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    Tennessee Tornado

    3.9 (9 reviews)

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    Outside devastation
    Arlene M.

    This ride is wicked!! My daughter and I were surprised to find no wait to get on this attraction in the middle of the day. You hop right on. Ladies let me warn you to remove your earrings on this ride. Your head will be slammed from side to side on the sides of the seat if you don't. You got at a fast speed to simulate a tornado with several loops to give you the actual feel of getting caught up in the middle of a tornado. Even the outside facade give you a the look of how destructive a tornado can be. The ride is very intense. I probably would have enjoyed it more without the side to side head banging. I came off the ride with a slight headache. Still if you are tackling the coasters of Dollywood it's worth a try.

    Ariel W.

    The Tennessee Tornado is a roller coaster at Dollywood. It opened on April 17, 1999, and was one of Arrow Dynamics' last major coasters. The ride is in the valley location previously occupied by Thunder Express, an Arrow Dynamics Runaway Mine Train roller coaster. The theme of Tennessee Tornado is an old Tennessee mining company in the 1800's hit by a tornado. The cars were ripped out of the mineshaft and tossed around. The safety restraint is an over the shoulder harness which you are going to need. As your car races through the triple spiral loops you are meant to feel like you are in the middle of the tornado. The ride features a 128 foot drop through the mountain at speeds at 70 MPH. This roller coaster also has an element called the iron butterfly which is a vertical loop combined with a sidewinder which resemble a butterfly. The ride felt super short to me, It is only 1 minute and 48 seconds. I didn't find the shoulder restraints to be the most comfortable either but the first drop is fun as are the loops. I don't know if I would wait on a huge line for this. Its no soaring Eagle but if you happen on a short line, go for it.

    Classic Arrow Train!
    Rachel Macie H.

    One of Arrows finest coasters was also one of it's last as the Tennessee Tornado features a unique style of the Arrow track as at this time in their legacy they changed the design up a bit to make it smoother and more durable as Arrow coasters aren't known for a smooth ride! Tennessee Tornado ranks up there for me as not only a well designed coaster but a super fun and smooth one especially for being an Arrow it's a bummer that not more got made after this as it's a really fun ride that hits you just right and no not in a bad way it's super fun for everyone! To be totally honest this coaster took me by surprise as I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was but hey it rocked soo much so that we just had to ride it again! Overall it's a great Arrow Coaster that's how nice and hidden in the trees you can't go wrong here at all so give it a try you'll be happy you did!

    Signage for this custom Arrow "terrain" looper is centered around a renegade twister!
    Eric S.

    SMOKY MOUNTAIN TWISTER This custom steel looping coaster is a brief, but fun, terrain hugger. For my 750th review -- 3/4ths of the way to the big 1000, baby! -- I'm giving some love to Arrow Dynamics' swan song. As one of the very last models built by the esteemed steel roller coaster company, the Tennessee Tornado takes full advantage of its woodsy surroundings, as well as the change in elevation. There are a total of 3 inversions, and some other notable highlights including: *underground tunnel *110ft tall 'spiro' loop *overbanked turn *vertical loop *sidewinder *overbanked turn So what the hell is a 'spiro' loop? It's an element unique to this ride, designed by Arrow as a way of putting a quirky -- and literal -- twist on a standard vertical loop. It's the biggest inversion they ever put on a coaster at a whopping 110ft tall. In fact, the trains experience a moment of hangtime at the top, which is a whole lotta fun. A 163ft chain lift carries the train toward the top of a hill, where a heavily-banked turnaround sends riders plummeting down a 128ft drop. It's at the base of the drop where trains enter a tunnel and hit a top speed of 63mph. There's an on-ride camera here, shortly before entering the impressively-large 'spiro' loop. Following this, there's an overbanked curve -- where riders in the front are treated to a quick pop of airtime -- which leads into a straight vertical loop and sidewinder element (a half vertical loop ending with a corkscrew). Another overbanked curve and the train hits the brake run. One cycle lasts roughly 1min 48sec. Arrow wasn't know for comfortable rides, and the TN Tornado is no exception. The cars on the 28-person trains are boxy, while the over-the-shoulder restraints are less than ideal for taller riders. I'd actually recommend the front row, as there's far more leg room in the lead car and the brief pops of airtime are nice (not to mention the unobstructed view). _____________ FINAL VERDICT: I have to say, after having ridden 'Vortex' (Kings Island), the ill-fated 'Shockwave' (Great America) and a few others here and there, the Tennessee Tornado is one of the better Arrow Dynamics steel looping coasters. My only real gripe is that it's very short, though not having a block brake section makes for a more fluid, uninterrupted riding experience. The terrain adds another layer of thrill to this intense looper. I enjoyed it and would recommend the TN Tornado to teens, as older adults will find it too rough to be enjoyable. Eric S's Dollywood coaster rating = 5th out of 7.

