PTR Dollywood 9/23 & 9/24/07

[coastersue]

This past weekend we headed to Dollywood for a Sunday and Monday visit to the park.  Even though Sunday wasn't overly crowded, we decided to get a Qbot.  We've always wanted to try one, but refuse to pay the rip-off prices that SF charges.  At Dollywood, you can't beat a price of $16 for 2 people.

Sunday was our relaxing day since we hoped Monday would be our crazy riding day just like it was the last time we visited on a Monday in September.  Just as I had planned, Mystery Mine was coaster #700 for me.  Unfortunately, it was a huge let-down.  I had high expectations for it and they didn't even come close to being met.  While the theming is excellent, the ride is not.  It's pure headbanging from start to finish.  It figures that it's made by Gerstlauer who are experts at causing pain with their wood coaster trains.  Rich even rode it one more time than I did since my head was pounding so bad that I couldn't take any more.

We made the rounds of the park riding everything a couple times and also took in the Dreamland Drive-In show.  We're not usually big on seeing shows, but we did both enjoy this one.

Sunday Ride Count
Thunderhead-7
Tennessee Tornado-2
Blazing Fury-1
Dizzy Disk-1
Smokey Mountain Wilderness Adventure-1
Dollywood Express-1
Veggie Tales Sideshow Spin-1
Sky Rider-1
Mystery Mine-3
Total Rides: 18

Monday turned out to be everything we hoped for and more.  Visiting on a weekday in the fall is the best time to go to Dollywood.  90% of the park guests on these days are senior citizens who are there to see the shows.  For anyone that wants to ride, you pretty much have the rides to yourself.

As I've mentioned before, the best thing about Dollywood is the employees.  Everyone we encountered was friendly and efficient at their job.  Not only that, but their employees seem to be there for the long-term.  The employees working Thunderhead and Tennessee Tornado were mostly the same ones who were operating them during our first visit in 2004.

We were only at the park for 7 of the 8 hours they were open and got to ride to our heart's content.  It was an excellent day at Dollywood!

Monday Ride Count
Thunderhead-60
Tennessee Tornado-15
Blazing Fury-1
Mystery Mine-ZERO
Total Rides: 76

Here's a couple pictures from our trip:

[PcMan]

Wow is this correct 60 ?

Monday Ride Count
Thunderhead-60

i never been there yet but look like this is the time to go

[coastersue]

Yes, 60 is correct!  :-)

[Millennium Force 44]

That's insane! Did you even have to get off, or were most of them rerides? How did u keep count??

[coastersue]

We had to walk around maybe 8 times.  Most times they were begging people to stay on.  Rich always has a pen and paper in his pocket so he keeps the count.

[WadeJ]

Now that is somebody who is prepared lol

That was the issue we all had on Toro's media day (and Ka for that matter).  It is really tough keeping count after that many rides!

That just shows how re-ridable TH is   Nice TR Sue!

[Bubba Z]

Thunderhead is awesome!  I also agree that late in the season is the best time to go.  Like Sue said , most of the  guest are there to see shows.   Problem going late is that I haven't yet to experience the water rides and I missed out on their old flume ride : (

[chilled182]

G trains are the worst things ever.  we encountered several on our trip this year through indiana and back.  So many rides that could have been not so bad, had they been PTC's of flyers instead!

I was in dollywood for the shows in like december of the year they were building thunderhead.  I only got to hit blazing fury ridewise...

[Robert T Ackerman]

Well, if they are open on Mondays in September all of the time... I might try to make that my Birthday stop next year