Dollywood Opening Day 2023 - Photo Trip Report, including a Dolly Parton Parade!

Hi Everyone, 

Dollywood opened for its 38th Season on Friday March 10th, 2023, and I have made this photo trip report.  I will have videos out soon!  The weather was rainy early on, but the skies cleared, and it was a pretty great day to be at Dollywood.   My day, basically:  I went around the entire park to see what changes I noticed.  I took in three shows, Love Always, The Smoky Mountain String band and the Tones show at the Village stage next to the train.  They were all great and polished - no indications of opening day jitters!  And then I finished the day with the Dolly Parade, which was surreal.  

What I noticed first as I entered the park was that the entry plaza, Showstreet and Market Square were decked out to celebrate 50 years of Dolly's musical see-you-later to Porter Waggoner, "I Will Always Love You". There are new photo opportunities throughout this part of the park, new related merchandise and even new limited time treats you can enjoy celebrating IWALY.

General Observations:  The crowds seemed heavier to me than a year ago.  I'm not sure the reasoning behind that.  Dolly was expected to be there, which draws people in.  The weather forecast was iffy and at some point, included potential snow.  In the end it rained in the morning and turned into a beautiful sunny day.  The park looked great I thought.  It felt to me like most of the projects were wrapped up before opening day.  There's always lots of little changes that I go around and try and notice.  I will point those out in each area below.

The ride operations that I noticed were mostly uneventful.  I checked the app and the boards around the park from time to time.  Lightning Rod went down for the day sometime in the afternoon.  Dizzy Disk wasn't running and had a sign in front of it.  I saw some social media reports of ride stoppages and evacuations, so there were some minor hiccups, but those happen every day.  These types of events are perfect indicators of how safe Dollywood's rides are.  They are designed to come to a very safe stop when there are minor issues that pop up during the course of operating heavy machinery.  They can seem frightening when you're less familiar with how it works, but when a ride stops it's nothing to worry about.  Stay in your seat and wait for instructions.  Here's a couple of posts you can see - safety first!

Blazing Fury Evac - Facebook

Firechaser Safe Stoppage - Facebook

Here's a area-by-area breakdown of my day looking around the park:

Tram Station - I didn't notice any changes.

Entry Plaza - Permanent structures replaced the temporary tents for ECV Rental Annex as well as the Security Screening pass through area.

ECV-Wheelchair-Stroller Rental Annex

Security Screening Pass through area

Showstreet Right (from the front gate perspective) - It was decked out for the "I Will Always Love You" 50-year celebration.  There was a pop-up merchandise spot next door to Showstreet Snacks that has a huge selection of the 50-year Merch, so check that out.  There are other places in the park to get the 50-year merch as well.   You can see the photos above of Showstreet in IWALY finest.

pop up IWALY merch on Showstreet

Showstreet Left - The ECV/wheelchair/strollers Rentals, Lockers and the Ride Accessibility Center has been rearranged in a more spacious way.   Next to the Emporium you'll find the Measuring Center and, on the right, adjacent to the Palace Theater you'll find oversized lockers and the ECV/Wheelchairs/Strollers Rental location.  I'm not sure if this layout is final but take note that it has changed around.  

Wildwood Grove - seemed to me to be the hotspot of activity in the park.  As I got closer to Big Bear, I noticed some of the planters in the middle of the pathway had changed shape a bit.  A new permanent fence has replaced the wooden work-fence at the Waterfall part of the ride.  All the track is complete, so now the focus is on wiring up the ride components, and lots of hardscaping and landscaping yet to be completed.  There is quite a bit left to do before the opening sometime in May.

I spied a bunch of new Big Bear merchandise at Mountain Grove Merchants in between Frogs n Fireflies and Black Bear Trail Ride.

There's a lot of work left to do for a May 2023 opening.

Big Bear Nano Coaster, $34.99.