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    Dollywood

    Dollywood

    3.9
    (1.6k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    To say we were excited about our trip to Dollywood is an understatement. I am a single mom of four…read morewho doesn't often get to take vacations. I'm also a cancer patient who doesn't know how many vacations that she has left in this lifetime. So, when someone offered us a chance to take this trip, we were over the moon and jumped at the chance. So writing this review is quite painful. I've always heard that Dollywood employees are the best so I was expecting kindness and helpfulness, but I was mostly disappointed. I want to start this review by saying that I could not do what the employees at Dollywood do all day in the blistering heat. They have to deal with people all day long and people can be unpleasant on a good day and vicious on a bad day. I deal with people in my job and it can be difficult. I know and I sympathize. It started when I had to rent a mobility scooter. Trust me, I hated having to rent that blasted thing, but I had a cancer treatment two days before our visit and my treatment can zap the energy right out of me. So, I went to rent a scooter even though I was embarrassed to have to do so. The young lady behind the counter was unfriendly and unprofessional. I was surprised really by her complete lack of kindness. She never once even cracked a smile and her behavior at my questions was rude. I was also disappointed at the employees lack of help when you asked for directions. We only had a day in the park and we had some specific things that we wanted to accomplish. When asked for directions, the employees were short with me and seemed annoyed that we even asked. I ceased asking employees and began asking other park goers. They were kind and helpful. Then there was the candy store near the train depot. The gentleman behind the candy counter was amazing. He was friendly and encouraging. Just when I thought we wouldn't find any employees up to park standards, he showed up and with his sunny disposition really brought a bright spot to our day. Then, my hopes were instantly dissolved when we checked out at the register. The female employee at the register was utterly rude and blatantly disrespectful. I was shocked and wanted to match her energy, but I didn't want to set a bad example for my kids. Also, the kindly gentleman was right next to her and I just didn't want to cause a scene. Also, the employees who deal with people with disabilities on the rides just treated us like we were an imposition. That's just not the way you treat people who are already struggling. Most people who have a disability would do anything to be normal. I know I would have loved to have not known this information about the employees who help people with disabilities. I believe some sensitivity training is in order for all the employees who come in contact with people with disabilities. We already feel like a burden and we HATE it. There were some employees that went above and beyond which is the reason I didn't give a one star review. I've already spoken of the gentleman at the candy store. He needs a raise. There was the sweet young man in the jewelry booth by the Mystery Mine ride. He was an absolute gem and was so helpful. There was a sweet young lady at Miss Lillian's where we ate. Two of my kiddos have severe food allergies. It makes it difficult to find food that won't land us in the ER. This young lady went out of her way to make sure that our food wasn't contaminated by allergens and she even found chips for my son who couldn't have the other side dishes. Bravo to her!!! She deserves a gold star, a crown, and a wand. Also the tram conductors were fabulous They were funny, kind, and helpful. Whoever trained those guys needs to train EVERYONE in the park. The employees involved in the Dollywood Express were another standout. They were kind, hilarious, entertaining, and really did help to make the day memorable especially for my son who has a popular YouTube channel about trains. It wasn't all bad, but there were enough disappointments to prompt me to write this review. I really hated writing something negative. I absolutely adore Dolly Parton. She is one of my heroes. I feel terrible for saying anything negative about something associated with her. I'm hoping this review will encourage some additional training for employees who deal with people with disabilities. Those people sitting in the mobility scooters could be on their last vacation and you could make all the difference.

    Amazing theme park. Roller coasters everywhere…read more Lumber Jack pizza was the best pizza I've had in my whole life. They have a little skytube place for little kids. Amazing staff. Amazing hand-scooped ice cream. Free Time-Saverpass for people staying at the hotels there (me.) Which works like this: 10 to 11 AM is the golden hour where you can ride any rides with it. After 11 you have 5 more uses on select rides.

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    Cinnamon bread plushies
    Cinnamon bread plushies
    Dollywood
    Dollywood
    Rise over the Smokies on the wings of Wild Eagle.

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    Rise over the Smokies on the wings of Wild Eagle.
    The Island

    The Island

    4.1
    (545 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    The island is always a wonderful stop for everyone. My son…read moreloves Dino's and they currently have the dinosaur experience going on. Our big girl was finally big enough for the harness adventure here. Mom and dad got to do a moonshine tasting.

