Last week my son and I made an epic trip from Southern California to Ontario Canada, where he will be getting married to his amazing fiancé.
The original plan was to visit Silver Dollar City, 3 days at Cedar Point and then 2 days at King's Island before heading to Ontario. If you've ever driven cross-country you know what an exhausting ordeal it is, so our plans quickly changed to cut out King's Island (which turned out to be a good idea due to bad weather there over the weekend). But the trip was still epic, and we got to visit 2 bucket-list parks. And we'll of course now be visiting the northeast more in the future, so adding King's Island to a future trip will be rather easy. So let's get right into it with our day at Silver Dollar City, which was unbelievable. This park has landed a place on my top 10 park list. IT'S THAT GOOD! - Gregg
I mean, when is the next time we'll be in nowhere Arizona taking it easy? =)
After a rather uneventful (but very long) drive from Albuquerque to Branson, we found ourselves in what can only be described as "take I-Drive Orlando, mix it up with Downtown Las Vegas, but remove the Casino's".
We had a couple of restaurants we wanted to try in Branson, but this was the closest to our hotel. As you'll see below it was a great choice. Also, if you're staying in Branson, we highly suggest the Lodge of the Ozarks. It was comfy, clean, the staff was amazing, and it's centrally located to lots of cool stuff.
Based on the suggestion from the Silver Dollar City Social Media Team (true story) we got dessert at Andy's Frozen Custard. And it was a great suggestion.
Where I belong
After a few hours in the park, it was time for lunch at the buffet. And it was pretty amazing!
After heading back to the hotel we decided to just pick up dinner at Fuel again. We were so exhausted and had a long drive to Ohio the next day.
Day 4 - We made a brief stop in St. Louis to check out the arch.
Related Videos
âRelated Updates
“Things are about to get big” thanks to the longest coaster in Dollywood history PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (Friday, August 5, 2022) — Dolly Parton today announced the newest addition to Dollywood Parks & Resorts, the $25 million Big Bear Mountain, a nearly 4,000 ft. long roller coaster which allows guests to embark on an unforgettable expedition through the Smokies in search of the elusive “Big Bear.” Big Bear Mountain, which at 3,990 ft. becomes the longest roller coaster at the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, park, marks the expansion of Dollywood’s newest area, Wildwood Grove. Big Bear Mountain’s massive structure hugs six acres of undulating topography which runs along the border of Wildwood Grove, with riders racing through the wilderness before soaring high above the forest on the search for the legendary bear. Featuring a top speed of 48 mph, Big Bear Mountain takes guests through three separate launches, multiple airtime hills, high-speed carousel turns, and tunnels, including a pass behind a waterfall. In addition to becoming the longest roller coaster at Dollywood, Big Bear Mountain—built by ride manufacturer Vekoma—also marks the first attraction at the park to feature on-board audio. The sound system provides auditory thrills to match the ride’s dynamic movements as guests come daringly close to Big Bear. The minimum height requirement for Big Bear Mountain is 39”, allowing even younger adventurers to come along for the ride. “The Smokies are all about adventure and going exploring,” Dolly Parton said. “I’m excited our guests will be able to head out on their own trip into the Smokies to see if they can find that Big Bear! Whether he’s out there or not, I’m sure they’ll find a lot of memories along the way that they’ll keep forever.” According to legend, Big Bear is a massive black bear who has been roaming through Wildwood Grove for as long as anyone can remember. While no one has ever seen him, telltale signs regularly appear in the hills surrounding the Grove. Dollywood guests are invited to join Wildwood Grove’s resident wilderness explorer, Ned Oakley, on an adventure to find Big Bear. From his base camp—located just a stone’s throw from the Grove’s Hidden Hollow—Oakley takes adventurers for the rides of their lives in his specially-outfitted, “four-wheel drive SUVs.” “Big Bear Mountain is an exciting ride that really is going to be a game changer for us,” said Eugene Naughton, President of the Dollywood Company. “Not only is it the largest coaster we’ve built, but it includes features—like on-board audio—that are new for our company. Big Bear Mountain also expands the footprint of Wildwood Grove and serves as another monumental step in the ongoing investment plan Dolly and I announced in June 2021. She’s keeping me busy. Now that we’ve announced Big Bear Mountain, I’ll start working on the next projects she has lined up for me!” With an anticipated opening date in the spring of 2023, daring adventurers will not have to wait long to join Ned Oakley on his search for Big Bear on Big Bear Mountain. Guests ready to join in the excitement can pre-register for a 2023 Dollywood season pass by visiting Dollywood.com/2023SP from Aug. 5- Sept. 30. Those who register during this time receive the guaranteed lowest price on passes, as well as access to an exclusive ride event for Big Bear Mountain in spring of 2023. Pre-registrants are able to purchase 2023 season passes beginning Oct. 17. In 2022, Dollywood celebrates a year full of exceptional experiences, with each season unlike the next. After the conclusion of the Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration this weekend, thousands of pumpkins glow to life this fall as part of the Harvest Festival presented by Humana (Sept. 23-Oct. 29). The season concludes with the most popular theme park Christmas event in the world, Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana (Nov. 5- Jan. 1, 2023). For more information about Big Bear Mountain, please visit dollywood.com/BigBearMountain. -Dollywood2022- About Dollywood Parks & Resorts: A highly-awarded and widely-recognized leader in the amusement industry, The Dollywood Company consists of the 160-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; and Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa. Currently under construction, Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort is scheduled for completion in 2023. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood is the 2010 Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade; winner of 45 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 28 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment (more than any other theme park in the world). The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and was named in 2022 by Tripadvisor as the top theme park in the country. It also has been recognized as a top-three U.S. theme park by USA Today on multiple occasions. Dollywood is open mid-March through early January and offers rides and attractions, shows and crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel and Tripadvisor as one of the country’s most beautiful water parks, operates from mid-May to Labor Day. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, a favorite of USA Today voters and Tripadvisor reviewers, provides guests with spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. For more information, visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary. A surprise Saturday update as we take our first look at Arie Force One coming to Fun Spot Atlanta. Pics by RD Sussman Related Videos
Related Updates
|
Categories
All
Archives
March 2024
|