Timber Canyon - the major change that I saw was Thunderhead has had a lot of wood replaced in areas near the station.  I think this is the last phase (maybe?) of the multi-year phase full replacement of track.  IIRC they were switching to a Brazilian wood - Ipe, I think it is known as.  It's much stronger than the pine that it's replacing.  According to the social media comments I saw about Thunderhead this weekend, the changes were described in extremely positive terms.

new wood on Thunderhead!

Wilderness Pass - The Food Truck Plaza was back with two Food Trucks there.

Craftsman's Valley - I noticed a new water wheel outside of the Bird Show theater, and some work on the water trough has happened as well.  Daredevil Falls' exit ramp was looking good with new paint.  The Food Truck Park was back in the Tennessee Tornado Plaza.  The setup has been rearranged a bit.

Lots of new paint on the exit of Daredevil Falls

Rivertown - Butterfly Strings.  A new shop with Dolly, Elvis, Willie, Johnny Cash merchandise, and other cool music stuff.  It's next door to the Back Porch Theater.   If you're looking for the Dolly Funkos, they can be found here.

#funko #dollyfunko #FunkoPop #Collectibles #MusicIcons #CountryMusic #9to5 #Jolene #IWillAlwaysLoveYou #Dollywood #Tennessee #EastTennessee #Memorabilia #VinylFigures #PopCulture #LimitedEdition #ToyCollection

Country Fair - Dollywood has expanded its picnic/Group pavilions.  The Celebration Hall has been converted into group dining space.  CH is next door to the Blue Ribbon Pavillion which, both buildings have been there for a million years, at least.  I imagine both pavilions will be busy on weekends for the warmer months.  Scrambler received some paint-love in the off season and is looking sharp in its mustard-ketchup color scheme.  Does anyone know what has happened to Lemon Twist?  It turns as fast as a minute hand on a clock, and it has not always been this way.  

All Smiles on the Scrambler

Scrambler with fresh paint

The Village - New accessibility ramps for the train.  This will hopefully make this easier for those that need the ramps.

Adventures In Imagination - The biggest news came from Dolly about the replacement for Chasing Rainbows Museum, expected to open in 2024.

Chasing Rainbows prepares to morph into Dollys Interactive Experience

Dolly Parade - Dolly made one parade appearance this opening weekend and it was on Friday.  Enjoy my video below of Dolly going down Showstreet.

That wraps up my Trip Report.  I am working on several videos to share, so do be sure to Subscribe to my YouTube Channel (HERE) and click the bell for notifications, and you'll catch all my Dollywood videos.  

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Rob Halford really loves Dolly Parton! He has been approached for her new album Rock Star!

Hi Everyone, 

A couple of blog articles ago I wrote about Rob Halford of Judas Priest and how he was fanboying over Dolly Parton.  I wrote about how much I loved that because they are from opposite sides of the spectrum musically, and the most unexpected pairing, but it's music that brings them together, which fascinates me.  As long-time fans will undoubtedly share with anyone willing to listen, she's easy to adore.... Rob is a bit late to the party!

Rob has been doing interviews after recently being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, alongside of Dolly and other great artists, so recurring questions naturally involve Dolly.  It is excellent to hear Rob gush heavily about her.  This article covers his involvement in her new album, Rock Star, and how it came to be, among other interesting bits.  I'll post the whole article from blabbermouth.net below.  There's a bit overlap from the other interview, so some of it may feel familiar.

Welcome to the 2023 Season of Dollywood! Let's see the Off-Season Updates.

Hi Everyone, 

Dollywood opens this week!   The off-season has come to an end, and Dollywood has been busy making upgrades to various parts of the park.  Dollywood has published a photo-update on their blog, so Let’s check out the upgrades and changes they've made. 

I’ll be at the park this week to capture all of this AND check out the progress of Big Bear Mountain - for my videos and blog, so stay tuned for all of that goodness.

Take it over, Dollywood.......

Dollywood Park Opening Update

By: 

• Amber Davis

March 02, 2023

I wrote a blog about what’s been happening behind the gates at Dollywood in the off-season in early January. A LOT more has happened since then, so I thought I’d prepare you for all the exciting updates our teams have been busy completing.  

