The infamous Belle Isle Giant Slide is making its return this weekend — and officials say it's safer to ride

DETROIT (WWJ) — Brace yourselves, Detroit. The Belle Isle Giant Slide is coming back.

The beloved slide — which went viral in the summer of 2022 when videos showed riders flying and bouncing down the slide when it returned from a two-year hiatus — is set to kick off the season Friday, July 19.

The six-lane slide will be open with special hours, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, with other games and activities on-site, sponsored by the Belle Isle Conservancy and the Outdoor Adventure Center, according to a report from The Detroit News .

Rides will be free only on Friday. The rest of the summer, rides will cost $1 and the slide will be open 12:30 -5:30 p.m. on Fridays and 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

The slide was closed from 2020-2022 during the pandemic, but returned with a bang — and a thud — in August 2022. Clips showing riders going down the slide quite speedily instantly went viral, garnering national and local media attention.

From an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmell Show to its own song by Detroit rapper GMAC Cash, the giant slide definitely got its “15 minutes of fame.”

The DNR released an instructional video showing riders how to safely go down the slide as that summer wrapped up. After being open for just one weekend in 2023, officials announced this spring the slide would be making a comeback this summer.

Officials said at the time improvements will include a better landing surface than the rubber matting in place now, while the Michigan DNR, which operates the park and the slide, have improved the side curtain area. Officials said they were also working on boosting staff to instruct people how to properly ride it.

Crews working at the slide will also be “monitoring it constantly” and “have ways to keep it slow,” if riders are going too fast.