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Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

p. 274: New Fire in the Hole announced for 2024!

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Silver Dollar City has sent us a press release regarding this year's holiday offerings!

 

Silver Dollar City lights up its brightest season with a new $1 million light parade featuring the beloved Christmas character Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer® for An Old Time Christmas. One of the nation's most acclaimed holiday festivals, An Old Time Christmas also features a 5-story Christmas tree with a light and sound show, Broadway-style musical productions, holiday foods and five million lights, November 1 - December 30 at the Branson, Missouri theme park.

 

Rudolph's Holly Jolly™ Christmas Light Parade, led by the most famous reindeer of all, debuts on the 50th anniversary of the television special. First airing in 1964, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is the longest-running, highest rated Christmas special in television history. As Grand Marshal, Rudolph leads the new evening parade of nine musical, lighted floats - one featuring Sam the Snowman -- as it winds through the streets of the City. The floats, illuminated with 100,000 ultra-bright LED* lights, were designed exclusively for Silver Dollar City, with animated features from huge drumming bears and cymbal-playing penguins to a cowboy doll rocking on a hand-carved wooden rocking horse. The parade is accompanied by 33 colorful costumed characters, including Rudolph's friend Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, 14-foot moose characters, 12-foot tall elves and 10-foot candy canes, plus penguins, elves and a troupe of marching wooden soldiers.

 

The parade follows the lighting of the 5-Story Special Effects Christmas Tree on the Square, a towering icon with over 250,000 colorful LED lights that is the centerpiece of the Christmas on Main Street light and sound shows beginning at dusk each evening. The massive tree blazes in synchronization to the musical movements of Christmas songs -- up to 100 light changes per second -- while lights around the Square flash along with it, accompanied by surround-sound.

 

The festival also features two popular musical productions, It's a Wonderful Life and A Dickens' Christmas Carol. It's a Wonderful Life presents a musical interpretation of the inspirational story that was voted the #1 "Inspirational Film of All Time" by the American Film Institute, and features unique special effects and a talented cast of 14 singer/actors. A Dickens' Christmas Carol, also an original musical adaptation of a famous classic story, includes elaborate sets and visual effects, flying spirits, pyrotechnic special effects and a talented cast of 15, accompanied by a live band.

 

Since its debut more than two decades ago, Silver Dollar City's An Old Time Christmas has become one of the country's most recognized events for spectacular lighting and world-class entertainment. Profiled as one of the nation's top holiday celebrations by USA Today, CNN Travel, The Travel Channel, Good Morning America, AOL Travel, Yahoo Travel and MSN.com, the festival transforms the entire 1880s-style park into a glowing wonderland with 1,000 decorated trees and five million lights.

 

Guests can view the park's lights from high above the ground too -- in temperatures down to 42 degrees, guests can soar into the night on the park's coasters and rides, including the ground-breaking top-rated wood coaster Outlaw Run**. Fine craftsmanship is also showcased, as the park's 100 demonstrating craftsmen create one-of-a-kind handmade holiday items, from blown glass ornaments and angels to pottery dessert platters.

 

The tastes of the season are in abundance throughout the park, including a prime rib buffet and traditional favorites such as turkey with apple-raisin dressing. Festive holiday treats from apple dumplings to hot wassail can be found throughout the park, and the bakery cooks up fresh homemade fruitcakes. For kids, there's a lunch with Santa, available on weekends, and classes at the Midwest Living Culinary & Craft School feature holiday specialties.

 

During An Old Time Christmas, Silver Dollar City is open Thursdays through Sundays through December 21, plus Wednesday, November 26 and Monday - Tuesday, Dec. 22-23, closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and open daily December 26-30. Hours are 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. most days, with extended hours on Saturdays and Thanksgiving weekend - check the website for exact schedules. Information: 800-831-4FUN(386) or visit http://www.silverdollarcity.com.

 

Silver Dollar City also sent us a press release for the holiday showings aboad The Showboat Branson Belle!

