Sorry for the delay in posting this, but I've been sick for the past two days & just couldn't get to it until now.
Wild Eagle, the newest B&M wingrider, opened at Dollywood on Friday, March 23rd for members of the media & season pass holders.
It's an 11 hour drive from New York City, so I hit the road on Thursday to make sure I could be there bright & early the next morning.
Of course I couldn't drive past Dorney Park...
...without taking a peek at Stinger. :wink:
I arrived at my hotel in Pigeon Forge (Rodeway Inn $23 a night lol) just before midnight, so straight off to sleep. Up at 7am *ss&s* then off to the park for the 8:30am breakfast.
I got there a bit early & had to wait for the media will call to open, but I was the first to register which meant I was in the first group to enter the park. Renee, on the right, was our group escort for the day.
The Coaster Zombies showed up a little while later with their own Wild Eagle hats. :lol:
Since we were first in the park, we were first to eat. However we were too early & had to wait for a few minutes before chowing down on scrambled eggs, sausage, onions, peppers & biscuits. Yum!
They even had a bluegrass band to keep us entertained,
And since we were first to eat, we were first to leave & head around the park to the coaster.
The first thing you notice is the giant metal eagle sculpture. It's stunning!
Right away I spotted a place near Adventure Mountain overlooking the entire staging area, so I nabbed a spot on the railing to film everything.
From here you can see everything - like the eagle & stage...
...the station...
...and the lift hill.
About a half hour passed & the place was getting packed.
Dolly arrived in the Dolly van...
..and was whisked away through the gift shop behind the stage.
Before you know it - the show started...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxAOcQSA1SU[/youtube]
You'll have to excuse the next few photos as I was taking them with my left hand while filming with my right. Here she is with one of the eagles on stage.
She answered questions about the coaster.
She also sang a song...
...that she wrote just for the coaster.
Then she opened the coaster with a giant kaboom!
After the second train with winning bidders made its round, it was time for me to give it a go.
The interior of the station is every bit as nice as the exterior.
The seats are super comfy.
I really like the trains.
The eagles just set them off.
I then went straight back on for a front seat ride.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZnyHzYFHz4[/youtube]
Renee took a photo of me as I got off the train.
I'm glad she stopped me to do that, otherwise I would have missed this.
One of the ride ops came out & attached...
...this metal piece below the outer front seat.
Then a man who had no control over his legs sat in the seat...
...& they strapped his legs to the metal plate.
It took about three minutes & is a great addition for handicapped riders.
By now it was noon & time for lunch. After eating a giant slice of pizza (new at Dollywood this year) I headed back for the coaster. Here's the eagle without all the media hanging around.
The TV crew trucks were leaving & season pass holders were queued up to ride.
I decided to get in line to check out what the queue & the other side of the train is like.
The queue area under the station...
...is airy & open...
...which is needed on hot summer days.
Transfer track & storage.
Don't think this is a view of Blazing Fury they ever thought park guests would see.
Looking over the ride entrance toward Adventure Mountain where I was for the opening ceremony. At one point the queue line stretched all around to Tornado.
After giving the left back row a try, there was only the left front to go.
Lift hill on a hill.
All the pretty eagles lined up in a row.
After a leftt front ride it was time to move on & see how much of this coaster can be seen or filmed throughout the park.
I really like the eagle sculpture, in case you haven't noticed.
The coaster sits on top of the hill overlooking the entire park.
Most of it can be seen from Mystery Mine & River Battle...
...but a lot of that will be covered...
...once the trees get their leaves.
Soon you won't be able to see this at all.
This will always be visible, of course.
The only other spot to view the coaster is along the path leading up to Slidewinder.
It's also the only place you can watch it close up.
One of three ORP spots. :?
Why couldn't the sun peak through the clouds for a few minutes?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYoen5JsMbw[/youtube]
Filming the coaster only made me want to ride it more, so...
The work & craftsmanship that went into the coaster is amazing.
The entrance to the station.
All the signs (there were many of them) are handmade from metal that's been allowed to rust...
...as are the railings & the small eagle head sculptures.
Lift hill porn. :wink:
I love the low-profile trains.
Geek shot.
Check out the detail.
Best wingrider train?
After seven rides & all the major seats covered I have to say that the back right is my favorite. The coaster has a very soaring feel to it (much like B&M flyers tbh) with some near misses here & there. Nothing like Raptor where the near misses were strategically placed, but much more organic. With it's placement on top of the hill & the coaster soaring through the trees, the theme is very fitting. In fact - spot on.
If Dollywood wasn't on your must-do list, it better be there now. Wild Eagle tops Raptor IMO. I've still got Swarm & X-Flight to go, but they'll be hard-pressed to beat this one. I guess I'll find out in another six weeks.
And one last eagle photo to end the report.
