Of all the coasters included on my Orlando trip, I honestly anticipated the Mummy the most. Why? Because I had heard so many comments about major ejector air, great theming, and an all-around great ride experience. Let me just say that the ride delivered to the impressive reputation it has garnered ever since opening. Nestled where King Kong once roamed, the Mummy’s queue is elaborately well themed with various interactive artifacts and just the whole atmosphere really captures the tone of the movies- dark and mysterious. While the queue is very well done, it’s well worth for single riders to utilize the single rider queue since often times it has a 5 minute wait or so as opposed to the common 20-30 minute wait in the normal queue.
As far as the ride goes, Universal did an incredible job with the Mummy coaster. The beginning scenes were essentially a dark ride that establishes the ride’s plot- join Imhotep or lose your soul. Obviously riders choose the latter and are forced to flee his tomb before it’s too late. It’s a very simple premise, but it’s very effective. Scattered throughout the ride are numerous very well done scenes that include fire and video, which get combined with very intense coaster portions in almost total darkness. The combination works flawlessly and I compliment Universal for pulling it off.
But the coaster portion is really where the ride deserves praise. While the backwards portion was short and honestly dull due to the exclusion of any real elements, the forwards part really is where the ride excels. The subsequent upward launch is pretty good, but it’s overshadowed by the major moment of sustained ejector air created while cresting the hill. It’s arguably one the most forceful moment of airtime I’ve ever experienced! Not only is there that heavenly burst of air, but immediately after is a very sudden and forceful drop with some incredibly powerful laterals. What a beginning to the coaster portion! Following are an exciting array of twists, turns, and drops all executed at breakneck speeds in darkness, resulting in an excellent combination of positive Gs, laterals, and a very sudden and abrupt moment of ejector air.
Soon the ride hits a brake run and smoothly stops at an exit platform, or so we think, since Imhotep subsequently appears, eliminates the “ride operator” and immediately lights the ceiling on fire. In the last possible moment, riders are launched down a very sudden and steep, twisting plunge yet again delivering great ejector air, but this time it’s only found in the back rows. Honestly I thought the fake exit platform was ingenious and it actually tricked me momentarily. Anyway, following that swift plunge, the ride’s essentially over and while the coaster portion seems on the short side, it was incredible.
Revenge of the Mummy truly is an exceptional coaster, and by far the best attraction on the Studios side. The coaster portion itself was very action-packed, but it was on the short side (alone it probably would have been an eight). However, when combined with the incredible theming, added thrill of darkness, and very nice dark ride portion beginning the ride, this is undoubtedly a 10. While not the absolute best ride of my entire trip (Dueling Dragons- Fire earns that claim), Premier and Universal did an outstanding job on this coaster allowing riders to experience a monumental blend of dark ride elements and an intense coaster.
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