As we made our way around Adventure Mountain we ran into a maintenance crew member. So one of our party members went ahead and gave a shot asking him if they were building a flyer, he replied, "No..." So we asked if it is a Wingrider... I guess he didn't know what we meant, however, he stated, "It is the same type of coaster that was just built in Italy..."
So throw out the idea of a Flying Coaster that we have been putting out there because we can now almost 99.9% confirm that Dollywood will be building a Wingrider!
Apparently someone from Herschend went to Italy to feel out Raptor before confirming the project. Well this coaster is sure to crap all over Raptor......
HOLD ON WE'RE NOT DONE!
The source decided to open up a little bit more about the new attraction. He confirmed the clearing behind and next to the Sky Zip Info Building is going to be the station, maintenance house and queue line for the coaster. He also provided some specs on the coaster. From the very bottom of that large cliff you saw in the photos it will stand at record breaking height of 220ft. Now I know we have heard and read the speculations of the track only standing 11 feet off the ground at it's highest point.
Well I think we can put that speculation to rest as he also told us after it crests the top of the cliff it will dive down into a 180 foot loop. This loop will be seen from all ends of the park including the parking lot. Now if you have ever been to Dollywood, you know that you cannot see a SINGLE thing from the parking lot. So if you can see it from the parking lot, it has to be big!
Before leaving him he also told us the coaster would be almost 4,000 feet long and include 3 or 4 inversions. When I asked him, "you know for certain that everything you have just said is the truth?" He said he helps the crews every few days and he has seen the blue prints for the new coaster.
So if this is true, which I can't see how it's not then the new Wingrider will be the tallest, fastest and longest Wingrider in the world. Not to mention the only of it's kind in the US!