Mine Blower

Mine Blower is a hybrid wooden roller coaster located at Fun Spot America Kissimmee, in Kissimmee, Florida. Manufactured by The Gravity Group, the compact roller coaster is one of only three wooden roller coasters in Florida, the others being White Lightning at Fun Spot America Orlando and Coastersaurus at Legoland Florida. Features of the ride include a zero-gravity roll above the station area, as well as a 115° overbanked turn.

Mine Blower
Mine Blower
Fun Spot America (Kissimmee)
Location	Fun Spot America (Kissimmee)
Coordinates	28.3303512°N 81.5146559°W / 28.3303512; -81.5146559
Status	Operating
Opening date	June 23, 2017
Cost	$6,000,000
Replaced	Go-Karts[1]
General statistics
Type	Wood
Manufacturer	The Gravity Group
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	83 ft (25 m)
Drop	80.5 ft (24.5 m)
Length	2,290 ft (700 m)
Speed	48.5 mph (78.1 km/h)
Inversions	1
Max vertical angle	65°
Height restriction	48 in (122 cm)
Trains	2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 12 riders per train.
Mine Blower at RCDB

History

In December 2016, it was speculated that Fun Spot America Kissimmee was going to build a new roller coaster for $6 million.^[2] The name for the attraction was announced on February 5, 2017, during the 2017 Super Bowl.^[3][4] In May 2017, parts of the roller coaster were revealed during construction, including the 115° overbanked turn.^[5] On June 15, 2017, it was announced that Mine Blower would be opening later in the month.^[6][7] Mine Blower opened to the public eight days later, on June 23.^[8][9]

Ride experience

The ride starts with a mild 180° turn to the left, taking it straight into the lift hill. It takes approximately 23 seconds to ascend before the ride hits another 180° turnaround to the left, and plunges just over 80 feet before going into the only inversion, a zero-gravity roll. Then, it goes into the first high speed turnaround of many to the left, leading straight up an airtime hill that's followed by a "double down", then passing another bunny hill, and into a right hand turnaround. Two more small hills follow, and then goes towards the 115° over-banked turn to the right. A few more curvy airtime hills sprint the train towards a low lying, left hand turnaround, up another two hills, and into the brake run.^[10][11][12]

Mine Blower is one of 8 wooden roller coasters with at least one inversion as of its construction.^[13]

Characteristics

Support structure

Mine Blower is a Gravity Group wooden roller coaster that is built with a steel support structure.^[11]

Trains

Mine Blower utilizes two custom themed "Timberliner" trains that seat 12 passengers each.^[11][14][15] The train front consists of a firework and dynamite figurehead.^[14]

Statistics

Mine Blower is 2,290 feet (700 m) long, 83 feet (25 m) tall, and reaches a top speed of 48.5 mph (78 km/h).^[11] This is currently the longest, tallest, and fastest of the three operating wooden coasters in Florida.^{[citation needed]}

Reception

Golden Ticket Awards: Best New Ride for 2017
Ranking	3[16]

Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters

Year	2018
Ranking	48[17]

Note: Mine Blower has not charted in the Golden Ticket Awards since 2018.

See also

• 2017 in amusement parks

References

1. Storey, Ken (December 9, 2016). "Fun Spot plans to build massive $6 million wooden coaster for summer 2017". Orlando Weekly. Euclid Media Group. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
2. Storey, Ken (December 9, 2016). "Fun Spot plans to build massive $6 million wooden coaster for summer 2017". Orlando Weekly. Euclid Media Group. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
3. Wolf, Colin (February 6, 2017). "Everything we know about Fun Spot's new $6 million coaster Mine Blower". Orlando Weekly. Euclid Media Group. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
4. Bevil, Dewayne (February 5, 2017). "Fun Spot's wooden coaster has a name: Mine Blower". Orlando Sentinel. Tronc. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
5. Bevil, Dewayne (May 23, 2017). "Fun Spot takes another dramatic turn with Mine Blower roller coaster". Orlando Sentinel. Tronc. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
6. Sanza, Christina (June 15, 2017). "Thrilling wooden coaster "Mine Blower" ride opening announced for Fun Spot America in Kissimmee". Inside the Magic. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
7. Bevil, Dewayne (June 15, 2017). "Fun Spot: Mine Blower coaster to open June 23". Orlando Sentinel. Tronc. Archived from the original on February 22, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
8. Tittle, Brittani (June 24, 2017). "'Mine Blower' wooden coaster now open at Fun Spot Kissimmee". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
9. "New wooden roller coaster debuts at Fun Spot". WESH. June 23, 2017. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
10. Alvey, Robb (June 21, 2017). "Mine Blower Roller Coaster Front Seat POV Fun Spot America Orlando New 2017". Theme Park Review. Retrieved October 29, 2018 – via YouTube.
11. Marden, Duane. "Mine Blower - Fun Spot America (Kissimmee, Florida, USA)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Archived from the original on September 13, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
12. Bevil, Dewayne (June 23, 2017). "Mine Blower roller coaster explodes onto scene at Fun Spot". Orlando Sentinel. Tronc. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
13. Marden, Duane. "Wood Record Holders – Most Inversions". Roller Coaster DataBase. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
14. Caran, Shelley (June 20, 2017). "Mine Blower wooden coaster set for Friday opening at Fun Spot". icFlorida. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
15. Bevil, Dewayne (May 4, 2017). "Keeping eye on new Fun Spot coaster". Orlando Sentinel. Tronc. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
16. "Park and ride winners" (PDF). Amusement Today. September 2017. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
17. "2018 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2018.