ytterbiumanalyst

No, there is unfortunately no such program. Trailblazer Pass is your only option if you're not wanting to wait. However, except for Outlaw Run and Wildfire, everything is pretty kid-friendly. There are three family coasters; Powder Keg and Thunderation have a 42" min height when riding with a parent, and Fire in the Hole's minimum is 36" with a parent. Wildfire has excellent operations, and the queue can be out the front door and still take under an hour, even on Saturdays in the summer. So Outlaw Run's really going to be your only long wait, and this year there's just no getting around that.

We actually had a different tornado from that same storm system a little south of Table Rock Lake along the MO/AR border and most of southwest MO was under a tornado watch, and several counties a tornado warning, most of the night. It's possible debris was carried that far; the storm was moving about 55 MPH and hit us about 5 hours or so after Oklahoma City. Amazing things, tornadoes. I know how Joplin looked last year; Moore seems about the same from the pictures I've seen.

Interesting topic. Of course, these will be rides at our home parks. So for me, it's Silver Dollar City. My most ridden coaster would have to be Thunderation. I was eight when it was built, and it was the only "real" coaster the park had at the time (the only other being the fantastic dark ride/coaster hybrid Fire in the Hole, which is still operating). Now that my daughter is getting into coasters too, coupled with the fact that it generally has short lines these days, means it's easy to hit this just about every visit. My most ridden dark ride would be Flooded Mine. I loved this as a kid, and it's held up well over the years. The park added an interactive light-gun element in the early nineties, which really increased its re-rideability. Silver Dollar City didn't have any flat rides to speak of until just a few years ago. They did have a balloon ride in the children's area when I was a kid, but I never really liked it. So he flat ride I've ridden the most is probably the Grand Wave Carousel, a Zamperla chairswing. It's my daughter's favourite flat ride, and we simply must ride this every time.

Indeed. I always liked the ride, but it wasn't until I started reading the forum here that I really began to appreciate it. I haven't been on that many coasters, and all but one have been in the Midwest, so I just didn't realize it was unique. I second that this ride deserves the front seat. The airtime is always good, but is extra special in the front. Plus, because the station building is rather narrow, and you come in behind the eighth row, you kind of have to squeeze past the crowd to get to the front. Consequently, the front line queue tends to be just about the same length as all the others.

Outlaw Run breaks down almost every day, but usually it's only for a half hour or so. I've waited through the downtime, it's not terrible. Monday the 13th most schools are still in session here, so there won't be anybody in the park. In general, the crowds start coming around the time SDC goes to daily operations. Before and after that, on weekdays everything's a walk on, or at worst, a 5 minute wait. As for motels, I would suggest Branson West. It's only about 5 miles from the park, and you'll find several decent $50-ish places. If all you need is a place to crash for the night, you'll do better in Branson West than in Branson itself. If you really want a nice hotel, the Hilton downtown is great, but in my opinion, why stay at a four-star hotel in a two-star town? Seems kind of a waste.

Thunderation. Twenty years old and still as great as ever.

Where? I only saw the main queue and the Trailblazer Pass line. I'm not sure how much they are going to be doing so, but on the second day (Saturday) they were directing single riders first thing in the morning to the Trailblazer Pass line. Only about 8 people or so got in line. I was about to get on the next train when the ride broke down after like the first three trains of the day. So I waited there for about 45 minutes. Amazingly, almost no one else got in the line. Then when the ride opened, I rode it, got in back in the single riders' line and rode again after about a 7-8 minute wait, and then rode it a third time after about a 10 minute wait. It was awesome. But I'm not sure if that was just a temporary way of handling the heavy crowds of opening weekend or whether it will be a semi-permament thing. My guess if that it won't last because the signage for that line seemed to be marked for the Trailblazer line only, and I don't see how the logistics would work using one queue for both Trailblazer Passholders AND single riders... Wow, I wish I had known they were doing that. I waited about an hour and a half (I didn't really mind, I expected longer opening weekend, but still...). If that is a permanent thing, then I could see it diminishing the value of the Trailblazer Pass somewhat, although passholders would still get to choose their seats and single riders would have to take whatever seats are open. On the positive side, having a dedicated single rider queue would ensure a full train every time, and since OR's capacity is 24 each train, and only runs two trains, that's very important. One other indication that the single rider line may be permanent is that the last ride they built, 2010's River Blast, does have separate lines for 1-2 riders and 3-8 riders. SDC may be going that route with the newer attractions. Sure beats yelling "Any groups of 2?" as they've done for years on Lost River and other capacity-challenged yet popular rides. We'll next be there around the start of World-Fest, so I'll have to see if I can get in the Trailblazer Pass line as just a single rider.