Entry Plaza

When you get off the tram, you’ll see that there’s now a permanent structure for our Rentals Annex. This is where you can rent an Electronic Convenience Vehicle (ECV). The new design is larger to accommodate more ECVs available out front. As before, there are some ECVs set aside to reserve online; however, most of the fleet is available first-come, first served when you get to the park. When the ECVs are gone from the Rentals Annex, be sure to check availability from the Rentals location inside the park. As always, if renting an ECV is a priority, plan to arrive early. You may pick up and return your ECV at this location. Dollywood's ECVs are not permitted beyond the transit hub. For additional Rental Services FAQs, read this blog.

Next, as you move through the entry plaza, you’ll notice a new permanent structure for the security screening. This area, too, is larger than before (about double the size of last year!) to process guests faster and provide more shade.

Reconfigured

Inside the park, we’ve made some updates to expedite your day. We reconfigured the area around the Ride Accessibility Center and Centralized Measuring.

The former location for Rental Services is gone to make more space for the Groups and Preferred Entrance.

Now, you can find Rentals (ECVs, wheelchairs and strollers) in the building “across the street.” It’s adjacent to Showstreet Palace Theater. We moved the TimeSaver location there, too! Hopefully, all these updates will get your day started even faster with improved efficiency.

New Store Concepts

There are a few shop updates you’ll notice. What was the Rivertown Christmas Cottage is transforming into Butterfly Strings Music Store—a tribute to Dolly's influence on country music. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog with more details!

Christmas isn’t forgotten! With a little re-branding, Smoky Mountain Christmas Shop will open in Craftsman’s Valley in combination with the woodcarver’s shop. A note for those who truly know Dollywood: don’t fret! Though the store has been renovated, the mouse hole is still there. See if you can find its new location coming soon!

Better Accessibility

When you ride the Dollywood Express, you will find the dock on the unloading side is all-new. And, there is a new 35x20-foot loading platform for our guests who need help with accessibility. Guests who use this ramp will be able to enter and exit the same way.

There are now four service dog relief areas around the park. That’s an additional two for this upcoming season. Look for the new spots behind Village Carousel in The Village and just past Frogs & Fireflies in Wildwood Grove. These relief areas have a wide gate for wheelchair users to enter and exit with ease.

Country Fair Upgrades

In Country Fair, families will be excited to find Celebration Hall has been remodeled to offer additional shaded seating space. If a group doesn’t have it reserved, grab some lunch from Midway Market and sit here or just take a break in this open-air pavilion.

Nearby, you may notice that The Scrambler has been rebuilt and repainted as part of our annual rides’ maintenance cycle.

Kitchen Work

To improve efficiency at Till & Harvest Food Hall, our teams renovated the kitchen, adding several new pieces of equipment.

Speaking of kitchens, a handful of restaurants received new epoxy floors and our production kitchen got new tiling. Behind-the-scenes work is very beneficial for the teams who work hard to serve you.

General Maintenance and Updates

A few other maintenance projects include sealing asphalt throughout the park and upgrading some drainage systems.

There’s a new waterwheel in front of the Wings of America Theater and a new “watering tree” in front of the Blacksmith shop.

Of course, this is all in addition to the push to get Big Bear Mountain ready to open this spring!

The buzz of activity gets a little louder each day as we count down to opening March 10 for Season Passholders (and lodging guests!) and March 11 for the general public.

Dollywood Trip Planning! Spring Break 2023 info, Crowd Calendar & More!

Hi Everyone,

As you start - or maybe you have already begun your trip planning process for getting yourself to Dollywood.  Read my article for some really helpful Dollywood Trip Planning tips and advice.

🔵Spring Break Chart

I came across this handy chart for the many school systems that frequent Dollywood during their respective Spring Breaks.  It includes the last day of school for each school system as well.

This chart could really help you plan your trip whether or not you want to be at Dollywood during spring breaks 🤷‍♂️ or wish to avoid that timeframe all together!

🔵Crowd Calendar

Another helpful Dollywood Trip Planning tool is the Dollywood Crowd Calendar!  It's run by a third party that analyzes ride wait times that Dollywood publishes for their app.

