Review ~ Stone Mountain Lasershow Spectacular in Laservision!

Last Thursday we were invited to attend the premiere of the brand new Lasershow Spectacular at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta.  I've lived in Atlanta since 4th grade, grew up going to the park, and I have been to many, many Lasershows since it started more than 25 years ago! I was very excited to see this new production in Mountainvision!!

Unfortunately, Katie had an exam early the next morning, so she had to miss this.  David chose to miss the last day of school so he could see the Lasershow.  Being seven, he didn't miss much - they have a picnic and play a lot!  So Randy, David & I set out on a stormy night for the 40 mile trip to Stone Mountain. 

Stuck at Spaghetti Junction, trying to get on 285! Rush hour + storms = delays!!

 

Our view for dinner ~ sweet!

Delicious cupcakes ~ sweet ending to dinner!

Despite the rain and storms, we got there about 7 pm and checked in.  We ate dinner out on the Terrace (luckily it was covered, because the rain kept coming and going!)  Then we enjoyed some delicious cupcakes while waiting for the darkness to fall.   Kids played on the terrace, and it was a nice, relaxing way to spend the evening!

Finally, the lasershow began at about 9:30 pm! It's not completely new, but that is good.  The fan favorites of Stone Mountain's Lasershow are still here:  Dixie, Sweet Home Alabama, Georgia on My Mind, and other favorites are still played much to the delight of the hometown crowd.   But there are fabulous new additions.  The new, state-of-the-art, multi-dimensional show is amazing!  Watch the mountain open up, and turn into an erupting volcano! Or watch pieces of it "crumble" and fall to the ground.  It's really something to see!  The fireworks were so beautiful, and it was truly an inspiring, feel good show.  We loved it.  It's a little over 40 minutes long, which is just about perfect!

See my little D's head? He sat in front of us and clapped so hard - he can't wait to go back and see the Lasershow Spectacular again!

I never got a truly good shot of the gorgeous fireworks, but here is another attempt!

Here are some facts about this amazing new show:

• The Lasershow is free with $10 vehicle admission to the park.  Or buy a $35 parking pass good for the entire year!
• Mountainvision is four to five times the size of an IMAX screen, taller than the Statue of Liberty!
• Seeing the show in Mountainvision is similar to owning a 5500 inch high definition tv!
• Mountainvision is included in all parts of the show, but there is one section of the show that really shows off the new technology - the volcano, ice cave, and skyline section! It's really, really fun!
• There are some all-time favorite music medleys, along with some new!
• Heroes Salute is a tribute to everyday heroes
• Georgia Artists showcases our fabulous homegrown artists - Sugarland, The Allman Brothers, The Zac Brown Band, REM and more
• The Devil Went Down to Georgia - need I say more?! : )
• An American Trilogy - Elvis segment where the beautiful Mountain Carving comes to life!

And here are some facts about Stone Mountain and the park:

• It's the world's largest exposed piece of granite, home to the world's largest relief sculpture. 
• The carving features three Civil War figures: Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, & Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and their horses. 
• The carving measures 90 feet tall, 190 feet wide, and is 11 feet deep.  It spans three acres, and is larger than Mt. Rushmore!
• Stone Mountain Park is Georgia's most popular attraction, and one of the top historical attractions in the U.S.!

Other attractions to see at the Park include:

• Crossroads - a village of shops, restaurants and activities!
• Yogi Bear 4D Adventure - new for 2011, this is a 12 minute experience with 3D film and 4D special effects!
• Mini-Golf - 18 holes of fun!
• Paddlewheel Riverboat - 150 passenger authentic paddlewheel boat cruises Stone Mountain Lake
• Ride the Ducks Siteseeing Adventure - the only place in Georgia you can ride the Ducks!
• Scenic Railroad - fullsize 1940's locomotive with open-air cars takes you on a five mile excursion around the mountain
• SkyHike - a treetop adventure course!
• Summit Skyride - high-speed Swiss Cable Car takes you to the top of the mountain for stunning views - on a clear day you can see for more than 40 miles! 

There are also hiking trails, picnic areas, lodging and camping areas!  The park is open from 6 am until midnight daily!  Access to Stone Mountain's natural areas is free with parking admission.  There are options for annual passes, day passes and more - check out http://www.stonemountainpark.com/ for all of the details!

The park now offers VIP Terrace seating, with snack or casual dining options.  Reservations can be made online at http://www.stonemountainpark.com/.  The new laser show runs nightly now through August 7 at 9:30 pm.  August 13, 20 & 27 it runs Saturdays only.


Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post.  We did receive free admission to the park, plus dinner with my family to view the premiere of the new Lasershow Spectacular.  This review is my honest opinion of the show, and I would have said the same thing whether we had to pay to see the show or not - it was fabulous!!