“Miner’s Mountain Express”: New Coaster for Silver Dollar City
Visualization: Courtesy of Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts
(eap) Silver Dollar City in Stone County, Missouri, has announced the opening of a new family coaster for 2027. “Miner’s Mountain Express” is likely to serve as a successor to the existing mine train coaster “Thunderation”, which is scheduled to close in early January 2027. The new attraction will be located in “Daredevil Pass”, a newly created section of the park currently connecting the thrill rides “WildFire”, “PowderKeg” and “American Plunge”.
Miner’s Mountain Express will take guests on a ride aboard runaway mine cars through the rugged Ozarks terrain. Along the way, riders will dodge boulders and race past a flooded mine shaft – all while searching for a lost entrance to “Marvel Cave”. The theming and storyline are inspired by the real Marble Cave Mining Company, which operated on what is now the park site in the 1880s. Today, a roughly 15-story headframe sourced from a Missouri mine towers above the cave. The historical background is complemented by fictional elements. Guests will encounter mining foreman “Jedidiah ‘Jed’ Campbell”, whose motto “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” is intended to guide them in their search for the lost cave entrance.
“For Miner’s Mountain Express, we asked ourselves how families could step into the park’s own origin story, which literally began with a hole in the ground called Marvel Cave,” said Erica Rutledge, senior creative director at Herschend Creative Studios. “Every building, every tool and every detail was thoughtfully designed to honor the people who came before us while creating an unforgettable adventure for today’s families.”
During the more than three-minute ride, passengers will experience two lift hills and 15 airtime moments. In total, the coaster will cover more than half a mile (over 800 meters) of track. The minimum rider height will be around 39 inches (one meter) when accompanied by a supervising person. The new family coaster will be supplied by German ride manufacturer MACK Rides, which was also responsible for the park’s award-winning “Time Traveler” coaster. Much of the construction and theming is to be carried out by the park’s in-house team together with Herschend Creative Studios. The opening is scheduled for Spring 2027.
Miner’s Mountain Express is part of a USD 150 million investment phase that also includes the Silver Dollar City Resort, likewise scheduled to open in 2027. “For over 65 years, Silver Dollar City has entertained our guests through fun story-based adventures. This family coaster has been designed so that multiple generations of families can enjoy the mountain-themed adventure together,” said Brad Thomas, president of the Silver Dollar City Company. “Annually, Silver Dollar City welcomes visitors from every state in America. In 2027 and beyond, this family coaster and our all-new resort continue our growth strategy to invite even more guests to discover the Ozarks for their vacations and getaway weekends.” ■
