Members of the Branson Fire Department were among the first to ride Silver Dollar City’s new, second-generation Fire In The Hole roller coaster following its grand opening on Wednesday morning. The department was joined by a few hundred fans of the theme park, who have been eagerly awaiting the ride’s unveiling.
Silver Dollar City held a soft opening for the new coaster on March 9, the park’s first day of the 2024 season. But 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.
During his opening remarks on Wednesday, Silver Dollar City President Brad Thomas described Fire In The Hole as the park’s “sacred cow,” perhaps defining the park more than its popular 1880s theme.
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 about one-third of a mile in length at 1,512 feet, moving at 8 feet per second. The coaster is housed within a five-story, climate-controlled building. It 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, which sat where Silver Dollar City does today, in the 1880s. But the story is presented in an updated, clearer way.
Each of the coaster’s train cars features built-in speakers, so riders can hear the character voices better. Additionally, the coaster follows three specific Bald Knobbers: Patches, Bugs and Wiley, who each are portrayed in their own unique scenes throughout the ride.
An updated sound system is just one distinguishable feature on the coaster. The new Fire In The Hole also features digital screens that help tell the story. For example, during the beloved 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 pretzel treats, including Silver Dollar City’s famous pretzel dog. The cafe includes a 140-seat dining area overlooking the new Fire District. Sadie is Red Flanders’ wife.
Like several of the park’s other newer rides, the new Fire In The Hole features an on-camera ride, snapping photos of riders during the final splash. These photos are available for purchase outside of the ride.
Through the rest of March and April, Silver Dollar City operates on its spring schedule, open Thursday through Monday between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Silver Dollar City is open every day for its summer schedule starting on May 22. The park’s calendar and operating hours are available on its website.
More: Silver Dollar City takes over Indian Ridge property, invests $30 million in future projects
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.