Dollywood Insiders: Behind the Scenes: Getting Mystery Mine Ready for the Day

 Hi Everyone,

I came across this great article for all you ride enthusiasts, who, like me, are always eager to learn more about how rides work.  The more that I learned about functionality, safety systems, etc, mostly as a teenager, my fears about flying off the tracks (lol) subsided. In the 1980's we obviously didn't have the internet to learn from, so back then I just had to figure it out or ask nerdy questions of the ride ops... mostly they did not know what I was asking. Also lol.

This is from the Dollywood Insiders Group and here’s the source - right here.  I hope you enjoy it. But Wait, There's More!! Go to the article to watch a video related to this story!

Behind the Scenes: Getting Mystery Mine Ready for the Day - Dollywood Insiders

Behind the Scenes: Getting Mystery Mine Ready for the Day

By Jeremy Daniels - Dollywood Insider

My uncle Gordon worked for Dollywood in the 1990s as a member of the rides’ maintenance crew. For many years, the reason my family was able to visit the park was because of the complimentary tickets my uncle gave us. It was on those trips that I fell in love with Dollywood. The sights, sounds and smells that take me right back to my childhood still exist in the park today.

I recently had the opportunity to go behind the scenes of Mystery Mine with Caleb (a rides’ maintenance host) for an up-close look at how the attraction is inspected and tested each morning.

The maintenance team ensures everything is operating as it should every day: they walk and inspect the track, meticulously comb through each ride vehicle and test operation software and mechanics. Needless to say, ride mechanics arrive several hours before the park opens. Dollywood’s rides’ maintenance hosts have the authority to keep attractions closed until they are comfortable that it meets all standards set by the manufacturer.

I went into this experience expecting to get a glimpse at what few have seen, but I left with confidence in the safety of each ride at Dollywood. These unsung heroes of the theme park world are often overlooked, and I just want to say thanks. My life has been greatly influenced by one a Dollywood rides’ maintenance host, and he would be proud of the team that continues the great work today.

By Jeremy Daniels| September 9th, 2022

Dont forget to go to the article to watch the related video - Video Here 

Cigarette butts to benches - Dollywood joins 7-state initiative recycling cigarette butts to keep TN River beautiful.

Hi Everyone,

I saw this article recently and thought what a great idea this is, so I wanted to share.

Source - WATE-tv, Knoxville.

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WATE) — Visitors to Dollywood can sit on benches made from the plastic found in cigarette butts.

Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful (KTNRB) gifted Dollywood the two benches as a way to say thank you for the park’s efforts in stopping cigarette litter. In 2021, Dollywood partnered with the river cleanup nonprofit for their cigarette litter prevention project. KTNRB gave Dollywood with 26 art-wrapped cigarette receptacles through grants and sponsorships from Keep America Beautiful, Keep Tennessee Beautiful, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and the American Eagle Foundation.

According to KTNRB, Dollywood is the first theme park in the world to recycle the plastic found in every cigarette butt collected on its property. The park is also the largest recycler in KTNRB’s Cigarette Litter Prevention Program with more than 250,000 of the 275,000 cigarette butts collected coming from Dollywood.

“This is a pioneering step that Dollywood is taking with this project—one that sets an example that our waterways are worth protecting and one that is the largest recycling impact of its kind within the seven-state Tennessee River watershed,” said Kathleen Gibi, KTNRB Executive Director. “We’re grateful to all of the partners who have made this project possible.”

The Pigeon River, seen at a lower level in this photo due to summer weather, is part of the Tennessee River watershed and runs through the center of Dollywood. (Photo via by Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful)

One of 26 cigarette receptacles installed throughout Dollywood. (Photo via by Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful)

Representatives from the groups that made Dollywood’s massive cigarette plastic recycling project possible pose with a bench made from recycled cigarette plastic. Left to right: Carol Agee (Dollywood), Kathleen Gibi (Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful), Melinda Watson (TVA); Back row, left to right: Bobby Johnson (Dollywood), Jessica Hall (American Eagle Foundation), Mark Huber (Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful), Edmond McDavis (Keep Tennessee Beautiful)(Photo via by Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful)

Dollywood staff store the collected butts until a bulk shipment can be sent for the cigarettes’ plastic to be recycled.(Photo via by Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful)

“Dollywood has been recognized as one of the most beautiful theme parks in the world due, in part, to the beauty of East Tennessee,” said Carol Agee, Dollywood Sr. Manager of Community Affairs and Strategic Alliances. “It is vital for us to maintain this beauty by caring for our natural surroundings. Through our partnership with KTNRB, we are able to take hundreds of thousands of cigarette butts and remove them from the waste stream.”

