Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

Man, even with what little track is up, it is already looking amazing!

Honestly, and to the best of my knowledge, that is (one of) the BIGGEST station I have ever seen built!

I understand it probably has transfer track and workshop areas for working on the trains.

But still - it's an awesome "HOUSE" waiting to be moved into, LOL!

Not my photos but some additional coaster construction images were posted on the sdcfans.com forums recently.

Check them out!

Another view of that large swooping piece of track that continues to grow.

An interesting concrete structure continues to get built up just below the station very close to ThuNderaTion behind the trees there. A support structure for housing a launch element or possibly a big inversion? Look at all those footers clustered around it.

Lastly a gigantic pit is being dug out just below the station where the coaster is presumed to start from, with retaining walls also being constructed, I'd be stoked if this winds up being a dive tunnel of some sort.

Yeah... Definitely looks like the making of a typical spinning coaster...

^is that a bad thing though?

I was being sarcastic. It wouldn't be a bad thing for me, but I probably wouldn't care to stand in a forty-five minute line to ride it, or drive five hours to get there.

^It's been rumoured for ages though that it'll be an extreme spinning coaster with possible inversions and not just a normal spinner

^It's been rumoured for ages

Holy time distortion, Batman!

Yeah... Definitely looks like the making of a typical spinning coaster...

I still see both options being available.

^If this is a "world's first," that would make sense as there is already a launched spinning coaster with inversions. I feel like a non-spinning coaster has the potential to be more intense, so I do hope there is no spinning factor, but I am guessing the coaster will be pretty wild either way. I definitely do not think this will be a family coaster like Cobra's Curse.

I was in the area last week and didn't get to visit the park, but you could see the construction from Indian Point Road (I was staying at a resort down the road), and the new, large construction gate was open on Wednesday and Thursday. I must say I was surprised at how high the station looked above the ground and hill below. We may be getting a kick-ass drop right out of the station!

The pictures above are probably better than the one I grabbed driving by. My phone is beyond messed up at the moment, but we'll see if the picture was backed up once my replacement comes in.

I'll be there next week. I'll try and get some pictures.

Regarding the "Worlds First" talk, a few light bulbs lit up while I was browsing the Mack Rides webpage with their coaster catalog and I noticed that their newest coaster type, "The Big Dipper" appears to be a competitor to B&M Dive Coasters. Another thing to note is that (according to their site and RCDB) this type only has one living example which is Lost Gravity. However, that coaster does not have the signature holding brake and dive drop that is associated with a dive coaster and is merely an intense wild mouse type coaster with inversions, unlike the concept render shown below.

Sources:

https://mack-rides.com/products/rollercoaster/bigdipper/

https://rcdb.com/15064.htm

So with all that being said, granted this might be a long shot theory, could this new coaster be Mack's first true large scale Big Dipper dive coaster design? That presumed massive drop right out of the station seems to point to this. It would definitely fit the category for a worlds first with this company. For a long time SDC was rumored to be getting a B&M and more specifically a Dive Coaster. But perhaps it was actually a Mack Coaster they were interested in all along and the past surveys were simply misinterpreted and were meant for choosing between a Mack Spinning Coaster or the new Big Dipper Dive Coaster type?

Only negative I have on this is the low capacity versus the B&M version. And of course this theory is dependent on the rumors of whether or not this thing will have any launches. I don't see those working properly with a Big Dipper car.

Regarding the "Worlds First" talk, a few light bulbs lit up while I was browsing the Mack Rides webpage with their coaster catalog and I noticed that their newest coaster type, "The Big Dipper" appears to be a competitor to B&M Dive Coasters. Another thing to note is that (according to their site and RCDB) this type only has one living example which is Lost Gravity. However, that coaster does not have the signature holding brake and dive drop that is associated with a dive coaster and is merely an intense wild mouse type coaster with inversions, unlike the concept render shown below.

