BLOWING ROCK, N.C., March 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Winter in the mountains of North Carolina hasn’t slowed down the staff at Tweetsie Railroad. Opening day is set for April 8th, and construction crews are diligently working to install three all-new amusement rides at North Carolina’s First Theme Park.
“We are very excited to add three new rides this season – a mini swing; a spring ride drop tower; and a family spinning coaster,” said Chris Robbins, President of Tweetsie Railroad. “The exact opening date of each ride is dependent upon the weather. But earth is being moved, concrete pads are being poured, and our goal is to have the rides ready for Guests at opening in April or shortly afterward,” he adds.
The 12 seat Mini Swing is designed for younger visitors, and was custom painted in Italy by manufacturer SBFVisa to feature a No. 12 Tweetsie locomotive motif. It will be placed on Miner’s Mountain, next to the playground that was completely renovated last year. Children who are at least 4 years old and between 32 and 59 inches tall will enjoy the thrill of the ride’s flying chairs.
At the end of last season, Tweetsie Railroad’s very popular Free Fall ride was retired. But it is being replaced with a 12 seat spring ride that is taller than the previous unit . . . and spins as it drops! Also manufactured in Italy by Moser’s Rides, the new drop tower is almost 50 feet high. The ride will be located in the same section of Country Fair as the previous drop ride, where guests take in a birds-eye view of the park while spiraling up and down the tower.
The ground above Country Fair is currently being prepared to accommodate Tweetsie Railroad’s third new ride, a family spinning coaster. “We asked the manufacturer, SBFVisa, to custom make this ride to look like old oak barrels to fit the Wild West theme of the park,” said Robbins, “and we have appropriately named it Barrels of Fun.” With the capability of accommodating riders at least 36″ tall, this figure-eight coaster can be enjoyed by adults and children.
Members of the Tweetsie Railroad staff were able to see the family coaster in action and actually ride it last November at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) trade show in Orlando, Florida. “It is going to be a great hit with our number one customer market – families with young children,” said Chris Robbins. “Everyone at the show – both grown-ups and kids — really seemed to love it.”
“Guests can expect to see a lot of construction and renovations going on all around the park this year,” adds Robbins. “Our goal is to add new and updated attractions while maintaining the classic and traditional feel of the park, after all, Tweetsie Railroad is a blast from the past and we want to keep it that way!”
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SOURCE Tweetsie Railroad
