Prior to this trip the only two mountain coasters in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. I had experienced were Rocky Top Mountain Coaster and Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster. Both came during a 2019 trip with Mindy and Mailyn and both rides took place during the day. For this trip I wanted to experience both at night, especially since they had the added Halloween theming too. While we succeeded in making this happen as far as Rocky Top goes, our nighttime visit the following day to Smoky Mountain saw us arrive late. More on that when I publish that trip report.
Since Rocky Top is located right outside of Dollywood we decided to visit immediately after leaving the park. They were open late and it was a good thing because the line was quite long. I think we waited about an hour, but at least there was music and some entertainment to keep everyone busy. The staff threw some shirts out to the large crowd during our wait, which was cool. None came close enough for us to grab though.
My Memories From 2019
At the time of my 2019 visit I had only experienced a handful of mountain coasters throughout Pennsylvania and New York. Rocky Top was always a bucket list mountain coaster with its long length and theming elements. I heard nothing but good things about the ride and was told many times over that if I only had time to ride one during that trip to make it Rocky Top.
Since I didn’t have We Were Inverted back then I didn’t take too many photos, let alone film a POV of that experience. What I do remember is being in awe of the establishment immediately upon arrival. The other mountain coasters I had experienced prior were located at ski resorts and most were in plain buildings. Some of them took some searching to find too. With Rocky Top, it was roadside with awesome signage and track visible from the road and parking lot. I knew I was in for something different.
Without recapping that whole experience in detail, what I enjoyed most about my first ride on Rocky Top was the overall length of the experience and that theming placed throughout. All of my previous mountain coasters took place in the woods or on a hillside surrounded by nothing but mother nature. There was a tube/tunnel or two, but nothing more than that. Rocky Top gave you more to look at which helped with my only negative of the ride – all the start/stop portions. With the abundance of lift hill sections on this coaster having something to draw your attention was a good thing, so the theming helps big time.
But that’s enough about 2019. It’s time to talk about this 2024 Halloween nighttime ride.
Rocky Top Mountain Coaster
Just like 2019 I was in awe of the ride and dispatch station from the road and parking lot. There were so many bright, colorful lights to be seen. I’m betting the light package alone draw some people in who are simply passing by. So yeah, Rocky Top has a massive roadside appeal during the day and especially at night.
As for the ride itself, with only the one experience five years ago, I couldn’t remember much of the ride’s layout. I decided not to go and watch any POV’s of the ride prior to the visit, much less one showing any of the scare elements. I wanted this all to be as fresh of an experience as I could get in that regard. And I must say, I’m glad I didn’t.
Of all the mountain coasters we rode at night during this trip, Rocky Top was far and away the most “haunted,” if you will. There were numerous scare actors, lights, and spooky theming everywhere you looked. I was surprised at just how many scare actors there were and how close some came to your vehicles. You could hear riders all throughout the mountain being startled by them with their occasional screams. I’m sure Jen’s screams were the ones I heard the most. Talk about an A-plus showcase all around for this Halloween twist on their mountain coaster.
Final Ride Counts
Rocky Top Mountain Coaster (1)
A Must Ride Mountain Coaster
While I do prefer being able to open up and speed my down a mountain side on mountain coasters more than the start stop nature of Rocky Top, this ride is a must do for any fan of mountain coasters. It offers a ride unlike most others both during the day and night, especially if you appreciate some theming.
If you get a chance to visit during the Halloween season, this ride definitely is a must do. It’s start/stop nature actually works better due to the extra scare elements and spooky theming. The slow downs add to the chance that you might meet one many of the monsters on the mountain too, which adds just a little extra suspense.
Before closing this out, I’d also like to say that during both my visits to Rocky Top Mountain Coaster I’ve found the staff to be amazing. They’re all very friendly, both out in the station and in the gift shop. Back in 2019 I bought a pin that I apparently lost or left in my hotel room in Pigeon Forge. It never made it home and at the time was my only mountain coaster pin in my collection. I was so mad at myself.
A few weeks later I decided to call them to see if they might consider sending me a new one if I paid for it and shipping. I didn’t have much hope seeing they didn’t have an online store at the time (at least that I could find). Luckily for me, they were more than happy to get a new pin out to me and took my information right over the phone. That meant a lot to me and I’ve never forgotten that.
Needless to say, I made sure to pick up several other merch items including new pins and a shirt this time around. As did Jen and Sam. And yes, they all made it home safely this time around.
Rocky Top Mountain Coaster Photo Gallery - October 19, 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): Rocky Top Mountain Coaster
Jen
Commander
New Credit(s): Rocky Top Mountain Coaster
