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.
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Go to Six Flags Great America’s X-Flight |
2012 Roller Coasters Page |
Go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s 2012 Coaster Verbolten |
September 4, 2011 at 19:21
While I think Wild Eagle is cool, I think I like X-Flight more.
September 6, 2011 at 15:54
I do agree with you on that actually. Im really impressed with what they did with that ride. As for this one!
November 19, 2011 at 06:03
I like swarm more than both of them, but I gave them all 'amazing' in the polls
September 4, 2011 at 20:36
I don't know what to think of it yet… I really want to see an on ride video and hear a little about how it will be themed. (other than the eagle themed trains)
September 4, 2011 at 21:04
I'm already looking into the cheapest airfare to the area in March/April. Dollywood was already one of the best parks I had ever been to, this is just icing on the cake. Location seems to be everything with this ride, flying through the tree's on top of the hill could end up being fantastic. Just wish it had a cool slow rolling inline twist through a thematic element like X Flight.
September 5, 2011 at 02:35
This looks very nice, although I expect the first drop on X-Flight to be more exiting than this standard drop. Still, very, very nice!
September 5, 2011 at 03:19
This looks Awsome, and I think that it will surpass X-Flight, if only by a bit.
September 5, 2011 at 05:08
I'd kind of like to see it on video also, but I think they will do a great job on it. They seem to put a lot of thought into their new rides, especially their coasters. I live 35 minutes from Dollywood and buy season passes every year, so I can't wait to ride this one as soon as it's rolling
September 5, 2011 at 07:30
Really good location. Also impressed to see a vertical loop in a wing coaster, however I don't get why this and Leviathan have such long brake runs at the end. Might be for block section purposes, but still looks awkward.
September 5, 2011 at 08:12
Wild Eagle all the way!!! That MASSIVE loop and the camelback sold me. Plus Pigeon Ford terrain/Dollywood theming are both like added bonuses!
September 5, 2011 at 08:54
i think this is going to be better than xflight cause of the drop and better pacing
September 5, 2011 at 11:03
I'm more excited for X-Flight because its only a 6 hour drive for me, and we go nearly every year.
September 5, 2011 at 11:20
To be honest, I think X-Flight made a better first impression, but they haven't even been built yet! I'll decide which one's better once they open, but they both look pretty good.
September 5, 2011 at 12:47
I think Wild Eagle and X-Flight are equally as good, yet, X-Flight had a better first impression than Wild Eagle in my case. I'm very excited about both Wild Eagle and X-Flight!
September 5, 2011 at 13:33
X-Flight looks to me a little more unique, but, who knows?
September 5, 2011 at 14:20
The rescure eagles and the ride – mountains is just a fun place to be.
September 5, 2011 at 16:51
I just want to see one coming my way. Although Wild Eagle is a hypercoaster, X-Flight has that sweet looking immelman-esque main drop. I'm thinking about possibly going out there over my spring break. And according to my school schedule, its too early, just teasing me.
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September 6, 2011 at 10:38
I think I'm liking Wild Eagle's layout better. Wild Eagle's straight on drop looks better than X-Flight's inverted drop, which basically looks like half of a dive loop starting at the top. I've ridden X2 plenty of times, so the Wing seats aren't really that much of a novelty to me. What IS though is that this is a friggin' 200-ft tall looping B&M coaster! I'm sold. That zero-g roll after the loop is probably going to be the sickest ever. That huge corkscrew (wingover) looks pretty cool as well. I'm wondering if that camel back will produce any airtime though. That might be the difference between this coaster being great and being god-tier.
September 6, 2011 at 15:57
I think while Wild Eagles ride layout is a bit more interesting I like the drop of X flight as well as those near misses its really impressive so I give a SLIGHT edge to Xflight. Now this ride looks amazing to me too I cant wait to go back and ride it. This is a brilliant move made by Dollywood and Im excitied to see a POV and come back to pigeon forge! LEGGO!
September 6, 2011 at 16:37
I live just down the road from Dollywood. Like a lot of locals…I have not been there in years. However, I'll have to get there next summer…or maybe catch a weekday early in the season for this one.
Don't underestimate the impact of the terrain and the incredible views you're going to have at that top of that hill. Dollywood is just outside the GSMNP (Smokies)…and the mountains are pretty impressive even from the road just driving in.
The view from atop that hill will be fantastic (assuming the riders will be facing a southerly direction on that first climb)….and will be one of the main reasons many ride it, IMO.
September 14, 2011 at 14:08
Now that i've seen SFGAmerica X-Flight, Its caught more of my attention than Wild Eagle. I think Wild Eagle's layout is pretty typical of B&M coasters, just with winged traines instead of the other possible train styles. Maybe there is going to have to be some seriouse terraine thrills and themeing if its going to beat x-flights more unique, impressive layout…especially the rollover first drop, and that themed, near miss, fly through flat spin! Sounds like Wild Eagle will be going up the side of a mountain since its 200 ft climb but only 135 ft drop. Guess we'll see.