🔷Check out Dollywood's Crowd Calendar here.

A cool feature of the Crowd Calendar is that it works at more parks than just Dollywood, so check it out while you're doing your trip planning.

🔵Blog Posts with other Helpful Trip Planning information

• Getting To Dollywood by Plane
• Hotels with High Ratings in Pigeon Forge.  I have created a spreadsheet that incorporates ratings from different reliable sources, and ranked hotels in the area.  I've listed out columns for things like indoor pools, hot tubs and more on the spreadsheet.  Very helpful if you, or someone in your group is looking for a specific amenity.
• Top Breakfast Restaurants in Pigeon Forge.  I have created a list of the best Breakfast restaurants in Pigeon Forge using ratings from various reliable sources, and ranked them in my blog post.
  
• Tons of YouTube videos - I have so many YouTube videos of Dollywood including every festival and lots of general park updates as well as many Big Bear Mountain construction updates from all of 2022.  Check out my 2022 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2022.

Good luck with the planning process and ask any questions you may have in the comments below.  I'll do my best to answer or point you in the right direction.

#Dollywood #DollywoodTripPlanning #PigeonForgeTennessee #TennesseeTourism #vlog #blog #pigeonforgeattractions

Rob Halford of Judas Priest discusses meeting Dolly Parton at the Rock and Roll HOF Induction Ceremony

Hi Everyone, I came across this awesome article recently and wanted to share it with you.  Rob Halford, of Judas Priest was interviewed by blabbermouth.net about his experience at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and talks about his excitement of 'fanboying' Dolly Parton.  It's an interesting read and a bit wild considering the two artists are pretty far apart in terms of style, substance and abilities.  The common thread:  MUSIC!  That, and everyone loves Dolly Parton!

Take it away, blabbermouth.net...

ROB HALFORD On Sharing Microphone With DOLLY PARTON At ROCK HALL:  'I May Have Overstepped My Mark'

February 25, 2023

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford joined country legend Dolly Parton on stage last November at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony to perform her classic song "Jolene". Also appearing with them as part of a "super jam" performance were some of the other Rock Hall inductees, including Pat Benatar, Annie Lennox and DURAN DURAN's Simon Le Bon.

Speaking to the SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard host Mark Strigl about what it was like to briefly share the microphone with Dolly, Rob said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I did the gay hustle and [thought], 'I've gotta get close to Dolly.' [Laughs] I may have overstepped my mark, but I was just gushing; I was a fanboy. I was kind of cringey at the end.

"I still haven't seen it — I still haven't seen it — but people say it was great, and that's all that matters.

"To be so close to her and to feel the love that this lady has — she's just this walking beacon of love and happiness and joy that she spreads," Halford continued. "And the talent that she has; when you think about the thousands and thousands of songs that she's written. And her story… There's a great Netflix documentary called 'Here I Am', and I watched that the other night. And where she came from and how she persevered, and she went through a moment where she really didn't know if things were gonna be able to continue, just through the way that rock and roll works, and she did. She's the epitome of staying the course and believing in yourself and believing the people around you and getting through these difficulties and challenges and rising above them and becoming a success all over again. She was always a success, but in the way that she can kind of fade in and out of things in rock and roll. She stuck to it. And wow. She's roaring right now. She's got this new rock album coming out, which we're all thrilled to know about.

"So, yeah, for me to have that opportunity just to sing a couple of those famous lines from 'Jolene'… It was a lot of stuff, you know," Rob added. "When you think about her and you think about me and where we are in our lives and the generations that we're from and the people that we kind of represent, if that's the right way to use it. It was just really very, very special. So, that moment, and all the other things that were flying around the room made for probably what they're saying is one of the most memorable and remarkable Rock And Roll Hall Of Fames that have happened thus far."