 

 

Sources:

https://mack-rides.com/products/rollercoaster/bigdipper/

https://rcdb.com/15064.htm

 

So with all that being said, granted this might be a long shot theory, could this new coaster be Mack's first true large scale Big Dipper dive coaster design? That presumed massive drop right out of the station seems to point to this. It would definitely fit the category for a worlds first with this company. For a long time SDC was rumored to be getting a B&M and more specifically a Dive Coaster. But perhaps it was actually a Mack Coaster they were interested in all along and the past surveys were simply misinterpreted and were meant for choosing between a Mack Spinning Coaster or the new Big Dipper Dive Coaster type?

 

Only negative I have on this is the low capacity versus the B&M version. And of course this theory is dependent on the rumors of whether or not this thing will have any launches. I don't see those working properly with a Big Dipper car.

Given the height of the station and the deep trench down below, you might be on to something. Give it a Blue Fire length train that can be either stationary or free spin in certain parts of the track and you have the world's first spinning dive coaster with or without inversions or launches . Take a look at thunderation, it has a kid course lift hill to give it the juice to make it back to the station, this ride simply incorporates a launch instead to do the same.

After finally riding g a drop track coaster with Verbolten, SDC needs one of those as well. Think of a revamped Fire in the hole with the bridge now being a drop track track and launch into a dark ride section.

Hey TPR!

We were able to score 2 day passes to sdc, and plan on hitting it up next week. Being that we have 2 full days now, we are skipping the purchase of fast lanes. Is there a good plan of attack to conquer this park? What coasters or rides should we get to early to avoid hour long lines?

Also...

1. How is the bbq buffet restaurant?

2. Is the cinniman bread as good as Dollywoods?

3. Cave tour...yes or no?

4. Besides the bbq buffet, is there another good option to eat at? Keep in mind, we typically like to avoid the standard burger or chicken strip places. We really enjoyed the ham and beans restaurant at Dollywood, so maybe something along those lines.

5. How does the parent swap program work at this park? Does the whole party(infants and all) have to wait in line together, or one parent wait in line and the other be at the exit of the ride?

6. The park closes fairly early, so any recommendations for things to do in Branson at night? We have 3 kids, so something family friendly.

Thanks for any suggestions!

If you have two days to spend at the park, you won't really need to have a "plan of attack". You should be able to hit everything up plenty. This is a park with great operations and usually the crowds aren't huge and are very spread out among the many things there are to do. Summer time is definitely busier and the crowds are more focused on rides, so you could see some lines of 15-30 mins, but that's a long wait at this park. My only suggestion in terms of planning is to hit Powderkeg first. That's the one ride that is going to build a line and keep it. Outlaw Run has various surges in it's line throughout the day, but it's so extreme that most people don't tend to ride it over and over again so it doesn't seem to keep a line like Powderkeg does.

To answer your question list:

1. If you are referring to the Mine/Mill, then it is excellent. Probably my favorite restaurant in a park, and it is all you can eat. As BBQ goes, it's nothing to be excited about, but it is a full buffet with salad, desert, and several great home-style entrees.

2. It's actually better, IMO

3. Sure, if you have time. It's a decent cave, and it gives a lot of insight into the origin of the park and area.

4. There's a new Qdoba-style restaurant called Percy's that is supposed to be good. There's also a couple skillet stands that you'll see. Not a lot of the homecooking restaurants left these days outside of the Mine/Mill. We lost our Fried Chicken/Beans/Cornbread place...

5. Never dealt with the parent swap, but tell the ride attendants what you're doing and they'll work with you. They are very professional and easy-going, especially if it isn't busy. It's not like dealing with a bunch of kid ride ops.

6. Maybe look into the new Bigfoot tower complex? It's got a drop tower that looks like it was built by Intamin (not sure of the manufacturer yet), a mini-golf course, and some indoor play stuff. There's also the Track family of parks, one of which has the big ferris wheel. There's also Branson Landing, which is a huge outdoor shopping area with a lot of amenities and a neat propelled zipline over the river and even a hot air balloon ride.

