About this time every year, the students get a day off from school and get to go to Dollywood, as a reward for earning money during one of the major fundraisers. Thanks to get generosity of friend and family, this is the second year that my children have been able to attend. As a parent, this is the time of year that we get to tag along and enjoy the fun, at the same time, we renew our season passes so we can enjoy Dollywood throughout the summer and Christmas time.
Every visit to Dollywood last year, I carried my camera around, but this time, I made the decision to leave the camera at home and focus more on enjoying the park and not worrying about getting shots of this or that. However, I did have my iPhone 5 and below are some of the shots that I did get:
Busy Bees
As a ritual, as soon as we enter Dollywood we have to make a mad dash to the back of the park for the kiddie rides. My son loves these rides and its always a pleasure loading him on to them and watching him have the time of his life.
Piggy Parade
The Piggy Parade is another of rides in the “County Fair” portion of Dollywood that we can’t seem to get the kid off of. This was the first of numerous times on this ride. Oink, oink!
Grown-up Time
After ridding all there is to ride in the “County Fair” we head up and over to the log flume ride. Daredevil Falls is probably one of the few rides that my wife truly loves. You can see her in the back of the log being the daredevil.
WARNING – You will get SOAKED!
One of the newer attractions at Dollywood is the River Battle. Each person on the boat is equipped with a water gun and during the ride there are many little targets to shoot, but the main attraction for both riders and watchers, is that around the river, there are stations that bystanders can use to fire back at the boats. It’s great fun for both sides.
Need reinforcements at Station 27
Part of the fun with the River Battle is that you don’t even have to wait in line to get in on the action. Spread out around the perimeter of the river are battle stations that visitors can man and fire back at the boat riders. One thing… they are close enough to fire back and soak you too!
Dollywood Ducks
While hanging out with my son, as my wife and daughter are riding yet another water ride, I spot these two ducks waddling alongside the lake that is part of Dollywood.
Saving the Best for Last
The Rockin’ Roadway has got to be my son’s most favorite ride of all time. I mean, where else can a three-year old take complete control of a motor vehicle. During this ride, the riders are thrown back to the 50’s and drive around in Thunderbirds, Caddies, and Vettes, with music rockin’ on the stereo. After leaving the garage during this ride, we starting hearing “Johnny Be Good” playing and my son looks over to me and says “I love this song!”. From then on, he was in his own world and nothing was going to stop him.
Wind in His Hair
Since the cars on “Rockin Roadway” are self-propelled and ride on rails, this gave me the opportunity to grab a few shots of my son driving. With the wind in his hair and not a care in the world, this is by far his favorite ride and normally we end up riding this about 4 or 5 times in a row. Tears usually flow as we leave the ride for the last time, but there is always next time, and we will defiantly be going back.
Where’s the Magic?
The Amazing Flying Elephants is one of those rides that my son has a love/hate relationship with. He loves the ride, but there’s a part of it, he just doesn’t like. These elephants fly and with a push of the button, they take off. The thing is, my son doesn’t care for the flying part. I’m not sure why, but my wife always tries to test his spirits, but when they get to the top, he starts getting unhappy and the rest of the ride is ridden at the bottom. Luckily for him, we control the elephant, so he’s happy.
Ranked 4th – Top Coasters of 2012
Thunderhead is one of the best coasters of 2012 and has been ranked in the top 5 since 2005 (voted on by Amusement Today). This is a wooden beast of a coaster. It is my favorite ride at Dollywood. Sure I love the smooth new coasters, but this one has character behind it. There are a few places where you end up floating above your seat, and it was the first coaster to feature a “station fly through”. During the ride, the coaster flies through the station house and creates a sound similar to it’s namesake. It’s an awesome sound and feeling as the trains fly through there.
