My Take on Wild Eagle

After conquering X-Flight earlier this summer, I eagerly awaited my ride on America’s other new-for-2012 (and technically first) wing coaster, Wild Eagle at Dollywood. I followed Wild Eagle from the first sighting of blue track was reported. Needless to say, I was excited.

Wild Eagle can be seen from the road leading into the Dollywood parking lot, which was quite a shock to me. Part of the mysterious grandeur of Dollywood is that just about all of the park remains hidden from view from the outside world. Absent are towering roller coasters and other thrill rides seen at other parks. Rather, the only thing once rising from the Dollywood horizon were the gently-rounded Smoky Mountains. While Wild Eagle by no means ruins the serenity of the park’s skyline, it is an adjustment (slightly intimidating, also!).

It’s almost comical how Wild Eagle dwarfs Mystery Mine, making it out to be a coaster for youngsters.

A large portion of the ride is hidden from view, despite the coaster’s height and central location. The foliage hides most of the coaster, except the first drop and loop.

Although Wild Eagle opened nearly four months ago, the coaster’s track still glistened in the sky as though a fresh coat of paint had just been applied.

The entrance plaza and loading station were filled with that “new coaster” smell. Everything was clean. I’m a huge fan of the coaster’s station. I think it’s a masterpiece all in itself.

Wild Eagle’s lift hill towers 21 stories above the midway below, although the drop is about 135 feet.

The eagle sculpture is truly a work of art, and looks much larger in person.

Now, for the actual ride experience:

The trains are comfortable, but, like X-Flight, the shoulder straps hurt my collar bones, especially by the end of the coaster’s 3,100+ foot course. Perhaps it’s just my build, but I did notice other riders complaining of similar pains. The ascent up the lift hill is swift and steep. I didn’t get as much of a chance to admire the gorgeous surrounding, although the front seat provides matchless views of the Smoky Mountains.

That beautiful view doesn’t last long, as the train whips over the crest of the lift and into the 135-foot plunge. It’s an intense drop, and soon the train is roaring into the vertical loop (which I never thought would be possible on wing coasters due to the wide trains). Nevertheless, the train clears the track and heads directly into the zero-g roll, which is taken quickly and gracefully.

The train then speeds into the immelman inversion before maneuvering through a giant flat spin. The speed taken through this inversion caught me by surprise, though the sheer size of the flat spin was enough to amaze me.

The camel back hill provides a quick pop of airtime (which would be more enjoyable without the shoulder straps).

Forget supports acting as head-chopping elements, the trees you narrowly miss (on the right side of the train) were enough to make me close my eyes. These were prevalent during the figure eight curve towards the end of the ride. The train then speeds into the brake run and comes to a somewhat gentle halt.

My overall thoughts: Wild Eagle is an impressive addition to Dollywood’s growing arsenal of thrill rides, however, I found the ride to be somewhat short. With Tennessee Tornado and Mystery Mine both being under 2,700 feet in length, I think Wild Eagle could have been a bit longer to compensate for two shorter steel coasters.

Also, I think a few more inversions (or perhaps more thematic elements) would have really helped round out this wing coaster. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I loved every minute of each spin on Wild Eagle.

Stay tuned, as I’ll post my Wild Eagle vs. X-Flight thoughts soon.

Share