Splash Country to add Tennessee’s first water coaster
From Staff Reports
PIGEON FORGE — One if by land, two if by sea. Or at Dollywood, one by air and two by water.
Adding a second history-making coaster to The Dollywood Company’s roster, Dollywood’s Splash Country will open RiverRush, Tennessee’s first water coaster, in May 2013.
“RiverRush is a product of the next generation of water coasters, and we are thrilled that Dollywood’s Splash Country will be home to Tennessee’s first and only water coaster for families to enjoy,” Dolly Parton said in a statement prepared for the announcement.
“At Dollywood, we made history with Wild Eagle, the country’s first wing coaster, so I thought, why not do it again at Dollywood’s Splash Country with my new RiverRush water coaster,” Dolly Parton said. “You know me. I love making a big splash.”
A hydromagnetic coaster, RiverRush combines the powerful climbs, plunging drops, thrilling twists and tight turns of a traditional land coaster with the waterpark’s calling card — water — for the very latest in waterpark experiences.
Initially propelled by a high-speed conveyor belt, RiverRush’s four-person toboggan-style boats climb 237 feet in preparation of a plunging 25-foot, 45-degree drop. In length, the track will measure 1,175 feet.
Standing four stories tall, RiverRush’s tube track takes riders past the trees as it navigates three additional drops powered by linear induction motors. What follows is a combination of multiple hairpin turns and dark tunnels, all accompanied by rushing water. The track covers more than an acre in a newly developed area near the park’s Big Bear Plunge white water rafting inspired slide.