Overall, 800 art-wrapped cigarette receptacles have been placed in all seven states of the Tennessee River watershed, with partners at marinas, campgrounds and businesses maintaining them. 109 cigarette receptacles were given to Tennessee’s state parks.

“We’re grateful to have such a leader within our watershed and hope their example inspires others to follow,” said Gibi. “We could think of no greater theme park to champion such an effort than Dollywood, who has so successfully married the theme park experience with the stunning setting of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Pigeon River, demonstrating to park visitors each year that our natural assets are both cultural and economic treasures,” said Gibi.

KTNRB shared that several studies have found that cigarette butts in water hold enough toxins to kill aquatic life within two gallons of the surrounding water. In 2019, CNN reported cigarette filters were the No. 1 plastic pollutant in the world.

Five New Rides for the Island in Pigeon Forge!

Update from 10/14/22 - The Island posted on Facebook, a video of the Nebulaz up and running.  I am assuming it's still in the testing and commissoning phase, but I would expect it to open in the very near future.

Click here to see their post on Facebook

🚨NEW VIDEO 🚨Big Bear Mountain Construction Update from Sept. 28, 2022🚨👷‍♂️👷🏻‍♀️🏗️

 Hi Everyone, 

I was able to get some footage from Big Bear Mountain's Construction site on Wednesday, September 28th, 2022.

Here are some pics from the video.

waterfall basin

building near the waterfall basin

behind Black Bear Trail Ride

launch area near the station

Station Area / Maintenance Shed / Queue / below-grade tunnel

What are you most looking forward to on Big Bear Mountain?  Let me know in the comments.

Until next time!

🚨NEW VIDEO🚨Dollywood's Harvest Festival and Great Pumpkin LumiNights, 2022!🚨

 Hi Everyone,

I have a new video to share.  This is Dollywood's Harvest Festival and it was a lot of fun to experience.  I think this is the parks Fifth year celebrating Harvest with the LumiNights incorporated into it.  The park is really stunning this time of year with the leaves beginning to change color and the summer heat has finally taken a break to give way to cooler temperatures.  The fall displays are well done, of course! There's music at every single turn in the park. There's a lot to take in and see, so go ahead and watch!  The video's youtube page has all the chapters if you would like to skip around.  Below the video I will share some pictures of the day I was filming, including the Fall Merch from the Emporium.

🍂🍂🍂🍁🍁🍁👻👻👻🦴🦴🦴🎃🎃🎃☠️☠️☠️

Palace Theater, my starting and ending point

Dollywood logo in mums

brave riders of the chilly rampage

The Young Fables at the Back Porch Theater

Harvest Tree

Gloryway Quartet (or Trio?) at the chapel

Owl sculpture in the new-for-2022, Hoot Owl Hollow

Dolly's Guitar in Pumpkins

Owls high in the trees

Spider Pumpkin's Lair in the Tennessee Tornado Plaza

The Spider Pumpkin

The Laying Pumpkin

The Great Pumpkin Tree

New-for-2022 Photo Opportunity in Wildwood Grove 

some of the Sunflower Pumpkins

Mystery Mine and the Bat Archway

Drop Line's pond of Froggy Pumpkins

Holiday light tunnel with Halloween Flair

Disco Pumpkins

Disco Pumpkins

Festival Archway in Timber Canyon

And lastly, the Palace Theater on Showstreet

Merch in the Emporium

Of course, these videos and pictures are great, but you really need to see this festival in person, so make sure you get to Dollywood to see it if you can.

For more information about this festival, check out Dollywood's Website - HERE.

I hope you all enjoyed the video and this post!  Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time!

What Makes an Perfect Amusement Park Food, According to an Expert

 

Article Source: Foodandwine.com

What Makes an Perfect Amusement Park Food, According to an Expert

Funnel cakes and fries are perennial hits, but you might be surprised how welcome a strawberry spinach salad can be between coaster rides.

By Paul O. Mims | Published on August 26, 2022

PHOTO: AMY MUSCHIK / EYEEM / GETTY IMAGES

I am what they call a roller coaster enthusiast (or nerd, if you want to drop the niceties). I am such an enthusiast that you can show me any picture of a roller coaster, and I can tell you the manufacturer by just the train and track design. Not necessarily impressive since any enthusiast can even decipher a Giovanola from a Bolliger Mabillard. Amusement parks have been a huge part of my life since childhood. At the age of 15, I started my "thrill tenure" working at the Dippin' Dots stand, and I persisted seven years later. I grew to have a slightly unsettling obsession with park operations. I was even a ride operator for an inverted B&M at "America's roller coast," Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH. I was also a supervisor in the food services department, and I saw the ins and outs of amusement park food fare.