Regarding the "Worlds First" talk, a few light bulbs lit up while I was browsing the Mack Rides webpage with their coaster catalog and I noticed that their newest coaster type, "The Big Dipper" appears to be a competitor to B&M Dive Coasters. Another thing to note is that (according to their site and RCDB) this type only has one living example which is Lost Gravity. However, that coaster does not have the signature holding brake and dive drop that is associated with a dive coaster and is merely an intense wild mouse type coaster with inversions, unlike the concept render shown below.

 

 

Sources:

https://mack-rides.com/products/rollercoaster/bigdipper/

https://rcdb.com/15064.htm

 

So with all that being said, granted this might be a long shot theory, could this new coaster be Mack's first true large scale Big Dipper dive coaster design? That presumed massive drop right out of the station seems to point to this. It would definitely fit the category for a worlds first with this company. For a long time SDC was rumored to be getting a B&M and more specifically a Dive Coaster. But perhaps it was actually a Mack Coaster they were interested in all along and the past surveys were simply misinterpreted and were meant for choosing between a Mack Spinning Coaster or the new Big Dipper Dive Coaster type?

 

Only negative I have on this is the low capacity versus the B&M version. And of course this theory is dependent on the rumors of whether or not this thing will have any launches. I don't see those working properly with a Big Dipper car.

I am 100% okay with this!!!

I highly doubt this is what the park is getting, but we never know!!

Regarding the "Worlds First" talk, a few light bulbs lit up while I was browsing the Mack Rides webpage with their coaster catalog and I noticed that their newest coaster type, "The Big Dipper" appears to be a competitor to B&M Dive Coasters. Another thing to note is that (according to their site and RCDB) this type only has one living example which is Lost Gravity. However, that coaster does not have the signature holding brake and dive drop that is associated with a dive coaster and is merely an intense wild mouse type coaster with inversions, unlike the concept render shown below.

 

...

 

Sources:

https://mack-rides.com/products/rollercoaster/bigdipper/

https://rcdb.com/15064.htm

 

So with all that being said, granted this might be a long shot theory, could this new coaster be Mack's first true large scale Big Dipper dive coaster design? That presumed massive drop right out of the station seems to point to this. It would definitely fit the category for a worlds first with this company. For a long time SDC was rumored to be getting a B&M and more specifically a Dive Coaster. But perhaps it was actually a Mack Coaster they were interested in all along and the past surveys were simply misinterpreted and were meant for choosing between a Mack Spinning Coaster or the new Big Dipper Dive Coaster type?

 

Only negative I have on this is the low capacity versus the B&M version. And of course this theory is dependent on the rumors of whether or not this thing will have any launches. I don't see those working properly with a Big Dipper car.

It's possible. The thing is, if they are truly pushing "one of a kind" or a world-record, then simply being the first of biggest of a particular model from a particular manufacturer isn't going to cut it. There's going to be some sort of edge to this ride. Doesn't have to be spinning per se, but they were definitely hinting at something. Could be seats that tilt, could be a car design that swings backwards at certain points, could be free spinning on certain portions and locked on others, etc, etc.

The big dipper model could be the "base" though... Seems like Mack kind of has a system they are building, where you could put all kinds of vehicle variants on their track.

It's possible. The thing is, if they are truly pushing "one of a kind" or a world-record, then simply being the first of biggest of a particular model from a particular manufacturer isn't going to cut it. There's going to be some sort of edge to this ride. Doesn't have to be spinning per se, but they were definitely hinting at something.

I agree 100%. Although it's good thinking to bring up the Mack dive coaster, marketing it at the first Mack dive coaster vs. the first B&M coaster is a bust. "I rode this same ride at Cedar Point last year only it was taller and held more people."

Hey TPR!

 

We were able to score 2 day passes to sdc, and plan on hitting it up next week. Being that we have 2 full days now, we are skipping the purchase of fast lanes. Is there a good plan of attack to conquer this park? What coasters or rides should we get to early to avoid hour long lines?

