ytterbiumanalyst

I'm really surprised too that no one posted that first one on page 115, fifth post.

Ninja at Six Flags St. Louis. I think my neck still hurts from it.

I vote Wildfire (SDC) #1, followed by Mamba (Worlds of Fun) and the Boss (Six Flags St. Louis) close behind.

I've ridden several from the 1970s: River King Mine Train (1971, Six Flags St. Louis) Fire in the Hole (1972, Silver Dollar City) Zambezi Zinger (1973, Worlds of Fun) ACME Gravity Powered Roller Coaster (1975, Six Flags St. Louis) Screamin' Eagle (1976, Six Flags St. Louis) Galaxi (1976, Cliff's Amusement Park) By far, though, the oldest ride I've been on is the Ferris wheel at Six Flags St. Louis, built in 1904.

I'm surprised. And impressed. That ride looks great.

Rattler was awful. I had a friend in college who had season passes to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and he got me in on a guest pass. I know some have a fondness for Rattler, my friend included, but I have no love for that ride at all. Couldn't be happier to see it torn down. Now Poltergeist, on the other hand, was probably my favourite ride of that trip.

I'd have a big terrain woodie like Boss, and an S&S Screamin' Swing.

Yeah, I don't think there's enough room there for a Busch Gardens-type park, nor to I think the Herschends would want to build one, since it would be serious competition for SDC. I know families like mine who have young kids would love such a park, and that's potentially a bad thing businesswise for HFE. Truthfully, I hope there's a future for OzCat. I'm just almost convinced we've already seen the last of it. Glad I got to ride it in its day.

I'm afraid that it is. Haven't seen it up close since the park closed, but we pass it on the way to SDC. Shame; I used to ride it over and over when Celebration City was still open. Such a good ride to be wasted on such a disappointing park. Depends on your preference. Both are tall and fast, but Boss has that woodie edge, IMO. It has a roughness that Mamba doesn't. If you like that roughness, go to Six Flags. If you don't, Worlds of Fun is the place for you.

I have to say Silver Dollar City takes the cake for strange layouts. Blame it on the mountain air, I don't know, but here it is: Thunderation (1993): An Arrow mine train, this coaster doesn't even get to the lift hill until the very end. It starts you out slowly, then you gradually pick up speed as you traverse a switchback down a bluff. The first element is a double helix into a tunnel, then you get to the first drop. I'd be surprised if it weren't the only coaster in the world with a helix before the first drop. Powder Keg (2005): A compressed-air launch coaster with a traditional lift hill at the end. As if that weren't enough, this ride zigzags in and out of its supports like it thinks it's a woodie. Outlaw Run (2013): Deceptively masquerading as a figure-eight layout, this woodie has three inversions. 'Nuff said.

I have to put in my vacation by October... I wonder what the chances are that OutRun will be open for WorldFest? Officially the park is saying spring 2013. The train design has been tested so it's doubtful any issues will arise there, so, I would think there would be a very good chance of the ride being open at some point during WorldFest. I'd say very good chance it will open sometime during WorldFest. The park always opens in mid-March, and when they have a new big ride, it's usually open by about mid-April at the latest. The biggest problem you're going to have, Texcoaster, is that the park has kind of a crazy schedule, and they don't release the new one until season passes go on sale on November 1. This year WorldFest was April 12-May 6. Simplified, the schedule is essentially Thurs-Sun until Memorial Day, then daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day, then back to Thurs-Sun until New Year's, when it closes for the season. But that's simplified. Some weeks the park will be open on a Monday or a Wednesday, and some weeks it's closed on Thursdays, too. Actually, for the next two weeks it's only open Fri-Sun, so my "daily till Labor Day" oversimplification doesn't hold up. In fact, the only day of the week it's never closed is Saturday. So, if I had to request off for next year before knowing the operating calendar, and the whole point of the trip is Outlaw Run, I'd go on a Friday in late April, to be sure that the park and Outlaw Run are open, and that it's not going to be so crowded that you won't get your money's worth.

^ Naturally. I still recommend that time for the trip.

^^ If you do come, you're going to want to come for WorldFest (April and early May). Most of the guests who come during this time are there for the shows, and the ride lines are very short, especially during the week. Plus, they do have some great shows if you can be parted from roller coasters for a half hour.

