New ride and area for Dollywood, "Barnstormer"

[Ian]

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. - (Business Wire) High-flying high jinks take to the sky at Dollywood for the 2011 season with the new Barnstormer ride, a $5.5 million family thrill ride situated in a barnyard-themed area which also includes play areas for younger guests.

“I remember my daddy and granddaddy talking about the old barnstormers that used to do all kinds of crazy stunts above the fields where they’d work crops,” Dolly Parton said. “My new Barnstormer ride offers folks those same breathtaking moments, high in the sky above Dollywood. And I’ve recreated a critter-themed barnyard that reminds me of growing up on the farm here in the Smoky Mountains!”

Taking its name from the daring aerialists and stunt pilots of the 1920s, the Barnstormer features two pendulum arms with seating for 32 riders. Seated back to back, riders travel progressively higher on each swing of the Barnstormer’s massive arms, reaching a maximum speed of 45 miles per hour and 230 degrees of rotation. At its peak, the Barnstormer reaches a staggering 81 feet in the air, taking riders high above the barn’s rooftop and the area’s treetops. Situated in the lush foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Barnstormer rests amid a traditional red barn on the Owens Farm, a nod to Parton’s family’s rural upbringing.

While the Barnstormer fills the air above the barn, children’s play areas dot the landscape around the barn. With a fun, barnyard theme, children can enjoy a 22-foot by 16-foot bi-plane play area as well as a pig pen water play area.

The Barnstormer has a ride capacity of 450 passengers per hour, and a 48-inch minimum height requirement.

The Barnstormer is adjacent to the Mountain Slidewinder, one of the park’s most popular rides which opened in 1987.

The new area opens in March 2011 to usher in Dollywood’s 26th operating season.

SOURCE: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/pres ... 07194.html

Knowing Dollywood, no doubt it'll be gorgeously themed if the render is anything to go by. It's great they're putting in a new ride complete with a new area. I just hope that S&S have sorted out the reliability of those rides!

 

[peep]

That does look like it's going to be good with all its theming. However like Ian has pointed out, these have such poor reliability issues, I hope for the parks sake it's not as bad as say Rush at Thorpe.

 

[Inverse]

Cool

Ian, on the home page you have mistyped and said the 2001 season.

 

[Ian]

*facepalm* Cheers.

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

Should be awesome... Just like everything else at Dollywood...

Reliablity wise... Well they have a Topple Tower, so I hope they can keep this going as well...

 

[marc]

I think they have sorted the problems out now even Thorpe seem to be able to keep rush going, it's the through put that's the problem 450 people an hour.

 

[jjjjustin]

it looks like good theme but the towers sticking out of the barn in my eyes wouldn't look good that way

 

[Naemuti]

I think this looks great. I'm a big fan of Screamin' Swings and Dollywood's theming is usually great. I don't even find their reliability to be a problem; at least not the two I've been on. The one thing I AM worried about is the ride cycle. Skyhawk was short, and Thunder 'N Lightning was shorter. I hope this one has a decent number of high swings. :?

 

[Hyde]

As long as they don't touch that crazy-ass waterslide ride right next door, I'm down with it!

 

[Antinos]

The screamin swing at silver dollar city looked impressive, but we weren't able to ride it. This should look no different and it is a great addition to the park.

 

[Ian]

A promo video: http://www.dollywood.com/land/Barnstormer/default.html

The full press release can be found here: http://www.dollywood.com/press-c1-Press ... sting.aspx

 

[Rob]

I think they have sorted the problems out now even Thorpe seem to be able to keep rush going, it's the through put that's the problem 450 people an hour.

Firstly, I agree Rush is now fixed. It hasn't had a full day out this season, which is excellent. Don't base opinions on Rush, remember, it was the prototype of the larger swings, and since it's production numerous changes have been made to the design which are slowly being retrofitted onto Rush. You only have to look at the top frame of some of the American models to see significant design alterations.

Secondly, where did you get the figure 450 from? It's significantly higher than that, at 768 pph on 2 swings, 345 pph on one swing. This puts Rush as the flat ride with the highest throughput in the entire park.

 

[Nic]

You only have to look at the top frame of some of the American models to see significant design alterations.

What to stop big chunks falling off? I'd hope so too!

I'm a bit meh about Screamin' Swings to be honest. They're fun, but I don't find them to be as OMGWTFAMAZINPHATWIKIDBBQ!!!!111!!1ONELEVEN!!!!!!!!111111!!!!!!!!11!1!1! as a lot of people do. As someone mentioned previously, I think a lot of it is down to the ride cycle. Queuing an hour for 2 swings with airtime is not good value to me, and therefore not worth the effort.

However, I think it's a good ride choice for the park and it will no doubt be themed beautifully. And, despite my apathy towards swings, this is just helping to cement Dollywood's place right near the top of my "must visit" parks list.

 

[Ben]

Yeah, Screamin' Swings are RUBBISH. Even the "new" ones that came after Rush suck just as much as Rush does. They need one of those frisbee THINGS that Tusenfryd got <3

 

[Naemuti]

I'm a bit meh about Screamin' Swings to be honest. They're fun, but I don't find them to be as OMGWTFAMAZINPHATWIKIDBBQ!!!!111!!1ONELEVEN!!!!!!!!111111!!!!!!!!11!1!1! as a lot of people do. As someone mentioned previously, I think a lot of it is down to the ride cycle. Queuing an hour for 2 swings with airtime is not good value to me, and therefore not worth the effort.

Well, I can definitely agree with you on the ride cycle part, but it's not so bad if the ride is a walk-on, right? Last year at Cedar Point I went on the ride five times in a row in probably less than a half-hour.

 

[Anonymous]

awsome

:--D That is great!

 

[gavin]

Kind of disappointing to be honest.

Part of the attraction of Dollywood is some of the unique rides they have (USA's first/only eurofighter and Topple Tower for example).

Screaming Swings are **** ing everywhere in American parks.

 

[Rush]

OMGWTFAMAZINPHATWIKIDBBQ!!!!111!!1ONELEVEN!!!!!!!!111111!!!!!!!!11!1!1!

I think it looks awesome but then again my opinion is heavily biased. :wink: Still, it's nice to know that the ride type isn't dead already. Looking at Dollywood's current line-up, I think they're going to make it look nice and still maintain the country atmosphere it has.

 

[Naemuti]

Kind of disappointing to be honest.

Part of the attraction of Dollywood is some of the unique rides they have (USA's first/only eurofighter and Topple Tower for example).

Screaming Swings are <img> ing everywhere in American parks.

I don't mind. When I go to a park and there isn't a Screamin' Swing I'm disappointed because I love riding them.

 

[gavin]

^I'm not saying they're bad rides (not that I'm a huge fan either), but it seems lazy on Dollywood's part, which is not like them at all.

The rides themselves are everywhere, and themewise they're basically just cloning something they've already done at Silver Dollar City.

Ok, so the average Dollywood guest won't give two s**ts about that, but personally I find it less than inspiring, that's all.