Dollywood Discussion Thread

^The entrance to the ride will be next to Sky Zip and across from Adventure Mountain. See crudely drawn area below.

dollywood map.bmp

The ride will be located in the area I have drawn in with red w/ the entrance facing towards Adventure Mountain and between Sky Zip and Blazing Fury.

Thanks for the map. For some reason, I thought Wild Eagle was more toward the back of the park, not right in the middle (a very nice location, indeed).

That really puts it in perspective. I didn't realize it took up that whole middle section. It should be visible from almost anywhere in the park.

Also keep in mind that the map is not drawn to scale, so where Mystery Mine sits is actually much closer to the vertical loop part of the ride.

Here, since I just finished up my work a little early today and have about 30 minutes to kill, I'll draw the ride location on Google Earth.

I don't have Photoshop here at work so I am not even going to begin to attempt drawing in the layout.

dollywood map.bmp

Construction area in red and the little ellipse shows the general area where the line will start.

From Dollywood's facebook

Looks awesome

It should be visible from almost anywhere in the park.

Like I've said before, it really is only visible from Timber Canyon (where Thunderhead and Mystery Mine) and along Wilderness Pass. The treeline and mountain block the ride from the rest of the park. Exceptions to this are the ride is visible for part of the train ride and from Parking Lot B. (Yes, you can see all the way from the parking lot!

It looks like the whole track is complete?

If there are still any hole in the track, it has to be in the brake run.

NEW UPDATE:

http://www.dw-2012.com/updates

ANIMATION TEASER:

...Only about 5 months away!

there must be some major GGGGGGGGGGs around those turns

At first when this was announced I was like blah it's not all that, but not that I see it constructed and that amazing setting I can not wait to try out this Wild Eagle

Thanks for the map. For some reason, I thought Wild Eagle was more toward the back of the park, not right in the middle (a very nice location, indeed).

I thought the same thing. I though the ride extended outside the limits of the park, not right in the middle. It still looks like and amazing location. Thanks for the maps.

Nice!

 

So where is this coaster located in the park? Are they making any changes to the layout of the park to make it easier to get to the ride from anywhere on property? That's my one gripe with Dollywood really, if they could sort that our then ot'll be right up there with Silver Dollar City!

 

Dave

Well, they added Wilderness Pass in 2008 that created a loop, its easier to get around the whole park since it opened. When was your last visit?

NEW UPDATE:

http://www.dw-2012.com/updates

 

ANIMATION TEASER:

 

...Only about 5 months away!

I don't understand...what's taking them so long? The ride is being built faster than the animation is!

Well, technically I guess you could say its in the back of the park since there really isn't anything back there but Tenn Tornado...

from the look of the website's construction update, there's only one piece of track left to be placed before vertical construction on Wild Eagle is completed! The last piece is the beginning of the brake section

Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! It's Wild Eagle time!

Love the Cool Runnings reference in the update.

Looks great! Can't wait until testing begins.

I'm liking how many trees were left around the ride. It could have ended up like Diamondback with an awesome setting cleared of every living thing within 100 feet of the track leaving a baron stretch of land to ride in, but the mature trees around the ride will make it feel like it's been there for a while right from the start. They should offer some pretty interesting foot/head choppers as well as some of them look pretty close, especially in that last picture of the previous update.

Canned RollerCoaster Tycoon screaming guest noises in the animation...

WILD EAGLE IS TRACK COMPLETE!

TRACK COMPLETE ON AMERICA’S FIRST WING COASTER;

DOLLYWOOD RELEASES WILD EAGLE VIRTUAL RIDE ANIMATION

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.—Dollywood marked another construction milestone on its $20 million Wild Eagle wing coaster as installation of the 3,127-foot track was completed last week.

Wild Eagle is the first of its kind in the U.S. and set to open March 24, 2012. The new coaster’s innovative floorless design positions riders on the “wings” along either side of the coaster’s track with nothing but air above and below, allowing passenger to experience the freedom of flight.

In anticipation of the opening of Wild Eagle, the most awaited new roller coaster in the U.S. in 2012, today Dollywood premiered custom animation at Dollywood2012.com which allows fans to take their first virtual ride. The virtual ride takes passengers soaring through the Smoky Mountains from Wild Eagle’s stunning roost 21 stories above the park’s Wilderness Pass area.

Using the latest video animation, riders journey along Wild Eagle’s massive track and maneuver the coaster’s four inversions including a giant loop, a “zero-G” roll, and a giant flat spin. Wild Eagle’s nearly two-and-a-half minute ride includes a plummeting 135-foot first drop.

Next in the construction process is the arrival from Europe of the custom handmade passenger trains. Designed to carry 28 riders each, the Wild Eagle trains feature an imposing bald eagle with piercing eyes and broad wings outstretched for flight.

Wild Eagle is the largest single capital investment in Dollywood’s 26-year history. The park’s development team is collaborating with Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the world’s premier coaster manufacturer. Pioneers in ride technology, B&M has built 11 of the 20 highest-ranking steel coasters in the world, according to Amusement Today magazine.

Based in the picturesque Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood is a 150-acre family adventure park open nine months a year (late March through December) and offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. A family-friendly vacation destination, Dollywood also includes the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country, voted America’s “Must-See Waterpark.” Dollywood offers all-inclusive vacation planning with a variety of overnight lodging options. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com.

Looks pretty cool. Can't wait to ride it!

Dollywood marked another construction milestone on its $20 million Wild Eagle wing coaster as installation of the 3,127-foot track was completed last week.

THANK YOU! Someone gets it right!

Now more than ever, I think that Raptor, X-Flight, Swarm, and Wild Eagle are two credits each! Anyone agree with me?

Wow! Major kudos to the marketing team. That video kicked ass! And it amazes me how quickly the track went up. I've never been to Dollywood, but they certainly seem to rank as one of the most "dedicated to quality" parks out there.

1. That music got me amped up.

2. Part of me hopes that the trains' eagles' wings extend a little farther out over the seats - they just look a little too short in the animation.

3. But above all, HOLY CRAP, WILD EAGLE!!!1!

Holy Crap! Less than 2 months to build this coaster? Man, they really really wanted to be the first in the US!!

Holy Crap! Less than 2 months to build this coaster? Man, they really really wanted to be the first in the US!!

lol, no. They started pouring footers in early April and there were rumblings of the new coaster in March - see page #73 for pictures.