August 14, 2023

Fire in the Hole Construction Tour (SDC)

 


CONSTRUCTION TOUR

Attendees from today's Town Hall Meeting Media Event were invited to tour the construction site of the New for 2024 Fire in the Hole.  To access the site we had to travel to Fireman's Landing

We then transverse this narrow pathway to go beyond the construction wall.

Once we passed through the wall, we were greeted with our first visuals of the new façade for the ride

The photos really do not do justice in showing just how tall this 5 story building is in real life

A giant banner was hung over the first area where we could look in

This will be the first scene that you see after departing the station

You can see the brown track here and on down to the left is the station

Moving to the second look in location you can see the first length of track for the ride.  The far end is the curve from the station.  You can see on the left where the previous two photos was taken from

Panning right from the previous photo you can see the switch track and the maintenance area for the ride

Panning right you can see the next scene area before continuing on around the curve.

Looking upwards you can see the second level of scenes

In this photo you can see the drop track for the train tunnel and in the far back you can see the drop track for the final drop.

Those with Press Passes were provided and extended tour.
This is the main entrance to the ride.  Upon passing through this doorway you will exit the building again and enter the outdoor queue area

This is the outdoor queue area.  You'll note that it features the ladder lattice work that is prevalent in the rest of Fireman's Landing

This Firewagon was parked in the queue area for today.  Next to it is some earlier concept artwork that has since been updated to what you can see today.

Moving into the building we come to the load station.  From this vantage point, trains will exit to the right through that arch way and returning trains will come back in on the left.  Guests will exit up the stairs after exiting the trains

Some concept art on how the finished load station might look

This room is the final drop for the ride.  It will feature a splash down like the original.  The switch track is for the maintenance area

Here is a zoomed in look at that final drop.
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!"

RMC President Darren Torr was stationed near the final drop for interviews

This is the exit side of the station.  Through the arch is the return track after the final drop

This is the first turn out of the station into the gravity building

Guest exit corridor at the top of the stairs

Steps down after the corridor to reach the exit

We were extremely lucky to get to visit the top most scene of the ride.  To get here, we climbed up maintenance stairs that connect to that exit corridor two pictures back

The scene you are looking at right now will come immediately after the burning bridge.

Speaking of the burning bridge, here is the exit from the bridge.  Workers stated that this bridge will have the collapsing element that the original had 

This is the train tunnel which comes next after that scene above.

Right around the this corner is the train drop which we showed earlier from the ground

Where the person in white is, will be the exit for the ride

Thank you again to Silver Dollar City for allowing us to attend today's event.
We look forward to experiencing the new Fire in the Hole next season


Fire in the Hole Media Event (SDC)

 


Welcome to Silver Dollar City's Town Hall Meeting to discuss the additions for the 2024 season

We got our credentials, let's head on in to the Meeting

Casey and the Attaboys acted as the house band to entertain the crowd until it was time for the event to begin.

The Fire Chief welcomed everyone to the the Town Hall Meeting and officially swore us in as Volunteer Firemen.

Then it was time for the reveal

New for 2024 is Fire in the Hole
(the next view photos are from the film presentation)






The backstory in the station is that they are unveiling a new model for the fire wagon and this is what it looks like

You'll notice that the real buggies look similar







You'll notice that there are a lot of familiar sites that will appear in the new ride

Silver Dollar City Company President - Brad Thomas
Officially announcing that Fire in the Hole is coming in 2024

Dailey and Vincent will be recording the new version of the theme song

Concept artwork 

Brad Thomas announcing the stats of the ride.  The largest indoor coaster in the Heartland.  3 drops including a water splashdown. 14 iconic scenes.  Custom onboard audio. 1512 feet of track. 5-story temperature controlled building

After months of speculation, it was confirmed that Rocky Mountain Construction was the supplier of the ride components

In addition to Fire in the Hole, the entire area of Fireman's Landing will be renamed the Fire District

Saddie Flanders then announced that they (Red Flanders and herself) would be opening a new Dry Goods Store in the Fire District. Brad Thomas also announced a new Pretzel Dog Stand would also be coming to the Fire District

The Fire Chief then reappeared and invited everyone to come tour the construction of the new ride after the Town Hall ended down in the new Fire District

Upon exiting the Town Hall, attendees received a special box

Inside the box was a package of fools gold toffee, a package of red cinnamon taffy, logo stickers of Fire in the Hole and the Fire District, and a Fire in the Hole themed scarf.

