'Like Soarin' on steroids.' Preview Dollywood's first-of-its-kind ride.
USA TODAY
Dollywood is reaching new heights with an innovative and immersive ride that you can only experience at Dolly Parton’s namesake theme park.
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — From the outside, Dollywood's newest ride looks like a giant green airplane hangar. NightFlight Expedition is still under construction for an expected spring opening, but it's already set to make resort history.
It's the largest single investment in Dollywood’s history, costing over $50 million, which Dollywood President Eugene Naughton noted is more than the DreamMore Resort. It will also be the longest ride at Dollywood and among the largest, at 44,000 square feet.
"That's the size of four football fields, and the ride is 5.5 minutes long, so it's a lot of time to be able to experience what it's like to be in the Smokies at night," Naughton told USA TODAY at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo in November.
Dollywood's 11th coaster will also help the park move closer to its goal of being open year-round.
“This sets the stage on the long-term view of what we're trying to do and compete against because we want to be the number one family destination,” Naughton said during a recent construction tour. “We want people to come here rather than go to any other place, and I think this ride represents a great entry into that for us.”
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