...along with some great footage the park gave us.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KwjtDW5arU[/youtube]
Wild Eagle, the newest B&M wingrider, opened at Dollywood on Friday, March 23rd for members of the media & season pass holders.
It's an 11 hour drive from New York City, so I hit the road on Thursday to make sure I could be there bright & early the next morning.
Of course I couldn't drive past Dorney Park...
...without taking a peek at Stinger. :wink:
I arrived at my hotel in Pigeon Forge (Rodeway Inn $23 a night lol) just before midnight, so straight off to sleep. Up at 7am *ss&s* then off to the park for the 8:30am breakfast.
I got there a bit early & had to wait for the media will call to open, but I was the first to register which meant I was in the first group to enter the park. Renee, on the right, was our group escort for the day.
The Coaster Zombies showed up a little while later with their own Wild Eagle hats. :lol:
Since we were first in the park, we were first to eat. However we were too early & had to wait for a few minutes before chowing down on scrambled eggs, sausage, onions, peppers & biscuits. Yum!
They even had a bluegrass band to keep us entertained,
And since we were first to eat, we were first to leave & head around the park to the coaster.
The first thing you notice is the giant metal eagle sculpture. It's stunning!
Right away I spotted a place near Adventure Mountain overlooking the entire staging area, so I nabbed a spot on the railing to film everything.
From here you can see everything - like the eagle & stage...
...the station...
...and the lift hill.
About a half hour passed & the place was getting packed.
Dolly arrived in the Dolly van...
..and was whisked away through the gift shop behind the stage.
Before you know it - the show started...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxAOcQSA1SU[/youtube]
You'll have to excuse the next few photos as I was taking them with my left hand while filming with my right. Here she is with one of the eagles on stage.
She answered questions about the coaster.
She also sang a song...
...that she wrote just for the coaster.
Then she opened the coaster with a giant kaboom!
After the second train with winning bidders made its round, it was time for me to give it a go.
The interior of the station is every bit as nice as the exterior.
The seats are super comfy.
I really like the trains.
The eagles just set them off.
I then went straight back on for a front seat ride.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZnyHzYFHz4[/youtube]
Renee took a photo of me as I got off the train.
I'm glad she stopped me to do that, otherwise I would have missed this.
One of the ride ops came out & attached...
...this metal piece below the outer front seat.
Then a man who had no control over his legs sat in the seat...
...& they strapped his legs to the metal plate.
It took about three minutes & is a great addition for handicapped riders.
By now it was noon & time for lunch. After eating a giant slice of pizza (new at Dollywood this year) I headed back for the coaster. Here's the eagle without all the media hanging around.
The TV crew trucks were leaving & season pass holders were queued up to ride.
I decided to get in line to check out what the queue & the other side of the train is like.
The queue area under the station...
...is airy & open...
...which is needed on hot summer days.
Transfer track & storage.
Don't think this is a view of Blazing Fury they ever thought park guests would see.
Looking over the ride entrance toward Adventure Mountain where I was for the opening ceremony. At one point the queue line stretched all around to Tornado.
After giving the left back row a try, there was only the left front to go.
Lift hill on a hill.
All the pretty eagles lined up in a row.
After a leftt front ride it was time to move on & see how much of this coaster can be seen or filmed throughout the park.
I really like the eagle sculpture, in case you haven't noticed.
The coaster sits on top of the hill overlooking the entire park.
Most of it can be seen from Mystery Mine & River Battle...
...but a lot of that will be covered...
...once the trees get their leaves.
Soon you won't be able to see this at all.
This will always be visible, of course.
The only other spot to view the coaster is along the path leading up to Slidewinder.
It's also the only place you can watch it close up.
One of three ORP spots. :?
Why couldn't the sun peak through the clouds for a few minutes?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYoen5JsMbw[/youtube]
Filming the coaster only made me want to ride it more, so...
The work & craftsmanship that went into the coaster is amazing.
The entrance to the station.
All the signs (there were many of them) are handmade from metal that's been allowed to rust...
...as are the railings & the small eagle head sculptures.
Lift hill porn. :wink:
I love the low-profile trains.
Geek shot.
Check out the detail.
Best wingrider train?
After seven rides & all the major seats covered I have to say that the back right is my favorite. The coaster has a very soaring feel to it (much like B&M flyers tbh) with some near misses here & there. Nothing like Raptor where the near misses were strategically placed, but much more organic. With it's placement on top of the hill & the coaster soaring through the trees, the theme is very fitting. In fact - spot on.
If Dollywood wasn't on your must-do list, it better be there now. Wild Eagle tops Raptor IMO. I've still got Swarm & X-Flight to go, but they'll be hard-pressed to beat this one. I guess I'll find out in another six weeks.
And one last eagle photo to end the report.
...along with some great footage the park gave us.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KwjtDW5arU[/youtube]
