Dollywood debuts a new ride in 2026! Soar and splash through the Smoky Mountains at night, aboard Nightflight Expedition. The immersive ride will combine roller coaster thrills with the adventure of whitewater rafting–all indoors.
An Adventure By Night
Nightflight Expedition is slated to open in spring, 2026. Created exclusively for Dollywood, this marriage of coaster and water ride is unique. A night flight over the mountains takes you rafting in half a million gallons of water. You’ll zoom along a mountain ridge, roller coaster style, and ride on top of a sparkling lake.
Like other Dollywood attractions, Nightflight Expedition tells a story. You’re on a journey with new characters, two eager young scientists who are hunting for bioluminescence–the mysterious light created by living things! Invisible by day, this incredible phenomenon is visible after dark. Inside the ride, it’s always nighttime, and you’re on a quest to see Smokies creatures showing off their beautiful glow.
High-Tech Design
The gigantic ride will fill a five-story building now under construction in Dollywood’s Wildwood Grove section. Nightflight Expedition will be located close to Dollywood’s most recent addition, Big Bear Mountain, the park’s longest coaster.
Because the ride is entirely indoors, it can operate in any weather. Cutting-edge technology employs projections, lighting effects, and audio to immerse riders in a five and a half minute adventure.
Discover Dolly’s Love for the Smokies
Dolly Parton unveiled the new ride’s theme on opening day of Dollywood’s 40th season. The nighttime theme draws inspiration from Dolly’s favorite time to see her native mountains.
“Our new ride sends you out into the mountains at night, which is the time that I think they really come to life,” she said. The ride, a huge investment for the beloved park, is also a fitting 40th anniversary addition. “I have no doubt it’s going to be a huge part of Dollywood’s next 40 years,” Dolly added.
Stay close to Dollywood so you spend your time in the park, not on the road and stuck in traffic! Reserve a Pigeon Forge cabin online now for a visit in spring, 2026, so you’re one of the first to ride Nightflight Expedition!
