(NAPSA)—Afew fun facts about roller coasters may offer someinsight into this popularride. Many believe the world’s first roller coaster was the Russian ice slides. In the 17th century, coaster fans sped downslides built of lumber and coated with sheets of ice several inches thick. Daring for their day, the ice slides featured one 50-degree drop. The Thunderheadroller coaster in Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn. was twice voted the world’s No. 1 wooden coaster by Amusement Today magazine. The 130-acre theme park Dollywood nowalso boasts the Mystery Mine, a $17.5 million steel coaster. The one-of-a-kind coaster involves the latest technology and some unbelievable twists and turns. The family fun adventurefeatures a 2.5-minute journey that travels along a 1,811-foot track. Passengers encounter a hair-rais- ing 95-degree, 85-foot vertical drop as the car plunges into an abandoned tunnel. A near miss with a gigantic mill grinder is only a minordistraction as passengers enjoy a weightless inversion known as a “heart-line roll” and a “rollover loop,” or double inversion, which consists of an upwardhalf-loop anda half-roll. The mine also features an Immelmann maneuver, namedfor German World War I pilot Max Immelmann. A new family fun adventure travels along a 1,811-foot track. Passengers encounter a hair-raising 95-degree, 85-foot vertical drop. It begins muchlikethefirst half of a traditional vertical loop. As the coaster car approaches the loop’s apex, it is inverted and travels back in the direction in which the carfirst entered the loop. Rather than completing the loop, the coaster car rolls on its axis, becoming right-side-up while simultaneously turning away from the loop. The coaster car exits the Immelmann maneuver almost in the same direction in which it initially approached theloop. Dollywood is open March 31- Dec. 31. For more information about Dollywood, call (800) DOL LYWOOD. To learn more aboutall that Pigeon Forgeoffers, call (800) 251-9100.