Halford previously talked about his performance with Dolly last November in an interview with San Antonio Current. At the time he said: "I knew that there was going to be an opportunity a few weeks before the event. Again, it was just kind of floating around that she was going to do this song at the end of the show and bring all of her friends onstage with her. And I didn't realize that we were going to be so connected. I sang one chorus with Dolly Parton and the world's gone nuts. And I can appreciate that now. I didn't understand it at first. And now these days have gone by, and people are going, 'Where's the album with Dolly and The Metal God?'

 

"I'll tell you something about her: she's been here forever, a bit like Her Majesty the Queen, who left us recently. What I mean by that is when Dolly walks into the room, you feel this regal presence. She's just got this aura about her personality. She's a genuinely beautiful light of love and caring and philanthropy and humanity. It's all real, man. It's all very real. There are some people who are very different on and off stage. Well, no, not with Dolly. That's Dolly's thing. So, for me to have that opportunity, I was just blessed and honored and thrilled. I know her work because I've lived as long as Dolly, and I was aware of Dolly as a young person growing up and seeing her on British television. She'd come over and do these British variety shows. And here I am, this kid from a public housing estate in the West Midlands in England, and I'm standing next to Dolly fucking Parton, who is now a rock chick."

Back in February 2022, when PRIEST's third nomination for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was announced, Halford told Billboard that, "I must do a duet with Dolly Parton! … If Lionel [Richie] and PRIEST get in, I think we'll both be dancing on the ceiling together."

Halford had previously revealed he is a huge fan of Dolly, and had planned to take a photo with her at the ceremony.

"I'm going to force her to, even if she doesn't know who I am," he told Metal Crypt last June. "I'm going to see what table she is sitting at. I'm just going to run to the table and do the devil's horns thing. Tongue out, horns up, behind Dolly Parton's head. It's the only way to do it. I can't smile sweetly. I've got to stick my tongue out and my horns up."

Halford told Rolling Stone earlier last year that he had no issues with Dolly being inducted into the Rock Hall.

"If you look at everyone in the Hall, it makes perfect sense to have Dolly Parton in there," he said. "I think it's just this 'rock and roll' thing. Should it be called the Music Hall Of Fame? I don't know. It started out with rock and roll, and roll and roll is everything and anything. It's just a phraseology."

Rob also talked about the possibility of sharing the stage with Dolly at the end of the night, saying: "I was onstage last weekend with Larry The Cable Guy! [Laughs] It was at Alice Cooper's blast for his great institution the Solid Rock Foundation. If I could stand alongside my buddy Larry and sing 'roll, baby, roll' [from THE DOORS' 'Roadhouse Blues'], I can certainly stand next to Dolly Parton on my left and Lionel Richie on my right."

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the event, which honored Eminem, Parton, DURAN DURAN, Richie, Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

The JUDAS PRIEST members that got inducted include current members Halford, Ian Hill (bass),Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members Downing, Binks and late drummer Dave Holland.

 

Earlier in the evening, Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis were joined by Binks, Downing and current guitarist Richie Faulkner for three-song medley consisting of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".

Watch the YouTube video included in the article, below: 

Dollywood's HeartSong Lodge & Resort construction photo-update

Hi Everyone, Dollywood has released a few pictures of the new HeartSong Lodge & Resort that's currently under construction behind the DreamMore Resort at Dollywood.

Olivia Newton-John and Dolly reimagine Jolene!

Hi Everyone,

I have been doing my best to cover all of the collaborations that Dolly has done with other artists for her Rock Star album, but this bit of musical news hits differently.

As I am sure you are aware, Olivia Newton-John passed away late in 2022 and as it turns out, she recorded her last song with Dolly Parton and it is a version of Jolene, that maybe you didn't know that you needed, but it is a hauntingly beautiful rendition.  Both of their angelic voices blend perfectly together, and I love the reworked ending, it's awesome!  Watch the YouTube video at the bottom of the article.

Some folks may not realize, or even remember that ONJ had a good run in Nashville recording several country songs in the 1970's, and an album in '75/'76.  "If You Love Me Let Me Know" and "Let Me Be There" were a couple of her country single hits.  She even won the CMA Femal Vocalist of the Year in 1974, beating out Legends like Dolly, Loretta, and Tanya in the category.  It was during her time in Nashville that she and Dolly struck a friendship.