Outlaw Run is 28x better than Iron Rattler. Because Iron Rattler is 28x farther from my house.

I'd like to see what the numbers are like on Outlaw Run. That ride had me out of my seat for what seemed like most of the ride. And there was the weird sideways airtime on the 90 degree turn after passing through the lift hill supports. OH YES! No doubt Outlaw Run is going to be up there. If you get a chance to ride it again, get an accelerometer app for your phone. You can turn the app on when you are about to get on, and let it run the whole ride with the phone in your pocket and that will tell you during which portions of the ride you experienced airtime. It's pretty cool collecting your own airtime data! Interesting; I didn't know such a thing existed. And I will be riding OR again; SDC is my local park, and we've got season passes.

Everyone seems to be voting for their hometowns, so yeah, the Ozarks is not a terrible place. There are quite a few parks within a day's driving distance (even if most of them are Six Flags parks) Silver Dollar City - 30 minutes Worlds of Fun - 3 hours Six Flags St. Louis - 3 hours Frontier City - 5 hours Magic Springs - 5 hours Adventureland - 8 hours Six Flags Great America - 9 hours Six Flags over Texas - 9 hours And if you really wanted to push it, other cities are open. I personally have driven to San Antonio, Houston, Denver, and Minneapolis each in one day. It's a very long trip (about 14 hours or so), but pretty much everything between the Rockies and the Appalachians can be driven in that time period. Jut have a second driver, and it's not bad. A third and it can actually be pleasant.

I'd like to see what the numbers are like on Outlaw Run. That ride had me out of my seat for what seemed like most of the ride. And there was the weird sideways airtime on the 90 degree turn after passing through the lift hill supports.

Where? I only saw the main queue and the Trailblazer Pass line.

My last coaster was OUTLAW RUN!

So I got to ride Outlaw Run today, and this is most definitely the best coaster at Silver Dollar City. It's like the love child of Boss and Wildfire encountered too much gamma radiation and gained superpowers. It is my new favorite coaster, and one of, if not the best coaster I've ever ridden.

I remember hearing that when Mr. Freeze was testing, the heads flew off all the dummies. Also, that a rider fell off Timber Wolf trying to change seats at the top of the lift hill.

As much as I've been watching the construction all last year, it really feels like this video shows off more than I've seen even in person. A ride isn't a ride until there are people on it. SDC is very much intertwined in the culture and economy of the Ozarks, and whatever they do feels like something the community has accomplished. This ride is a real achievement, and I find it amazing that so many of you are so excited for something us backwoods country folk have put together. We're overlooked by so many so much of the time it is genuinely surprising when people from far away stop to pay attention to us. I hope y'all like it; I'll be there this weekend myself.

I would suggest flying into Springfield. What isn't apparent unless you know the area well is that the Branson Airport isn't very close to Branson at all. In fact, it's down near the Arkansas border. Also, during the tourist season, 65 and 465 have very heavy traffic, while 76 through town is at a crawl. So fly into Springfield instead and the take the back way. From the airport (assuming you've rented a car rather than taking one of the tour buses), go east on Division St./Greene County EE to West By-Pass/US-160. Go south on 160 until you hit James River Freeway/US-60/US-160. Turn left (east) onto the highway and take it two exits to Campbell Ave./US-160/MO-13. Make a right (south). Stay on MO-13 until you reach Branson West (US-160 will split from MO-13 a few miles south of Springfield), then turn left onto MO-76. Go east on 76 until you reach Indian Point Rd., which is the entrance to SDC. Total time from the airport to SDC should be about an hour, and you shouldn't hit traffic, even during the busy season, until just before Indian Point.

