The Whistle Punk Chaser is a 12-rider per train, steel junior roller coaster that is part of the family amusement park Dollywood, which is a notable amusement park in beautiful Pigeon Forge, TN, that hosts guests from all over the world. Whistle Punk Chaser is part of the Timber Canyon in the park, and the Minimum height to ride the Whistle Punk Chaser roller coaster is only 36 inches, but anyone under 42” in height must be accompanied by someone 16 years of age or older.
This thrilling junior experience featuring turns and twists is designed to introduce younger park guests to the thrill and excitement of roller coaster rides. Ideally, they will graduate and join their parents and other family members riding the nearby award-winning wooden coaster Thunderhead, a guest favorite. Whistle Punk Chaser is logger-themed and colored orange. It doesn’t go upside down, and the drops and turns are subdued enough that it makes a great first step in working one’s way up to a more exhilarating coaster, many of which are located within the park. This makes this coaster a favorite for kids who want to get braver and eventually step their way up to enjoy some of Dollywood’s more thrilling experiences.
You can rest assured when visiting this family-friendly amusement in the heart of the Smoky Mountains, that safety is being observed at all times. In fact, Dollywood boasts an exemplary safety record and continues to monitor its rides, maintaining them for optimal safety at all times. In addition, height and size restrictions are strictly enforced for the safety of all guests, ensuring that only those who can safely experience a ride are given access. When checking in for the day with young kids, parents can take them to a measuring station. Depending on their height, they will be given a specific color of a wristband. This wristband color will instantly indicate to ride operators if said person can safely ride any given ride. Therefore, it’s a great safety measure and cuts down on ride wait time, since each ride operator doesn’t have to measure each individual.
Dollywood opened under its current name and ownership back in 1986. Before that time, there were a few features that remain in the park today, like the coal-fired steam train called the Klondike Katie or Cinderella and the Grist Mill. However, the park was under different ownership at the time and was called Goldrush Junction and then later Silver Dollar City. It didn’t achieve the level of popularity it now enjoys until area native Dolly Parton bought it and rebranded it adding many new rides, features, and shows.
Dolly Parton, is a storied, beloved, and accomplished country music singer who boasts countless awards and accomplishments within the industry and in the pop industry as well as at the forefront of building up the Pigeon Forge area. This was because she had a soft place in her heart for the location since she grew up in the nearby hills of Tennessee. Today, many of Dolly’s relatives are employed at the park and she herself has continued to add to the space, offering even more on-brand entertainment options. She also is known to visit the park from time to time as well.
What started as just a small park with only a few notable features has grown into a family-themed amusement park that can take days to see and experience in its entirety. There are several themed sections of the park that can be accessed by walking to and from, no need for a park hopper pass here. The locations or themes are Owens Farm, the County Fair, The Village, Jukebox Junction, Timber Canyon (where Whistle Punk Chaser is found), Adventures in Imagination, Wildwood Grove, Craftsman’s Valley, Rivertown Junction, and the Wilderness Pass. Each location features themed rides and attractions as well as eateries and even some amazing shows.
Insider Tips:
-Be sure to check out the delicious bread made in the park at the functioning Grist Mill. It is unlike anything you have ever tasted!
-Keep an eye out for all the butterflies that are used in decor throughout the park as they are part of Dolly’s signature brand.
-If you want to watch the shows in the park along with experiencing the rides, give yourself at least two days to visit the park.