Is Big Bear Mountain roller coaster fun? We tested Dollywood's newest ride early
Big Bear Mountain, Dollywood's newest and longest roller coaster, opened Friday, but I got to take it for a test ride early to tell y'all what it's like.
The coaster stretches nearly 4,000 feet and snakes along the back of the Wildwood Grove section of the theme park at a top speed of 48 mph. It has plenty of twists, turns and drops to provide a thrilling experience for riders.
But if you're like me and not that much of a thrill seeker, there's no need to worry. The ride has a 39-inch height requirement and is meant to be approachable for the whole family.
Each train seats 20 people.
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Big Bear Mountain has some impressive stats:
Top elevation of 66 feet.
One minute, 40 seconds of ride time.
Three launches.
A twisted double down.
High-speed carousel turns.
Two tunnel pass-throughs, one with a waterfall.
So, what's it like to ride Dollywood's biggest coaster? Here's my fan review:
Big Bear Mountain roller coaster is big fun
I can safely say Big Bear Mountain lived up to its family-friendly hype and was a great time!
Walking through the line, there are lots of pictures and decorations to set the scene for your adventure to find Big Bear. I didn't have to wait for this special preview, but there's plenty to keep you entertained as you approach the train and let the safety bar click down to your lap.
The coaster has a jarring start by immediately launching you into several twists and turns, then straight into the second of three launches. You get up to that 48 mph top speed pretty quickly!
You'll continue to twist and turn along the tracks as an audio track built into the ride tells you to "Go left! No, go right!" before diving behind a waterfall where you'll hear the roar of Big Bear.
The onboard audio (which is the first of its kind at Dollywood) elevates this ride from a regular roller coaster to a more immersive experience. The audio consists of a park ranger guiding you on your journey.
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As the track snakes along through Wildwood Grove, you get a great view of the park and some of the rolling hills of the Great Smoky Mountains beyond Pigeon Forge. So if you're someone who closes their eyes on fast rides, do your best to keep them open!
The climax of the ride comes as you begin to climb the 66-foot hill, then rocket down while twisting and turning down to the ground before the ride slows to a stop.
The elevation change, going from several stories in the air to mere feet from the ground, really gives you that indescribable sinking feeling in your stomach.
These twins have ridden over 1,100 roller coasters. They aren't slowing down.
What I didn't love about Big Bear Mountain
If I had one gripe with the coaster, it would be that it felt much shorter than the 1:40 ride time. I was expecting it to feel a little longer, but that being said, it by no means felt too short.
It took me a few seconds to get my footing after stepping off the ride, but it wasn't a totally dizzying and disorienting ride by any stretch.
With a good amount of turns, a middle-of-the-road speed and a good ride length, Big Bear is the Goldilocks of rides. Not too fast for young kids, not too slow for older kids and adults. It's just right.
The only question is ... which of the three bears is Big Bear?
Silas Sloan is the growth and development reporter. Email silas.sloan@knoxnews.com. Twitter @silasloan. Instagram @knox.growth. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Is Big Bear Mountain fun? We tested Dollywood's newest ride early
