BRANSON, Mo. — The legendary Fire in the Hole ride at Silver Dollar City will hit the tracks one last time on Saturday, Dec. 30.
Since its opening in 1972, Fire in the Hole has made history as one of the world's first indoor roller coasters and longest-running indoor roller coaster.
Before its final ride, 48 lucky riders were selected by the 1880s theme park through different giveaways on social media to fill the four coaster trains for Fire in the Hole's "Grand Finale."
Although there are preselected riders for the final ride, Fire in the Hole will be open all day on Saturday for anyone to ride the indoor coaster one last time. The park will host live entertainment near the ride, Christmas caroling, pop-up surprises, and "visits from Silver Dollar City's most iconic citizens," according to a press release.
The famous ride sets the scene of a burning mining town that needs to be saved by volunteer firefighters, also known as the riders. However, the most famous part of the indoor coaster is when the announcer shouts "Fire in the hole," which is then followed by a splash-down water finale.
"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," Brad Thomas, Silver Dollar City president, said in a press release. "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."
Even though these are the final days of the 1972 ride, Silver Dollar City announced that it will debut a brand new Fire in the Hole this spring.
According to a press release, "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. "
The amusement park will maintain the famous Fire in the Hole story but add enhanced features, including the soundtrack, lighting, and other special effects.
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