Post by I love DW on Apr 20, 2007 22:34:56 GMT -5
This past weekend Dollywood official opened for it's 22nd season with the addition of one of the most anticipated rides of the year the $17.5 million Mystery Mine.
Friday - April the 13th
Friday I got up and turned to Fox & Friends to watch Dolly interviewed live at the Mystery Mine site before the park opened.
After the interview was over I headed out for the park.
Dollywood kicks off the season every year with there annual Festival of Nations. This year the theme was "Celebrate Ireland."
My first stop was Rhythm of the Dance presented by a Irish dance company showcasing Ireland's musical heritage.
Rhythm of the Dance is held in Dollywood's more than 1,700 seat Celebrity Theater where it is performing to packed crowds. And this weekend there was no doubt why. Miss Dolly Parton performed at the end of the show. She came out for 900 press members and hundreds of fans singing one of the Irish songs featured in the show. Later on she talked a little about the park and sung the song "We Irish" which she wrote while she was touring in Ireland.
Dollywood's fountain takes on a National theme.
After the Rhythm of the Dance performance I headed on over to Pinny's Barter's Pin Post to pick up my "I rode it first" Mystery Mine pin that they released that day.
Next of course it was time to eat. So I headed on up to PaPaw's Flatbread for there excellent chicken flatbread that was as great as ever.
Then it was time to pick out a spot for Dolly's usual parade through the park (at 2:30).
Even though the parade did start a little late it was just as great as ever to see Dolly again.
After the parade it was off to Mystery Mine (all Mystery Mine photos were taken from the weekend before grand opening due to the fact I forgot to take photos from being so busy, there is no cars on the track because it was to cold the weekend before.)
A new addition to the Timber Canyon sign.
Mystery Mine's entrance.
Mystery Mine que-line.
After walking up these stairs you are in the main ride station.
The following are pictures of theming in the Mystery Mine area.
Sign for designated smoking area.
Now on to the ride!!!
First you board in the loading and take a swift dip down into the darkness of the Mine then...theming....turns...theming...lift....outside.
Once you come out into the opening you are on top of "the tressel"
Then you plunge straight down into twisting track:
Then its back on to the lower portion of the tressel.
Then it's back into the mine for more turns...theming.......and the big drop...
Once you come down...if you do...you fly out of the mine into a roll over then into the loop and back into the station.
The mine shift is Dollywood's newest shop were you can purchase all of your Mystery Mine items (shirts, miner hats, baseball caps, magnets, and much more.)
Once my awesome ride on Mystery Mine was over it was off to the Parkway for Pigeon Forge's 22nd annual Dolly Day Parade.
Dolly's Family rode on one of Herschend's Ride the Ducks vehicle.
Dolly (the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow) of course is the Grand Marshall of the Dolly Day Parade.
Dixie Stampede is celebrating there 20th anniversary this year.
Saturday - April 14th
Starting out Saturday we decided to look around and the Emporium.
Mystery Mine souvenirs.
One of my favorite Mystery Mine shirts (front) - (back)
Our first stop Saturday was the Russian National Theater. (It was a traditional Russian show but for Dollywood they do a tribute to Dolly Parton and her Smoky Mountain heritage.)
It is a very unique tribute. They do the verses in Russian then the chorus in English.
And if you have ever been to a place in East Tennessee and have heard Rocky Top played you know how much the crowd get's pumped up. Well imagine that plus throw in Dolly Parton singing it and you have one heck of a crowd.
It was quite a funny appearance because none of the performers had any idea what Dolly was saying when she asked "who is the lead singer?" All they did was stand and smile so she goes "who up hear speaks English?" Of course dead silent then Pete Owens starts to walk out but before he gets to her she just says that there going to do Rocky Top again and she breaks into song.
Of course Dolly did a photo op.
Then it was off to the Switzerland show in the Pines Theater.
And again Dolly made a appearance at the end.
After the show we ate at Dollywood's popular eatery Red's Diner (name for the first place that Dolly ate her first hamburger.) Unfortunately after eating we got word that the 4:30 parade through the park with Dolly was canceled due to rain and thunderstorms. At that point it was just raining but in about thirty minutes it started thundering and lighting so we decided to head home.