 

The Showboat Branson Belle, decks its decks as well as the halls to kick off the holiday season with Christmas cruises on Table Rock Lake. Made in the USA, the world-class headliner production show, presents classic Christmas carols, holiday favorites and a patriotic finale, plus a one-of-a-kind performance of The Nutcracker Suite by violin-playing aerialist Janice Martin. A new Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer® medley by the male vocal group, The ShowMen , celebrates the most famous reindeer of all on the 50th anniversary of the television special.

 

The Showboat departs from White River Landing decorated with Christmas lights and guests can view holiday lights along the shore as the ship cruises Table Rock Lake. Following a 3-course meal, the stage comes to life as The ShowMen perform Christmas favorites including Home for the Holidays, Silver Bells and The Christmas Song. The sounds of the season fill the stage with powerful harmonies and standout solos of the talented vocalists.

 

Janice Martin, the world's only violin-playing aerialist, takes the stage with an original performance of The Nutcracker Suite. The artistry of this world-class violinist, vocalist, acrobat and multi-instrument musician has been heralded worldwide following performances on four continents, on stages from Carnegie Hall to the White House. The show is emceed by ultra-sharp, uber-funny comedian and magician Christopher James backed by the Showboat's signature live band Rockin' Dockers for a totally live entertainment experience.

 

Noon and Sunday cruises through November 16 feature the vocals of the female quartet The ShowBelles, fiddler Dean Church, and piano virtuoso Julie McClarey.

 

Carols on the Belle special Sunday cruises feature performances from award-winning Southern Gospel artists including Triumphant Quartet, Mark Trammell Quartet, LeFevre Quartet, and Karen Peck and New River, plus traditional Christmas music sing-alongs with local community choirs and performance groups. Carols on the Belle cruises are at 4 p.m. on November 23 & 30 and December 7 & 14.

 

Each cruise features a three-course meal from the Showboat's Chef Larry, including slow-simmered beef roast and honey-Dijon glazed chicken topped off with the chef's own Golden Brittle Lemon-Berry Torte. All meals are prepared onboard in the ship's galley and served in the three-story atrium dining theater. Specialty dining options include the Paddle Wheel Club Room and Captain's Row.

 

Christmas cruises run November 1 through December 31, with a special New Year's Eve cruise at 8 p.m. on December 31. For cruise times and ticket information: http://www.showboatbransonbelle.com or 1-800-775-BOAT(2628).

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  • 2 weeks later...
Is it me or does that S&S tower look awfully short. Also does anyone know what mode the tower will be running on?

 

The whole area is intended for families, so it is supposed to be shorter than their standard towers to accommodate more ages.

 

Doesn't that not matter though? Short or high, it has the same restraint system which is what warrants the S&S towers' 52" height requirement. I don't really consider a ride with that high of a height restriction a family ride.

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^First of all, the Wild Adventure's Double Shot has a 48" height requirement, so there is nothing set in stone that they have to be 52". Second, the park is billing everyone of the new rides as a "Family Ride". So, yes it does matter.

 

The point I was making was not to get into the semantics of whether this ride should be classified as a family or thrill ride, but that a shorter version of the S&S Double works better for this new area and will be less intimidating to wider age of riders.

Edited by ernierocker
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^The park will make it work out. The height was already determined since it is the same one that was at Celebration City, will see if they can lower the height requirements with modifications. Either way, it will give the older children something to do while the family is playing in the new area.

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Coaster Christmas was a lot of fun. It was great getting to meet some of you in person.

 

In regards to the tower, there were some questions asked about any modifications to it and the construction guys said it's all pretty much standard. S&S makes a variety of towers, and this is one of the classic double shots, which are shorter than the combo towers that most of the bigger parks went for.

 

As we already knew, the area is very impressive and well thought-out. They are satiating a lot of people with this project from young families to SDC purists. The lake is going to look a lot better as well.

 

I posted some photos of the FL progress on SDCFans, and will post some here + event photos when I get home from work tonight.I hope some of the other event attendees will post their photos too. I know there are some on the ACE Heart of America FB page.

