A few months ago, we told you about a legendary ride closing its doors for good at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri.
It was called Fire In the Hole. The coaster was a mainstay attraction for millions of families over the decades it operated at the theme park. Riders traveled through a town battling a fire, with animatronic characters on sets and a few dips along the way. Fire in the Hole was one of those rides the entire family could enjoy – and they did. I was there when it closed and met parents riding with their children one last time, remembering the times they were kids riding with their parents and grandparents.
When the original Fire in the Hole was built, the park had no idea they would be operating well into a winter season. The building had no heating or air conditioning system. It was getting older by the day, making maintaining the ride a real challenge. Silver Dollar City made the difficult decision to say goodbye to the coaster – but not for good.
Instead, they spent $30 million to completely recreate the ride in another section of the park. The brand new building now has heating and air conditioning and is built to last. They hired Rocky Mountain Construction to build the coaster, but the ride is exactly the same as it was before, with the same pattern and the same dips.
But there are some changes.
An entire new audio system has been added to the coaster trains. As you travel through the building and through the multiple set pieces, you hear new dialogue explaining the story and everything happening around you. There is a music score that drives the action. All of the sets were built in house by the staff at Silver Dollar City with incredible focus on detail. This is one of those rides where you will notice something new each time you ride it.
For example, when a character named Bugs hisses his line of dialogue, you’ll hear the scurry of roaches all around you. Look closer at the walls and you’ll see those roaches covering them.
The original Fire In The Hole featured a moment where you encountered a train car – it was just an old coffee can that spun around a light to give you the impression that a train was coming. This time? They built the actual train and it’s revealed just as you take the drop.
And finally, when you take the last drop, look for a lit fuse along the right wall that leads to an explosion as you hear a voice yell “FIIIIIRE IN THE HOOOOOOOLE!”
There are so many little things like that throughout the ride, minor details that will likely be appreciated by longtime fans of this attraction. You can watch my full ride on Fire In The Hole in the video below, with and without commentary:
Here is the official POV video from the park:
The all-new Fire In The Hole is now open at Silver Dollar City in Branson. You can find more information about the park on their website here.
This isn’t my first trip to Silver Dollar City. I’ve done a few stories on the park and their unique attractions they’ve added over the years.
Here’s my ride on their launching, spinning roller coaster Time Traveler:
And my first-ever Coastin’ the Country segment was on their roller coaster Outlaw Run:
Marcus Leshock
Source link