We were going through Osage Beach this weekend, so we stopped by Miner Mike's for a few hours. The kids loved it. We rode Runaway Mine Train five times.

The park ceases daily operations on August 12 this year, but Tues 8/6 or Wed 8/7 would be good days to go. Be there early; in the afternoon we typically see temperatures around 100, and it's a humid, muggy heat.

ThuNderaTion at Silver Dollar City, 1993. My first big roller coaster, and last year, my daughter's first big roller coaster too.

Thank you very much! We certainly do appreciate all the people who come visit our corner of the world. It's a beautiful area, and tourism pays for a lot of what we have here. You'll be in great shape the week before World Fest (4/11-14). A lot of people go for Spring Break weekends or for World Fest. In between, the park isn't offering anything special, so crowds are a bit lighter. Of course, SDC has been heavily promoting Outlaw Run, so I expect a lot more people this year than last. I'd run to the back of the park, and I'd still count on an hour wait, even during the ordinarily show-focused early season.

I hear ya; we're right there too. For us the only definite is Silver Dollar City, but we're trying to work out a trip to Chicago as well, and since St. Louis is on the way, the two Six Flags parks would be part of this trip. If our vacation money turns into medical money, we'll just enjoy Branson like we did this last year. One new credit regardless!

No, Boss doesn't need Topper Track or Iron Horse track, and it certainly doesn't need a barrel roll. What it needs is maintenance. If they can repair/replace enough of the track to get it running again like it was in 2000, it'd be perfect. Back then, it was my favourite woodie, and I still think it has one of the best layouts out there. All it's ever needed is just to be kept in good condition--which is something Six Flags has never done.

