Dollywood Discussion Thread

[ernierocker]

 

Random question: is the food in Dollywood any good?

 

 

Yes it is. I think I forgot to mention that.

[coasterfreaky]

Fantastic update, ernierocker!!!

 

Here's an update from our local news affiliate on Wild Eagle... With VIDEO!

http://www.wbir.com/news/article/187874/2/Dollywoods-Wild-Eagle-takes-shape

 

Less than two months since Dollywood announced America's first ever "winged roller coaster," the towering structure is taking shape.

 

"This is the first time we've actually seen anything be put together so we're pretty excited to ride it next year," said Kevin Jardet, a park visitor.

 

Park goers can now see "Wild Eagle's" soaring loop and 20-story lift. Both milestones were completed this week.

 

"The crew that's working on this is just flying," said Dollywood spokesperson Pete Owens.

 

Riders will fly through the air. "There won't be anything above you or below you," he said.

 

While they've made a lot of progress, there is still about two-thirds of the way to go. The "big loop" is just the first of four inversions that take riders up side down.

 

Dollywood thinks the $20 million dollar structure will be a big hit.

 

"It's the largest investment we've ever made in an attraction and it's certainly going to be one of the biggest icon attractions because for the first time you can see it from the parking lot," Owens said.

 

The thrill seekers said they appreciate Dollywood's efforts to keep them on their toes.

 

"The more new things that come... it just makes you wanna keep coming back," said Jardet.

 

But they'll have to wait to ride "Wild Eagle" until next year. It is set to open in March of 2012.

 

[krazekiddd]

Had a great day at the park today and got a TON of Wild Eagle photos for you guys! (Scroll down for the photos!)

 

To recap the day briefly:

 

- The park has awesome food!

 

- Wild Eagle absolutely towers over the back of the park! It's size and location is really prevalent the closer you are to Mystery Mine and along Wilderness Pass.

 

- Outside of Timber Canyon and Wilderness Pass, you will not be able to see Wild Eagle from inside the park. You can just barely make it out standing next to Blazing Fury but the tree line hides most of the ride. (You can see the ride from Parking Lot B though)

 

- Construction on the ride has progressed up to the Zero-G Roll and everything is complete except for the exit portion of the element. It is extremely difficult to get a good shot of it as the tree line hides it above Timber Canyon. I'd say once the leaves fall off through Autumn, you will be able to get a better shot of it with a decent zoom lens.

 

- All of the water rides, except for the rapids are closed for the season. Pretty sure this is normal compared to past years.

 

- The park has awesome food!

 

- The park is currently holding the National Southern Gospel and Harvest Celebration. This is one of the many great seasonal events that Dolllywood holds each year.

 

- My 2.5 year old son got his first coaster credit on Veggie Tales! He JUST made it on as the marker touched to top of his scalp. I am a proud papa!

 

- The park has awesome food!

 

I think that about covers it. Now on to Wild Eagle photos!

 

You had me at awesome food...

 

Oh and congrats on the first credit for your son!

[sammmmmy]

This is definitely a top ten when it comes to looks. Just that B&M track mixed with the mountains and the sky looks great. It would be another story if it was like red or yellow though...

[StealthFan]

That loop really does dominate the skyline. Im sure once the trees and stuff have grown back on the hill around the lift it will look amazing.

[coasterfreaky]

here's a few screengrabs from the wbir video...we haven't seen this perspective yet. There's a little dip between the safety brakes and the transfer brakes. Bonus view of the storage shed. The coaster-nerd in me perked right up when i saw this....just wanted to share.

screengrab from wbir video

one more the safety brake run...

[ernierocker]

Thanks for posting. Those are some great angles of the ride!

[gisco]

This park and the coaster are what I am most looking forward to next year. Hopefully will get to see more pics over the holiday season.

[rider-x]

ok. now that is a really nice looking profile. Love how it dominates the skyline above MM. Kudos to DW and B&M

[adamico2]

I'm glad to hear the children's playground was running awesome!

[ernierocker]

I'm glad to hear the children's playground was running awesome!

 

The airtime on the seesaw was amazing!

[coasterfreaky]

One thing i noticed is that the brake run looks to be all magnetic brakes, which then reminded me of how I305's brake run is....so i guess what will happen is that it cruises right through the safety brakes and in to the transfer brakes to wait to get in to the station...just like I305 does. I guess that's pretty typical of B&M's operation.

