originally posted on 5/26/2023
Dollywood’s Wildwood Grove expands in 2023 with Big Bear Mountain circling the newest section of the park with 3,990 feet of track.
Photo: Robert Ulrich. View full-sized image.
Big Bear, Big Bear Mountain, Big Bear we are looking for you. Big Bear Mountain opened with a special song written just for the occasion by Dolly Parton herself on Friday, May 12. Vekoma Rides and Engineering designed the coaster specifically for Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee) with the goal to deliver a thrilling ride.
Dollywood’s namesake, Dolly Parton, was present for Big Bear Mountain’s opening festivities and performed a song written specifically for the occasion.
Photo: Jeff Niemiec. View full-sized image.
According to Pete Owens, vice president of marketing for The Dollywood Company, the trains were specially designed to accommodate both larger and smaller guests. Owing to the low 39-inch height requirement, even a tall four-year-old can experience the park’s newest addition.
With on-board audio and restraints capable of accommodating riders 39 inches tall, Big Bear Mountain’s trains assist in the creation of an immersive experience to be enjoyed by most of Dollywood’s guests.
Photo: Chris Sieczko. View full-sized image.
Big Bear Mountain is the “exact roller coaster that Dollywood needed,” shared Jeff Niemiec, ACE’s secretary. “Fun, great speed, triple launch, waterfall – what more could you ask for?”
One of the highlights of Big Bear Mountain’s convoluted course is a waterfall that looks precarious but doesn’t actually get riders wet.
Photo: Elizabeth Ringas. View full-sized image.
Big Bear Mountain does indeed go under a waterfall, but don’t worry, riders do not get wet! In addition, it features a 48-mph top speed, three launches, 23 airtime moments and close-to-the-ground maneuvers that enhance the thrill factor. During the one-minute-and-45-second ride, the storyline of the hunt for the mythical Big Bear is well integrated into the adventure through both the attraction’s design and the onboard audio.
In typical Dollywood style, the attraction’s theming is second to none, involving teasers throughout the park and gorgeous signage at the coaster’s entrance.
Photo: Elizabeth Ringas. View full-sized image.
Photo: Jeff Niemiec. View full-sized image.
Neb Oakley greets you on the first launch right out of the station and stays with you throughout the entire experience. During the first half, riders journey through the hills searching for Big Bear. Just as the train passes under the waterfall, the bear begins the chase as the track bears right and left, allowing all to escape its grasp. The third launch sends the train 66 feet into the air, and as the chase intensifies, the feel of the ride changes. Following a dramatic high-speed carousel turn, the train swoops through the tunnel with other park guests looking on from above.
Big Bear Mountain is Dollywood’s longest roller coaster and features many thrills, including three launches to a top speed of 48 mph.
Photo: Chris Sieczko. View full-sized image.
At the conclusion of Big Bear Mountain, it turns out one may or may not have seen the legendary Big Bear that lives in the hills of Dollywood.
— Elizabeth Ringas, ACE President
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