Silver Dollar City Announces Miner’s Mountain Express, a New Family Coaster Coming in 2027

Silver Dollar City is getting ready to add another major coaster to its lineup, and this one comes with a story that reaches all the way back to the park’s Ozarks roots.

The park has unveiled Miner’s Mountain Express, a new family coaster scheduled to open in spring 2027. The attraction will take riders on a runaway mining expedition through the Ozark Mountains, combining coaster thrills with the history and storytelling that have become a hallmark of Silver Dollar City.

Miner’s Mountain Express will be located in Daredevil Pass, a new area connecting several of Silver Dollar City’s existing thrill rides, including WildFire, PowderKeg and American Plunge.

The attraction draws inspiration from the real Marble Cave Mining Company, which operated on the property during the 1880s. That history is especially fitting because the cave that would eventually become Marvel Cave played a major role in the creation of Silver Dollar City itself.

The story gets a little more adventurous once guests board the ride.

Riders will climb into runaway mine cars and race through rugged Ozarks terrain, dodging boulders, passing a flooded mine shaft and searching for a lost entrance to Marvel Cave. The experience will also introduce guests to fictional mining foreman Jedidiah “Jed” Campbell, whose determination becomes part of the attraction’s larger story about perseverance and adventure.

In other words, Silver Dollar City isn’t simply building another family coaster. The park is using the attraction to tell a story about the history that helped shape the destination.

The details of Miner’s Mountain Express

There are some impressive numbers attached to Miner’s Mountain Express.

The coaster will feature more than half a mile of track, making it the longest family coaster in the Midwest, according to Silver Dollar City. The ride will last approximately 3 minutes and 18 seconds and include two lift hills and 15 airtime moments.

Perhaps most importantly for families, the minimum height requirement will be just 39 inches when accompanied by a supervising companion.

That puts the attraction firmly in the family-coaster category while still giving older riders plenty to look forward to.

An Authentic Piece of Missouri Mining History

One of the most eye-catching elements of the new attraction will actually be sitting outside the coaster.

Guests will enter beneath a towering 15-story headframe, an authentic structure sourced from a working Missouri mine. Silver Dollar City says the headframe will help anchor the attraction’s mining theme and give Daredevil Pass a distinctive visual centerpiece.

The park is also emphasizing the details throughout the attraction. Weathered mining structures, rockwork, equipment and other elements will be used to make the coaster feel like an expedition into the historic Ozarks rather than simply a ride surrounded by theming.

That approach feels particularly appropriate for Silver Dollar City, where craftsmanship and storytelling are such a big part of the park experience.

Part of a Bigger Expansion for Silver Dollar City

Miner’s Mountain Express is also part of a much larger investment in the park.

Silver Dollar City says the coaster is included in a $150 million investment in the destination’s next chapter. That expansion also includes the new Silver Dollar City Resort, which is scheduled to open in 2027. Together, the projects are intended to encourage more guests to turn a visit to the park into a multi-day Ozarks vacation.

The timing is also significant because 2026 marks the final season for Thunderation, Silver Dollar City’s longtime runaway mine train. The park has announced that Thunderation will operate for the final time in 2026 after more than three decades of sending guests through the Ozarks.

While Miner’s Mountain Express isn’t simply a replacement for Thunderation, its mining theme makes the arrival of a new mine-themed coaster particularly interesting.

When Will Miner’s Mountain Express Open?

Silver Dollar City plans to open Miner’s Mountain Express in spring 2027.

The coaster is being developed in collaboration with MACK Rides, the German manufacturer that previously worked with Silver Dollar City on Time Traveler. Much of the attraction’s construction, theming and craftsmanship will also be handled by Silver Dollar City’s own teams and Herschend Creative Studios.

Based on what has been announced so far, Miner’s Mountain Express looks like it could become one of Silver Dollar City’s most interesting family attractions — not necessarily because it is the tallest or fastest coaster in the park, but because it combines a substantial coaster experience with a story that is deeply connected to the history of the park itself.

And with 15 airtime moments, more than half a mile of track and a 39-inch minimum height requirement, it could end up being a coaster that the whole family can enjoy together.

Miner’s Mountain Express is scheduled to open at Silver Dollar City in spring 2027.

Clint Gamache

Clint Gamache is the owner of ThrillGeek. He started ThrillGeek to share his love of theme/amusement parks and pop culture with the world. You can find him at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter/X, Instagram @iamcg83