Sure. June will be during the Kids Fest. Shows during this time are geared toward elementary age kids. We've had the Nik Wallenda circus the last couple of years, which was very impressive. Check the website the week you're going for the latest times; it's usually updated on Mondays. For the most part, shows run for the entirety of a festival, but sometimes things change from week to week. Also keep in mind that Saturdays are usually the only day all the shows are playing; the park gives two days off to each show, but varies which days so that almost all the shows will be performing. As far as rides go, the rides with the longest lines are always Lost River of the Ozarks (rapids ride), American Plunge (log flume), Wildfire, Powder Keg, and Grand Expo Coaster (kiddie coaster, very low capacity). My recommendation if you're wanting to get in all the rides is a two-day pass. There's too much to do, if you try to do it all in one day, you'll do nothing but run from one ride to the next all day. This is how I'd do it: Day 1 - The Headliners 8:30 - Main St. Square -- The park doesn't officially open until 9:30 (9:00 on Saturdays), but they will let you through the turnstiles at 8:30. The Square is the only place accessible until opening time; the rest of the park is roped off. There are several restaurants and carts here, so get breakfast. It's good. 9:30 - Outlaw Run -- Run, run like the wind to Wilson's Farm. May the spirit of Zephyrus and/or shoving others out of the way ensure you arrive first. Obviously, newest, most advertised coaster is going to have the longest line. 10:15 - Giant Barn Swing -- It's always popular, but being right next to Outlaw Run, so I expect it will have a bit of a crowd. As long as both sides are operating, it's about 30 mins. from the barn door (beginning of the queue) to the ride. 11:00 - Lost River of the Ozarks -- You don't want to wait until the afternoon if you expect ever to get on. It's a short walk from the Wilson's Farm area to the Riverfront. 12:00 - Tom and Huck's River Blast -- You passed it between the Barn Swing and the Lost River. There are two separate queues: one for groups of 1-2 and another for 3-8. You'll be in and out in no time if you split into groups of 2--plus, you'll get to battle each other during the ride! 12:30 - Powder Keg -- While everyone else is getting lunch, you'll get on faster. 1:15 - Fire in the Hole -- Right next to Powder Keg. Awesome and unique dark ride/roller coaster (it really is a little of both). 2:00 - A Show! Most of them have showtimes around 2:00, give or take, so plan your lunch place close to whichever show you are most interested in. 3:00 - lunch -- The buffet places on the Square are great if you didn't eat there for breakfast. If you're wanting something quick, Jack's Sandwich Board just off the Square is pretty good too. 3:45 - Flooded Mine -- Great dark ride. The entrance is right next to the train depot, so do NOT try to get on when the train has just arrived. You'll want to do this and the train, so do this first. 4:30 - Frisco Silver Dollar Line -- Not your typical theme park train: A real steam locomotive powers this ride. There's a show, too; it's usually pretty corny, but worth enduring to get to ride behind steam traction! The ride itself is about 20 minutes. 5:30 - Thunderation -- Toward the end of the day, the line for this fizzles to nothing. It's often a walkon, even on busy days. By riding about this time, you'll skip the assuredly hour-plus wait this ride always has earlier in the day. 6:30 - Outlaw Run -- Head on back to the reason you're coming. The park closes at 7, but as long as you're in line before then, you'll get to ride. Don't worry about hiking to your car; the trams will keep running until the last guest is out of the park. Day 2 - The Hidden Gems 8:30 - Back for breakfast again. 9:30 - Outlaw Run -- Yes, you're going to want more Outlaw Run. 10:15 - Wildfire -- The last big roller coaster you didn't hit yesterday. Because you haven't had enough inversions yet. 11:15 - American Plunge -- It's right next to Wildfire. Hit this early for the same reasons as Lost River. 12:00 - Grandfather's Mansion -- So now that you've been on all the big rides, it's time to experience this walk-through crooked house that was the park's first attraction as Silver Dollar City (the Marvel Cave tours predate the park) 12:30 - Marvel Cave -- That walk through Grandfather's Mansion was pretty short. You need a longer walk. Seriously, this is an awesome experience. A lot of the tour is on concrete, but you do get to see quite a bit of the natural formations as well. 2:00 - Another Show! -- There are a lot to choose from. You'll probably have trouble narrowing it down to just two. 3:00 - lunch -- Since you've likely eaten at the Square by now, try out one of the skillet places. They're all different and all awesome. 4:00 - Grand Expo -- This area has 11 children's/family rides. Teacups, tilt-a-whirl, swinging pirate ship, chairswings, Disko: all the amusement park staples. Capacity's pretty good on all but the kiddie coaster, so lines tend to move quickly. Adults can ride the Expo Coaster with or without a kid; no whoring required! 6:30 - Outlaw Run -- One last ride; just get there before 7, and you're good!

^ All that is assuming that HFE, who still own the property, want a successful theme park there at all. Personally, I'm of the opinion that they mainly bought Branson USA to eliminate the competition. It actually had quite a number of visitors, and did operate on a pay-per-ride model. Branson is kind of a discount vacation spot, after all, so Branson USA got a fair share of budget-minded families who maybe didn't want to pay $60 for a day at Silver Dollar City. The Herschends know business, and when they saw competition, they squashed it. But since they went to all that expense to buy their competition, why not see if they could make a profit? Problem is, this park succeeded as a low-cost alternative to SDC, but HFE was marketing it as an add-on to SDC, with three-park passes, and later hours at CC. They drove off Branson USA's main patronage. Like I said, though, that isn't a problem for them. They're pretty happy to sit on the land, which is in a prime spot at MO-76 and Shepherd of the Hills Expressway, and ensure there isn't another amusement park in town. Don't underestimate HFE's political power in Branson; they practically built the town. Marvel Cave was being marketed as an attraction before any of the theatres were built, and the park grew up from the success of the cave tours. A town doesn't ignore its largest employer, especially when that employer brings in so much tax revenue the city could never hope to have without them.