Dollywood is gearing up for the 2023 season, with both the Big Bear Mountain roller coaster and HeartSong Lodge & Resort nearing completion.
Both projects are part of Dollywood’s $500 million expansion plans, announced by Dolly Parton and Eugene Naughton, the president of the Dollywood Company, in 2021.
Big Bear Mountain, the park’s longest roller coaster to date, is “looking bigger and better by the day”, Dollywood said on Twitter alongside new images of the attraction.
The theme park also shared new pictures of the HeartSong Lodge & Resort – a reimagined property with family suites, themed suites and loft rooms, as well as indoor and outdoor pools, and an outdoor cove.
Dollywood’s $500m expansion
Big Bear Mountain, a $25m family-friendly coaster from Vekoma, is located in the theme park’s newest area, Wildwood Grove.
Guests will search for ‘Big Bear’ in SUV-style ride vehicles, which were unveiled at IAAPA Expo 2022. The coaster offers speeds of up to 48 mph, three separate launches, multiple airtime hills, high-speed carousel turns and tunnels.
“The Smokies are all about adventure and going exploring,” said Parton.
“I’m excited our guests will be able to head out on their own trip into the Smokies to see if they can find that Big Bear! Whether he’s out there or not, I’m sure they’ll find a lot of memories along the way that they’ll keep forever.”
New $25m Vekoma coaster
“Big Bear Mountain is an exciting ride that really is going to be a game changer for us,” added Naughton.
“Not only is it the largest coaster we’ve built, but it includes features – like on-board audio – that are new for our company.”
Dollywood installed the final pieces of track for the new ride in January.
Parton recently revealed plans to open a second museum “within the next couple of years” at a proposed ‘Dolly Center’ complex in Nashville.
Images: Dollywood
