Dollywood is soaring to new heights for its 2012 season.
The theme park has announced it's introducing the Wild Eagle steel wing coaster, a $20 million attraction that will lift riders 21 stories and plummet them more than 135 feet.
"It will be the highest thing in the park, obviously," said Pete Owens, publicity manager for Dollywood. "For the first time, we will have a ride visible from the parking lot.
"It's something that will become an icon of the park."
The coaster will be the first of its kind in the United States, Dollywood said in a release, and represents the largest single capital investment in the theme park's 26-year history.
"Experiencing the freedom of flight, the new coaster's innovative floorless design positions riders seated four abreast in a forward-facing position, with two riders actually seated on the 'wings' along either side of the coaster's track with nothing but air above and below them," the release stated.
Wild Eagle, which measures 3,127 feet, will feature a top speed of 61 miles per hour.
This new ride will join Dollywood's family of coasters — the wooden Thunderhead and the steel Mystery Mine.
The cost of building the Wild Eagle will exceed Dollywood's latest addition — the Barnstormer and the Owens Farm section, which cost $6 million to create.
Dollywood gave a grand introduction to the Wild Eagle during tonight's Boomsday celebration on the Knoxville waterfront. At approximately 9:30 p.m., fireworks and a laser light show accompanied a prerecorded announcement from Dolly Parton.
Dollywood is hoping such bravado will show a payoff in its latest investment. Attendance so far for the 2011 season is down about 5 percent from 2010. Owens said the hotter-than-normal summer, rising gas prices and high unemployment have all been factors in visitation.
Attendance in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the city of Pigeon Forge has been off this season as well.
Dollywood's late summer events, "Barbecue and Bluegrass" along with "Dollywood Nights," have helped to raise recent attendance figures, he said.
Fall's crafts festival and the Christmas celebrations, featuring a new musical production, "Dollywood on Ice," may also help boost numbers, Owens said.
"We are very optimistic as a whole," he said of the season's final numbers.
Terry Morrow may be reached at 865-342-6445 or morrowt@knoxville.com.
© 2011, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 6
joseph_mccarthy writes:
Hey Dolly, I'd really like to take my family to Dollywood, but I just can't afford it.
You really don't have to build bigger and better rides to attract more visitors. I think you may be overlooking the obvious.
By the time I fill the tank with gas, pay to park, pay for entrance, pay for over-priced food I'm just flat out broke. I can either buy groceries and pay the utility bill and mortgage or I can take the family to Dollywood...Hmmmm, let me think which one I'm gonna choose - NOT Dollywood.
Been_there writes:
Can't wait to try out the new ride!
Dollywood is still a bargain relative to other amusement parks. Plus, you don't spend all day waiting in line at Dollywood. We can often go right back to ride the next train over & over with no wait for Mystery Mine, Thunderhead, and Tennessee Tornado.
trollhair writes:
I can't wait. Love roller coasters. Approximately twenty years ago I took my kids to hundreds of roller coasters throughout the United States to experience the 'thrill'. Been_there is right. The prices your charge for admission is relatively cheaper then others. There is the pass that gets you into all of the parks and that helps. Love to watch you grow and grow and grow. (I still remember Silver Dollar City).
whizkidtn writes:
Excellent post. +1
BOHICA writes:
Your comment says Dolly is overlooking the obvious and it is not necassary to build bigger and better rides to attract visitors but doesn't offer any suggestions. All you say is that you can't afford to take your family. What exactly should Dollywood be doing to attract more visitors?
For the money, Dollywood is a great value compared to other amusement/theme parks?
joseph_mccarthy writes:
Simple - lower the price...and I really don't care about other parks' prices which are irrelevant to Dollywood.
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