All Aboard! The Polar Express 4-D Experience Joins Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival Lineup

www.Dollywood.com/ - The Polar Express 4-D Experience pulls into Dollywood's 19th annual Smoky Mountain Christmas festival Nov. 8, 2008 through Jan. 3, 2009, in the theme park's Imagination Cinema.

"This Christmas, I'm inviting families to take a spectacular holiday journey where dreams become real, and everybody knows I dream bigger than just about anybody else," Dolly Parton said. "On The Polar Express 4-D Experience, all you have to do is believe, and I sure do!"

This holiday season...What if there is a place beyond your imagination and to get there all you have to do is BELIEVE! Dollywood guests are invited to come journey to the North Pole where dreams become real and all of their senses come alive in this magical 4-D Experience. When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on an epic journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. The Polar Express 4-D Experience is based on the film from Warner Bros. Pictures and Shangri-La Entertainment, inspired by the beloved Caldecott Medal children's book by Chris Van Allsburg, and includes 3-D and 4-D effects that will make you BELIEVE.

SimEx-Iwerks is the worldwide exclusive distributor of The Polar Express 4-D Experience.





"The Polar Express is by far the finest magical cinematic experience of our lifetime," Mark Cornell, SimEx-Iwerks Vice President, Attraction Development said. "This iconic film is further brought to life with the perfected use of our own 4-D Special FX technology, and makes for an unforgettable multi-sensory adventure, leaving all who see with hair-raising goose-bumps!"

"Upon your arrival at the North Pole...it actually begins to snow inside the 4-D Special FX Theater and when the conductor sings "Hot Chocolate" and the dancing waiters begin to pour, the audience can smell the delightful aroma of every cocoa cup!! The state-of-the-art 3-D Digital projection system allows you to see images virtually leap off the screen and when combined with 4-D FX, a blend of realism and fantasy unlike anything seen before is impeccably delivered. A must see for
the whole family!!"

In addition to a winter wonderland of more than four million holiday lights, Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas festival includes a lineup of award-winning entertainment. Dollywood's Babes in Toyland, highlighted by the march of the 21 toy soldiers and a spectacular surprise finale, won the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Honorable Mention for 2007 Best Overall Production. Rounding out the Christmastime entertainment lineup are Christmas in the Smokies, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, An Appalachian Christmas, Christmas with the Kingdom Heirs, The Victorian Melodies, O' Holy Night, Carol of the Trees plus the nightly Lighted Christmas Parade. All shows are included with park admission.

Families also can explore Santa's Workshop, a magnificent 500-square-foot home away from home featuring larger-than-life-sized toys including "Jumbo the Elephant," which measures
nine-feet-tall; a seven-foot-tall sailboat; a five-foot-tall tricycle; an eight-foot-tall dollhouse; a six-foot-tall View-Master(R) that displays a variety of holiday images and more. Dollywood is a 130-acre family adventure park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and operates mid-March through Jan. 3, 2009.

Dollywood offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region.

For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary. Source - click
here

Dollywood Hosts Thrills in the Hills Event June 6-8

First-time event welcomes coaster enthusiasts from across the country.

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Roller coaster fans from across the country will converge on Dollywood this weekend for the theme park’s first-time Thrills in the Hills event set for June 6-8.

“Thrills in the Hills is a much-anticipated opportunity to see some very unique rides from a really up-close perspective that isn’t ordinarily available,” said Matthew Lambert, American Coaster Enthusiast member, “but everyone is really looking forward to enjoying the warm Southern hospitality that Dollywood is known for.”

Approximately 70 attendees will enjoy exclusive ride time and behind-the-scenes tours of the park’s coasters, including Thunderhead, twice named the best wooden coaster in the world by the Golden Tickets Awards, and Mystery Mine, Theme Park Insider’s 2007 best new themed attraction, as well as the Tennessee Tornado and Blazing Fury.


Participants also will see two of Dollywood’s award-winning stage shows—the 2006 international Heartbeat Award winner Dreamland Drive-In and the 2007 winner, The Great American Country Show. The weekend’s itinerary also offers opportunities to visit Dollywood’s Splash Country and Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede dinner attraction.

