[tarheel1231]

Would love for something similar to happen down here...... multiplied by 32......

[Chris]

We were planning a trip to Dollywood next weekend. We have season passes and we're just going to wait and go when Lightning Rod opens. If it opens next week, great... we're there. But if it doesn't, we're trying to figure out a backup plan.

We've narrowed it down to two possibilities. Myrtle Beach or Atlanta. We've already booked a fully refundable hotel in both for a great price so that's not an issue. We'll just cancel which one we don't decide. Now, when it comes to Atlanta, we already know everything we would do there, including Six Flags and maybe even an aquarium visit.

My question is more directed to the Myrtle Beach part. I've never been to Family Kingdom and with our ACE pass, an all day pass is only 15 bucks. But after that and the beach of course, what is there to do? Does anyone have any suggestions or opinions?

[coasterbruh]

Hard rock park???

[Chris]

Even with all the bad reviews I saw about HRP when trying to figure out what to do if we decided to go to MB, I certainly thought about the 'what if'.

[Tawny71]

There are a couple of (hundred) mini golf places in and around Myrtle Beach.

We like to go to Broadway at the Beach for people watching and a meal. There's lots of carnival-Type rides there, and a really fun kiddie coaster.

There are a couple of coasters at OD Pavilion in N Myrtle Beach, too, but they're only open from Memorial Day till Labor Day.

[Axel]

^^Any bad reviews about HRP must have been primarily about the admission price, because the rock and roll themes & merchandise have no equal past or present in North America. The rides were good, if not "fantastic" with Led Zeppelin The Ride with it's synchronized Whole Lotta Love speakers in each car was great!

[Jarsh]

We were planning a trip to Dollywood next weekend. We have season passes and we're just going to wait and go when Lightning Rod opens. If it opens next week, great... we're there. But if it doesn't, we're trying to figure out a backup plan.

Dollywood, Atlanta or Myrtle Beach? That's easy - Dollywood.

Lightning Rod will most likely not be open, but hey, it's Dollywood.

On a side note, I've seen and heard lots of folks saying that they weren't going to Dollywood until LR opens. I'm just curious if these folks have ever been before seeing how Dollywood is fantastic even without LR.

[coasterbruh]

My thing is, I've been so many times i can afford to wait as I am not missing out on much.

[Jarsh]

Yeah. I suppose that makes sense from the perspective of someone who goes all the time.

If you're waiting for LR to open before a return visit, it might be a while. :-/

[Coaster_Crazy09]

Sorry to go off topic here, but I have a quick question. I'm in Vegas at the moment. I rode Desperado at Buffalo Bills yesterday. Is NY NY just as rough if not worse? Desperado was the worst and roughest coaster I've ever rode!

[Chris]

We were planning a trip to Dollywood next weekend. We have season passes and we're just going to wait and go when Lightning Rod opens. If it opens next week, great... we're there. But if it doesn't, we're trying to figure out a backup plan.

Dollywood, Atlanta or Myrtle Beach? That's easy - Dollywood.

Lightning Rod will most likely not be open, but hey, it's Dollywood.

On a side note, I've seen and heard lots of folks saying that they weren't going to Dollywood until LR opens. I'm just curious if these folks have ever been before seeing how Dollywood is fantastic even without LR.

Of course I've been to Dollywood. I've had a conversation with you IN Dollywood.

We decided our plans.

• We've leaving early Saturday morning. We're going to stop by the Greenville Zoo on the way to Atlanta.
• On Sunday morning, we are going to drive to Lake Winnie since neither of us have been.
• On Monday, we will go to Six Flags for their first Monday operation. I'm hoping the lines won't be too bad since it appears the ATL kids don't get out of school till Wednesday.

We're really looking forward to checking out Lake Winnie for the first time. Any pointers?

[coasterbruh]

Sorry to go off topic here, but I have a quick question. I'm in Vegas at the moment. I rode Desperado at Buffalo Bills yesterday. Is NY NY just as rough if not worse? Desperado was the worst and roughest coaster I've ever rode!

Go ride it. make your own opinion. You will learn, what I may call rough you may call relaxing.

[Jarsh]

We're really looking forward to checking out Lake Winnie for the first time. Any pointers?

if you can handle pond water and dark tunnels that stink, ride the Boat Chute. It's the oldest one (only one?) in the country. Just take your time and enjoy it. You shouldn't need all day.

[ColetD]

^Thanks for the heads up. I'm going to have to make that sound even more unappealing to Chris so I don't have to smell a pond in the car for the rest of the drive back. Haha

[aoriole19]

To be fair, I also think it's reasonable to wait for LR to open if you've never been before (like me!) I actually won't be back on the east coast until August so it's not really a choice, but even if I was coming home now, I would wait until it opened if it was feasible. My family doesn't have enough money to go twice, and it doesn't necessarily make a difference to me what part of the summer we go, so why not wait? It's not that Dollywood wouldn't be worth it without Lightning Rod, but it's just that it can't hurt to wait, if you can only go once.