New Branson mountain coaster to open 'sooner than August,' company says

Branson's second mountain coaster is slated to open this summer.

The Branson Coaster doesn't yet have a specific opening date, but it will be "sooner than August," according to Collin Wheeler, marketing coordinator for Tennessee-based FACE Amusement.

Mountain, or alpine, coasters are installed on steep hillsides. The natural force of gravity provides the thrills as riders descend along an established track in bobsled-like carts. Branson's first mountain coaster, The Runaway, opened last August on Highway 165. (The city is also home to numerous traditional roller coasters, at the amusement park Silver Dollar City.)

The Branson Coaster is being constructed two miles away from The Runaway, in the 2100 block of West Highway 76, the theater and attraction-studded Branson strip. The site was previously home to Cool Off Water Chute.

Wheeler told the News-Leader on Monday that The Branson Coaster will be the first "double alpine" coaster in North America. Unlike The Runaway, it will have two downhill tracks. Riders will start at the top of the attraction, and descend in two-person carts on both tracks during the course of one ride.

"It's not like any other mountain coaster that's out there," Wheeler said.

Asked about pricing, Wheeler said it will be "comparable to other coasters in the greater southeast region," but didn't detail specifics. The Runaway charges $15 per driver and $10 per passenger for the first ride on its two-person carts; additional rides are discounted.

FACE Amusement — the acronym stands for Faith, Attitude, Consistency and Excellence — currently operates attractions in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, as well as Orlando. The Branson Coaster will be the company's first roller coaster.

FACE Amusement's expansion into the Branson market isn't limited to the coaster. The company is also preparing to open three attractions at Branson Landing: Arcade City, 7D Dark Ride Adventure and Mirror Maize.

Arcade City will be modeled after the company's flagship location in Pigeon Forge, Wheeler said. The 7D Dark Ride Adventure will be a moving theater/interactive shooting game. And Mirror Maize is "going to be an indoor corn maze essentially — first of its kind, all using mirrors," Wheeler said.

Those three attractions will open shortly after The Branson Coaster, Wheeler said, toward the end of the summer.

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