From Eugene, they were trying to get it open so Dolly could be there.
News Project 2026: NightFlight Expedition (Mack Rocking Boat Dark Ride)
- Thread starter Tacky3663
- Start date
SOME SPOILERS
I was able to ride yesterday and I can say....... it was a bunch of disappointment.
Now the judging isnt fair ill start with that. Was supposed to open at 2, it didnt, surprise!!!! came back at 4 was still closed, left and came back 30 min later it opened. It was running until 5:20 when it broke down for 1 hour. I was in station so I thugged it out. A long wait and the most annoying guests next to us later we rode. The flying part the vehicle didnt move, not sure if it does or not couldn't find much in that but if the vehicle actually does not move at all that scene was a waste of money. Also when the lightning struck and we black screened we left sitting longer then we shoukd because timing was off. Rapids was great but felt short. The roller coaster sections are ok but the lifts feel like they ruin the pacing because not much was happening during it. The lake was amazing looking and visuals looked solid even though they ride itself was not running at top capacity.
Id say if the ride runs anything close to what it did when I rode on a daily I will not reride most likely.
Im hoping it gets fixed and runs smoother but it was ambition and feels like it was a let down right now
I was able to ride yesterday and I can say....... it was a bunch of disappointment.
Now the judging isnt fair ill start with that. Was supposed to open at 2, it didnt, surprise!!!! came back at 4 was still closed, left and came back 30 min later it opened. It was running until 5:20 when it broke down for 1 hour. I was in station so I thugged it out. A long wait and the most annoying guests next to us later we rode. The flying part the vehicle didnt move, not sure if it does or not couldn't find much in that but if the vehicle actually does not move at all that scene was a waste of money. Also when the lightning struck and we black screened we left sitting longer then we shoukd because timing was off. Rapids was great but felt short. The roller coaster sections are ok but the lifts feel like they ruin the pacing because not much was happening during it. The lake was amazing looking and visuals looked solid even though they ride itself was not running at top capacity.
Id say if the ride runs anything close to what it did when I rode on a daily I will not reride most likely.
Im hoping it gets fixed and runs smoother but it was ambition and feels like it was a let down right now
Overall it sounds like they made a mistake trying to implement another first (the ride system) instead of going with a proven system. The same thing that happened with Lightning Rod.
In the end it’s probably better to go with a proven ride system that can operate all day long then something like this that leaves, guests disappointed and frustrated.
In the end it’s probably better to go with a proven ride system that can operate all day long then something like this that leaves, guests disappointed and frustrated.
Yeah, that might be true. I doubt the park will feel much of a sting attendance wise rn given the circumstances so it’ll probably balance out
On the other hand where would we be if no one ever tried to push the envelope? In reality I think this should have been planned as a 2027 ride to allow for longer construction and tweaking and I think it's probably a ride that we have not currently seen reach it's full potential.
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Thank you for that perspective. Lots of people rushing to say negative things. This is a world-class attraction, folks. If you are trying to denigrate this park or Dolly for that matter, you can fuck all the way off.
And what gives you the authority to say that? something is "world-class" because notoriously well-traveled beenzbrobollox is here to tell us it is?
I hope you take personal offense to this: NightFlight Expedition should not be open and pretending like it currently meets the standards of artistry that Dolly was known for is a disservice to her legacy and the reputation of her world-class theme park
I hope you take personal offense to this: NightFlight Expedition should not be open and pretending like it currently meets the standards of artistry that Dolly was known for is a disservice to her legacy and the reputation of her world-class theme park
I saw a bucket in the exact same spot in the queue on my visit about a month ago. That shot looks like some more water had spilled out.
On my visits, there was an added problem that restless kids waiting in the line treated the dripping water as some kind of interactive feature and splashed it around.
Like another commenter said, if parks always played it safe, we'd have no innovation in this industry.
I'm not at all defending Dollywood's decision to open this ride when it did, I criticized it plenty in my own review. But in the long run, if the ride is running more reliably later this year or even by the time Dollywood opens in the spring, that will all be forgotten.
I for one also think it's a world-class attraction even with its current difficulties. And I had every reason to crap on the park for the experience of waiting through multiple breakdowns and about 2.5 hours total over two days just to get my first ride.