“It’s an honor for Dollywood to host Thrills in the Hills and showcase all that our properties have to offer,” said Pete Owens, Dollywood Public Relations Manager. “We hope Thrills in the Hills is the first of many events of this type.”

Dollywood is a 150-acre family adventure park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Open nine months a year (March 21, 2008-Jan. 3, 2009), Dollywood offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.

Dollywood's new season opens new Timber Canyon River Battle ride, walkway & shows!

A 750-foot walkway connects Craftsman's Valley to the Timber Canyon River Battle, a $5 million ride located in the park's new Wilderness Pass arean Expansion to the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, where a new gallery for bird viewing has been added

See Press Release

The new River Battle will have a ride capacity of 800 passengers an hour, armed with powerful soaker guns. Nine rafts holding eight passengers each follow a 500-foot channel.

"When I was a kid, me and my brothers and sisters used to sneak away and start a river battle of our own, but I never dreamed that kind of childhood fun would end up creating a great ride like my new River Battle," Dolly Parton said in a statement.

With soaker guns, passengers will be able to take aim at each other and more than 100 targets that include talking skunks, otters and bears. Watch out, as some targets will shoot back. Riders may also shoot water at observers, part of the park's ongoing effort to bring families together, according to Owens.

Click here for full story.

Dollywood Christmas 2007 - Be SURE To Take Your Camera!

Enjoy a family holiday like no other with a heartwarming lineup of Christmas shows, holiday foods, and thrilling rides. Make this a Smoky Mountain Christmas you and your family won’t soon forget!

We go every year and ALWAYS find something NEW! This year we particularly enjoyed the Appalachian Christmans show at the Back Porch Theatre. As ususal, I took along my tiny Kodak V570 digital camera to record a few memories in stills and short videos.

I took all of the photos below "hand held" as I did not want to be burdoned with carrying lots of "stuff" if we went on any rides. If YOU want to take photos there, be sure to learn the basics about your camera before you start shooting.

My Best PhotoTip: Turn OFF your flash . . .and raise the ISO (Film Speed) to 400. There's almost always enough stage lighting to get a decent shot with available light. AND the photos will look more natural than the typical flash shot.

A little girl looks for an angel; three shepherds follow a star. They all find their way to the heart of “The Christmas Story.” 2007 Season Dates: November 10 - December 30, 2007. This is in an open air pavillion and it's easy to get up close for a nice picture.

Again . . .adjust your camera settings. Here we actually lowered the ISO (film speed) so that we didn't freeze the water coming off the old mill.

Celebrate an acoustic Christmas at the Back Porch Theatre with Appalachian Christmas. Let the beautiful sound of the music take you back to a simpler time. 2007 Season Dates: November 10 - December 30, 2007

The Robert F. Thomas Chapel hosts worship services at 5:30 p.m. each Sunday throughout Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. 2007 Season Dates: November 10 - December 30, 2007

For more Dollywood Christmas photos (2006) - Click here!

June 2007 - Dollywood's Splash Country Opens New Cascades Area This Weekend

The $3 million Cascades project is the largest expansion in the Splash Country park's history. It offers a zero-depth entry pool studded with things to keep children wet and entertained.



The Cascades™, an 8,000-sq.-ft. lagoon-style pool, features more than 25 interactive elements. Slides weave throughout the giant rock grotto while refreshing 20-foot-tall sprays rise from the pool’s geyser.

"We have areas for little kids and older kids, but this area is just perfect for those in between those two groups," park Senior Operations Manager Mike Brown said. " People had been telling us they wanted a pool in the park, but we didn't want to do just a pool. The goal of this area is to create something like an Abrams Falls swimming hole."

Relax in the contoured seating area or in a chaise lounge chair situated on the 24,000-sq.-ft. deck space. Children can explore hidden misters, bubblers and slides in secret coves around the pool’s perimeter.

Click here for videos and and details!

Spring 2007 - Dollywood's New Mystery Mine Roller Coaster Ride Opens

"What if there is no light at the end of the tunnel???" That's the catch phrase for the newest addition to Dollywood's Timber Canyon area - the Mystery Mine!

