SDC V Dollywood

Okiebenz · March 20, 2018, 09:37:30 PM

I have thought about some day heading out to Dollywood and was looking at their website and it appears to me they have more, larger rides than SDC. Anybody BTDT?

Swoosh · March 21, 2018, 06:11:52 AM

There are several trip reports on midwestinfoguide.com click Dollywood on the right and it'll take you to those updates

mhguy77 · March 21, 2018, 07:51:53 AM

I was in Dollywood a few years back. Very much like SDC in part of it and SDC 2.0 in the rest. I honestly think that you can see whats coming by looking at DW. Half off admission to both the water park and the park. When I went they let me in after 3 was next day free so we went for 1.5 days to DW and 1 day at the water park (blows white water away 100%) for the price of one days admission. Its a fun place, its clean and they have more rides than SDC. Less crafts. Its worth the trip although I think it's less charming than SDC> Let us know if you go.

Hotels in Pigeon Forge were high so I went to Bass Pro and signed up for a timeshare tour and that covered the hotel for 2 nights and several coupons for free foods ext around town. This was the Bass Pro (Blue Green tour) It really takes an hour and a half and as long as you can say "no thank you" you will be $400 ahead for your logging!

shavethewhales · March 21, 2018, 08:38:43 AM

It's not that much bigger and has a number of similarities to SDC. I wasn't as impressed as I expected to be when I went a couple years ago. It was probably because I went in expecting a bigger SDC though. It is certainly it's own park, and it has a much less cohesive and thematic feel than SDC.

The old SDC Tennesee sections are really nice, and I enjoy the Dolly Parton museum and some of her areas of the park near the front, but the newer back areas leave a lot to be desired. Wild Eagle has no theming and a very uninspired layout. The whole wilderness pass area had a SF feel with very light, slightly cartoonish theme. Timber canyon or whatever it's called with Thunderhead and Mystery Mine looks a lot better, but it's packed with rides and not much else. Mystery Mine is the big exception to everything that I have always been jealous of. That is possibly the most thematic ride outside of a Disney park, and it was my hope at the time that it would kick off a new generation of highly themed HFE rides... but then they built Wild Eagle.

But overall though, the rides are nice and there are a few interesting shows and non-ride things to do. The old section of the park is actually really nice and has a great SDC feeling to it with several shops and craftsmen. I haven't done Lightning Rod yet, but hope to get out there next year. That ride is supposed to be even better than Outlaw Run.

Okiebenz · March 21, 2018, 08:02:49 PM

So can you get everything done in 1 day or is it a multi day deal? Does it get jam packed like SCD does?

mhguy77 · March 21, 2018, 09:41:31 PM

QuoteSo can you get everything done in 1 day or is it a multi day deal? Does it get jam packed like SCD does?

If you have the SDC pass you will get in for half like I said. They like SDC also offer (after 3 next day is free) and the park is open until 10 in the summer so you can have 1.5 days for the price of a half day. If you have a seasons pass. It does get busy but the park is more spread out and walkways seem larger. I think the park can accommodate a larger crowd. I dont think "SDC at Christmas on a Saturday " would be the crowd but depending on the day.

Swoosh · March 21, 2018, 10:55:24 PM

Pretty sure they discontinued the After 3 promotion this season.

Oh and be prepared to pay for parking

sirwillow · March 30, 2018, 01:50:41 PM

We absolutely loved Dollywood. While there are similarities, there are also a number of differences. It is a larger park, has more rides and coasters, and has been expanding faster than SDC the last decade or so. If you're into doing everything, it can easily be a two day visit. Then you add in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and it's easily a full vacation.

You can see my videos, thoughts, and reviews from our visit last summer on my channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GA9H9XqVmQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LDJy9nU4-w

sdcfan88 · April 01, 2018, 05:27:02 PM

^This is pretty spot on.

And for those interested, I am not sure if I ever shared these, so here are my videos I took from my initial visit back in August 2017. It was the middle of the week and school had just started back up so it was a perfect day to visit. I marathoned all the coasters which had little to no lines. lol

Also, if you know where to look you will see some recycled assets that were either cloned or retired from SDC and CC here in the videos.

https://youtu.be/rBSXTDQ_i1k
https://youtu.be/iOlpcWxWBss