Mystery Solved – NightFlight Expedition Opening at Dollywood in 2026

Dollywood’s Biggest Secret Has Just Been Revealed

It’s Christmas in September, but Dollywood guests and theme park aficionados around the world will have to wait until 2026 to open the present. That’s when NightFlight Expedition – Dollywood’s longer rumored, teased and hinted at new attraction will open for the world to experience.

For quite some time now, we’ve known something massive and new was coming to Dollywood in the near future. Information has been revealed in dribs and drabs.

But today, Dollywood officials announced the details of the $50 million attraction that will represent a significant expansion of its award-winning Wildwood Grove area.

The ride is the result of a collaboration between Dollywood, Herschend Creative Studios, and esteemed manufacturer Mack Rides, which recently won the Golden Ticket Award for Best New Innovation for the ride system that will be utilized in NighFlight Expedition. 

What is NightFlight Expedition?

Simply put, it is the world’s first hybrid coaster and whitewater raft ride. It’s a little bit Guardians of The Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT, a little bit Navi River Journey in Animal Kingdom and a little bit of Dolly’s own Smoky Mountain River Rampage and it sounds like it’s going to be a whole lot of fun. 

The ride – which will be 5 and a half minutes long, will utilize a custom-designed amphibious ride vehicle interacts with vivid multimedia projections, dynamic onboard and offboard audio, as well as special lighting effects, to immerse guests in the four-pronged adventure. 

According to Dollywood, guests soar on a nighttime flight over the scenic Smokies, enjoy a thrilling whitewater rafting excursion through more than 500,000 gallons of surging water, traverse a mountain ridge on a roller coaster, and navigate a mysterious shimmering lake by boat.

Dolly Parton shares her excitement

Dolly Parton herself had been scheduled to speak at the announcement, but she still shared her excitement for the new ride through a press release. 

“I’m just so proud that Dollywood has grown so much in its first 40 years that we’re able to add a ride like NightFlight Expedition,” Dolly said about the attraction. “I have no doubt it’s going to be a huge part of Dollywood’s next 40 years. We’re always trying to take the natural beauty of the Smokies and make it part of everything we’re doing in the park, and they’ve definitely been able to do it with this ride.

“A lot of people ask me about my favorite season in the Smokies, but no one ever asks me what my favorite time of day is. Our new ride sends you out into the mountains at night, which is the time that I think they really come to life! Obviously, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known for the synchronous lightning bugs, but I also love to just sit and listen to the owls calling or the frogs croaking, and I love to see the stars sparkling like rhinestones up in the big old sky.

Where is the ride located?

The ride is located inside a 44,000 sq. ft., temperature-controlled facility, allowing it to operate independently of the Smoky Mountain weather. At the heart of the ride’s adventure is the search for Secret Lake, the water source thought to provide Wildwood Grove’s Wildwood Tree with its colorful glowing canopy.

Guests set out on their expedition to find Secret Lake with the help of twin scientists, Cora, and Jasper Oakley, who just happen to be the niece and nephew of Wildwood Grove’s resident wilderness explorer, Ned Oakley. The twins, who work out of a hangar at Hidden Hollow Aviation, have invented the Bioluminator, a device designed to detect and amplify bioluminescence, the biochemical emission of light by living organisms. Cora and Jasper mount the device onto their family’s one-of-a-kind amphibious aircraft to illuminate the Wildwood Tree’s glowing roots and follow them to Secret Lake.

Along the way guests will soar, plunge, climb and navigate.

What does this mean for Dollywood? 

Already considered among the best theme parks in the country, Dollywood’s visionary team has spent the last decades adding to the park’s array of roller coasters and thrill rides. While this ride is part coaster, it represents a significant step forward into the realm of themed dark rides like Disney’s Rise of the Resistance in Hollywood Studios and the Harry Potter and Frankenstein rides in Universal Orlando’s parks. 

“The attraction is designed to engage families with its vivid storytelling and to delight thrill-seekers with its innovative elements. This expansion underscores Dollywood’s ongoing growth and evolution, and we’re proud to be considered among the best theme park experiences in the world. NightFlight Expedition allows us to celebrate our rich Smoky Mountain heritage, while creating a ride that helps us deliver on providing a world-class experience.”

This is a signal that Dollywood intends to be even more of a player on the global theme park stage. It also could be the opening salvo into Dollywood becoming a year-round theme park, a goal Naughton has pointed to in the past. 

“NightFlight Expedition is truly exceptional, combining cutting-edge technology and immersive storytelling that stays true to the heart of Dollywood and the Smoky Mountains to deliver an experience unlike anything else,” Naughton explained. “As the largest addition in our history, it not only represents a major milestone for our company, but it also sets a new standard for guest offerings.”

Interestingly, early speculation had Dollywood employing a Vekoma, multi-story ride system which we now know was incorrect. However, at about the same time that Dollywood was making its announcement, SeaWorld in Orlando announced SEAQuest, Legends of the Deep – a vibrant submarine adventure – that will open next year. It appears that ride may be using the Vekoma system. 

Who is Ned Oakley and how does he figure into all this?

Ned Oakley is a key part of the lore Dollywood has created for Wildwood Grove. Oakley – a fourth-generation wilderness explorer (not in caps to avoid issues with Pixar?) Oakley is also Benjamin Bear’s caretaker and a fervent believer in the mystical legend of Big Bear – a giant bear who lives in the forests surrounding Wildwood Grove. Big Bear’s a lot like Big Foot except he’s a bear and not a humanoid or ape-like being. Oakley has been gathering intel on Big Bear and is prepared to go searching.

How does Oakley figure into Hidden Hollow Aviation? We can’t be sure. However, the voiceover for the ad with the girl and the book feature the line “a family’s quest will illuminate a world of wonder and adventure.” Just before this line, the girl picks up a pair of aviator’s wings with the initial N in the middle. It seems possible that the adventure will involve Oakley’s family or possibly descendants as they follow Ned’s passion for seeking out mountain lore.

It’s also possible that Ned will go missing in his search for Big Bear. Therefore, our mission will include bringing him home from Secret Lake. Only time will tell.

Will the ride be appropriate for families? When will it open? 

Dollywood officials say its built with families in mind. It has as relatively low 39-inch height requirement, just over 3 feet, meaning many of Dollywood’s young guests will be able to ride. The ride vehicles appear to have individual restraint systems, but we’ll know more on that later as we get closer to the Spring 2026 opening. 

Are you excited as we are about the new indoor Dollywood ride? Let us know in the comments!