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Hi SDC Fans! I wanted to introduce myself with my screen name, Achterjaeger (mash up of German words for coaster hunter). I currently work in maintenance at SDC and have been there for a little over a year. If there's any question I can answer (within reason) please let me know!

 

I had a few questions for those who have been going to SDC for longer than I have and/or locals.

 

Like I'm sure everyone knows, Fire-In-The-Hole is a favorite at the park and has a cult following. But it is in need of serious refurbishment (IMO). What aspects of the ride do you think make the ride a favorite with the locals/general public? Do you think there are certain parts of the ride that if removed or changed would cause complaints from guests? I've heard that locals at Dollywood weren't enthusiastic when the water was removed on Blazing Fury.

 

I don't work on the ride but would love to know why it is special to so many people.

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^Every time I go on Fire-in-the-Hole I hear people in the queue and on the ride quoting lines from the ride and talking about the story. People love the theme, characters, and the cheesiness of the whole ride.

 

I have heard that the ride is in need of lots of repair and that the splashdown is a big factor in that. I honestly don't think there is anyway to fix the ride permanently without pissing off locals, but if it needs to be fixed it needs to be fixed. I'd love for the thing to be completely gutted out and given a new Zierer drop track with all new animatronics and sets (from Garner Holt). As long as they keep the storyline and the well-known quotes, I think it would go over well with the majority of people. Then again, you'd have people like the old geezers at SDCFans who would talk about how the park is loosing all of its charm and it is falling apart.

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Honestly, all FITH really needs is a little freshening up and replacing a few animatronics. The ride went through a total refurb in 2007, and that really brought new life into it. Now, American Plunge is what needs an overhaul. So many animatronics are broken if not removed completely. Personally, I didn't like the fact that when they built Wildfire, they just had most of the Plunge go through a long straight concrete tunnel--just dark, nothing to see. There's plenty of land there that could be used for an extended Plunge, and a lot of the old Jim Owen's stuff that is still there but not in use. I'm totally excited by Fireman's Landing (as you can tell by my current avatar), but I would just love it if the next big project were a Plunge refurb or even a totally new flume ride.

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Honestly, all FITH really needs is a little freshening up and replacing a few animatronics. The ride went through a total refurb in 2007, and that really brought new life into it. Now, American Plunge is what needs an overhaul. So many animatronics are broken if not removed completely. Personally, I didn't like the fact that when they built Wildfire, they just had most of the Plunge go through a long straight concrete tunnel--just dark, nothing to see. There's plenty of land there that could be used for an extended Plunge, and a lot of the old Jim Owen's stuff that is still there but not in use. I'm totally excited by Fireman's Landing (as you can tell by my current avatar), but I would just love it if the next big project were a Plunge refurb or even a totally new flume ride.

 

Like I said I've only been employed at the park for a little over a year (mechanic for Powder Keg). I didn't even realize that FITH had a section removed until recently. It would be nice it there was a book of the history of the park.

 

I agree that the plunge could use a renovation. I've only rode it once but, again, I don't know what kind of theming the ride used to have.

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Honestly, all FITH really needs is a little freshening up and replacing a few animatronics. The ride went through a total refurb in 2007, and that really brought new life into it. Now, American Plunge is what needs an overhaul. So many animatronics are broken if not removed completely. Personally, I didn't like the fact that when they built Wildfire, they just had most of the Plunge go through a long straight concrete tunnel--just dark, nothing to see. There's plenty of land there that could be used for an extended Plunge, and a lot of the old Jim Owen's stuff that is still there but not in use. I'm totally excited by Fireman's Landing (as you can tell by my current avatar), but I would just love it if the next big project were a Plunge refurb or even a totally new flume ride.
From what I've heard FITH needs more than just a "freshening up". I'm not talking about the sets and animatronics, I'm talking about the ride system itself. The splashdown makes the trains and track of the ride constantly wet and damp which is a problem for a ride that's been around for decades. That's the reason Dollywood eliminated the splashdown on Blazing Fury.
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FITH needs much more than a "refreshening" -- in fact it is to the point where the ride is going to have to go down for a major reahaul in the not so distant future. The structure is basically rotting itself from the inside out. It will be interesting to see how the park handles this, because like was mentioned above - the ride has a cult like following

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I remember when I was here back in 2002 vs earlier this year; FITH's splash was more intense this year. I only got a mild soaking back then, but this year I got completely drenched. Has there been an increase in water volume? That could explain some of the wear and tear. But then again, what do I know?

