Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

[Shavethewhales]

It's finally open! Not officially, but SDC wouldn't let early season parkers miss out on the fun.

 

I'm truly amazed, and have been so for the last 4 months with this ride and its area. It turns out that not only did this ride alone leap beyond its high expectations, but even more than I though was added to its surroundings. There seems to be several new booths and small shops, and more interestingly - a cow milking attraction!

 

Check it out on SDC's new blog -

[Swoosh]

GIANT SWING is NOW OPEN!

 

http://www.midwestinfoguide.com/silver/swing/040407/

[thrillrideseeker]

Ok...I use to like the idea of this ride, but now that I have seen pictures of it acutally working it looks really small to me. IMO it was a waste of money. They should so have built an S&S Drop Tower instead.

~Matthew

[Jive]

Kids say the darndest things

[Swoosh]

^^Well fortunately for us that is only your opinion and unfortunately for you it doesn't matter -- the GP are eating this thing up. It is going to be another record year for the park.

[Jive]

^ I think that you need a ^^ instead of a ^

[errtyme]

This swing fits perfect with SDC in my opinion.

I can't wait to make my yearly trek down there to ride it!

 

Clay "more people than the GP are eating it up, haha" Lamanske

[Shavethewhales]

Ok...I use to like the idea of this ride, but now that I have seen pictures of it acutally working it looks really small to me. IMO it was a waste of money. They should so have built an S&S Drop Tower instead.

~Matthew

 

That's the craziest thing I've heard in awhile. How big did you expect it to be? It looks huge to me, and it holds 32 people at one time. The swings look great, 120 degrees out over a hill side is as good as it gets. Besides, an S&S drop tower would be considerably smaller, not to mention much less thrilling.

[RollerC]

Ok...I use to like the idea of this ride, but now that I have seen pictures of it acutally working it looks really small to me. IMO it was a waste of money. They should so have built an S&S Drop Tower instead.

~Matthew

Have you even ridden a screaming swing? I can tell you haven't.

[Swoosh]

Had a very chilly day for media day, but it finally warmed up enough to get some rides in. The park gave a presentation in the new section and then fed up us a brunch of World Cuisine (I love SDC food). Then they gave us VIP seating at some of their new shows for World Fest.

 

Previews below, the entire update is at MiG

http://www.midwestinfoguide.com/media/swing/

Luau show

Zunyi Acrobats

food from brunch -- this is the Chicken Wellington and it was wonderful

photos from High-Low Silo

Lisa Rau addressing the media

main icon sign with World Fest Flags

[Shavethewhales]

Still amazed at how good this turned out. In the end, did they ever have to move some of the train tracks? I still can't imagine how all this fit in there; from what I saw last year it looked like they would have trouble just fitting in the swing, but I guess there's obviously more land there than I ever thought.

[Swoosh]

No the train tracks are still where they have always been. The only thing they had to move was the robbery.

[Shavethewhales]

At Coaster Christmas, it was apparently announced that SDC will not be getting a new ride for 2008, but will get a new culinary arts/ crafts demonstration building that will host various craft shows and cooking classes.

SDC will also be getting a new parking lot addition, and the road that currently flows through the lots will be redirected, so we won't have to deal with so many traffic jams.

 

CC will be getting Geauga Lake's old Shipwreck Falls. Apparently it may be put in the current employee parking lot rather than take the place of the existing flume ride, so that the park will have two water rides.

 

Construction has already started on the craft barn at SDC, midwestinfoguide.com has some photos. Don't be fooled though, the area is actually much bigger than it seems in the pictures.

 

 

My thoughts - I'm happy that SDC is starting to remember that other people besides thrill seekers go to the park as well, and I'm really glad CC is getting a 'big' new ride, but I can't help feeling that 2009 can't come soon enough.

[iWOF]

Coaster Christmas Photos

http://www.midwestinfoguide.com/events/coasterchristmas07/

[Shavethewhales]

A wall has appeared around the favorited old Tom Sawyer's Landing area at SDC, complete with teasers of a wet ride to come. You can see some photos of it here: http://www.sdcfans.com/gallery.php?id=8

 

The Balloons and the carousel currently residing in the area are set to move out to the Grand Expo, close to the waveswinger.

 

If you think this will be anything like the Splash Battle at DW, you're wrong. DW's variation is cool, but this will be much more thematic, and IMO, will have much cooler amenities. The concept artwork (http://www.sdcfans.com/gallery.php?id=7) shows off a lot of cool stuff like a little fort jutting out into the pond with cannons sticking out of it, and I'm sure the area will be packed with all sorts of cool oddities and gimmicks like the rest of the park. In fact, the ride itself is only part of the project; with it will come a revitalization of the entire area, bringing Tom Sawyer and his companions back into the SDC scene.

