AliKzam
01-04-2002, 11:38 AM
Seeing as how no one's posted anything about Dollywood, but under the board title "Dollywood" is mentioned, I decide to put up a thread about the park.
Dollywood's biggest draw, or one of the things they advertise, is that it has more live shows than any other theme park. And they do. There are about eight (give or take) different theatres, each with a band or musical review always playing. But there are rides, too. They have their own autopia (with little classic cars, no less), a raft ride, a massive roller coaster, a kids water-treehouse, and a simulator ride. But the one ride I've in my head for a couple days now is... um.... I forgot the name. I think it's called the "Barnstormer".
I've been thinking about the barnstormer the last couple of days, because I'm really not sure. I have come to the conclusion that it is by far the worst dark ride I have ever ridden. It's so close to being a decent ride, but it falls short for several reasons.
The queue is pretty cool. The lobby you wait in is done up like an old firehouse. If I recall correctly, it also somehow touts volunteer firefighters. Then you get onto the ride carriages, which are these big red wooden multi-benchs that look like they came off a carousel. Then you get pushed off into darkness.
The ride starts with an old couple sitting on their porch in the backwoods. Ma has a riffle in her lap--
You know, my boyfriend gets offended at the guy at the beginning of Pirates who's on his porch smoking a pipe. He's from the south, and thinks with that there, people think all people from the south are like that. I keep telling him he's reading too much into it. I think I'll bring up that little scene in the barnstormer next time the subject is brought up.
Anyway, so you realize the woods are on fire, and you pass various scenes of people trying to flee their houses for their lives. This is what made me laugh in a very quiet carriage. I'm so used to high-quality audio-animatronics. What the barnstormer has are mannequins, some on conveyor belts, and some bad audio track that's supposed to be them talking. Then, for no reason, your carriage goes downhill for a few feet and you get soaked. Because what puts out a fire? WATER!
I read one of Jim Hill's recent stories suggesting Disney is thinking of contracting their imagineers for projects instead of having them on salary (which I am totally and completely against). If such a thing were to happen, they may look to put their services to use elsewhere. I had a dream the other night that I totally fixed up the Barnstormer, speeding up the ride a little, slighty different (and safer) carriages, with decent audio-animatronics, and a much cooler drop through a ring of fire. At least then it would be something you had to ride, and not something you just had to ride.
Not to knock Ms. Parton. I think she's really cool.
Dollywood's biggest draw, or one of the things they advertise, is that it has more live shows than any other theme park. And they do. There are about eight (give or take) different theatres, each with a band or musical review always playing. But there are rides, too. They have their own autopia (with little classic cars, no less), a raft ride, a massive roller coaster, a kids water-treehouse, and a simulator ride. But the one ride I've in my head for a couple days now is... um.... I forgot the name. I think it's called the "Barnstormer".
I've been thinking about the barnstormer the last couple of days, because I'm really not sure. I have come to the conclusion that it is by far the worst dark ride I have ever ridden. It's so close to being a decent ride, but it falls short for several reasons.
The queue is pretty cool. The lobby you wait in is done up like an old firehouse. If I recall correctly, it also somehow touts volunteer firefighters. Then you get onto the ride carriages, which are these big red wooden multi-benchs that look like they came off a carousel. Then you get pushed off into darkness.
The ride starts with an old couple sitting on their porch in the backwoods. Ma has a riffle in her lap--
You know, my boyfriend gets offended at the guy at the beginning of Pirates who's on his porch smoking a pipe. He's from the south, and thinks with that there, people think all people from the south are like that. I keep telling him he's reading too much into it. I think I'll bring up that little scene in the barnstormer next time the subject is brought up.
Anyway, so you realize the woods are on fire, and you pass various scenes of people trying to flee their houses for their lives. This is what made me laugh in a very quiet carriage. I'm so used to high-quality audio-animatronics. What the barnstormer has are mannequins, some on conveyor belts, and some bad audio track that's supposed to be them talking. Then, for no reason, your carriage goes downhill for a few feet and you get soaked. Because what puts out a fire? WATER!
I read one of Jim Hill's recent stories suggesting Disney is thinking of contracting their imagineers for projects instead of having them on salary (which I am totally and completely against). If such a thing were to happen, they may look to put their services to use elsewhere. I had a dream the other night that I totally fixed up the Barnstormer, speeding up the ride a little, slighty different (and safer) carriages, with decent audio-animatronics, and a much cooler drop through a ring of fire. At least then it would be something you had to ride, and not something you just had to ride.
Not to knock Ms. Parton. I think she's really cool.