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Built by the park's own crew back before the park was even Dollywood, this is a pleasant little indoor ride that is somewhat of a hybrid between a darkride and a roller coaster. Thanks to three rather sudden drops between powered segments, it is perhaps best described as the latter. Until recently there was a splashdown at the end that gave it even more character, and soaked riders, but that was removed by the end of the 2011 season.
Despite its age, and dated but still quite amusing scenery along the ride, it serves its purpose well. The storyline is hard to follow with the water removed and other elements not functioning as they did way back when, but that's no big deal. It's still a fun ride to take a spin on after lunch or when it's raining out - as it operates regardless of the weather if I recall.
For the most part the ride is gentle, with long powered segments through gradual slow inclines and wide turns, but the train coasts down two sudden drops, reaching a top speed of somewhere around 20mph. In the dark, they're a bit more thrilling than that would indicate, although the relatively cheesy effects make the drops easy to note ahead of time if you're paying attention. For the hardcore thrill seeker, this is a good 'resting' ride, and an excellent family ride. The theming throughout the queue area is great, with all sorts of firefighting memorabilia, and the station itself resembles a fire station, with the trains themselves even painted to match. Anyone with connections to firefighting would find this a gem.
The only downside is the lines can be rather long depending on operations. I don't know how many trains they have, but when I was there, there was literally no line, and it still took quite a bit to get on, as the ride length is rather long, the pace is slow, and there was only one train operating. But if you're in Dollywood, this historic gem is definitely worth riding.
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