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DOLLYWOOD & Splash Country
Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Herschend Family Entertainment
Buy Dollywood Tickets
 Park News - (1/31/10) Not only does Dollywood now have an official Facebook page, but they’ve also got their own YouTube video channel. Enjoy!
(1/29/10) Dollywood has a new official Fan Page on Facebook where you can see even more construction pictures of Adventure Mountain.
(11/20/09) Dollywood has won even more awards at this year’s IAAPA show it seems. For the fouth year in a row the park has won the show’s International Heartbeat Award, as well as a few other awards, inclding one for the new Sha-Kon-O-Hey! Land of Blue Smoke show that premiered this past season. All said and done, Dollywood has racked up an amazing 15 awards from IAAPA’s Big E awards over the past four years.
(11/18/09) Congrats to Dolly’s Splash Country for winning the IAAPA Must See Waterpark award.
(11/10/09) Dollywood has kicked off their 20th Anniversary of the Smoky Mountains Christmas event this week, which will run through January 2, 2010. The ever popular winter holiday event features a ton of live shows such as: Dollywood’s Babes in Toyland, Christmas in the Smokies, O’ Holy Night, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Christmas with the Kingdom Heirs, and An Appalachian Christmas. Also look for the return of the Polar Express 4D simulator ride, Santa’s Workshop, the nightly Parade of Lights and more.
(11/6/09) Another great Dollywood photo update has been posted to Westcoaster this week, this one includes a backstage tour of Blazing Fury.
(11/2/09) Check out this great trip report from Dollywood posted over at ThemeParkReview this week. I’ve also been told from another reader that Thunderhead will be getting some retracking done this winter. Apparently when you ride it currently, you can see some markings on the track showing off where they are planning to do the work.
(10/22/09) The latest Dollywood newsletter announced that Imagine will headline the 2010 Festival of Nations event, which will also feature 2 new shows: DRUM (from Nova Scotia) and Jallmay (South Ameircan rhythms). KidsFest will also feature a new headline act each week in 2010, with the list including Mark Nizer (Comedian), Curtis Adams (stunts), The Gazillion Bubble Show and more.
(9/15/09) Dollywood has pointed out that they have won the first ever Best Shows award from the Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards, along with another back to back win for the Best Christmas Event award.
2010 - Adventure Mountain - (1/27/10) A nice article all about Dollywood’s new Adventure Mountain can be found here.
(1/20/10) Dollywood has posted a great video (embedded below) showing off their new Adventure Mountain attraction. Check it out!
(12/29/09) Thanks to one of our readers for sending
in two great pictures of the new Adventure Mountain construction site. The structure is already very large and impressive looking at this point. I can’t wait to see more as they add all the themeing.
(11/2/09) Construction progress on Adventure Mountain is moving right along, as seen in the pictures sent in this week by a reader.
(8/17/09) A reader who went to Dollywood over the weekend reports that a lot of land clearing has been done for the new Adventure Mountain attraction, clearing land to within probably 20 feet or so of the railroad tracks up on the hillside.
(7/20/09) I’ve been told that construction on Adventure Mountain has just begun, and you can see the newly walled off construction site on the Wilderness Pass between on the outer side of the walkway, between the SkyZip and River Battle attractions. You can see some early pictures of it posted to Park Thoughts.
(6/30/09) The local news has confirmed that the delayed Adventure Mountain plans are back on track again for the 2010 season. Adventure Mountain will be ready for the opening day of the 2010 season and placed so that it crosses over 2 acres of land in the current Wilderness Pass area.
(10/13/08) Dollywood has announced that due to the downturn in the economy as well as some availability issues with construction materials, they have put the Adventure Mountain project ON HOLD for the time being and it will no longer open for the 2009 season. Instead the park will focus more on their entertainment options and will add Imagine’ by Le Grand Cirque during the Festival of Nations. The park will also open a new show called Sha-Kon-O-Hey! that is based on a Smoky Mountain story and will feature music all writen by Dolly herself.
(9/24/08) Dollywood has launched a new website for Adventure Mountain. To make it more interactive, click on Splinter the Squirrel to download a Yahoo Widget to help you pass the time until Adventure Mountain is ready to open. From what I’ve been told, the longer you keep this Widget up the more ‘surprises’ you will find.
(8/29/08) If your wondering just what Adventure Mountain might look like in real life, then take a look at this series of pictures I took of SkyHike, a similar concept built over at Stone Mountain for the 2008 season.
(8/17/08) Dolly Parton unveiled the 2009 attraction plans for Dollywood this weekend which include the Adventure Mountain ropes course and zip line complex as previously mentioned as well as the new Imagine show from Le Grand Cirque that will be playing during the Festival of Nations event. Click on the video of the news report to see some video footage of the new attractions.
(8/2/08) While Dollywood’s big announcement for 2009 is expected to take place in a couple of weeks, it seems that the passholders news letter jumped the gun and spilled the beans early on Dollywood’s new “Adventure Mountain”. According to the text, “exploration uncovers an endless combination of high-energy feats to engage and entice the entire family! At the mountain's base or high atop the summit of this new multi-level attraction, thrills are sure to peak as guest encounter a waterfall gorge, rugged rope trails, discovery cave - even fire mountain – along the various paths that meander throughout this two-acre area. Daring zip lines even awaits those brave enough to travel through the treetops! Guests can challenge themselves in individual competitions or the entire family can compete in the contest to see who can tackle Dollywood's new Adventure Mountain.”
