Missouri's Silver Dollar City opens highly anticipated new Fire In The Hole roller coaster
Missouri theme park Silver Dollar City's new, second-generation Fire In The Hole roller coaster had its grand opening on Wednesday morning, and members of the Branson, Missouri, fire department were among the first to ride.
Wednesday's grand opening, which was open to members of the press and "VIP" individuals, featured live music from park band Casey & The Attaboys, pretzel dog samples from the new Sadie's Pretzel Cafe and of course, rides on the new coaster.
Silver Dollar City President Brad Thomas described Fire In The Hole as the park's "sacred cow" during his opening remarks. It may define the park even more than its popular 1880s theme.
‘The big and the bad’ meet family friendly: 2024’s most anticipated new roller coasters
Construction of the new Fire In The Hole roller coaster was announced in August 2023, following Silver Dollar City's announcement that the 51-year-old original Fire In The Hole would close at the end of the 2023 season.
The new ride is 1,512 feet long and moves as fast as 8 feet per second. It is housed within a five-story, climate-controlled building. The coaster features three track levels and 14 show scenes, many of which were carried over from the original ride.
The new coaster still tells the story of the vigilante Bald Knobbers, who burned down the small mining town of Marmaros in the 1880s, which sat where Silver Dollar City does today. But the story is presented in an updated, clearer way.
Each of the coaster's train cars features built-in speakers, so riders can better hear the characters' voices. Additionally, the coaster follows three specific Bald Knobbers: Patches, Bugs, and Wiley, who are portrayed in unique scenes throughout the ride.
An updated sound system is just one key feature on the coaster. The new Fire In The Hole also features digital screens that help tell the story. During one well-known scene where Red Flanders is seen on a ladder outside of his hotel, a digital shadow of his wife Sadie appears in an adjacent window, scolding him for his lack of pants.
And now, for the first time, Flanders' flannel pants are available for purchase in the new Flanders' Dry Goods retail store. New Fire In The Hole-themed clothing, accessories and mugs are also available at the store.
Flanders' Dry Goods was opened in conjunction with the park's new Fire District, which also features Sadie's Pretzel Cafe. The full-service restaurant serves all sorts of treats, including Silver Dollar City's famous pretzel dog. The cafe includes a 140-seat dining area overlooking the new Fire District.
Like several of the park's other newer rides, the new Fire In The Hole features an on-ride camera that snaps photos of riders during the final splash. These photos are available for purchase.
Silver Dollar City operates on its spring schedule through the rest of March and April, opening Thursday through Monday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Starting on May 22, the park is open every day for its summer schedule. The park's calendar and operating hours are available on its website.
What's next?
While Silver Dollar City has not announced any more new roller coasters, Thomas once again mentioned the park's acquisition of new land during his opening remarks on Wednesday. In addition to Silver Dollar City's current property, which is less than 200 acres, the park recently acquired 1,200 acres just to its west. The park has not disclosed its plans for this new acreage.
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri's Silver Dollar City opens new Fire In The Hole ride
