Since Dollywood unveiled its $17.5 million Mystery Mine in April, the ride has been heralded by roller coaster gurus as a success. That appeal recently translated into the Mystery Mine being named as themeparkinsider.com's Best New Theme Park Attraction.
"Mystery Mine has really been received very well by guests and enthusiasts," Pete Owens, Dollywood public relations director, said. "What makes this ride different is that it is the only Gerstlauer roller coaster in the United States. And it is the most highly themed Gertslauer coaster in the world."
The Pigeon Forge attraction takes riders on a thrill ride, with an 85-degree drop at 60 mph. But the ride has a twist - it engrosses them in the story of a mine and the superstitions that lie within.
"This ride takes families and puts them in the middle of the story - a Smoky Mountain story," Owens said. "It's a unique experience. It has the lifts and the drops, but it also has something different because riders are actually experiencing the storytelling."
Themeparkinsider.com, which claims more than 15,000 registered users, presented the awards for the sixth year. The awards, chosen by members, also include Best Theme Park, Best Theme Park Hotel and Best Theme Park Restaurant.
Reviewers of the Mystery Mine described it as "a fun and intense ride that provides two different experiences. The indoor part is well-themed and intense while the outdoor part is crazy and twisted."
The ride joined a stable of high-profile amusements, including Thunderhead, which opened to hoopla several years ago.
"The Thunderhead was very well received as well, but it was unique in a different way," Owens said. "The quality of that ride shows as it was named the top roller coaster for the past two years.
"Mystery Mine has received similar accolades. But what really sets it apart is the buzz that was generated in the industry and the community that started even before the ride was built. It has lived up to its reputation."
And the mystery keeps people coming.
"It builds unlike any other roller coaster," Owens said, "to a finale that is indeed a finale."
Information courtesy of The Mountain Press