I guess I will just continue to be ganged up on here...Bravo to the forum for advancing a constructive conversation...you've got a great fan club going. Let me know when you open your own park 
News Project 2026: NightFlight Expedition (Mack Rocking Boat Dark Ride)
- Thread starter Tacky3663
- Start date
I guess I will just continue to be ganged up on here...Bravo to the forum for advancing a constructive conversation...you've got a great fan club going. Let me know when you open your own park
I too was once this way
If "touching grass" is talking to people who don't know about roller coasters, I can't see what you're saying. Only people who surround themselves with thoosies would have any sort of experience to the contrary lmfao.
I know you "win" the argument already; you're an admin and I have All those Dislikes. I'm just here to represent a completely valid viewpoint that people like you like to shout down for no good reason. Corporate austerity has consequences and denying that just furthers the initial agenda.
U may feel "attacked" for whatever reason, but ParkFans is the best place on the internet for thoosie discussions imo. U will learn to adjust to the tone of others and start to understand they mean no harm. I hope u continue to express ur opinions with the knowledge that nobody's out to get u
Yeah I have a good friend that I goes all the way back to my high school days that works there. They occasionally tell me things. In this case the info isn't even much of a secret as it's widely know around thebpark that they have have had issues with the ride vehicles and are slowly adding more as they clear those of issues. Hell the fact that boats are on site and not on the ride isn't even a secret as some can be seen in one of the park's guests parking lots. As for knit picking I am sure there is some of that but in general I hear good things from people fortunate enough to have riddenbit and I believe that once the new ride tech kinks get worked out that this will be an incredible experience.
Heck I’ll even offer up this viewpoint one always had:
The nitpicking is good.
If all we do is waive our hand at issues because the overall concept is good, that when any competition between businesses go downhill because they think we don’t care.
I personally don’t like the opening non-completed projects just because I believe in the best foot forward thought and showing off something incomplete is a disservice to yourself. I do think in this case though it works because of how long the ride was delayed and how unique the ride system is, they almost need the guest feedback to improve the issues.
The nitpicking is good.
If all we do is waive our hand at issues because the overall concept is good, that when any competition between businesses go downhill because they think we don’t care.
I personally don’t like the opening non-completed projects just because I believe in the best foot forward thought and showing off something incomplete is a disservice to yourself. I do think in this case though it works because of how long the ride was delayed and how unique the ride system is, they almost need the guest feedback to improve the issues.
I was at the park Saturday evening and Sunday morning. NightFlight closed at 3:45pm on Saturday and did not reopen. It had a delayed opening on Sunday at 12pm and ran until 2:30pm and closed for the rest of the day. I'm considering myself lucky I was able to get one ride at all given the reliability issues.
I really enjoyed the ride. I'd go in with expectations of a dark ride rather than a coaster, but it has enough gravity track to be considered a coaster. There's some really beautiful scenes inside and I like the artistic style they went with. The ride system is cool and the transition into floating on the water is very slick. It's bound to continue to be a very popular ride and definitely has some sprinkles of magic.
I completely understand why they opened the ride "incomplete" - as a passholder who bought a pass for this ride specifically, I would have been upset and asking for compensation if the ride didn't open this year. I think its current state is sufficient for the public to be riding, except the reliability aspect. In fact, I think all parks should plan to have adjustment periods after opening a ride; there are so many lessons to be learned once guests are actually experiencing it. That being said, Dollywood likely should have announced it as opening for technical previews and set a later grand opening date.
I'll go ahead and "nitpick" on items I hope the park will address as they continue adjusting the ride:
- Some areas of light bleed and masking that could be improved for fuller immersion
- The primary media skipping at the beginning as seen in the POVs
- Would be nice to have some fans for the flying scene for fuller immersion
- Transitions between elements could use some finesse. Right now there are some dead spots in the dark that feel discontinuous. Even just adding some audio and/or minor scenic would likely help to keep it flowing during those moments.
- Obviously as boats are added the capacity will improve. Wondering if not loading the 5th row is a weight issue - hope they can resolve that.
- There's some leaks from the ceiling in the queue I'm sure they'll get to fixing. The queue is also very noisy and could use some soft goods or acoustic paneling to take out some echo.
I have no doubt that the park is aware of all of these things; the question is, does the time and budget required to fix them get allocated (after already an expensive investment).
Despite those quibbles, it's a pretty awesome achievement for a regional park not backed by a massive media conglomerate.
I really enjoyed the ride. I'd go in with expectations of a dark ride rather than a coaster, but it has enough gravity track to be considered a coaster. There's some really beautiful scenes inside and I like the artistic style they went with. The ride system is cool and the transition into floating on the water is very slick. It's bound to continue to be a very popular ride and definitely has some sprinkles of magic.
