Dollywood Theme Park Pigeon Forge Tennessee

 

Dollywood in Pigeon Forge Tennessee is one of America's most beautiful theme parks. We spent two days and did not ride all the rides or see all the shows. I'm ready to return with a roller coaster enthusiast!

There are rides for people of all ages. My granddaughter had FireChaser on her list. We got on with hardly any wait time. Thanks to a tip to enter the park by Owens Farm and head north when the line drops.

Watch the video for a quick look at this fun ride--the first coaster in the US that offered dual action--forwards and backwards!

We did add some easy going rides like the Black Bear Trail

And got some arm exercise on the Lumberjack Lift

If you really want to relax, consider a classic train ride.

If spinning is your thing, try the Dizzy Disk...

or spin around when you see something like this...

There's plenty of places to grab lunch and snacks.

The cinnamon bread comes highly recommended--we tried it and liked it.

So after an active morning, we saw some shows.

Our granddaughter tolerated the Dreamland Drive In Show-- but we would see it again!

We all enjoyed the Gazillion Bubble Show--very impressive.

Another show we liked was the Wings Over America program. The birds are amazing and the staff provide brief yet informative talks about several birds. Of course, the final wow is the American Bald Eagle.

Check out the video...

Afternoons get pretty hot in the summer, which is a good time to get soaked.

The River Rampage was a fun ride.

But we liked the action at Daredevil Falls.

Here's a link to a short video of the big splash https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wfenXI98OIg

On the second morning, I decided to treat myself to a coaster. I got on the Lightning Rod with no hassle and no extra fees. Because I was alone, I went up the single rider entrance and ended up having my own car because the man who tried to get in couldn't fit.

In the picture below, we wait impatiently for the doors to open.

Then its up, up, and away.

Here's a video clip showing part of the fast action following the steep climb.

I mentioned that Dollywood is a beautiful park. Here's a few more photos.

By the way, there's some classic cars too-- over by Lightning Rod.

Some notes

We liked getting there early for good parking and getting on the preferred rides.

Perhaps we were lucky, but we did not pay extra for the preferred access plan.

Food is expensive for not as pricey as Disneyworld. There are child meals.

There's plenty of places to refill water bottles at no charge.

The gifts were not overpriced.

There are a lot more rides and shows than I posted--see the Dollywood website. If you're new, I suggest making a list and getting a good sense of the locations.

There are maps on the website but the larger maps at the entrance are great and include the show schedule.

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Epcot Walt Disney World Orlando FL

 The giant "golf ball" (Spaceship Earth) is linked to Disney's Epcot forever and reminds those of a certain age of a permanent world's fair.

It's nice to see familiar attractions like The Seas with Nemo and Friends, which is one of 10 rides and educational exhibits like the aquariums.

The best attraction, in my view, is Soarin in  The Land.

With legs dangling in the air, we soar above mountains, animals, and famous places. Children point in amazement. They laugh as they raise their legs to avoid hitting a mountain top. It's an amazing VR flight around the world that lasts nearly 5 minutes.

Of course, the French have Ratatouille (Remy's Ratatouille Adventure)--a fun 3D adventure ride that makes me want to see the movie again.

And the Vikings (Norway)  have Frozen Ever After-- also fun.

We visited other nations as well--sometimes there's a film, sometimes some music, lots of gift shops, and places to cool down. There are 11 nations around the lagoon--oh there's a boat ride across this pond, which can save some steps.

Iconic Italy

And my home, the UK where we enjoyed a late lunch of fish 'n chips--I'd rate it 4 of 5 stars. Much better than the unbelievably more expensive fare we ate at Key West a few days later.

Below is a throwback to the UK pavilion during our visit in 1984--some things changed more than others. Epcot opened in 1982 so, we were early visitors.

The Canadian mansion (below) is awesome-- we skipped the film in 2022 because we had seen it a few times before. If you haven't seen it, the 360 film is impressive (Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360).

Here are a few more national exhibits and scenes

Japan 2022

Morocco 2022

Epcot 1984

Epcot 1984

Epcot 1984

Epcot 1984

I'm back to 2022. Check out the model railway village near the German Pavilion--

After our evening meal and a rest, we hit the Test Track by Chevrolet for our last ride. 

Entrance Tip-- they have a single rider lane. My friend and I went together and ended up in the same car. It was so easy to get in that I went twice.

We did a few more things.

Grand Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros: The boat ride stopped working and we waited for the staff to realize we could duck our heads and safely walk along the side path to exit.

Our grandchildren saw Figment in Imagination!

We rode a slow boat through Living with the Land --I'm not sure why. I nearly fell asleep.

BTW, We ate three meals that day.

Epcot was our first day of the 5-day WDW visit. We all met for an All You Can Eat breakfast at Ohana in the Polynesian resort. If you want this place, book very early--it is in high demand.

I mentioned lunch at the UK pavilion.

We had dinner too, then saw some fireworks as we hustled our tired selves to the Skyliner transportation back to the Caribbean Resort.

And we were tired after one of our highest mileage days in a long time--12 miles! Epcot is twice the size of the Magic Kingdom--300 acres

Links to the other WDW parks

Magic Kingdom - includes tips and ideas

Animal Kingdom - lots of animal photos

Hollywood Studios- action packed

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Hollywood Studios Walt Disney World Orlando FL

 Prepare for an Action-Packed Day

We spent one day at Hollywood Studios. My wife and I were at the "ropes" ready to enter. I headed for Slinky Dog to meet our family. It was a great attraction for young and old in the Toy Story section. And it's a good choice for a "rope drop" attraction.

My fave was the Star Wars area and the Rise of the Resistance- it's worth paying extra for this one.

There are shows, which allow for a needed break. My fave was the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular- Warning it's loud and some scenes can disturb young children.

Here's a video clip from one of the scenes.

We rode the Aerosmith coaster. The launch was the best part-flipping around in the dark didn't do much for me and I love coasters.

There are a lot more attractions here offering a day of fun for all ages. As usual, prepare to walk a lot--there are 17 attractions in 135 acres.

Some other family favourites

Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway

Frozen Celebration Sing Along

Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage

Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy

A Few More Photos

Notes from 2022

We stayed at the Carribean Beach Resort. The skyliner goes directly to Hollywood Studios from the resort.

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