Connected to the upcoming 75th Anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Adventure Mountain will give you a glimpse into the life of a park ranger. Meanwhile, “Young tenderfoots can take an Adventure Mounatin voyage aboard a kid-sized canoe and head down the river to Camp Teachittoomee. Ranger guides introduce young tykes to kid-friendly adventures, teaching them new skills and crafts to prepare them for outdoor adventures of their own”
 2010 - Slick Rock Racer - Confirmed - (10/28/09) While I’ve got nothing to really solid to back this up, I’ve heard a rumor claiming that the Slick Rock Racer slide was actually purchased for the Big Rock Waterpark project at Stone Mountain. Due to several delays which may have pushed that project off the active list for the next few years, the already purchased slide parts may be showing up at other HFE waterparks like Dolly’s Splash Country. In this case, you can actually see what looks to be an identical slide to the Slick Rock Racer (down to the color even) shown in the Big Rock Waterpark concept artwork. You can also see some of the orange slide pieces that were on site in Stone Mountain one year ago in this picture that I took. I’ve got to wonder if they are still there or not.
(8/20/09) Dolly’s Splash Country has confirmed the addition of Slide Rock Racer for the 2010 season. This will be a four-lane side-by-side mat racer slide with 300 foot long runs to the finish line.
2011-2012 - New Coaster - Rumor - (6/24/08) If the latest rumors are true Dollywood could already be planning their next big coaster project. Of course the perfect location would be to add it into that new valley area they just carved out near the back of the park, most likely going up the hill and using the terrain around the upper train loop as well. If the rumored theme holds true, we could be looking at a storyline about some kind of backwoods moonshine rocket fuel creation that will power a custom launched coaster creation. More as we find out.
The Future - Resort Hotel - In Development - (5/15/09) While things are always subject to change, we’ve heard that Dollywood may make a decision about building a possible resort hotel before the end of the summer. You can read more about the possible resort project here.
(4/23/08) We’ve got another update about that Dollywood resort hotel survey. It seems they are asking questions about three different resort concepts called Chasing Rainbows, International and Southern Style. Unfortunately you need a valid e-mail address to take the actual survey having the link will get you no-where.
(4/22/08) While I don’t have a link, a reader tell us that Dollywood was taking another guest survey not long ago asking opinions about various lodging features and what people look for in choosing a hotel in the Pigeon Forge area. Sounds like they’re doing some research for that official Dollywood Resort project Dolly mentioned was in development.
(4/14/08) During the opening of River Battle, Dolly mentioned to the local news that she wants an on-site resort hotel to be added in the next two or three years. She said that they are working on it now, but not ready to announce anything yet.
???? - Future Concepts for Dollywood - (9/18/08) Another infamous Dollywood survey has gone out, this time asking guests about some possible future Christmas entertainment show concepts based on. The survey mentions a full scale stage reproduction of It’s A Wonderful Life, a Dickens’ Christmas Carol, or my personal favorite… Rudolph LIVE, a live recreation of the holiday stop-motion classic featuring Rudolph, Yukon Cornelius, Hermey the Misfit Elf and the always awesome Bumble the Abominable Snowman.
(7/4/08) Dollywood has issued a new survey about possible future attraction concepts they are thinking of. The ideas mentioned in this survey include a new festival concept called the International Lantern Festival which would be Dollywood’s take on Chinese New Year Festival of Lanterns. Three new ride ideas were also thrown out there, including Barnstormer (S&S Screamin’ Swing themed in a giant barn with old fashioned barnstormer planes), Calamity Canyon (a Mondial Super Nova with themed disaster effects going off all around you) and Lost Treasure, an Interactive Sally Dark Ride experience through a dark mine ride. They all sound good to me… why not build all three?
(9/15/06) One month after the last guest survey about possible new attractions Dollywood launches a new one it seems that focuses more on three different thrill rides this time. Choice 1 sounds like the same highly themed Master Blaster style water-coaster ride/slide up and down hills through a scenic mountain setting that was in the last survey. Choice 2 was described as an “Alpine Mountain Coaster”, but Choice 3 is the one that may get people talking... a new Rock ‘n Roll themed wooden coaster in the 50’s area of the park.
(8/15/06) Dollywood is currently taking a survey pitching several different ideas under consideration for future attractions. The six ideas include: Henhouse Scramble (an comical interactive dark ride on the back of a tractor pulled cart through a henhouse), Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure: The Ride (kind of an aerial tramway over the rooftops and through the trees where you have to pedal to reach top speed), A unique highly themed Master Blaster style watercoaster slide up and down hills through a scenic mountain setting, an addition to Dolly’s Imagination Library where stories come to life in front of you, Dollywood’s Starmaker Studios (where kids are brought on stage to perform in front of a real TV studio full of cameras and production equipment), World Puppy Stadium (home to the Purina Puppy Challenge where dogs can show off their talents).
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