Dollywood long been a staple of Smoky Mountain vacations, and now visitors have one more big reason to visit Pigeon Forge, Tennessee amusement park – Dollywood’s newest roller coaster, the Mountain Big Bear.
According to the plot of the Smoky Mountain themed roller coaster, there is evidence of a “Big Bear” roaming the park, but he was never discovered. Big Bear Mountain invites guests to venture into the woods and eventually find the elusive bear as they cross the slopes of Mount Tennesee.
Dolly Parton herself was at the grand opening and shared more about the inspiration behind the family-friendly coaster.
“You know, I grew up not too far ago and all my life I’ve had a legend of the ‘Big Bear,'” Parton said. “It’s a version of us Bigfoot. We have a big bear that people are always trying to catch and it’s going to terrorize everyone.”
From that elusive bear legend, Big Bear Mountain was born.
The $25 million roller coaster stretches 3,990 feet along the circumference of wild forest, the newest area of the park. The $37 million 6-acre expansion is the largest in Dollywood history and opens to the public on May 10, 2019. An additional expansion will be revealed in the fall. This is when the 302-room HeartSong Lodge & Resort begins to welcome guests.
At more than three-quarters of a mile long, Big Bear Mountain is the park’s largest attraction investment and the longest roller coaster ever built in Dollywood. It’s also the first Dollywood attraction with built-in audio, which means the Big Bear’s growl always sounds like it’s right at your heels.
On each “expedition” through Big Bear Mountain, riders undergo three separate launches; glide through the many twists, turns and hills airtime; and pass through several tunnels, including the one behind the multi-tiered waterfall.
Parton is quick to admit that she won’t be jumping on Big Bear Mountain any time soon.
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“I thought I was going to lose my hair,” she laughed. “I’ll lose my nerve before I’m up.”
Regardless of her own feelings about the coasters, she loves a ride designed to be family friendly.
“Kids will love it, but I think we’re all kids at heart, so parents will love it too,” she said at the opening. “It gives you a good excuse to be a kid again, so to speak.”
Big Bear Mountain has a minimum height requirement of 39 inches, no inversion, and a top speed of 48 mph, making it easy for the whole family and guests who might otherwise be intimidated by some taller and fast coasters. than Dollywood’s.
Related: 11 theme parks in the area closer to home but just as exciting as the big names
big bear mountain is one of nine giant roller coasters in Dollywood, and it falls squarely in the middle of the park in terms of intensity level and scary factor.
The park has more than 20 kid-friendly rides and attractions. At the other end of the spectrum, the Lightning Rod glider reaches a top speed of 73 mph, and the Wild Eagle climbs to 210 feet before plunging down the hill.
Like Goldilocks and her porridge bowl, Big Bear Mountain is suitable for all Dollywood visitors and is a must-see on your next Dollywood vacation.
And if you’re craving more Dolly Parton, check out the video below for a special visit our hotel reporter Tanner Saunders had in the Dolly universe.
