Dollywood will open its most expensive attraction ever in 2026, the Tennessee park announced Wednesday.
The new ride is called NightFlight Expedition, an indoor attraction that combines a family coaster and a whitewater raft ride. Here’s how Dollywood described the attraction in its press release:
As the world’s first indoor family hybrid coaster and whitewater river raft ride, NightFlight Expedition takes Dollywood guests on an unforgettable journey through the Smoky Mountains to search for bioluminescence in the nation’s most-visited national park. During the 5 1/2-minute experience, guests soar on a nighttime flight over the scenic Smokies, enjoy a thrilling whitewater rafting excursion through more than 500,000 gallons of surging water, traverse a mountain ridge on a roller coaster, and navigate a mysterious shimmering lake by boat.
NightFlight Expedition will be housed inside a five-story, 44,000-square-foot building and cost more than $50 million, making it the park’s most expensive attraction ever, according to Dollywood.
The ride is being manufactured by Mack Rides, the German amusement park firm behind the Stardust Racers dueling coasters at Universal’s Epic Universe. NightFlight Expedition will use Mack’s new “Rocking Boat” ride model, whose flexible undercarriage allows greater movement than Mack’s previous water coasters or flume rides, while still being attached to a track either above or below the water.
So far, the ride system has only been used in the Mission Bermudes attraction at the Futuroscope theme park in France.
“The attraction is designed to engage families with its vivid storytelling and to delight thrill-seekers with its innovative elements,” Dollywood Parks & Resorts president Eugene Naughton said in a statement. “This expansion underscores Dollywood’s ongoing growth and evolution, and we’re proud to be considered among the best theme park experiences in the world. NightFlight Expedition allows us to celebrate our rich Smoky Mountain heritage, while creating a ride that helps us deliver on providing a world-class experience.”
Dollywood’s namesake, Dolly Parton, said in a prepared message, “I’m just so proud that Dollywood has grown so much in its first 40 years that we’re able to add a ride like NightFlight Expedition. I have no doubt it’s going to be a huge part of Dollywood’s next 40 years.”
The ride is scheduled to open in spring 2026.