Growing up in Nashville, I can vaguely remember a tiny bit about ONJ showing up around town for events and whatnot and making the local news.  

Here is what WATE-TV - Knoxville's ABC affiliate, had to say about Dolly and ONJ's duet of Jolene:

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Singer and actress Olivia Newton-John’s duet with Dolly Parton, which was ultimately her final recording before her passing last year, was released to the public on Friday.

The two famed entertainers collaborated to reimagine Parton’s classic hit ‘Jolene’. A music video was released on YouTube and the song is now streaming on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora and other platforms.

In addition to her starring movie roles like Grease and Xandu, Newton-John was a four-time Grammy Award winner with 15 top-ten singles in her career. In 1974 she won the Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award and remains the only non-American born artist to win the award.

She previously released a Jolene cover on her 1976 album Come On Over.

The release comes roughly six months after her passing. Olivia Newton-John died on August 8, 2022 at the age of 73 from breast cancer.

“So sad to have lost my special friend Olivia Newton-John,” Parton said in a statement on social media following her death. “So happy that our lives crossed paths. I know her voice is singing beautifully with the angels.”

 

Dollywood's Sister Park, Silver Dollar City retires Fire In The Hole, which inspired Blazing Fury

I have some disappointing, but not unexpected news to share out of Dollywood's sister park, Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri.  They are closing their version of Blazing Fury, which is named Fire In The Hole at SDC.  

I've seen a lot of concerned posts on social media from Dollywood fans who have wondered out loud whether or not this would affect Blazing Fury in some way.  The answer is no, it will not affect Blazing Fury and I will share why I believe that is the case after I offer some details of the two rides.

The two roller coasters are nearly identical.  Both were built in-house in the 1970's by their respective Maintenance and Construction departments.  Fire In The Hole was built first and opened in 1972, then Blazing Fury opened in 1978.   The story that goes along with each ride is similar but customized for each location.  For example, Fire In The Hole's theme-story follows the tale of the town of Marmaros, an Ozarks hill town, and the fire stems from some vigilantes known as the Baldknobbers.  The theme-story with BF is (dramatic pause) vigilantes who set fire to a Smoky Mountain town!  So, similar story line, but no Baldknobbers at Dollywood.  I'm not sure who the vigilantes are in Blazing Fury, they are not a well-organized group like the Baldknobbers.

At some point, Fire In The Hole's layout was modified to the current layout, which matches Blazing Fury.  Both rides have trains that are powered by two 7.5 hp motors through the course, until gravity takes over for the three drops.  I think FITH has a couple of extra scenes that BF doesn't have, but overall, they are essentially the same ride.

So, Why is Blazing Fury safe from removal - for now?

Blazing Fury received a lot of love and attention after the 2014 season ended.  The splash-down finale found on both rides, was removed from Blazing Fury and the last approximately one-third or so of roller coaster track was replaced with I-beam track from Rocky Mountain Construction.  What prompted that work was that as each train passed through the water, it would then carry and drop more water along the rest of the layout, causing wet conditions that, of course, lead to rot and deterioration in a wooden environment.  When it opened in 2015 it was so much smoother and yes, the splash-down ending was cool, and I miss it.  If that's the small trade-off for preserving the ride, then so be it.  I think its safe to say that BF will be around for the foreseeable future.

There's little doubt that Fire In The Hole is/was suffering from these same circumstances and the decision has been made to close this attraction.  But, that's not the ending of the story!  It has not been officially announced yet, but construction is well underway of a 'sort of' replacement for Fire In The Hole.  SDC has commissioned Rocky Mountain Construction - the same group that replaced Blazing Fury's track - they are building a brand new indoor powered roller coaster at SDC.  The building itself is already up and some track has been installed, so it should be ready to open in 2024.  The park will probably wait until they're ready to start selling season passes for next year and at that time, they will release more details about the new ride.  At that point we'll know if it's themed to a burning town like FITH or it may have an entirely new story line.  I have a feeling it will be fire themed because this new building is located adjacent to Firemans' Landing - an area of the park that is themed to Fire Fighting.

