NightFlight Expedition opened at Dollywood on August 19, 2026, becoming the Smoky Mountain park’s largest single investment ever at roughly $60 million. Built by German manufacturer Mack Rides using its Rocking Boat ride system, the attraction is tucked inside a climate-controlled, 44,000-square-foot building in the Wildwood Grove area, making it immune to weather delays that affect outdoor coasters.
What makes NightFlight Expedition unusual is that it isn’t just a coaster or just a water ride, it’s both. Single-car boats carrying ten riders combine free-roaming motion, linear induction motor propulsion, and submerged track sections to move guests through a story about twin siblings Cora and Jasper Oakley searching for a hidden, glowing lake in the Smokies at night.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Dollywood
- Manufacturer: Mack Rides
- Opened: August 19, 2026
- Height: About 3 stories at its highest point
- Top speed: About 29 mph
- Length: About 1,255 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
The roughly five-and-a-half-minute journey unfolds in stages rather than a single straight run. Riders soar through a nighttime aerial sequence over an animated version of the Smokies, then drop into a whitewater rafting stretch where the boats are buffeted through rushing water effects. A mountain-ridge climb adds a traditional roller-coaster drop before the ride settles into a slower boat passage across a shimmering, lantern-lit lake.
Because the ride system blends free-motion boats with coaster track sections, the pacing shifts constantly between gentle drifting, sudden surges, and a climbing drop, giving NightFlight Expedition a different rhythm from Dollywood’s other family coasters like Big Bear Mountain.
A First-of-Its-Kind Investment
At an estimated $60 million, NightFlight Expedition is described by Dollywood as the costliest single attraction in the park’s history, reflecting the custom engineering needed to combine a coaster, a river raft ride, and immersive projection and lighting effects inside one indoor building.
The ride counts toward Dollywood’s roller coaster lineup as its 11th coaster, even though its hybrid nature also qualifies it as a water ride, making it a dual-category attraction unlike anything else at the park.
Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.
Small enough to ride with on most coasters, big enough for a phone, card and keys. Two zippers mean nothing falls out upside down.
A fan and a mist in one, rechargeable. Very popular in queue lines once the afternoon sun hits.
Build a working coaster on the kitchen table and learn why the first drop has to be the tallest. A good gift for young coaster fans.
NightFlight Expedition in the News
Stories from our daily theme park news roundups that mention NightFlight Expedition, newest first.
- Dollywood Opens $60 Million NightFlight Expedition — Aug 22, 2026
- Dollywood's NightFlight Expedition Opens to the Public — Aug 19, 2026
- Dollywood Sets Aug. 19 Opening for NightFlight Expedition — Jul 31, 2026
- Dollywood Quietly Drops Spring Opening for NightFlight Expedition — Jun 7, 2026
NightFlight Expedition FAQs
Who manufactured NightFlight Expedition?
Mack Rides, a German manufacturer, built NightFlight Expedition using its Rocking Boat ride system.
When did NightFlight Expedition open?
It opened to the public at Dollywood on August 19, 2026.
Does NightFlight Expedition have any inversions?
No, it has zero inversions. It’s a family-friendly hybrid ride that combines coaster drops with whitewater boat sections rather than loops or rolls.
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Photo: APK / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.