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Like I'm sure everyone knows, Fire-In-The-Hole is a favorite at the park and has a cult following. But it is in need of serious refurbishment (IMO). What aspects of the ride do you think make the ride a favorite with the locals/general public? Do you think there are certain parts of the ride that if removed or changed would cause complaints from guests? I've heard that locals at Dollywood weren't enthusiastic when the water was removed on Blazing Fury.
We visit the park usually several times a month, and FITH always has a line. I have noticed that the ride is a HUGE hit with families. All most everyone can ride it. It is fun, but not to scary for the kids. All the kids LOVE the final drop, and the water splash. It is inside which on hot summer days is nice. So, why is it so popular??

- Family Ride (for the old and the young)

- Its a nice long ride in the cool AC in the hot summer time.

- Kids love the drop into the water splash.

- Its one of those "When I was a kid this was the big ride" they pass that on to their kids, and it becomes kind of a family tradition.

 

I know we ride it at least once every time we are at the park. Its a great little ride.

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I remember when I was here back in 2002 vs earlier this year; FITH's splash was more intense this year. I only got a mild soaking back then, but this year I got completely drenched. Has there been an increase in water volume? That could explain some of the wear and tear. But then again, what do I know?

 

There is a "summer mode" and a "normal mode" -- during the "summer mode" there are two water jets that blast water up into the air when the train enters the splash pool. Those jets are turned off during "normal mode"

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^Every time I go on Fire-in-the-Hole I hear people in the queue and on the ride quoting lines from the ride and talking about the story. People love the theme, characters, and the cheesiness of the whole ride.

 

I have heard that the ride is in need of lots of repair and that the splashdown is a big factor in that. I honestly don't think there is anyway to fix the ride permanently without pissing off locals, but if it needs to be fixed it needs to be fixed. I'd love for the thing to be completely gutted out and given a new Zierer drop track with all new animatronics and sets (from Garner Holt). As long as they keep the storyline and the well-known quotes, I think it would go over well with the majority of people.

 

This is kind of what I've been thinking. I want to see it be redone in a big way eventually because I think there aren't a whole lot of options for keeping it as-is indefinitely, and I'd rather see it live on as something new and grand than just rot away. I really do want it to be done well though, it's not just some old dark ride that can be replaced with some new tricks. They still know how to tell a good story with attractions at SDC though, so I think they can do it.

 

This ride really is a special piece of the city. It's a classic, well-thought out ride with a lot of character, history, and timeless appeal. The story is unique, intriguing, and very Ozarkan. Less and less people realize this, but the ride is actually telling the backstory of the entire park. Legend states that the Baldknobbers burned the old mining town of Marmaros down to the ground. Silver Dollar City was supposed to be a recreation of what that town could have looked like.

 

Almost everyone that's from the area has grown up visiting SDC and riding this thing. It's been a big part of making SDC and HFEC what it is today. I wish they'd go back to making custom rides like this again.

 

Then again, you'd have people like the old geezers at SDCFans who would talk about how the park is loosing all of its charm and it is falling apart.

 

Well of course! That's what you get when the park has been doing it all for so long and so well that most of its fanboys have grown up and are grey haired and crotchety.

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^Lol. The main argument I don't get is that a lot of the older fanboys don't like that the new buildings in the park aren't all run down looking and have fresh and bright paint. But in the 1800s, the buildings wouldn't look run down, they'd look brand new since they actually would be brand new. But that's a discussion for another day.

 

Anyways, I agree that Herschend is more than capable of revitalizing Fire in the Hole. I just hope they do that instead of letting it rot away. Even if the ride itself could be considered "lame" by today's standards, it does have a lot of fun parts and has a few good surprises.

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