The largest capital investment in Dollywood history, Mystery Mine is a one-acre expansion of the park's Timber Canyon area. Continuing the area's lumber camp theme, Mystery Mine is set in an abandoned coal mine where eight-passenger mine carts immediately plunge riders into darkness before continuing along a 1,811-foot track through the ruins of an early 1900's mine.

During the two and half minute journey, riders encounter a beyond vertical 95-degree, 85-foot drop in addition to three inversions, a headline roll, rollover loop and an immelmann. The ride finishes with several high-speed twists as the mine cars maneuver their way through a series of uncertain encounters. Mystery Mine, also known as a Euro-Fighter coaster, is the first ride of its kind to be built in the United States. (click here for animation)

Dollywood noted that state-of-the-art special effects will add to the overall ride experience. The entire attraction will last about two-and-half minutes.

"I'm so proud of Dollywood and all we've accomplished through the years," Dolly Parton said. "Maybe I'm most proud of Dollywood being named one of the top three theme parks in the entire world. That's why I thought it was important to build a world-class roller coaster like Mystery Mine "it's got a world of surprises in store for folks."

Dollywood has invested a lot in new attractions over the past several years. Last year, the theme park introduced the new $6.5 million Timber Tower thrill ride. In 2005, Dollywood spent $5 million for a 3.5-acre expansion of the park's Country Fair area and added ten new family rides. In 2004, the park built the $7 million award-winning wooden coaster, Thunderhead.

Additional Mystery Mine coverage is available from:

• The Mountain Press - click here.
• Coaster World News - streaming video report on opening weekend here.
• The Tennessean offered a piece - click here.
• The Knoxville News-Sentinel provides an article here and a video interviewing riders here.
• Knoxville TV station WATE gives its take on the happenings here.

March 31 - May 7 - Dollywood Festival of Nations

Irish eyes will be smiling on you as Dollywood shines the spotlight on Celebrate Ireland! Watch as Ireland's renowned musical heritage unfolds right before your eyes during the spectacular show Rhythm of the Dance, featuring fancy footwork, colorful costumes and traditional music. At the Valley Theatre, Irish bands and dance troupes entertain with a lively jig and reel.

Find your rhythm during bodhrán drum lessons or try a tune on the tin whistle. See celebrated Irish artist Philip Gray and his paintings featuring breathtaking Irish seascapes and landscapes. See Irish craftsmen at work in Emerald Isle Marketplace or sample delicious cuisine during Taste of Ireland at various park restaurants.

And don't miss a world of entertainment from The Russian National Theatre, Peru's Yawar Chicchi folk music & dance, Switzerland's Streichmusik Alder, featuring folk music and alpine horns, master yodeler Kerry Christensen, Ukraine's Dyvo Kalynove, children's folk music and dance group, Zambian Vocal Group, Trinidad's Stix on Steel and Ecuador's Atahualpa.

Click here for the complete list of new shows and events at Dollywood!

Gatlinburg - Pigeon Forge - Smoky Mountain Springfest March 10th to June 9th 2007

Springfest marks the beginning of springtime in the cities of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. It is a 3 month celebration beginning in early March packed with events like the Mountain Quiltfest, Arts & Crafts Show, Dollywood Parade, Dollywood's Festival of Nations, Ribfest, Spring Grand Rod Run, Bloomin BBQ & Bluegrass Festival, 56th Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, Gatlinburg's Scottish Festival & Games, and many more.

Add the colorful flowers along the Parkway, the dogwoods, red buds and other spring trees coming into bloom for one of the most beautiful times in the Smoky Mountains.

• March 5- 10:North American Country Music Association International Convention at Country Tonite Theatre. For more information, contact Peggy Franck at 865-992-6409 or 865-922-3438. -Pigeon Forge, TN.
• March 8- June 14:Annual Pigeon Forge and Smoky Mountain Area Springfest. - Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Sevierville, TN
• March 14-18: 13th Annual "A Mountain Quiltfest" quiltling showcase and classes. For more information visit AMountainQuiltFest.com! - Pigeon Forge, TN.
• March 30 - May 7: Dollywood's Festival of Nations, 1-800-DOLLYWOOD. - Pigeon Forge, TN.

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