Dragonflier facts for kids

Dragonflier is an exciting roller coaster located at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It's a special type of ride called a Suspended Family Coaster, built by a company named Vekoma. This coaster opened in 2019 as a main attraction in a new area of the park called Wildwood Grove.

Wildwood Grove was designed to be a fun place for families and kids. Dragonflier is known for its thrilling first drop, which goes into a tunnel. The ride reaches a top speed of about 46.6 mph (75.0 km/h) and has a track length of 1,486.2 feet (453.0 m). It was the very first coaster of its kind (a 453m model) in the United States.

How Dragonflier Was Built

Planning a New Area

In October 2017, Dollywood started clearing a large area of land. This land was located between the Timber Canyon section and the Dollywood Express train tracks. People quickly guessed that this was for a big new park expansion in 2019.

In February 2018, Dollywood officials met with the Pigeon Forge Planning Commission. They discussed plans for a new 5-acre area. This new section would be built near the Thunderhead coaster.

Announcing Wildwood Grove

By March 2018, the plans for the new family-friendly area were shared online. These plans showed several new rides, including an inverted coaster. Everyone soon figured out it would be a 453m version of Vekoma's popular Suspended Family Coaster.

Construction began in July 2018, with the foundations for Dragonflier being poured. On July 24, the name of the new area, Wildwood Grove, was made public. Then, on August 3, 2018, Dolly Parton herself officially announced Dragonflier. She shared that Wildwood Grove was a $37 million project. It was the park's first major expansion since 2008.

Building the Coaster

The coaster's track pieces started arriving in September 2018. Dragonflier was built very quickly, with about 85% of the track completed by late November 2018. By 2019, the entire track was finished.

Workers then focused on building the station and the rest of the Wildwood Grove area. This was all done to get ready for the planned opening in May 2019. Dragonflier began testing in April 2019. Finally, Wildwood Grove and Dragonflier had their grand opening on May 10, 2019.

Dragonflier's Features

Ride Statistics

Dragonflier can reach a top speed of 46.6 mph (75.0 km/h). Its total track length is 1,486.2 feet (453.0 m). Even though the ride goes up to a height of 63.3 feet (19.3 m), much of its path stays close to the ground.

A cool feature is the first drop, which plunges into a short tunnel. This drop actually goes lower than the ride's starting height! The coaster uses one train that can hold 20 passengers. Riders are secured with lap bars. Since it's an inverted coaster, your feet dangle freely below the track.

How It Works

Instead of a traditional chain lift, Dragonflier uses drive tires to pull the train up the first hill. This makes the climb to the top much quieter.

Dragonflier was built by the Dutch company Vekoma. It's a 453m version of their Suspended Family Coaster model. The very first coaster of this type was Orkanen in Denmark, which opened in 2013. That ride also has a first drop that goes into a tunnel, but it dives into a lagoon! As of 2021, there are 11 of these 453m coasters operating or being built around the world.

What It's Like to Ride

When you leave the station, the train makes a sharp 90-degree left turn. Then, the drive tires push you up the 63.3-foot (19.3 m) tall lift hill. At the top, you'll bank slightly to the left.

Get ready for the first drop! You'll plunge down into an underground tunnel. After the tunnel, the train rises up into a powerful overbanked turn. This turn is a bit like a Cutback.

Next, the train speeds up into a helix, which is a spiraling turn. You'll then jump over the station building and go through another helix. The ride twists into a final turnaround. Finally, you make a 90-degree turn back into the station, where the train comes to a smooth stop. The entire ride lasts about one minute.