Family vacation. Day 1. Part 2.

Around 4pm on our first full day in Pigeon Forge, we decided to go to Dollywood (or "Dollyworld" as Mike thought it was called).  If you enter the park after 3pm, you can use your ticket to come back the next day.  So we all ventured forth planning to stay until the park closed at 7pm.  Not knowing how Grace would do, we decided to go to the area of the park with the most kiddy rides.  We passed the carousel first and Grace excitedly jumped on a horse. 

Claire, on the other hand, did not want to go on, but Mike insisted and dragged her on kicking and screaming.  Even while sitting on a bench, she clung to Mike and pouted the entire ride. 

While on the carousel, Grace saw what's called "Sky Rider" and said she wanted to go on that ride next.  As this ride soars 70 feet in the air, I was shocked Grace wanted to ride it and thought for sure she'd chicken out right before they allowed her on.  Aunt Katie wanted to go with her and sure enough, Grace jumped on without hesitating.  She was fearless and actually leaned forward waving to us below most of the ride. 

After being tortured on the carousel, Claire preferred to sit with Grandma or watch Grace and Aunt Katie from the safety of Uncle Mark's shoulders.

The next ride "Amazing Flying Elephants" was much tamer.  Unfortunately, Uncle Mark did not figure out until halfway through the ride that there was a button to push to make the amazing elephant fly, but Grace did not seem to mind :)

Claire, once again, found a place where her feet would be planted firmly on the ground :)

Mike then took Grace on the teacups and got a good workout trying to spin Grace around. 

And Claire, well she was still watching. . .

The "Scrambler" followed and shuffled Grandma and Grace around in every direction. 

Then it was time for the mini-roller coaster. . .

Amazingly enough, Tyler was still holding strong and smiling at this point. . .

But Claire was fading fast. . .

So it's a good thing Dollywood was getting ready to close, because Grace was showing no signs of slowing down when riding the last ride of the evening, "Shooting Star."