BRANSON, Mo. — The biggest indoor family roller coaster in the Midwest is just days away from its grand opening.
Silver Dollar City (SDC) replaced Fire in the Hole with a new, multi-million dollar version of the ride. Its grand opening will be at 9:45 a.m. on March 30, and will make a ceremonial trip down the tracks after a ribbon cutting.
Tim Baldwin was one of the first people to get a sneak peek at the new ride, which is SDC’s largest investment to date for a single attraction.
“I was amazed how the scenes just came to life,” said Baldwin, a writer for Amusement Today. “The fire seemed brighter and the sound now comes from the cars as well as around you. I just think they really knocked it out of the park.”
The new roller coaster will have three drops and a quick splash-landing. It’s nearly a third of a mile long and is housed in a five-story, temperature-controlled building.
President of Silver Dollar City Brad Thomas said there’s nothing quite like opening a new roller coaster for fans to enjoy, especially one with such a long history of tradition.
“51 years we’ve been telling this story, but now $30 million in a brand new investment,” Thomas said. “The technology is more refined. The story is still true and accurate and today we’re rolling out the red carpets, so that we can tell that story to the rest of the nation.”
Thomas said more new attractions are coming to the park in the near future.