According to a report out of Silver Dollar City, the ride “Fire in the Hole” is closing. Normally, that wouldn’t be enough to land an article on That Park Place. However, this is a replica attraction of one at Dollywood.
It’s an antique dark ride with a small roller coaster drop. In the 1970s it was probably a real thrill-maker. In 2023, the ride has clearly seen better days. That’s not only true for Silver Dollar City’s attraction in Branson, Missouri, but it’s also the case for Dollywood. And, as you may recall, Dollywood has become one of the premier theme parks in North America.
With a redo likely on the way for Silver Dollar City, and with the company operating SDC also having a percentage ownership of Dollywood, speculation is beginning to rise that Dollywood will likewise modify the attraction after the 2023 season. That’s not confirmed but it would make sense in terms of saving money. Duplicating a refresh is cheaper than doing two versions of refurbishments or even having a staggered changeover for the two attractions at two parks.
The Branson, Missouri theme park announced this morning that this upcoming season will be the last for the original Fire In The Hole attraction at Silver Dollar City.
“More than 25 million guests have been entertained by the Fire In the Hole adventure since the attraction opened a half-century ago,” Silver Dollar City Attractions President Brad Thomas said. “Today’s riders include grandparents who remember riding when they were kids, and now they share the fun and unique experience with their grandkids.”
— Robert Niles, Theme Park Insider
If Blazing Fury at Dollywood closes, we expect similar celebrations for the original version of the ride to be ongoing this year. We’ll let you know if that happens, as well as report if Dollywood clarifies the attraction will remain there for at least a little longer.
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