Dollywood visitors have been left disappointed after the park faced a series of problems in recent weeks, including the immediate closure of a popular ride.
It was confirmed over the weekend that the heritage steam train ride would temporarily cease operations for unscheduled maintenance.
Dolly Parton’s theme park, in Pigeon Forge, Tennesseesaid on social media: ‘We are sorry for the inconvenience.
‘We hope you will enjoy all of Dollywood’s other award-winning rides and attractions during Smoky Mountain Christmas.’
The Dollywood Express is a 20-minute mountain excursion that takes visitors on a five-mile ride through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
The train promises that parkgoers will ‘enjoy pastoral scenery’ and ‘some of the most beautiful views that nature has to offer.’
The park, which charges $94.99 for a day ticket, warns that the train’s schedule is subject to change and closures may also occur due to maintenance or inclement weather conditions, including lightning.
Upset parkgoers unleashed their fury over the disruption on Facebook and blasted the train’s closure as ‘absurdly ridiculous.’
Dolly Parton’s iconic theme park Dollywood has upset parkgoers with the temporary closure of a popular ride. The country star is seen in January
The Dollywood Express, a heritage steam train ride, is undergoing unscheduled maintenance
Taking to the park’s page, one said: ‘It’s absurdly ridiculous that on a Saturday, the train is not operating.
‘Do what you have to do, even if it means paying people to work all night to make sure that train works, especially on the Christmas weekends.
‘How inconsiderate a lot of folks, especially senior citizens in the park. That’s the one thing they can ride and enjoy. Not to mention the train is promoted so much on social media and billboards. Absurdly ridiculous.’
Another wrote: ‘I was planning on bringing my son to ride the train as that is his sole reason for existing right now. We can’t go anywhere without his toy trains.
‘Please get this fixed ASAP. We bought season passes so we could take him just for the train. Please don’t wait till the off-season to fix it. Also, please keep us updated.’
Others, however, reasoned that the train getting fixed was a good thing.
‘Even the train at Disney World can be down for maintenance issues,’ one said.
‘I’d rather they work to resolve the issue than have passengers stuck on it in the back 40 and have to hike it back to the park.’
Dollywood has apologized to upset visitors for any inconvenience caused. The ride is seen in 1992
Dollywood is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Parton is seen at the park in 1988
Disruption to the Dollywood Express comes weeks after the theme park faced another blow.
It was forced to revise its hours of operation and close early last weekend due to forecasted temperatures.
On December 14, the theme park was open from 11am to 6pm, closing significantly earlier than usual. Typically, the site closes between 9pm and 10pm.
At the time, Inside the Magic reported that low temperatures ‘can compromise safety’ since ‘rollercoaster wheels, braking systems and hydraulic components all rely on specific temperature ranges to function properly.’
Some 22 of its rides reportedly have ‘temperature cutoffs,’ ranging from 39 degrees to five degrees.
Dollywood, which is jointly owned by Herschend and country singer-songwriter Parton, is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge.
It hosts nearly three million guests in a typical season from mid-March to the Christmas holidays.
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Author: uaetodaynews
Published on: 2025-12-22 17:40:00
Source: uaetodaynews.com