So, the not-so-obvious-good news is that the park made an announcement about a beloved attraction closing, which really is great because it gives opportunities to say goodbye to the memories that were created by families for over 50 years.  Sometimes parks just close rides and remove them and never say anything, or very little, which is obviously harsh and a missed opportunity.  

Some Pictures of the two rides below.

Blazing Fury's opening year advertising - New Loom! New Ride!

This is the layout of Fire In The Hole.  You can see that the panel was edited after the layout of the ride was changed.  The yellow track on the right side is the station.

This is the same panel (pre-2014) at Blazing Fury.  Source: TPR

another portion of the pre-2014 Blazing Fury panel. Source: TPR

Blazing Fury's ''new'' 2015 panel, if you're interested. Lots of great pics at Source: flicker.com/invertalon

 

For more pics, check out Theme Park Review's older photo collections of both rides as well as this impressive Flickr collection.  Back stage areas are included in the collections.

• Fire In The Hole - HERE
• Blazing Fury - HERE
• Flickr pics of Blazing Fury - HERE

I mentioned in my very first blog post, my Welcome Post, about how change is a constant variable in amusement and theme parks and that rings true once again with this news from SDC.  These parks are, after all, for-profit businesses interweaved with personal experiences and nostalgic memories and it's hard to say goodbye to stuff like that which touches on so many different emotions.  I'm glad the park is choosing to say farewell with enough advance notice for folks to say goodbye on their terms instead of after the fact...and the park has something similar in the works to begin new traditions and memories, so this is the best possible way to send off a loved attraction.

What's Up at Dollywood's Splash Country in 2023? Let's Take a look!

• Hi Everyone, The Dollywood Blog has published an update from the off-season improvements that are going on at Splash Country.   Let’s check out Amber Davis’ post for the latest updates from SC!

• Source: The Dollywood Blog

Winter Work at Dollywood’s Splash Country

Written by Amber Davis

What happens at a water park in January and February? More than you might think.

Dollywood’s Splash Country has been closed since the day after Labor Day, and it won’t be long before you get to enjoy the many upgrade projects the team has been working on for the past several months.

Here are my favorite highlights:

More Shade

First, let’s talk about shade. We’re adding an additional 2500 square-feet of covered space to the wave pool deck! Each of these pavilions will be extended. See where the new posts are placed? This translates into more rows of chairs in the shade at each pavilion! This is a PREMIUM perk at a water park!

Slide Work

Water parks require a lot of maintenance. Every year, an attraction or two get some off-season attention. This year, Mountain Scream is getting the love. You may recall that this attraction has three slide options. Specifically, crews are replacing the runouts. So, those will be all new when you come back this year!

Atmosphere Upgrades

Dollywood’s Splash Country is one of the prettiest water parks you’ll find anywhere. Though a lot of credit goes to our landscaping team, we’re also blessed that our location is nestled into a mountain hollow. There’s lots of natural beauty. New paint certainly doesn’t hurt. Look for fresh touches to the waterfall at the entrance to the lazy river.

If you’ve ever renovated a bathroom, you may understand why this next update makes me giddy: the water park’s main restrooms at the front of the park got a major overhaul. From new (and brighter!) lighting to modern tile and fixtures, you’re going to want to stop in to check these out on your next visit.

There are always general construction and cleaning projects like replacing tired wood and rust mitigation. Right now, crews are hard at work on the deck at the bottom of Wild River Falls. You will even see a new fence around the seating area. It will resemble the fence along our bridges.

New

Other updates you may be interested in include additional food and drink locations—two more food trucks in addition to the one we already have. We’re focused on expediting wait times, so look for new processes that help you enjoy more time splashing and sliding.

If you don’t have a Two-Park Pass, you can buy one here or upgrade your current Season Pass for the cost of a One-Day water park ticket by calling 1-800-Dollywood. You also can visit any ticket window on your next trip. And, we still have Dining Passes available, so be sure to check that out for a free entrée and snack every time you visit Dollywood’s Splash Country!