 

It may be too early to tell, but there could be some air time going into the safety brakes...like Tn. Tornado and Mystery Mine.

 

Geeked Out and excited!!!

close up of the brake run...

...from rcdb.

similarities: i sees em - operationally speaking of course.

[deguy123]

The coaster looks amazing and can't wait to eventually get back to the park in a few years!

[alilstronger]

Awesome update! Thank you so much for this. I'm really anticipating another visit to Dollywood in the next few years. I went last year for the first time for 3 days and had an absolute blast. I especially love the water park and thought it has a great layout and is beautifully landscaped.

[UnderCoverDrummer1]

One thing i noticed is that the brake run looks to be all magnetic brakes, which then reminded me of how I305's brake run is....so i guess what will happen is that it cruises right through the safety brakes and in to the transfer brakes to wait to get in to the station...just like I305 does. I guess that's pretty typical of B&M's operation.

 

It may be too early to tell, but there could be some air time going into the safety brakes...like Tn. Tornado and Mystery Mine.

 

Geeked Out and excited!!!

 

It's hard to tell for sure but I think that there are friction brakes in between the last magnetic brake the the previous one. Although I agree that I think this brake run will function a lot like i305's initial brakes, I think they have friction clamps as a safety precaution. Especially since I think this is the first time that B&M are attempting brakes of this style. They always seem to err on the side of caution.

[coasterfreaky]

It's hard to tell for sure but I think that there are friction brakes in between the last magnetic brake the the previous one. Although I agree that I think this brake run will function a lot like i305's initial brakes, I think they have friction clamps as a safety precaution. Especially since I think this is the first time that B&M are attempting brakes of this style. They always seem to err on the side of caution.

 

I think you are right about the friction brake - the more i look at it i can see some springs and what looks like the 'circles' below the track that all B&M friction brakes seem to have. That does seem to be the only friction brake i can see on that run though.

[Skycoastin Steve]

 

It's hard to tell for sure but I think that there are friction brakes in between the last magnetic brake the the previous one. Although I agree that I think this brake run will function a lot like i305's initial brakes, I think they have friction clamps as a safety precaution. Especially since I think this is the first time that B&M are attempting brakes of this style. They always seem to err on the side of caution.

Most of the newer "big" B&Ms already have those type of magnetic brakes. I know for a fact that Sheikra, Griffon, and Intimdator have them, and it would be a safe bet to say Behemoth and Diamondback also have them.

[TPDave]

^ That's correct.

 

This thing really dominates the skyline. It'll be interesting to see how such a quaint park will handle such a bold looking ride.

[coasterfreaky]

^^We were trying to determine wether or not this was 100% magnetic brake run or not (like I305)...i'm aware that the B&M's have magnetic brakes. I think all B&M's should be retrofitted with mags as some of the friction brake runs are quite harsh, Mantis and Raptor come to mind. This would be the first B&M i've ever seen if it were 100% magnetic. Does anyone know if B&M makes a RETRACTABLE magnetic brake? I don't think i've seen that before - maybe what looks like a friction brake is possibly a retractable magnetic brake???

[TPDave]

^ That would be interesting to see. I'm all for B&M innovating a bit more

[Norwegian coasterfan]

Krake in Heide Park have retracktable magnetic brakes and is slowed down before the friction brakes

[TPDave]

That's interesting! Do you have a picture of those?

[Norwegian coasterfan]

Here are a picture but not the retracktable ones http://rcdb.com/9097.htm?p=32956

But if you watch some pov's on YouTube you can see them

[RoCo]

I'm pretty sure that Dollywood is now the park I haven't visited that I'm most dying to see, at least in the U.S. Gorgeous, all of it.

[AndrewRnR]

B&M has been using magnetic brakes on coasters as far back as Nitro. For the most part (if not all the time) they are used as fixed trims and mixed in with the standard pressure-based friction brakes. As a train enters the brake run usually there is 2-3 sets of the trim brakes to slow the train down, then a set of friction brakes then one more set of trims. I don't believe I've ever heard of or seen a picture of retractable magnetic brakes on a B&M coaster.

 

In the picture of Wild Eagle's brake run there is both magnetic and friction brakes.