After a delayed liftoff, Dollywood is ready take flight in August!
The theme park announced an Aug. 14 dedication ceremony for its new ride, NightFlight Expedition, according to a news release on July 29. And Dolly Parton is scheduled to be there for special occasion, too! Only media and special invited VIPs will be able to try out the ride that day, though, according to Dollywood.
The highly anticipated indoor attraction is not only the largest single investment in Dollywood’s history, but it will offer a unique ride experience that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
NightFlight is inspired by Dolly Parton’s love for the Great Smoky Mountains at night. The family ride is Dollywood’s 11th coaster and helps the park move closer to its goal
of being open all year long.
Here’s when eager guests can expect to experience the NightFlight Expedition adventure.
When does NightFlight Expedition at Dollywood open?
NightFlight Expedition opens Aug. 19 for all guests, according to Dollywood's social media accounts.
However, season passholders will be among the first to ride NightFlight through special preview opportunities. Those early preview days for passholders are Aug. 15-18.
Why was the NightFlight Expedition opening delayed?
NightFlight initially was scheduled to open sometime in the spring. However, as that time approached, social media users and Dollywood fans questioned whether the ride would be ready in time. In June, the theme park announced that the ride's opening date would be pushed back by about two months.
"Well, we're going to be having to do a little bit more work to get the ride ready for operation," Dollywood President Eugene Naughton said in an Instagram video posted June 16.
"It's an incredibly complex and interesting ride that we're trying to get ready. A little bit more work to do on our show and test and adjust period, but we promise to work on it as diligently as possible," Naughton continued.
What is NightFlight Expedition?
When the Dollywood attraction opens, riders will hop on a boat to soar over the mountains and witness the magical bioluminescence of the Smokies that can only be seen at night. Then the flying vehicle will plunge into surging water that leads to a mysterious shimmering lake.
NightFlight Expedition is a “groundbreaking thrill ride” for all ages that combines four ride experiences into one. The custom-designed attraction will feature vivid multimedia projections, dynamic onboard and offboard audio, and special lighting effects.
“There are a couple of tricks in this ride that I think people are really going to say, ‘Wow! That was really cool’ or ‘I'm not really sure what that was, but I can't wait to get back on it and see if I can figure out what that is.’ And that's really the fun of the design and development of this ride,” Pete Owens, Dollywood’s marketing vice president, said back in February.
The 5.5-minute-long ride is meant for families. The average 5-year-old, along with parents and grandparents, can ride it, and the speed tops out at 29 mph.
Dollywood says 1,200 people per hour will be able to ride NightFlight, and the park expects about a 55-minute wait. The indoor ride will be temperature-controlled, allowing it to operate independently of the weather.
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Dollywood’s NightFlight Expedition is ready to soar! Here's when it opens
