 |
| Dollywood’s rendering of Barnstormer |
PIGEON FORGE, Tennessee, USA — 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.
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.
See more articles about roller coasters, dark rides & water rides from InPark Magazine.
Find more articles: InPark Magazine archive
Subscribe free: InPark digital edition