Also...

 

1. How is the bbq buffet restaurant?

2. Is the cinniman bread as good as Dollywoods?

3. Cave tour...yes or no?

4. Besides the bbq buffet, is there another good option to eat at? Keep in mind, we typically like to avoid the standard burger or chicken strip places. We really enjoyed the ham and beans restaurant at Dollywood, so maybe something along those lines.

5. How does the parent swap program work at this park? Does the whole party(infants and all) have to wait in line together, or one parent wait in line and the other be at the exit of the ride?

6. The park closes fairly early, so any recommendations for things to do in Branson at night? We have 3 kids, so something family friendly.

 

Thanks for any suggestions!

1. Mine Restaurant is excellent. I'd compare the quality to Dollywood's Aunt Granny's.

2. I found the cinnamon bread to be equally good at both parks. Others prefer one or the other, but the difference is clearly not drastic.

3. Yes, absolutely. You will not get another chance to take a cave tour at a theme park.

4. SDC doesn't do typical theme park food. The skillets are where it's at. Make sure you get one at some point. I'm loving the new Percy's Southwest Grill, and Riverside Ribhouse is great as well.

5. Everyone waits in line, then when it's time to board, one parent goes with the under-height child and waits at the exit. When the family comes back around again, the parents switch places. The kids who are of eligible height actually get to ride twice this way.

6. Lots of mini golf and go kart places around town, and Branson Landing is a great outdoor mall downtown with plenty of good chain restaurants. There's a water feature down on Lake Taneycomo right in the middle of the mall that's very fun. I would normally recommend The Runaway alpine coaster, but it was damaged in a recent storm and hasn't yet reopened.

^Thank's for that info.

One more thing about the parent swap..... One of our kids is in a stroller, can a stroller actually fit in the line? Most other parks have a parent wait in line, and then switch with the other parent at the exit of the ride.

In most cases, no. There are often stairs in the queues. This park is very hilly. If you must have a stroller, you could ask about the parent swap at the disabled entrance. I haven't done this myself, so no guarantees, but at this park, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Regarding the "Worlds First" talk, a few light bulbs lit up while I was browsing the Mack Rides webpage with their coaster catalog and I noticed that their newest coaster type, "The Big Dipper" appears to be a competitor to B&M Dive Coasters. Another thing to note is that (according to their site and RCDB) this type only has one living example which is Lost Gravity. However, that coaster does not have the signature holding brake and dive drop that is associated with a dive coaster and is merely an intense wild mouse type coaster with inversions, unlike the concept render shown below.

 

 

Sources:

https://mack-rides.com/products/rollercoaster/bigdipper/

https://rcdb.com/15064.htm

 

So with all that being said, granted this might be a long shot theory, could this new coaster be Mack's first true large scale Big Dipper dive coaster design? That presumed massive drop right out of the station seems to point to this. It would definitely fit the category for a worlds first with this company. For a long time SDC was rumored to be getting a B&M and more specifically a Dive Coaster. But perhaps it was actually a Mack Coaster they were interested in all along and the past surveys were simply misinterpreted and were meant for choosing between a Mack Spinning Coaster or the new Big Dipper Dive Coaster type?

 

Only negative I have on this is the low capacity versus the B&M version. And of course this theory is dependent on the rumors of whether or not this thing will have any launches. I don't see those working properly with a Big Dipper car.

This made me think of awhile back I had counted the stud spacing on the opening of the drop

If the studs are 16 inches apart then the opening would be

About 7 feet 4 inches wide. If they went with 24 inch spacing then it would be 11 feet

Wide.

I'm just hoping it's not a spinner

I just spotted thick spined Mack track used for high stress elements literally right in front of the service entrance on 76! Several pieces litter this area. They aren't even trying to hide it anymore.

Haha. How could they? Thanks for snagging the shots. What tells you that they are high stress element pieces?

...What tells you that they are high stress element pieces?

The thickness of the spine...