World's Longest-Standing Indoor Roller Coaster Takes Final Ride

Grand finale ride day includes giveaways, live entertainment and last public rides

BRANSON, Mo., Dec. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This Saturday, Dec. 30, Silver Dollar City's historic indoor coaster Fire In The Hole will pull through the station one final time, capping 51 seasons of operation with 48 riders set to close the legendary coaster. Fire In The Hole made history when it opened in 1972, lauded as one of the world's first indoor roller coasters, now the world's longest-standing indoor roller coaster. Earlier this month, the 1880s theme park selected the final 48 riders through various giveaways via social media. The 48 final guests will fill the rides' four coaster trains, each holding twelve people. After the park closes the coaster's queue line for the evening — and those in line finish riding the coaster — the 48 giveaway winners will be the final public riders on the legendary coaster and will receive a mounted piece of the coaster track, along with other keepsakes commemorating the ride's retirement.

All day on Dec. 30, the park will host Fire In The Hole's "Grand Finale," including live entertainment in the coaster's queue line, Christmas caroling, pop-up surprises, and visits from Silver Dollar City's most iconic Citizens. Plus, now through Dec. 30, all riders will receive a celebration sticker commemorating the coaster's "Final Ride Days."

"Though we are now down to the final hours of the original Fire In The Hole, this ride has been meaningful to our guests for generations," said Brad Thomas, Silver Dollar City president. "The coaster tells a story of the Ozark Mountains and is uniquely Silver Dollar City, but also a ride families can ride together, as millions of children have ridden with their parents and grandparents. We know we will still have many first-time riders, while some have ridden countless times over the decades, returning this weekend for one last memory. Many of those guests even first rode with their grandparents years ago, now riding with their own grandkids!"

The ride's storyline is modeled after the real-life mining town of Marmaros, once located atop Marvel Cave and home to residents of the long-ago Ozarks. The coaster, novel in its introduction in 1972, has fire-brigade-themed trains that twist, turn and drop into a burning town where riders are the volunteer firefighters, saving the citizens and battling the flames before a splash-down water finale.

Inspired by the original coaster closing this Saturday, Silver Dollar City announced an all-new Fire In The Hole will debut in the spring of 2024. The $30 million ride — the company's largest investment in a single attraction to-date — will be nearly a third-of-a-mile long and feature a powered incline, three gravity-driven drops and a quick-splash landing. Additionally, a custom soundtrack with high-resolution onboard audio, show lighting effects and enhanced special effects will drop riders into the famous Fire In The Hole story. The new attraction will be the centerpiece of the newly incorporated Fire District, doubling the size of the park's current popular Fireman's Landing area. A new restaurant serving world-famous, handmade pretzel dogs and merchandise location will complete the Fire District in 2024.

Season passes for the 2024 season are on sale now. For more details on the all-new Fire In The Hole, operating calendar and season passes, visit silverdollarcity.com.

ABOUT SILVER DOLLAR CITY: 
Opened more than six decades ago and internationally awarded for excellence in theme, presentation and operations, Silver Dollar City is an 1880s theme park nestled in the Ozark Mountains. Founded atop a massive National Natural Landmark — Missouri's deepest cave — and underneath a lush tree canopy, Silver Dollar City offers 40 unique rides & attractions, including record-breaking roller coasters, a demonstrating crafts colony 100 artisans strong and nine world-class festivals and events, featuring a variety of entertainment and live concerts. Known for lovingly handcrafting one-of-a-kind experiences, Silver Dollar City features home-style foods emphasizing specialty items, festival specials, tasting passports and its famous cinnamon bread and bakery goods. The City opens mid-March for spring break and operates through December 30.

SOURCE Silver Dollar City Company