Question for first time to Dollywood
- Thread starter Mojosdad
- Start date
I was 260 when I visited and had no issues fitting on anything. Disclaimer that was pre Big Bear and Lighting Rod was down so I can't speak for those.
As someone big and tall who just went to dollywood a few weekends ago, not gonna disclose weight but im 6'5" tall, most coasters at dollywood have test seats. Two that I can think of that did not was Tennessee Tornado and Blazing Fury.
Going in the order in which I did the park:
On the note of flat rides, I'm not gonna get into detail like the coasters, but there may be some rides that may give issues, but overall I avoided the ones I knew give me issues. Dollywood will give the "May not accommodate guests of larger size or height" at all rides and coasters, and it did threw me off a bit at first. But generally, I find most of the rides and their restraints to be reasonably sized like at Kings Dominion, Dorney Park, and Busch gardens Williamsburg.
Also on another note the rapids ride, smoky mountain river rampage, has a safety belt for each individual rider that comprises of velcro. The ride operators will provide an extender if needed. Im not sure if certain other rides also have seat belt extensions like this at Dollywood that I didn't ride.
Going in the order in which I did the park:
- Thunderhead: Typical GCI woodie with ratcheting lapbars. The test seat is very accurate for it, and you only have to get a minimum of one click for it at Dollywood. Was able to ride this, meh experience.
- Mystery Mine: I knew I wouldn't fit, and it looks like the restraint has to come down a considerable amount to be able to ride.
- Big bear mountain: Biggest surprise but I haven't gotten to ride on one of these Vekoma family coasters yet. I couldn't get the lapbar over my long legs when seated. This was likely a height issue on my part. But other than my height issue, it looks like the lap bar is quite accommodating to larger riders.
- Dragonflier: Exact opposite of a big surprise for me. Somehow I was able to get on this! Fun little inverted family coaster.
- Wild Eagle: Typical B&M wing rider vest restraints. If you fit on this at any other North American park with a B&M with vest restraints, then there will be no problem. The test seat reflects the seatbelt length in the larger rider seats. I had no issues with the large rider seats.
- Fire Chaser Express: There's a test seat at the entrance, but I couldn't get a green light on it.
- Tennessee Tornado: Typical arrow looper restraint without the safety belt. Very accommodating. I find some of the newer arrow looper trains to have a bit bigger seats and taller seat backs. Viper at SFMM is another example where I find this. This thing was very re-rideable, and more intense than it looks. I think the only limit is if you cannot get in and out of the seat on your own, which has never been a problem on any arrow looper seat for me.
- Blazing Fury: Fun and vintage. Its seat has a shared lap bar that goes down as far as the largest rider. It supposedly has to come down to a certain point to lock, but I didnt have issues and didnt see anyone else have issues. You can't straddle legs across both sides of the lapbar if you had an issue like that.
- Lighting Rod: I knew it was a hard no for me to fit in the RMC seats so I didn't even try the test seat.
On the note of flat rides, I'm not gonna get into detail like the coasters, but there may be some rides that may give issues, but overall I avoided the ones I knew give me issues. Dollywood will give the "May not accommodate guests of larger size or height" at all rides and coasters, and it did threw me off a bit at first. But generally, I find most of the rides and their restraints to be reasonably sized like at Kings Dominion, Dorney Park, and Busch gardens Williamsburg.
Also on another note the rapids ride, smoky mountain river rampage, has a safety belt for each individual rider that comprises of velcro. The ride operators will provide an extender if needed. Im not sure if certain other rides also have seat belt extensions like this at Dollywood that I didn't ride.
Thanks so much, I know there will be some rides I will have to miss, but I am excited to finally experience the park.
One thing to note: if you ride the train, you will get covered with ash. Just FYI.
When I first visited as a kid, I got cinder in my eye from the train. Thus one of the attractions we did was a trip to the first aid station. I will forever remember that visit by this.
Yep. Our first and only Dollywood visit was marked with cinders in eyes, rude guests, and unhelpful employees. Probably won't be going back, though friends of ours say their experiences were different so maybe we will try again someday.
If you go when there's a weather "inversion" with low clouds like I did the whole place will smell like burning tires and it won't ever get fully dark at night. I didn't get that much ash on me a little behind the center of the train, though did get a facefull when tried sticking my head out. The train is kind of awesome though doesn't do much and don't know why they chose then to start up the other one very smokily even though not used. County Fair was hellish to stay in for long. This was at the end of Hurricane Ian weekend, with rain all day up here, cool with low crowds there, a great travel decision.
Also, Thunderhead is fantastic.
Also, Thunderhead is fantastic.