originally posted on 12/9/2022 1:15:00 AM
Photo: Courtesy of Dollywood. View full-sized image.
On Saturday, November 12, 85 ACE members and their guests
made their way to Dollywood for the ACE Southeast annual Smoky Mountain
Coasterfest event. The chilly and drizzly day started off with morning
breakfast snacks followed by an hour of ERT on Blazing Fury, during which
attendees always seem to outrun the fire on this classic, indoor dark ride/roller
coaster. After ERT ended, the park opened for the day and attendees were free
to explore this award-winning park at their leisure.
Attendees got a behind-the-scenes look at Big Bear Mountain.
Photo: Josh Herrington. View full-sized image.
Photo: Josh Herrington. View full-sized image.
In the early afternoon as the sky cleared up somewhat and
the temperatures began to drop, attendees were split into two groups for a
construction tour of the park’s 2023 addition — its 10th roller coaster, Big
Bear Mountain. Marketing and Public Relations Director extraordinaire Pete
Owens walked the groups in and around the construction site for the coaster
explaining all the finer details of the ride and hinted at a few surprises
still in store for riders when the coaster debuts next year.
Photo: Josh Herrington. View full-sized image.
Following the conclusion of the construction tour, attendees
were given priority seating for the park’s “Christmas In the Smokies” show,
which never fails to put everyone in the Christmas spirit. After the show
ended, attendees emerged from the Celebrity Theater into a winter wonderland
sparkling with six million Christmas lights; Christmas time had arrived at
Dollywood.
Photo: Courtesy of Dollywood. View full-sized image.
As temperatures continued to fall throughout the late
afternoon and night, the hot chocolate bar with all the fixins (and cinnamon
bread) was a welcome sight for cold attendees preparing for the final ERT
session of the night. Those brave enough to tough out the cold were treated to
an hour of nighttime ERT on Lightning Rod as the temperatures remained
just above the cutoff point for the ride to operate.
Rides on Lightning Rod finished out the night.
Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.
Special thanks were given to Owens, Amber Davis, Wes Ramey
and the amazing folks at Dollywood who always go above and beyond to make every
ACE event at Dollywood feel like coming home.
— Josh Herrington, ACE Southeast Regional Representative
#ACENews