 

Not to brag, but I created a wrap with chicken and strawberries — weird but good. It was a hit and it sold like funnel cakes (get it?). Amusement park food, once upon a time, was not really alluring. You had your typical funnel cake, elephant ear, cotton candy, or anything fried. Amusement parks have been stepping up their game with their dining options, but they would be foolish to take away the OG's. Bigger theme park chains may employ executive chefs across their parks with inventive menus, but the biggest test is the acceptance of the general public (GP in park nerd terms). What essentially makes any amusement park dish a hit, isn't necessarily a science, but it's a compilation of sorts. The following elements are all indicators of a perfect amusement park dish.

 

It's easily replicable.

The majority of a parks' workforce is between the ages of 16 and 18. Menu items have to be easily replicable that even the most novice cooks can understand. Teenagers may not necessarily possess the most robust cooking knowledge. I once had an employee who served paper to a customer (was unaware of parchment paper between cheese slices). As a previous supervisor, I had the luxury of training teenagers on how to use a deep fryer or a flattop as well as teaching them how to hold a knife. After a few test runs, they eventually get it.

Kings Dominion has added a new themed area, X-Pedition Base Camp, where a venue is dedicated to just loaded French fries. Deep-frying doesn't require culinary school, however, cleaning one should because that is something that is not taught enough.

It's inexpensive to make.

Amusement parks make a lot of profit from dining. Have you seen their prices? Sixteen bucks for a hotdog and fries combo is steep. The inevitable, "That's a lot for a hot dog!" is correct. Inexpensive ingredients can be bought in bulk and are easily expendable. Funnel cake is literally flour, sugar, baking powder, and water. It costs pennies to produce. Slap some hot fudge and whipped cream, and the markup is in the double digits. I had a boss who almost discontinued glazed walnuts in a salad because it was too expensive to procure.

It should be seasonal.

Our pineapple pico de gallo and the strawberry spinach salad were hits. Fresh produce is always a way to entice any consumer, especially the parents. We all know parents are the spenders, and are likely to want a fresh option for their kids besides the usual fried and sweet offerings. Fresh fruit cups are popping up on menus because of this. It also doesn't hurt that the seasonal produce adds a bit of horticulture to the park.

There should be an Insta-factor.

Back when I was working at parks, Instagram was not what it is today and TikTok was not even a thing. I hail from the era of Vine, and the only indication of any smartphone capability was the Blackberry. Food culture has exploded on social media, and it has made its way in the theme park industry. Parks across the nation are adding items that are "Insta-worthy." Hersheypark and Six Flags have top-heavy — and difficult to eat — milkshakes that would be any influencer's muse.

Adults-only options are welcome.

Adults were once forgotten on the menu front. I guess family-oriented entertainment spaces put all of the eggs in the children's basket. I am not a parent, but I have witnessed parents buy lunch for their family and nine times out of 10, they choose what the kids want. Parks are now providing the "drop your kids off, and enjoy yourself" offerings. More cocktail-driven menus are now beckoning. Busch Gardens just opened a new speakeasy this year, along with a new roller coaster attraction.

So now that we have the formula for the perfect amusement park dish, would a hot dog topped with pineapple pico de gallo, with a side of loaded fries, and a spiked lemonade work for mom? It is not always definitive. Like anything, it takes trial and error. What I can say is that the pineapple pico de gallo-topped hot dog will do well somewhere by the ride photo kiosk.

Big Bear Mountain Track Arrives at Dollywood

 Hi Everyone,

Dollywood has posted images of Big Bear Mountain's track arrival to Dollywood, on social media.  This is exciting because it means that vertical construction will begin soon enough, and we'll be able to start seeing noticeable progress in Big Bear Mountain.  Up until now, we've seen site preparation and footer formations taking shape.  Well, now or sooner than later we'll see columns on the footers and then the track can begin to be added.   

Courtesy of Dollywood's Facebook Page

Here's a link to my blog post about the announcement of Big Bear Mountain - Take a look here.

You can watch the announcement with Dolly below.  Below that is the ride animation.

Until Next Time!

