Wild Eagle to Soar Over Dollywood in 2012 | New Wing Roller Coaster
Tonight Dollywood announced the details of their highly anticipated 2012 rollercoaster at the Boomsday celebration in Knoxville, TN. Wild Eagle will be a $20 million Bolliger & Mabillard wing coaster. Riders will be seated in four across trains with seats positioned outside of the track, instead of above or below it. According to Dollywood, Wild Eagle will be the first of its kind in the United States.
After boarding the wide eagle-themed trains, Wild Eagle will begin with a 210-foot tall lift hill where guests will likely be treated to an amazing view of the park’s beautiful mountainous surroundings. Next, riders will dive 135 feet and then face four inversions including: large vertical loop, zero-g roll, inclined immelmann, and a giant flat spin.
Wild Eagle joins the Golden Ticket Award-winning wooden coaster Thunderhead and the popular, heavily-themed Mystery Mine roller coaster among other rides.
My Take on Dollywood’s Wild Eagle
Dollywood’s a beautiful theme park with a strong lineup of rides and roller coasters. In the past, I’m sure that it’s been a bit overlooked, but maybe with Wild Eagle the park will attract new guests. If Thunderhead was Dollywood’s signature ride, I’d have to think Wild Eagle will supplant it. As popular as it and Mystery Mine have been over the years, a twenty-story steel behemoth that looks completely unique (to the majority of the public) will likely the park’s main attraction. I’m very excited to see another custom B&M roller coaster of any kind. Nearly all of the roller coaster’s that they design are: smooth and comfortable, feature large trains that make lines move fast, and they seldom break down. I couldn’t be happier that Wild Eagle is being built only 4 hours away. Pigeon Forge here I come!
Let the Comparisons Begin! – X-Flight vs. Wild Eagle: Round 0 – “Who’s First?”
With an opening day in March 2012 (if I’m doing the math for the countdown calculator right March 5th), I’m assuming that Dollywood’s confident that they’ll open Wild Eagle before next year’s other U.S. wing coaster Six Flags Great America’s X-Flight. When you consider that construction has been underway at Dollywood for quite some time while Six Flags has mentioned “Spring 2012″ as X-Flights time frame, it’s probably highly likely the park really will boast the first wing coaster in America. This is probably great for marketing the rides, but to me it doesn’t matter which ride is first. What matters is the ride, theming, atmosphere, etc. It’s early, but I may give Wild Eagle the edge based on first impression alone. As I’ve said before I’m a sucker for terrain coasters and atmosphere can really make a ride for me.
Learn more at the Wild Eagle website: Dollywood2012.com
What’s Your Take?
What do you think of Dollywood’s Wild Eagle? Does the announcement live up to all of the hype for you? Leave a comment below and vote in the first impression poll.
Loading ...
Go to Six Flags Great America’s X-Flight |
2012 Roller Coasters Page |
Go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s 2012 Coaster Verbolten |
September 27, 2011 at 18:10
Wow, looks amazing. So does X-Flight. Though I might actually make it to Dollywood next year…either as a vacation or for ACE. I doubt I'll get to Chi-Town.
October 5, 2011 at 05:23
how fast did it go
November 4, 2011 at 16:01
This coaster will be awesome, but I do have a couple concerns:
1) On the announcement made by Dollywood they said there would be a new record set or something. Any idea what it is CC? Because I didnt catch it!
2) Also Im not really feeling the advertsisement about it being 200ft think they are kind of overexxagerating the 200 feet thing the drop itself isnt so Im not sure they should claim that. But thats just me.
Other than its a great move for Dollywood as I already mentioned and I will go and ride looks very good!
March 15, 2012 at 09:17
Excited about seeing the impressive eagle. However the metal eagle is not the Worlds or United States record in size. There is two forty foot wing span metal eagles in Libby Montana. Also a Bald Eagle with a 47 foot wing span was built two years ago and will go up soon. I do like this eagle!!!
February 15, 2012 at 15:52
Its cool
February 15, 2012 at 15:55
I can't wait to ride it
March 23, 2012 at 19:12
i was there to test it out it was amazing
April 23, 2012 at 06:23
WILD EAGLE IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 12, 2012 at 23:24
its a 210ft drop……fun