dollywood

What will Flying Fox at Kentucky Kingdom be Like? It Looks Like a Near Clone of Dragonflier at Dollywood, but That’s Not a Bad Thing.

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Flying Fox at Kentucky Kingdom Concept Art
Flying Fox at Kentucky Kingdom Concept Art

Kentucky Kingdon has announced its new suspended family coaster for 2026, Flying Fox by Vekoma. The theming on this ride looks great with a Kentucky farmland setting complete with the queue in a barn. The ride looks great and nearly identical to Dragonflier at Dollywood, but that’s not a bad thing as Dragonflier is a great ride! The specs are also sear identical with Flying Fox being 65 feet tall with 1,380 feet of track at 37 mph over 63 seconds while Dragonflier is 63 feet tall with 1,486 feet of track at 47 mph over 60 seconds. It’s not a clone, but so similar that Kentucky Kingdom actually used stock footage of Dragonflier in the Flying Fox promo video. Here’s the the description the park has provided about it:

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Get Your Thrills on the Mountain Coasters of Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville

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Kid and mom on Rail Runner Mountain Coaster at Anakeesta
Rail Runner Mountain Coaster at Anakeesta

When planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains, you’re likely thinking about scenic drives, delicious food, and family-friendly attractions. But if you’re a coaster lover or an adrenaline junkie or just looking for a unique way to experience the stunning mountain landscape, you can’t miss the region’s incredible mountain coasters.

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Celebrating Dollywood’s 40th Anniversary with Eyes Toward Massive $50 Million Investment for 2026

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The 2025 season and Dollywood’s 40th anniversary are underway. For 2025 there’s no big new ride or attraction, but instead we’re getting a new restaurant, a bunch of refreshes/refurbishments and improvements to the guest experience. The park is already looking forward to 2026 with a reported $50 million expansion, the largest in the park’s history, and a major new attraction. An announcement this year teased a “Take Flight” theme with rumors of an indoor suspended roller coaster or flying theater coming to the back of Wildwood Grove. However, the additions for 2025 still represent millions of dollars in significant improvements that will make the park more enjoyable for years to come and help put the “theme” in theme park.

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Could Regular Visits to a Theme Park Save Your Life? Study Shows 150 Minutes of Exercise a Week Reduces Mortality by 31%!

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Covenant health sign at Dollywood
People power walking at theme park

If you spend time at a theme park you know it can be a lot of walking. In some cases it’s 5-10 miles in a day complete with stairs and hills at some parks. That can be a serious workout and a new article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that it could actually be incredibly good for your health. The study showed that older adults who got 150 minutes of aerobic activity every week lessened their mortality risk by 31% compared to those who do not exercise. This means that the weekend trip to your local park with your season pass is “healthcare” if it gets you off the couch and away from screens.

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