Mystery Mine (Dollywood)

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Mystery Mine

Dollywood
Location	Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, USA
Coordinates	35°47′44″N 83°31′50″W / 35.79548°N 83.530544°W / 35.79548; -83.530544
Status	Operating since April 13, 2007
Cost	$17,500,000 USD^[1]
Rider height	48 inch minimum

Statistics

Manufacturer

Gerstlauer

Product

Euro-Fighter Custom

Builder

Ride Entertainment

Designer / calculations

Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH

Type

Steel

Riders per train

8

Hourly capacity

1,000

Propulsion

2 vertical chain lift hills

Height

85.3 feet

Drop

85 feet

Top speed

43.5 mph

Length

1804.5 feet

Inversions

2

Drop angle

95°

Duration

2:30

Mystery Mine is a steel roller coaster located at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, USA. The theme of the ride is based on a haunted mine. Opened on April 13, 2007, it is a custom Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter model, the first installed in the United States.

History

Mystery Mine was officially announced on July 7, 2006.^[1] The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment and opened on April 13, 2007.^[2]

The ride's layout was modified in 2021. The outdoor drop before the over-banked curve was removed and replaced with a new turn and shallower drop into the first outdoor helix. The over-banked curve remained standing but was disconnected from the rest of the track.^[3] Dollywood cited the reason for this as "making the ride experience smoother".^{[citation needed]} The layout was reduced from 1,811 feet to 1,804.5 feet.^{[citation needed]}

Incident

On July 11, 2020, three park guests were injured when they were walking under the ride and a piece of decorative chain fell from the attraction and hit them.^[4]

Design

Elements
Dark/Show section 80 foot tall vertical chain lift hill Block brake Helix Dark/Show section 85.3 foot tall vertical chain lift hill with a 85 foot drop at 95° Heartline roll Dive loop

Mystery Mine has two outdoor sections, one in the middle of the ride and another at the end of the ride.

Ride experience

After leaving the station, the car makes a small drop as a miner's laugh can be heard. While making a left turn and a right turn, music can be heard as crows and a canary in a cage can be seen. The car comes across a grinder, which leads into a small drop, followed by a left turn. When passing by cogs and graffiti, riders approach an 80 foot tall vertical chain lift hill. At the top, the car slows down before dropping. Prior to 2021, riders went through an over-banked curve and a right turn. Following the block brake, the car passes through a helix and some dips. After an s-curve over the extended queue area, riders go back into the building and reach the grand climax. On the left side is a canary in a cage and a sign that says "Do Not Enter". Riders then climb an 85.3 foot tall vertical chain lift hill as they watch a video on the screens. Once the car reaches the top, an explosion is heard as fire bursts in front of riders. Soon afterwards, riders plunge 85 feet at a 95° angle. The car then flips into a heartline roll, followed by a dive loop. After the inversions, riders hit the final brake run and return to the station.