, this is in Gatlinburg, Right after you get to the end of the road throught the woods, right there on the left in GATLINBURG!!!!! |
sorry for the confusion, wasn't trying to respond to you, just warning everyone that's the Howard Johnson's is a hole
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Dukeis#1
Posts: 138
Registered: 12/2/2004
Rank: Bronze Critic
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12/5/2004 7:16:23 PM
One good hotel in Pigeon Forge is the Riverside Tower. It is very clean and is next to the Old Mill and Old Mill Restaurant. The rooms have fireplaces and jacuzzis.
We could here the Dollywood steam train's whistle from our balcony.
Also, if it is cold don't expect Thunderhead or Tennessee Tornado to be open. If the temperature drops below 40F the park doesn't operate them.
Message updated 12/5/2004 7:18:19 PM by Dukeis#1
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coasterSS
Posts: 3249
Registered: 10/1/2004
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12/5/2004 9:47:34 PM
It would be cool if Dollywood had hotels in the park! 
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BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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12/6/2004 6:03:11 PM
Cyclonic, I have no chance to make it to Dollywood this weekend 
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