Fire In The Hole to open this month at Silver Dollar City

BRANSON, Mo. — Fire in the Hole, the iconic roller coaster replaced over the winter by Silver Dollar City, opens to the public March 30, the amusement park announced in a news release Friday.

The coaster was groundbreaking when it debuted in 1972, one of the world’s first indoor roller coasters, and more than 25 million guests experienced the original ride, according to Dalton Fischer, Silver Dollar City spokesman.

It starts its new incarnation in its new location in the theme park. The fire-themed festivities also will include live performances by the resident firefighting band and a commemorative sticker for all “First Recruit” riders.

Park guests can enter the Silver Dollar City Town Square at 8:30 a.m., and “we will drop chains at the Town Square at 9:45 a.m. for folks to make their way down to the new Fire District before an opening ceremony that will begin just a few minutes before 10 a.m.,” Fischer said by text. The park officially opens at 10 a.m. that day.

Silver Dollar City had encouraged guests to celebrate Fire in the Hole throughout 2023, announcing it would be retired at the end of the year. Then, at a news conference Aug. 14, it was revealed Fire in the Hole would be replaced with — Fire in the Hole.

The new Fire in the Hole cost $30 million — Silver Dollar City’s largest investment “to date,” Fischer pointed out — and has an expanded setting, the Fire District, where Station No. 3 and other family-focused attractions are already located as Fireman’s Landing.

The new coaster will offer: three drops, a splash landing, updated special effects for 14 immersive show scenes, a custom soundtrack with high-resolution onboard audio, new lighting effects and a 2-minute, 51-second ride along 1,512 feet of track at a maximum speed of 26 mph — 8 feet per second.

The coaster was built in partnership with Idaho-based Rocky Mountain Construction, “known for some of the most intense rides out there,” according to Duane Marden of the Roller Coaster DataBase website, rcdb.com.

Silver Dollar City opens the 2024 season March 9. For ticket information, visit silverdollarcity.com or download the Silver Dollar City app for up-to-date festival calendars and show schedules.