My Tennessee Mountain Home

I wasn't going to buy Dollywood season passes this year. I really can't afford it. But about a month ago, when I got the email telling me to Act Now And Save Money Before Prices Go Up, I just couldn't resist. I really love Dollywood and since it's less than 2 hours away, I love being able to go down on a Friday or Saturday on the rare day I have time and/or just need a break. So I did it. A Gold Super Pass for me, which gives me free parking and a discount on food and at the shops, and a Super Pass for Eric. Usually he buys his own. But he couldn't afford it this year either. And if he doesn't have a pass, there's no reason for me to have one. So I got them for both of us.

When I was young, I was always jealous of people who had season passes to Opryland. Season passes are expensive, you know! But these days, park admission is expensive, too. A single ticket to Dollywood is almost half the price of a Super Pass, and the Super Pass will get you into Dollywood and into the water park, Splash Country. In fact, if you're going to go to Dollywood twice- and they're open through December 30- you're only $18 shy of the Super Pass. And the water park is almost as expensive. So it's really a good deal. Plus it got me a great discount when I took my friend to Biltmore. I think I saved about $20 on those tickets because of it.

So, guess what? It's opening weekend at Dollywood! But I had lots of homework to do. Guess what? Screw that! I went to Dollywood, and had a great time. And I needed it. We rode all the big rides, Thunder Road is back in the simulator theatre, and the new River Battle is GREAT. Little kids (and big kids) will go CRAZY for it. It's a gentle boat ride, except you don't face forward. You face off the side, 4 people on each side sitting back to back. And you have a water cannon that you fire by turning a crank. There are lots of targets to hit that make things happen to get you (or someone else) all wet. And the "course" is laid out so that three or four times you come face to face with the people on another boat- and you work your darnedest to soak them with your water cannon. And there are even more water cannon set up for people not on the ride, but watching. It's very gently, wet (but not too wet), I've never been on anything like it, and, like I said, kids will LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

Associated with River Battle is another big change at the park I've been looking forward to for years. Originally, the park was laid out sort of like a Y, or like a tuning fork, with an entrance area, and then two long "fingers" leading to Craftman's Valley and up to the Country Fair area. A few years ago, they added a third finger. It's not quite trident-shaped, but that image works well enough. If Craftsman's Valley is the "middle finger"-haha- then then the newer finger is on the far left. It leads you to the Thunderhead, Timber Tower, Mystery Mine, and River Battle, in that order. And now, it continues past the River Battle and connects with the end of Craftsman's Valley, just past the Tennessee Tornado. It makes the park much more maneuverable and really cuts down on traffic on some of the older paths that weren't wide enough to handle all the traffic.

So we had a great time, pretty low-key, and ate some food I've been craving: Miss Lillian's fried chicken and the giant 1/3-pound hot dogs (we split one). I needed to do the homework, but I also needed to have some fun before I could DO the homework. So I took a Mental Health Day and rode roller coasters. Eric was very pleased with the looks he got now that he's skinny and hot, and wants the water park to open. Not that he's into the water park, but now he'll look good in trunks.

I took a lot of video with our little HD camera- and I found out (when we got home) exactly why I've had problems getting it to focus. There's a switch on it that moves you from close up to more distant focus... I didn't know about the switch, so it's always been in close up mode. I'd planned on putting together a little trip report video to upload, but 90% of it's out of damn focus. Guess that means I have to go back. As soon as possible.

Oh, and I was happy to see that Ghost Town in the Sky didn't fold after last summer. There's a big billboard for it on I-40. Their coaster should be running this year, and I can't wait to try it out.

Be good!