Wildfire (Silver Dollar City) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wildfire |
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One of Wildfire's trains navigating the Immellmann loop, with the vertical loop in the foreground
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| Silver Dollar City | |
| Location | Silver Dollar City |
| Park section | Hugo's Hill Street |
| Coordinates | 36°40′07″N 93°20′33″W / 36.66861°N 93.34250°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | April 4, 2001 |
| Cost | US$14 million |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Sitting Coaster |
| Track layout | Custom |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 120 ft (37 m) |
| Drop | 155 ft (47 m) |
| Length | 3,073 ft (937 m) |
| Speed | 66 mph (106 km/h) |
| Inversions | 5 |
| Duration | 2:16 |
| Max vertical angle | 63° |
| Capacity | 1,300 riders per hour |
| G-force | 3.6 |
| Height restriction | 52 in (132 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train. |
| Wildfire at RCDB | |
Wildfire is an exciting steel roller coaster found at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. This thrilling ride cost $14 million to build. It was made by a Swiss company called Bolliger & Mabillard. Wildfire first opened to the public on April 4, 2001.
The ride has a cool theme: it's like a flying machine from the 1880s. An inventor from the Ozarks supposedly created it! Wildfire stands 120 feet (37 meters) tall. It can reach a top speed of 66 miles per hour (106 km/h). This makes it the tallest and second fastest ride at Silver Dollar City. The track is 3,073 feet (937 meters) long. Along the way, riders go through five upside-down sections, called inversions. These include an Immelmann loop, a vertical loop, a cobra roll, and a corkscrew.
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Building Wildfire: A Look Back
In July 2000, Silver Dollar City announced big news. They were adding the Wildfire roller coaster for the 2001 season. This ride was a huge project. At $14 million, it was the most expensive attraction the park had ever built.
Construction for Wildfire was already underway when it was announced. Workers were building it on a new part of the park's land. The ride's foundations were set, and some steel supports were already up. The park expected construction to finish by early January the next year. This gave them three months to test the ride. They also had time to add landscaping and special themes. On April 4, 2001, Wildfire officially welcomed its first riders.
Wildfire's Design and Features
The Wildfire roller coaster track is 3,073 feet (937 meters) long. It features five exciting inversions. These include an Immelmann loop, a vertical loop, a cobra roll, and a corkscrew. The park is built on the Ozark Mountains. This natural landscape helps make the ride even more thrilling.
The ride uses the terrain to its advantage. A 120-foot (37-meter) lift hill takes riders up high. Then, they plunge down a first drop of 155 feet (47 meters). Riders reach a top speed of 66 miles per hour (106 km/h). The entire ride lasts about 2 minutes and 16 seconds. The track parts were made by Clermont Steel Fabricators in Ohio.
Wildfire uses two trains. Usually, one train is loading new riders while the other is on the track. Each train has eight cars. Four riders can sit side-by-side in each car. Riders are held safely in place by over-the-shoulder restraints. This design allows about 1,300 riders to experience Wildfire every hour.
The Story Behind the Ride
Wildfire is located in the "Hugo's Hill Street" area of Silver Dollar City. The ride tells the story of an 1880s Ozark inventor. His name was Dr. Horatio Harris. Dr. Harris dreamed of creating a flying machine. He wanted to fly across the beautiful Ozark Mountains.
The name Wildfire comes from the special fuel Dr. Harris supposedly invented for his flying machine. The area where you wait in line and board the ride looks like Dr. Harris's laboratory. It also looks like his invention warehouse. When you get on the roller coaster, you're boarding his amazing Wildfire-powered flying machine! A year after the ride opened, Silver Dollar City even started selling a "Wildfire Burger." It's a hot and spicy hamburger, named after the ride.
Your Wildfire Ride Experience
Your adventure on Wildfire begins when the train leaves the station. It makes a 180-degree turn to the right. Then, the train starts its climb up the chain lift hill to a height of 120 feet (37 meters).
At the very top, the train turns 90 degrees to the left. Get ready for the exciting first drop! You'll plunge down 155 feet (47 meters). After this thrilling drop, you'll go through an Immelmann loop. Next comes a vertical loop. Then, you'll experience a cobra roll, which flips you upside down twice! The train then speeds up a banked curve. It goes into a corkscrew, followed by a 230-degree turn. Finally, the ride smoothly enters the final brake run, bringing your adventure to an end.