Dollywood Blog: Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa Celebrates Harvest Festival

Hi Everyone,

I was checking out a recent post from The Dollywood Blog - Dollywood’s official blog, and they have a great post about DreamMore and how they celebrate the Harvest Festival there.  I thought it would be a great share, so here you go.

I always say - Follow the Dollywood Blog and my blog for helpful Dollywood information.

Source:

Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa Celebrates Harvest Festival | Dollywood Blog

Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa Celebrates Harvest Festival

Fall is a magnificent time here in the Smokies. The leaves change colors, the air is crisp and the smell of pumpkin fills the air. To immerse resort guests in the splendor of a Smoky Mountain autumn, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa is celebrating Dollywood’s Harvest Festival with fall foods, décor, activities and more.

Throughout the duration of the Harvest Festival, you can enjoy the Harvest Refreshment of the Moment including Pumpkin Punch, Pomegranate and Citrus Mocktail, and Autumn Harvest Punch. These delicious, family-friendly beverages are served by our Camp DW Hosts from 4-6 p.m. in the lobby and come with a recipe card allowing you to recreate the special beverage and memories at home. Camp DW offers a variety of harvest-themed take-away crafts including DIY patchwork pumpkins, foam pumpkin painting, seasonal vintage wooden trucks, canvas painting and more. Camp DW also hosts nightly s’mores and bedtime stories, which features fall-themed children’s books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Camp DW Activities During Harvest Include:

• Bedtime Stories in The Barn every night at 8 p.m.

• S’mores roasting around the wood-burning fire pit every night at 7 p.m.

• Pumpkin carving demonstrations in The Barn every Tuesday that Dollywood is closed

• Giant Connect 4, Jenga, Dominoes, Cornhole and other outdoor games available all day

• Outdoor family movie nights in The Barn every weekend at 8:30 p.m.

• Themed craft afternoon hosted by Camp DW Hosts.

Guest can enjoy live entertainment by featured Harvest Festival performers in the resort’s atrium throughout the festival, including performances by The Young Fables, The Woods, Billy and Cruz Contreras, the High Beams, and Kate and Corey. Daily roaming performers also can be found around the resort.

Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa’s Culinary Team is cooking up dining experiences. In The Lounge, you can feast upon delicious harvest-themed food and beverage options.

In The Spa, you can relax with special treatments infused with fall scents and ingredients. For Dollywood’s Harvest Festival, you can choose from treatments that are reminiscent of harvest in the Smoky Mountains such as the honey chai massage or luminous pumpkin facial.  Choose from three harvest-inspired manicure and pedicure combinations – campfire, mint, and perky pumpkin – before completing their service by adding a sweet apple cider back polish or big bear polish foot scrub.

Harvest Festival décor brings vibrant, fall colors to the already beautiful resort. An autumn pumpkin display greets you as you enter the resort, while orange, gold and crimson wreaths and flower arrangements adorn tables, doors, the truck by the barn and other areas of the resort.

By Jennifer Webb | September 21st, 2022

🚨New Video 🚨 Christmas-Ween at Dollywood - an unusual visit.

 Hi Everyone,

Working in television can be a lot fun.  The first television show I worked on was called Club Dance and it aired on TNN - The Nashville Network - during most of the 1990s and it was filmed in Knoxville in a television studio, and it was meant to look as though it were in a nightclub, or a country line-dancing club - those were wildly popular in that timeframe.   By the end of September on Club Dance, we had already celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and so that was always a sort of thing that would screw with your mind a bit.  And sometimes it made me less exciting to celebrate those holidays in real life because mentally, I had already been there and done that.  lol.

That's how my visit felt to Dollywood on August 31st!  Not sure what part of the calendar I was living in.  Nonetheless, Dollywood is amazing, and they're fantastic about hanging Christmas and Halloween stuff up simultaneously, only to pull Christmas back down again, and then put it back up again in a month or so!  Crazy!

In this video I take a look at all of that.  I have one last look at the Smoky Mountain River Rampage.  I love shooting that ride, as you know if you look at my Dollywood videos.  One last shot of Daredevil Falls before it goes down for the season as well.  I have a Big Bear Mountain update of the construction site.  I take a look at the Slidewinder site to see if anything new is happening.  There's nothing I could see from the former entrance, but I'll show you a map of the potential area that could be used - it's really big.  Lastly, I exit through the gift shop - Dollywood's Emporium has Dolly's new line of dog clothes called Doggy Parton, and they're available for puchase in the Emporum.  I'll show you a few of the Christmas Ornaments that they are selling.  And that does it for this visit!

Check out my video below!