All photos are copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written consent.
My next post will have more photos from the weekend.
Friday - April the 13th
Friday I got up and turned to Fox & Friends to watch Dolly interviewed live at the Mystery Mine site before the park opened.
After the interview was over I headed out for the park.
Dollywood kicks off the season every year with there annual Festival of Nations. This year the theme was "Celebrate Ireland."
My first stop was Rhythm of the Dance presented by a Irish dance company showcasing Ireland's musical heritage.
Rhythm of the Dance is held in Dollywood's more than 1,700 seat Celebrity Theater where it is performing to packed crowds. And this weekend there was no doubt why. Miss Dolly Parton performed at the end of the show. She came out for 900 press members and hundreds of fans singing one of the Irish songs featured in the show. Later on she talked a little about the park and sung the song "We Irish" which she wrote while she was touring in Ireland.
Dollywood's fountain takes on a National theme.
After the Rhythm of the Dance performance I headed on over to Pinny's Barter's Pin Post to pick up my "I rode it first" Mystery Mine pin that they released that day.
Next of course it was time to eat. So I headed on up to PaPaw's Flatbread for there excellent chicken flatbread that was as great as ever.
Then it was time to pick out a spot for Dolly's usual parade through the park (at 2:30).
Even though the parade did start a little late it was just as great as ever to see Dolly again.
After the parade it was off to Mystery Mine (all Mystery Mine photos were taken from the weekend before grand opening due to the fact I forgot to take photos from being so busy, there is no cars on the track because it was to cold the weekend before.)
A new addition to the Timber Canyon sign.
Mystery Mine's entrance.
Mystery Mine que-line.
After walking up these stairs you are in the main ride station.
The following are pictures of theming in the Mystery Mine area.
Sign for designated smoking area.
Now on to the ride!!!
First you board in the loading and take a swift dip down into the darkness of the Mine then...theming....turns...theming...lift....outside.
Once you come out into the opening you are on top of "the tressel"
Then you plunge straight down into twisting track:
Then its back on to the lower portion of the tressel.
Then it's back into the mine for more turns...theming.......and the big drop...
Once you come down...if you do...you fly out of the mine into a roll over then into the loop and back into the station.
The mine shift is Dollywood's newest shop were you can purchase all of your Mystery Mine items (shirts, miner hats, baseball caps, magnets, and much more.)
Once my awesome ride on Mystery Mine was over it was off to the Parkway for Pigeon Forge's 22nd annual Dolly Day Parade.
Dolly's Family rode on one of Herschend's Ride the Ducks vehicle.
Dolly (the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow) of course is the Grand Marshall of the Dolly Day Parade.
Dixie Stampede is celebrating there 20th anniversary this year.
Saturday - April 14th
Starting out Saturday we decided to look around and the Emporium.
Mystery Mine souvenirs.
One of my favorite Mystery Mine shirts (front) - (back)
Our first stop Saturday was the Russian National Theater. (It was a traditional Russian show but for Dollywood they do a tribute to Dolly Parton and her Smoky Mountain heritage.)
It is a very unique tribute. They do the verses in Russian then the chorus in English.
And if you have ever been to a place in East Tennessee and have heard Rocky Top played you know how much the crowd get's pumped up. Well imagine that plus throw in Dolly Parton singing it and you have one heck of a crowd.
It was quite a funny appearance because none of the performers had any idea what Dolly was saying when she asked "who is the lead singer?" All they did was stand and smile so she goes "who up hear speaks English?" Of course dead silent then Pete Owens starts to walk out but before he gets to her she just says that there going to do Rocky Top again and she breaks into song.
Of course Dolly did a photo op.
Then it was off to the Switzerland show in the Pines Theater.
And again Dolly made a appearance at the end.
After the show we ate at Dollywood's popular eatery Red's Diner (name for the first place that Dolly ate her first hamburger.) Unfortunately after eating we got word that the 4:30 parade through the park with Dolly was canceled due to rain and thunderstorms. At that point it was just raining but in about thirty minutes it started thundering and lighting so we decided to head home.
All photos are copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written consent.
My next post will have more photos from the weekend.