USA: Dollywood Announces New Roller Coaster Set to Open in Spring 2023
"Big Bear Mountain" Courtesy of: Dollywood Parks & Resorts
Dollywood Park, located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, announced on Friday a new great addition for next spring. Dolly Parton herself presented the latest plans for Dollywood Parks & Resorts, which, as well as Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort (still under construction) is scheduled to be realized in 2023: the 25-million-dollar roller coaster “Big Bear Mountain”. The 3,990-foot (1,216-metre) roller coaster, will allow guests to embark on an unforgettable expedition through the Smokies in search of the elusive “Big Bear”. Big Bear Mountain will become the park’s longest roller coaster, marking the expansion of Dollywood’s newest area, “Wildwood Grove”.
Courtesy of: Dollywood Parks & Resorts
The structure of the Big Bear Mountain coaster, which is being built by Vekoma, is set to stretch across six acres of undulating topography along the boundary of Wildwood Grove. With a top speed of 77 km/h (48 mph), the coaster’s track will take riders through three different launches, several airtime hills, high-speed turns and tunnels, and a passage behind a waterfall. A sound system will also provide acoustic thrills to match the dynamic movements of the ride. The minimum height for Big Bear Mountain is 39" (one metre) so younger adventurers can also embark on the thrill ride.
“The Smokies are all about adventure and going exploring, and I’m excited our guests will be able to head out on their own trip into the Smokies to see if they can find that Big Bear,” Dolly Parton said. With an anticipated opening date of spring 2023, daring adventurers won’t have to wait much longer to join Wildwood Groove’s resident wilderness explorer, “Ned Oakley”, on his quest to find the Big Bear at Big Bear Mountain.... (eap)