Special Thanks to Vice President of Marketing for the Silver Dollar City Company, Nick Guevel for allowing us to attend today's event.

Fire in the Hole - New for 2024 (SDC)


AUGUST 14, 2024 
Silver Dollar City Reveals Record-Setting Indoor Family Coaster New Multi-Million Dollar FIRE IN THE HOLE Debuts Next Spring  Expansion supports award-winning theme park’s extensive multi-year development plan

Branson, Missouri -- Silver Dollar City today announces the new groundbreaking $30 million FIRE IN THE HOLE indoor family roller coaster, the largest in the Midwest. Opening in spring of 2024, the highly-anticipated attraction joins the park’s lineup of revolutionary rides. Located in the newly incorporated Fire District, FIRE IN THE HOLE doubles the size of one of The City’s most popular areas, already home to Station No. 3 firehouse and a collection of family-friendly attractions. Just ten months ago, the 1880s theme park, Silver Dollar City revealed an additional $30 million investment in new guest experiences and improvements, hinting at further development in the next five years. Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel guidance platform, recently announced Silver Dollar City, located in the picturesque Ozark Mountains, as the number one amusement park in the United States based on traveler reviews and ratings. 

 
“Signifying our biggest investment in a single attraction, FIRE IN THE HOLE continues Silver Dollar City’s strategic, multi-phased growth plan offering families opportunities to play and stay together in the heart of the Ozarks,” said Brad Thomas, President of the Silver Dollar City Company. “Spurring the creation of The Fire District, the custom-designed FIRE IN THE HOLE makes history as the Heartland’s largest indoor coaster. As the District’s anchor attraction, it will be a favorite rite of passage for families where one generation introduces the next generation to this adventure and where the heroes of today spark the heroes of tomorrow.”  

The coaster experience, with a powered incline and gravity descent, including three drops and a quick splash-landing, promises a thrilling ride. In addition, a custom soundtrack with high-resolution onboard audio, show lighting effects and enhanced special effects, like using fiber optics to create a fast-burning fuse, heightens the ride experience and brings the FIRE IN THE HOLE story to life. Nearly a third-of-amile long, the new ride is housed in a five-story, temperature-controlled building to ensure ridership regardless of weather.   

True to Silver Dollar City’s roots, the new ride's storyline is steeped in authentic regional heritage as the story is a fictional account of a real night in Ozark Mountain history when the mining town of Marmaros was burned to the ground by notorious vigilantes called the Baldknobbers. Created for multiple generations, FIRE IN THE HOLE depicts the day when Silver Dollar City citizens of all ages are pressed into service to save their town. The makers of the finest fire wagons in America’s Heartland, the Silver Dollar City Pumper Factory, invite the townspeople to the unveiling of their newest model.  Instead, the visitors find the town in flames due to the reckless Baldknobbers. Ignited into action, everyone bands together to battle the fire. 
  

Known for pioneering innovation in the theme park industry, and a decade since they first teamed together on the history-making, award-winning Outlaw Run, Silver Dollar City once again partners with Idaho-based Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) to custom engineer and manufacture the new FIRE IN THE HOLE“Like Silver Dollar City, Rocky Mountain Construction is committed to creating custom-built ride experiences that haven’t been done before,” said Darren Torr, President of RMC. “We loved the challenge of engineering, fabricating, and installing the one-of-a-kind FIRE IN THE HOLE, creating a new ride experience while honoring a legendary coaster. It feels fondly familiar, yet it will be daringly different.”  

The new attraction is inspired by the original FIRE IN THE HOLE attraction, first imagined, engineered and custom built at Silver Dollar City in 1972. Now celebrating its final season at the Ozarks park, the first FIRE IN THE HOLE made history when it opened, being lauded as one of the world’s first indoor roller coasters. To date, more than 25 million guests have experienced the original Ozark adventure and final rides continue through the end of the 2023 season.  

Given next year's excitement, Silver Dollar City will offer a 2024 season pass pre-sale October 9-31. During the pre-sale, passes will be offered at the lowest prices of the season and include early line access to FIRE IN THE HOLE in the spring.