News Project 2026: NightFlight Expedition (Mack Rocking Boat Dark Ride)

[SweetBabyJames]

I just want to throw this out there and say that Dollywood is such a beautiful park. It has a very warm atmosphere and it is super picturesque with all the pristine landscaping and foliage. I'd love to see something that compliments the heart of the south; another ride themed to the mountains like Big Bear or another dark ride. What would be REALLY cool is if Dollywood would create a ride like SOARIN' at Disney except take through the smokies! I think that would be a huge hit with the park's demographic.

Here's their most recent Facebook post. I just think this picture is so nice especially with wild eagle in the background

 

[FritterBitter]

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I wonder if this could be their 2026 project. It sounds like they might be building a dark ride that's connected to the story of Big Bear Mountain.

Are those ornaments on the bins of a hot air balloon and a butterfly? I wonder if they are building a Vekoma Suspended Dark ride.

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One of the options in the promotional video for this is a hot air balloon car. It looks like this ride system blends different types of Media.

 

[the_pantsmith]

Apparently someone on Reddit found a shipment from Germany to Dollywood, if legit I’d bet it’s a Mack suspended dark coaster like Arthur

 

[CoasterMac]

^Correct, seems to be legit here, and corroborated by this from ImportGenius:



I'm a HUGE fan of Arthur at Europa Park, so count me alllll the way on board. That Vekoma product is pretty cool as well though.

 

[Zachary]

Is there anyone either living in Tennessee or with friends/family in Tennessee who may be willing to help ParkFans out with something? I can almost certainly get docs for this project, but I need a TN resident to do it. Everything can be handled remotely. If anyone thinks they could help out, please message me directly! Thanks in advance!

 

[the_pantsmith]

Godspeed Zachary. Already planning a trip to Dollywood next year

 

[Zachary]

For the record, someone out in Tennessee came forward who is willing to help! Fingers crossed that this will be the last road bump!

 

[CoasterMac]

Found these on the “Jonny Amusement” Facebook page: They are indeed building a building!

 

[paintervision]

Found these on the “Jonny Amusement” Facebook page: They are indeed building a building!

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Looks great but I wonder what the long-term plan is there. Previously they had a huge dead end with the Craftsman’s Valley, which was slowly turned into a loop - now they’re working on another big dead end? Or will it (eventually) link back around behind Big Bear? Hmm.

 

[Thriller]

Considering half of the customers at this park aren’t thrill riders, the Mack suspended coaster with legs dangling would a mistake IMO. They should be installing an attraction for more of their customers and that’s not it. The Vekoma system (without fast spinning) would be something more different groups of customers would be able to ride.

 

[TPoseOnTantrum]

Considering half of the customers at this park aren’t thrill riders, the Mack suspended coaster with legs dangling would a mistake IMO. They should be installing an attraction for more of their customers and that’s not it. The Vekoma system (without fast spinning) would be something more different groups of customers would be able to ride.

Have you even ridden Arthur/Dragon Gliders/Jurassic Flyers? Well maybe not necessarily the latter but the first two have proven to be highly popular with all ages and deliver a great storytelling dark ride experience without being thrilling. This is coming from friends who have ridden them.

 

[CoasterAuditor]

I've heard nothing but universal praise for Arthur from many sources out at Europa Park. The key with this attraction will be theming and if executed well it will be one of the most popular attractions in the park. Much like Big Bear Mountain.

That said I eagerly await Time Travelers sibling which is unrelated to to Dollywood Arthur. Do I have hope in that? Nah not really.

 

[paintervision]

I've heard nothing but universal praise for Arthur from many sources out at Europa Park. The key with this attraction will be theming and if executed well it will be one of the most popular attractions in the park. Much like Big Bear Mountain.

It would be another hit with families. But what would round the park out (to me) beyond that would be a B&M Hyper and an observation/gyro tower one day.

 

[Thriller]

Have you even ridden Arthur/Dragon Gliders/Jurassic Flyers? Well maybe not necessarily the latter but the first two have proven to be highly popular with all ages and deliver a great storytelling dark ride experience without being thrilling. This is coming from friends who have ridden them.

I don’t think that a leg dangling ride is for non thrill riders. There’s a big portion of the crowd that goes there and the only ride they can ride is the train. They need more rides like that for this crowd. This is the crowd that allows them to operate daily while school is in session. The coaster lines are absolutely empty during that time of year.

 

[mtpelepele]

Except that that crowd isn't, well, a crowd. They are adding more rides for when the actual crowds are there, including families, the real moneymaker.

 

[CoasterMac]

BOOM. My friends, we have a manufacturer: Mack Rides!

These screenshots are from this video, and are a couple weeks outdated, but this was the first I'd seen of it. Ride footers (left side) are in, and they are undoubtedly Mack Rides.

A better view of the anchor bolts, with Copperhead Strike footers for immediate comparison.


And to further confirm, here's the Mack Rides logo on one of the boxes that they partially hid... very sneaky

 

[fatherairtime]

Having an Arthur-style ride system within a 4 hour drive sounds pretty awesome to me...

 

[MikePat]

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[Thriller]

Except that that crowd isn't, well, a crowd. They are adding more rides for when the actual crowds are there, including families, the real moneymaker.

Yeah, tell that to all of these Six Flags parks with only thrill rides and low attendance that can only operate when school is our. At least half the crowd to Dollywood comes for the shows and hokey stuff. Not the thrill rides.

 

[Mushroom]

Arthur is such an awesome ride. I rode it more than any other attraction during my visit to Europa Park — and I kept hopping back in the single rider line over and over again. The ride system is unique, it lends itself super well to a dark ride because you can get really close to the scenery (including scenery below your feet), and the coaster forces are both unusual and thrilling yet mild enough that even small children can enjoy it.

The fact that Dollywood is getting one is such a huge win for this park. (I also think one would also be a perfect fit for BGW if they keep up their recently reignited interest in theming. I’m manifesting it.)