    The Island in Pigeon Forge is one of those places where you can easily spend several hours…read morewandering around without really having a plan--and that's part of the fun! There's a great mix of shops, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, and plenty of colorful details that make it an enjoyable place to explore. I visited during the fall, and I especially loved all of the seasonal touches. Pumpkins, mums, hay bales, a vintage tractor, and other autumn decorations made the entire area feel festive and gave me plenty of fun photo opportunities. Of course, the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel is the landmark you can't miss. Riding it gives you a completely different perspective of Pigeon Forge and the surrounding area, and the enclosed gondolas make for a comfortable ride. My biggest hesitation is the price. Since you pay per person, taking an entire family up in one gondola can become expensive pretty quickly. Overall, The Island is a fun stop whether you want to ride attractions, grab something to eat, shop, people-watch, or simply walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. Even if you don't ride the wheel, it makes a pretty spectacular backdrop! Four stars from me--fun, photogenic, and definitely worth exploring, but some of the attractions can make a family visit pricey.

    Photos
    Turkey was here
    Turkey was here
    Pumpkin was here
    Pumpkin was here
    March 2026

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    March 2026
    Dollywood's Splash Country

    Dollywood's Splash Country

    3.7
    (156 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    I came here with my wife and 4 year old and it was a great time!…read more We came right at opening on a random weekday and the line to get in was still pretty long. Parking was a little expensive at $25, but I kind of expected that. Luckily for us, most of the people entering the park were going to Dollywood and not Splash Country, so we got to park our car near the entrance and didn't have to wait long at all to get inside. Importantly, my son was free because of a pre-K voucher that they were offering, which was very cool. We started off our trip with Big Bear Plunge, and it was a pretty decent water slide. We then hit up the splash pad before journeying into the wave pool, where we spent most of our time :) My son really liked the waves! It got a little boring for me, but whatever. It was sometimes challenging to find a tube for my son to ride in (it felt like a free-for-all!) but we managed to secure one most of the time. We wanted to ride Big Bear Plunge one more time before we left, but by that time the line was exceedingly long and our 4 year old was definitely not going to wait, so we just peaced out. The food was OK but not great, as expected. I liked that they offered complimentary water for everyone, since it was quite hot. Overall, we had a great time and would definitely come back!

    Splash Country and Dollywood lack adequate handicap accessible parking. Instead of creating more…read morehandicap accessible parking, they blocked all the surrounding spots off and marked them as $55 "preferred parking". Or $45 if you are a diamond pass holder. Once you're inside it is so overcrowded you will not have time to do much unless you pay $55-$70 for a fast pass. Some lines had a 70 minute wait. Then the bathrooms were horrible, I bet Dolly wouldn't use them!! I was only here because I have a 2 park season pass but these kids will not get me back to this water park. Yall can have it. I'll stick to the theme park.

    Photos
    Chicken tenders, garlic Parmesan chicken tenders, cookies n cream fry bread
    Chicken tenders, garlic Parmesan chicken tenders, cookies n cream fry bread
    Dollywood's Splash Country
    Dollywood's Splash Country

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    Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster

    Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster

    4.5
    (503 reviews)
    3.8 mi

    I kind of feel bad. The last time I was in Pigeon Forge with my children, I declined going on a…read moremountain coaster with them, because they just didn't look like my thing. So my kids went on the coaster and I watched and took photos. Then recently, I was forced to visit Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster for a work trip. It was either ride the dang coaster, or irritate the people who set up the trip, so I went. Holy cats! Alpine coasters are super fun! You kind of feel like you're going to fly off the tracks during the ride, but you won't. It seems safe enough, and the ride goes by so fast (it's definitely less than 10 minutes). Before you know it, you're done and wish you could go again. (I didn't, but I'm sure kids would.) You can control the speed, which is nice. At one point, I was feeling wild and crazy, and let it fly and zipped around the track at full speed. I visited with a small group on a weekday, and there was zero wait to start riding. Literally, we just paid and got right on.

    This was a very fun adventure even for a scary person like me. I purchased the groupon which was a…read moregreat deal for 2 for $23. I reviewed the pricing upon arrival and it was $14 for kids. Every penny count nowadays so I'll take it. If the child is under a certain height they require them to ride with an adult. *Insert my nerves kicking in about this* I will say it looks more intimidating that it actual is. No big drops and you can adjust the speed as you ride. I built my courage to go faster the second ride but the employee did ask for me to not hold up traffic like previous did! Good adventure!

    Photos
    Pumpkin was here
    Pumpkin was here
    Nice ride
    Nice ride
    Me on the ride

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    Me on the ride

    Tennessee Tornado - amusementparks - Updated August 2026

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