I agree that this is a signature ride for them and I cannot wait to try it out, but let's not forget Powder Keg which you cannot find something similar anywhere else (outside of China if I'm not mistaken) Really?! I'll admit my experience is pretty limited compared to some of y'all, but I'm kind of surprised you'd say this. There are plenty of launch coasters; I've been on Mr. Freeze in St. Louis and Poltergeist in San Antonio. What makes Powder Keg so different? The way the trains are moved to launch, the compressed air launch, the fire effects, the use of the terrain and the setting, the theming. The overwhelming response to this ride by the TPR tour there in 2010 was, "why haven't more parks built these??" It is just overall a very complete and great ride. I like the freezes and the flights of fear and other launchers - but none of them are as just plain fun as Powder Keg. I'm really impressed that y'all liked it so much. My daughter won't go on it yet (she's tall enough to go with me, but she's still pretty little), but she loves watching the pyro as it goes off. Personally, I love the airtime, the special effects, the theming--it's one of the reasons we haven't found a need to go all the way to Six Flags, when we've got such great rides half an hour away. Powder Keg is not merely a step up from Buzzsaw Falls (which it replaced)--it's in a whole other league. Its only fault is the poor reliability.

I agree that this is a signature ride for them and I cannot wait to try it out, but let's not forget Powder Keg which you cannot find something similar anywhere else (outside of China if I'm not mistaken) Really?! I'll admit my experience is pretty limited compared to some of y'all, but I'm kind of surprised you'd say this. There are plenty of launch coasters; I've been on Mr. Freeze in St. Louis and Poltergeist in San Antonio. What makes Powder Keg so different?

Thank you to those who posted pictures. This thing looks amazing. For the first time, Silver Dollar City has a signature ride, something that simply can't be found elsewhere. They made a big deal about tree cover in the announcement, too. Glad to see they understand the trees are as much an attraction for SDC as any of the rides are. If y'all are coming next spring, we'll join you that day. Can't wait!

According to Wikipedia (note the disclaimer): For those less familiar with SDC history, in 1969 the park had no roller coasters and only a couple of rides. It was still focused on the craftsmen, shops, etc., and still operated on a free entrance, pay per ride model. The new ride that season was Jim Owens' Float Trip, a boat ride with animatronics. The ride was remodeled sometime in the 1980s into the log flume American Plunge, which still operates. I can't find an exact date, and it was before my first trip there in 1988.

I kind of said hello on the SDC thread, but I'll formally introduce myself here. I'm Andy, and I live in Springfield, Missouri. We have three kids, the oldest of whom is almost 5. We brought her to Silver Dollar City for the first time last year, and she absolutely loved it. We go on average every other week now, and she's ridden almost all the rides she's tall enough for, including the American Plunge (a log flume with a 50' drop). I myself have been to a handful of parks in the Midwest, all during high school and college. My daughter's discovery of SDC has re-kindled the love I had as a kid for these rides, and I'm excited for her that the Grand Exposition has added so much to the experience. We love traveling, especially by train. I'm enjoying reading about all the fun places there are and the great rides out there. One of these days, (we'll have to wait for the kids to be a bit older, so they can enjoy the big coasters), we'll do an Amtrak trip to Sandusky. I had a friend in high school who went to work at Cedar Point each summer, but I never was able to go myself. He had such great things to say about the park that it's been on my bucket list ever since.

Overheard in line for the Hi-Lo Silos today: "Mommy, what's that roller coaster?" (Kid pointing at Outlaw Run, clearly visible even over the large fence) "That's Powder Keg, but it looks like it isn't running today. I wonder why they would have shut it down?" I guess the world really is ready for a launched wooden coaster....

The ride is already visible if you're riding: The Train, Powder Keg, Wildfire, and the Giant Swing (can I get confirmation on this last one?). People will see it and go to it if they are so inclined. I don't know if it's plainly visible from elsewhere in the park like a lot of roller coasters are in other parks, but that's true for most (all?) of Silver Dollar City's coasters until you start getting closer to them. Confirmation. Outlaw Run pretty much dominates Wilson's Farm now, which includes two flat rides: the Giant Barn Swing and the Hi-Lo Silos (a rope climbing ride). Actually, due to its slow rotation, the Hi-Lo Silos offers (I think) the best view of Outlaw Run. You're about 30 feet up at the top, and right next to the ride. Doesn't hurt that my daughter loves the silos, too.