 

I'm REALLY looking forward to see how this turns out, I'm thinking this will be a true test of SDC's brilliant thematics team, which has done some truly amazing, Disney-quality stuff over the years.

[coasterfreaky]

If you think this will be anything like the Splash Battle at DW, you're wrong. DW's variation is cool, but this will be much more thematic, and IMO, will have much cooler amenities .

 

They haven't built anything yet, so how do you know you're right or wrong?? Sketches do not always equal reality. The River Battle sketches were close, but not 100%. And you think River Battle is not "thematic"?? It's definitely the most themed ride in the park...have you seen it in person? But I'm glad SDC is getting a little ride love. I haven't heard a peep from this park all year.

[kraken613]

River Battles concept art didnt look anything like what they did so who knows! They are good rides but not my kind of thing.....

[Shavethewhales]

If you think this will be anything like the Splash Battle at DW, you're wrong. DW's variation is cool, but this will be much more thematic, and IMO, will have much cooler amenities .

 

They haven't built anything yet, so how do you know you're right or wrong?? Sketches do not always equal reality. The River Battle sketches were close, but not 100%. And you think River Battle is not "thematic"?? It's definitely the most themed ride in the park...have you seen it in person? But I'm glad SDC is getting a little ride love. I haven't heard a peep from this park all year.

 

True, true, but from what I've been hearing from employees and from what the concept specs. said, it'll be themed a little more realistically and extensively than River Battle. RB is very thematic indeed, but it's themed in a Dollywood way, whereas theming at SDC is much more aimed at realistic charm. That and the fact that this is going right into the center of the park make me think that this is going to be a highly detailed package.

[tnguy]

Sounds like it could be the centerpiece of a water play area. Sort of like dollywood's dreamland forest or whatever its called.

[MisterP]

^ Except that they already have a kids' water play area, and its in the corner of the park, not in the middle area where this new ride will be located...

[aslinterpreter]

We interpret at SDC every year, and our 2008 time is coming soon! We get to do al the backstage tours and get a little insight as to whats going on. If we see or hear anything cool we will let you know!

[tnguy]

^ Except that they already have a kids' water play area, and its in the corner of the park, not in the middle area where this new ride will be located...

 

Didn't know that. Never mind then.

[Shavethewhales]

Some big updates from the park:

The new ride project is coming along, though you can't tell much yet. The Landing area has been completely cleared of both the rides that were there, and the old play structure is mostly gone. All that remains are a few trees, the water channel, and the old petting zoo barn. The old concept art that was sent out a couple of months ago is apparently faulty, so I've heard from a park worker. It seems everything about this project is still up in the air except the fact that the ride itself will be a Mack Splash Battle. I've got some photos of the clearing here: http://www.sdcfans.com/gallery.php?g=13

 

The parking lot project is still way, way behind, but now that the weather has cleared progress has picked up somewhat. In addition to the new lot and the new road, additional parking is being added to both lots D and C. I've got some photos of the progress so far here: http://www.sdcfans.com/gallery.php?g=12

 

Finally, the new Culinary Arts School is nearly finished. The chimney and the shutters are the last things to be put up externally, and the rest will be done well in time for the Sept. 11 opening. By the way, the siding is made of wood, not vinyl - a few of us were worried about that . Again, I have a few shots of it here: http://www.sdcfans.com/gallery.php?g=11

[Shavethewhales]

Some heavy work has started on the ride now. A guy posted some photos over at SDCFans: http://sdcfans.com/forums/index.php?topic=150.msg4257#msg4257

 

It's hard to tell much yet though because of the way they're tip-toeing around some of the existing stuff in the area. They're definitely getting things going though, so it won't be long until we find out what this project is all about.

[Shavethewhales]

Well, we all knew this day would come - SDC has just announced their own version of the popular 'skip-to-the-front' schemes found at every other major park. For $20, you can get 6 skips to the front of several of SDC's most popular attractions with the new Trailblazer Pass.

 

 

This is a somewhat timid first try at the scheme, and it's sure to be expanded in the future as people discover it. The number of passes given each day is limited. I'm not sure how you apply them yet, though I'm sure they have attendants stationed at each ride to handle them.

 

 

This is sure to be met with a mixed reaction, as some detest such schemes while others have been hounding SDC to get such a system for years now. I myself am not a huge fan of such schemes, as I've witnessed how they can get out of hand, with parks purposefully making the regular lines worse to push fast passes, but SDC will be much more responsible. I am sure SDC will develop this system in such a way that other parks with established systems will soon take notice of, as usual.

 

 

Buy Trailblazer passes at the showlover's booth just on the other side of the turnstiles. They are limited in quantity and are sold on a first-come first-serve basis. Let me know how they work!