After riding all of the coasters at least once on our Saturday visit to Dollywood, our plan for Sunday was to nab some re-rides and check out a few other attractions such as The Dolly Parton Experience. With the crowds being much smaller on Sunday we had no problem making that happen. We also managed to grab some rides on several other attractions we didn’t originally plan for too. One of them was on Barnstormer, the park’s S&S Screamin’ Swing.
Until this day Sam had never rode a Screamin’ Swing. She always sat out whenever we’d ride Finnegan’s Flyer at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW). I always told her that I think she’d like it, but she was just wasn’t ready. Well, on this day she was. And much like all the coasters she rode when this site began, she ended up loving it. I knew she would and Jen was right there making sure she felt comfortable throughout the whole ride.
I sure Sam will be planting her backside on Finnegan’s during our next BGW visit and then on Twizzlers Twisted Gravity headed to Hersheypark in 2025. She rode Barnstormer not once, not twice, but three times. As Greg would say, “Love to see it.”
Seeing & Experiencing More of the Park
Aside from Blazing Fury, which was still closed on Sunday, we managed to ride all of the park’s coasters the day before. One thing we knew going into Sunday was that we were going to be riding Thunderhead a few more times. Talk about an impressive woodie that I always thought was good, but damn… It was riding so well.
Although we got in more rides on Mystery Mine, Big Bear Mountain, and some of our other favorites from the day before, the park’s log flume, Screamin’ Swing, and drop tower also drew some of our attention. We wanted to ride the train, but sadly those lines were backed up beyond belief.
Thunderhead
The first ride we went to on Sunday was Thunderhead. We wanted to start the day with a few rides before lines had a chance to form. The ride was practically a walk on and we made the most of it starting with two rides. Later on at night, we’d come back for two more.
Just like Saturday, Thunderhead was hauling. It had tons of speed, with strong laterals from every. I couldn’t even tell you how many times I was leaning against the side of the train or next into Sam and Jen on our rides. The airtime was hitting too. There were some strong ejector pops that threw me into the lap bar. While a lateral moment would usually soon follow and toss me sideways again, that airtime being mixed in was so good.
I was already learning toward it the day before, but after Sunday’s rides, there was no doubt in my mind that Thunderhead is the best ride at Dollywood. Both Sam and Jen agreed.
FireChaser Express
We managed only one ride, a daytime ride, on FireChaser Express on Saturday. I wanted to get in another one or two on Sunday, but it and Big Bear Mountain still had long lines even on Sunday. It does makes sense though with Dollywood being a family-focused park and these two coasters being family rides. We did wait in the line for Big Bear earlier, but we decided to see if the line for FireChaser would subside later in the day. And it did.
Our ride on FireChaser took place as the sun was going down, so it wasn’t dark. Still, it gave the whole area a different vibe than our day ride on Saturday. And since it was cooler, that toasty fire effect was just a bit nicer.
After two rides over our two days, and also having one back in 2019, I will say that I prefer this to Big Bear Mountain. I might be in the minority on this one, but I find the course to be much more interesting. Big Bear is nice and long, but I find it to be too drawn out, forceless, and except for the waterfall, pretty boring throughout its setting. The station and queue are well-themed, but not the ride. FireChaser’s theming blows it out of the water and I find it to be a better overall ride layout and visual experience.
Daredevil Falls
I’ve always been a fan of log flumes, but in my two trips to Dollywood prior to this trip, I had never experienced Daredevil Falls. Those prior trips were coaster focused and due to weather conditions both times, neither time did I spend an entire day at the park. This time, however, I’d make up for that with two rides on this amazingly themed log flume.
Since it was the end of October Daredevil Falls was a walk-on. We were also offered a re-ride without even having to get out of the log, which we took full advantage of, naturally. I guess most people weren’t keen on getting wet this late into the year. While we didn’t dare brave the rapids ride for that reason, we figured the light splash of a log flume would be okay.
Ultimately, we loved the wooded setting. The logging town looked amazing and really set the tone walking into the ride and its station. Then there is the picturesque splashdown. Talk about a photo op! Be sure to check out the gallery down below for some great shots I took of this ride.
Final Ride/Attraction Counts
Barnstormer (3)
Big Bear Mountain (1)
Daredevil Falls (2)
Drop Line (1: Jen, Patrick)
FireChaser Express (1)
Lightning Rod (2)
Mystery Mine (2)
Tennessee Tornado (1)
Thunderhead (4)
Wild Eagle (3)
The Dolly Parton Experience: Behind the Seams (1)
The Dolly Parton Experience: Home on Wheels (1)
The Dolly Parton Experience: Songteller (1)
The Dolly Parton Experience
Before heading out on Sunday we all wanted to visit the park’s new for 2024 Dolly Parton Experience. I will be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of country music, but even I was interested in seeing what the park put together for these exhibits.
We kicked things off with Behind the Seams where we got to see a bunch of Dolly’s iconic outfits, including more high heels than you can imagine. From there we walked over to the Songteller building and learned how Dolly got her start all the way to what she’s up to present day, including her charities. Lastly, we made our way onto one of the buses she used to travel during her performances which was quite unique. Sadly I didn’t grab any photos from inside the bus due to it being a tight fit and other people being in there with us blocking the views.
All of these exhibits gave a unique view into the life of Dolly Parton. I didn’t know much about her going in, but I found myself taking interest in her life story and appreciating a lot of the things she’s done and continues to do in life. I think this is a must visit for any Dolly fan, but something anyone can enjoy if you’re looking for a break from the rides.
The Dollywood Experience
Sunday was definitely a nice change of pace compared to Saturday. Exploring more of the park and getting in some non-coaster rides was a great change of pace. We also took advantage of an all-you-can-eat deal that the park offered. That food hit the spot! We also left with several boxes of the infamous cinnamon bread.
If you get a chance to visit Dollywood, I suggest doing as we did and going for two days. While it’s not the biggest park in the United States, it has so much to offer. We didn’t even get to watch any shows or performances. So while we did get to experience more than just the coasters, there was still so much more that we didn’t get to do. And there is truly something for everyone, even the non-coaster fans out there.
Dollywood Photo Gallery - October 20, 2024
If you would like to use any of the images in the gallery above for your commercial and/or non-commercial projects, feel free to do so. I ask that you credit We Were Inverted whenever they’re used. I also ask that you do not alter the image or remove the watermarks. If you need any images/video resized or without the watermarks, please contact me directly.
CREW MANIFEST
The following flight crew members attended this park, & earned the respective credits below:
Patrick
CAG
New Credit(s): n/a
Sam
Admiral
New Credit(s): n/a
Jen
Commander
New Credit(s): n/a
