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Tac Talks Coasters - Post 74: #96

Photo Sources: All photos are mine

Dragonflier at Dollywood!

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Opened: 2019 Manufacturer: Vekoma Height: 63.3 ft (19.3 m) Speed: 46.6 mph (75.0 kph) Length: 1,486.2 ft (453.0 m) My most recent ride: 2022

Going into Dragonflier, you may have your reservations about it, since it's a Vekoma Suspended Family Coaster (SFC), the same model infamously dubbed the "Vekoma Hang and Bang" due to their rough ride and bulky, uncomfortable restraints. As examples that I've talked about that are WAY down on my list, see Kiddy Hawk at Carowinds or Woodstock's Air Rail at Kings Island.

But fear not! Dragonflier is a much newer iteration of Vekoma's SFC design and it is so much better than their old ones! Firstly, and most importantly, Dragonflier is so much smoother than both Kiddy Hawk and Woodstock's Air Rail. The train glides along the track super smoothly and the transitions and track profiling are all very well done. Also gone are the bulky and bad over the shoulder restraints, replaced with much more comfortable and less restrictive lap bars. That's the two biggest issues with the original SFCs solved right there lol.

Another thing that's kind of unexpected about Dragonflier is that it can be surprisingly forceful and intense at points. Particularly with that overbanked turnaround right after the first drop and some of the helices in the middle of the ride. You pull some surprisingly strong Gs there, at least for a family coaster. This is one of those rides that, while definitely geared towards families, is one that I think thrillseekers like myself will still enjoy. It also fits fantastically into the Wildwood Grove area of the park, the presentation of this ride is gorgeous, especially with the fountains right in front of it.

So if you ever find yourself at Dollywood (and you should find yourself there sometime because it's a fantastic park), don't miss out on Dragonflier!

Thanks for checking out today's coaster post! Keep an eye out for tomorrow's coaster!