I completely understand why they opened the ride "incomplete" - as a passholder who bought a pass for this ride specifically, I would have been upset and asking for compensation if the ride didn't open this year. I think its current state is sufficient for the public to be riding, except the reliability aspect. In fact, I think all parks should plan to have adjustment periods after opening a ride; there are so many lessons to be learned once guests are actually experiencing it. That being said, Dollywood likely should have announced it as opening for technical previews and set a later grand opening date.
I'll go ahead and "nitpick" on items I hope the park will address as they continue adjusting the ride:
- Some areas of light bleed and masking that could be improved for fuller immersion
- The primary media skipping at the beginning as seen in the POVs
- Would be nice to have some fans for the flying scene for fuller immersion
- Transitions between elements could use some finesse. Right now there are some dead spots in the dark that feel discontinuous. Even just adding some audio and/or minor scenic would likely help to keep it flowing during those moments.
- Obviously as boats are added the capacity will improve. Wondering if not loading the 5th row is a weight issue - hope they can resolve that.
- There's some leaks from the ceiling in the queue I'm sure they'll get to fixing. The queue is also very noisy and could use some soft goods or acoustic paneling to take out some echo.
I have no doubt that the park is aware of all of these things; the question is, does the time and budget required to fix them get allocated (after already an expensive investment).
Despite those quibbles, it's a pretty awesome achievement for a regional park not backed by a massive media conglomerate.
I'll have a review on it soon after visiting this past weekend. I too had issues even getting on the ride, waiting one hour in line on Friday before it broke down, and then waiting another two hours the following day (toughing out another breakdown) before getting on.
That's to say I was not in the best of moods by the time I boarded the ride -- yet it won me over. Mainly because the ride system itself is extremely impressive -- sort of combination of the simulator sections at the end of Rise of the Resistance or Runaway Railway at Disney, then a coaster section, and then a water ride, along you can feel there's more control and speed than a typical log flume, it just felt different. Boggles my mind that Disney or Universal got the first US installation of this system, honestly.
The screen portions are decent. It's not terrible animation or anything, but there's not much depth to it other than a glowing forest. The physical scenery along the way is nicer placemaking, in my opinion, sort of reminds me of the screen-free portions of the new Test Track. And I enjoy the finale with the lake and the sort of whirlpool-ish effect you go around.
I still don't think the ride is quite ready to be marketed as "officially" open, and the limited hours of operation Dollywood just announced for it are proof of that. But I think it'll be a win for the park in the long run.
Can someone who rode it kinda point out if I’m missing something here - but sounds like the ride system while unique lacks the speed of what makes a coaster enjoyable or the splash a flume can make. I get it’s a family ride so not expecting anything high thrill, but it kinda sounds like the less enjoyable elements of some rides.
It's a darkride first and everything else second. Don't think anyone is primarily seeking the speed of a coaster or the splash of a flume on their darkride.
The appeal would be, in my view, having all of the elements I mentioned in one attraction while staying in the same vehicle. There's a lot of possibilities for a ride system that's capable of being Universal's Spider-Man, Revenge of the Mummy, and then Splash Mountain all in one building.
But you're right that it's not meant to be a thrilling coaster on its own or get you soaked like a flume, that's not the point.
It's very much a dark ride, which is what really won me over. The multimodal nature of the ride system works to provide several moments of surprise and really contributes to the anything-can-happen magic of the experience.
I really can't fathom how this is a better guest experience than just not opening the ride this year...
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Dollywood could have given every active 2026 pass holder a free ticket to return for a day in 2027 to experience the attraction and taken the additional 6+ months it seems like they needed to actually get the ride fully dialed in. Feels like all of this is really casting an unnecessary shadow over what should be a super interesting, compelling ride.
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Dollywood could have given every active 2026 pass holder a free ticket to return for a day in 2027 to experience the attraction and taken the additional 6+ months it seems like they needed to actually get the ride fully dialed in. Feels like all of this is really casting an unnecessary shadow over what should be a super interesting, compelling ride.
RIP this ride's reputation with how many guests are going to experience it in its current state given recent events.
RIP Dolly. There's so much goodwill toward the park in general that I doubt some blips in the opening of this ride are going to have a lasting negative impression on the throngs of fans. Good for them for giving the public a chance to offer feedback (perhaps that should have been more of the marketing tilt since it sounds like the ride experience is incomplete) and hopefully someone with some influence at the park is taking note of the very concise and constructive feedback provided here.
Considering the park has been open 40 years and has opened numerous rides, shows, attractions, expansions, etc. this is almost certainly not the first time they have experienced delays lol. And also that is the case with literally every other park on the planet that has been around that long. I will give it to you that they have a great reputation, if that is what you mean.
I know the park was openly debating and even had a drop dead date for opening the ride or pushing it off till next year with contingency plans for how to make it up to 2026 passholders.
I don't know but highly suspect that part of the reason for going ahead with a late summer opening was Dolly's health and the desire to have it opened for her. In fact as late as only weeks before the opening they were still hoping to have her in the park for it's opening.