Here's when Silver Dollar City will host new Fire In The Hole's grand opening

After much anticipation, Silver Dollar City's new Fire In The Hole roller coaster will open later this month.

Silver Dollar City announced Friday that a grand opening for the new indoor coaster will be held at 9:45 a.m. Saturday, March 30. Theme park president Brad Thomas will be on site to help cut a ceremonial ribbon and welcome eager guests. The park's resident firefighting band will perform throughout the day and every rider will receive a commemorative "First Recruit" sticker.

Silver Dollar City announced construction of the new Fire In The Hole coaster last summer, following the closure of the 51-year-old Fire In The Hole, which held its final ride in December 2023.

The new Fire In The Hole is about one-third of a mile in length at 1,512 feet, moving at 8 feet per second. The coaster is housed within a five-story, climate-controlled building. It features three drops, a water splash-down and 14 show scenes, many of which carry over from the original ride.

More: Here are some new twists and turns coming to Silver Dollar City's Fire In The Hole

The theme park hopes to clear up the ride's story with built-in speakers on each of the train cars. Similar to the original ride, the new story is about a group of Bald Knobbers rigging an explosive on top of a water tower. The story follows Bald Knobbers Patches, Bugs and Wiley, who are comparable to The Three Stooges.

In addition to built-in speakers, each train car features grate-like flooring to help drain water caught on the ride accumulated during splash scenes.

The entrance to the new ride is where the Firemans Flyer swings were previously; this ride has now moved across the street.

The opening of the new Fire In The Hole coaster coincides with the park's new Fire District, which features Flanders' Dry Goods, a Red Flanders-themed store, and Sadie's Pretzel Cafe, a full-service restaurant.

When does Silver Dollar City open in 2024?

The park opens for the season on March 9 for spring break. Visit the park's website for hours and ticket information.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Silver Dollar City will open new Fire In The Hole on March 30