Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

[Jaykethekid]

Id never say Outlaw Run was rough. Sometimes, it has bumps along the way, but not enough to call it rough. That's just my opinion though, it seems to ride smoother the cooler it is outside.

[I305forever]

^^^ Seriously dude, what is with those quotation marks?

[ThePepper]

I'm planning to visit the park next weekend, would Sunday be a better day over Saturday? What are the wait times like?

[DoinItForTheFame]

^^^ Seriously dude, what is with those quotation marks?

 

 

I'm planning to visit the park next weekend, would Sunday be a better day over Saturday? What are the wait times like?

 

From what I have experienced at the park Sundays are MUCH slower days than Saturdays. You shouldn't have to wait more than 20 minutes at most... for anything.

[Guy T. Koepp]

^^^ Seriously dude, what is with those quotation marks?

 

 

 

[ytterbiumanalyst]

I'm planning to visit the park next weekend, would Sunday be a better day over Saturday? What are the wait times like?

Sunday is absolutely a better day! Saturday is Mercy Heath Systems Co-Worker Appreciation day, which is a special event with ERT for those who work for the hospital. It's one of the largest employers in Springfield, so stay away Saturday (we'll be there on that day, though, as my wife works for them and we get to enjoy the ERT!). So go Sunday, absolutely.

 

Generally, lines are short for everything from here through the end of the operating year. Don't worry about it and enjoy your day! BTW, the water rides are open through October, but they open at 11:30. Lost River of the Ozarks, an Intamin rapids ride, is the best of the three. Also, take time for the cave tour; it's really a highlight of the park.

[ThePepper]

I'm planning to visit the park next weekend, would Sunday be a better day over Saturday? What are the wait times like?

Sunday is absolutely a better day! Saturday is Mercy Heath Systems Co-Worker Appreciation day, which is a special event with ERT for those who work for the hospital. It's one of the largest employers in Springfield, so stay away Saturday (we'll be there on that day, though, as my wife works for them and we get to enjoy the ERT!). So go Sunday, absolutely.

 

Generally, lines are short for everything from here through the end of the operating year. Don't worry about it and enjoy your day! BTW, the water rides are open through October, but they open at 11:30. Lost River of the Ozarks, an Intamin rapids ride, is the best of the three. Also, take time for the cave tour; it's really a highlight of the park.

 

Good to know I should avoid going on Saturday. I went to the park two years ago but that was on a weekday in October. I usually avoid theme parks on weekends, hopefully I'll get to ride Outlaw Run ten plus times like two years ago.

[Jaykethekid]

So I'm visiting again at the end of October. Do the crowds usually get oretty bad for the rides then? I think there is also a music festival going on then too.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

^ Not at all! Fall is a great time to visit. Ride whatever you want, whenever you want. Water rides will be shut down unless it's unseasonably warm, but everything else will be running. When there are music festivals, a lot of people are there just for the music, so lines tend to be very short, 15 minutes or less. Longest line in the fall is always Powder Keg, so you'll want to do that first, but it's still 20-30 minutes usually. Have a great time!

[Jaykethekid]

I wonder if we will ever see a coaster above 200 feet at SDC. It would be a nice addition, but I feel theywniukdbt do it because theming would be to difficult.

[mordecai-75]

^ I think it's highly possible. Dollywood put in Wild Eagle, and it is amazingly themed. These two parks do a great job at trying keep an equal "must visit status", however i'm not aware of Branson's height restriction laws.

[Shavethewhales]

lol, Wild Eagle barely has any themeing, and I hope they don't do anything so jarring with the park environment at SDC. There's a difference between a true theme and adding a dash of decoration in the station. All of the coasters at SDC are highly themed with backstories and elaborate stations, but with the exception of FiTH and Thunderation they never attempt anything along the tracks so the height doesn't affect anything.

 

I could imagine them going that route someday with a coaster that escapes down the valley past Outlaw Run, but I don't think it'll be in the cards for awhile.

[mordecai-75]

lol, Wild Eagle barely has any themeing, and I hope they don't do anything so jarring with the park environment at SDC. There's a difference between a true theme and adding a dash of decoration in the station. All of the coasters at SDC are highly themed with backstories and elaborate stations, but with the exception of FiTH and Thunderation they never attempt anything along the tracks so the height doesn't affect anything.

 

I could imagine them going that route someday with a coaster that escapes down the valley past Outlaw Run, but I don't think it'll be in the cards for awhile.

Dollywood has an eagle sanctuary, Wild Eagle is extremely themed in every way, shape and form of it's existence. I was giving prop's to SDC, all the while, just simply giving an opinionated respose to a kid who asked a simple question. Isn't that what this forum is supposed to be about? (opinion's) You sir are bias, If i'm wrong, may the moderator's shun me.

[Shavethewhales]

^Don't get defensive. Like you said, this board is about opinions, and you give and get even if you don't always like what you get back.

 

I've never been thrilled with how WE was plopped over DW, and I will stand behind my opinion that it is the least-well themed and integrated ride at either park. SDC has always been so focused on maintaining a "city" vibe, and it's really a huge part of what makes the park special. I've been worried about them plopping a coaster down in the middle of it and ruining that ambiance for awhile now.

 

They've had tremendous success with the strategy of keeping the bigger, high-visibility rides at the expansive edges of the park. As long as they do that, they can pretty much put in anything without it hurting the place. Also it should be noted that inspiration tower right nearby is over 200' from the top of a high hill, so I don't think height restrictions will ever be a problem.

[ThePepper]

I went there on Sunday, had a great time! The park was busy but the waits for the rides weren't bad at all. Longest wait was maybe 10 for Fire in the Hole.

 

Rides I went on:

 

Outlaw Run (x10) - This ride is amazing, I really want to ride other RMC coaster's but I don't know when.

Powder Keg (x3)

Wildfire (x1)

Fire in the Hole (x2)

American Plunge (x2)

Electro Spin (x2)

Train (x1) - One of the best train's I've been on in a theme park.

Lost River of the Ozarks (x2)

Thunderation (x3)

 

I went on all the flat rides at least once, that I was able to ride.

 

Sadly I missed the Cave again, I really wanted to do the tour till I learned you had to walk down 600 steps and plus I have ankles problems.

[jray21]

That sounds like an amazing day!

[mordecai-75]

^^^ Not defensive. However, i fiind it odd that a coaster fan wouldn't want a new coaster. To each their own though.

[Woodie Warrior]

^^^ Not defensive. However, i fiind it odd that a coaster fan wouldn't want a new coaster. To each their own though.

He isn't against SDC adding a new coaster, he's just saying they shouldn't just plop one down without any theming, and I totally agree. SDC is extremely well themed, and every one of their coasters is well hidden from the rest of the park as to not distract from the feel of the park. A giant coaster plopped in the middle would take away the charm of the park. I'd love a new coaster, just as long as it's hidden and themed well, like Outlaw Run was.

[mordecai-75]

^ I truly don't feel Wild Eagle was "plopped" most of the ride is hidden. In my opinion it is highly themed, sometimes there has to be a little give and take with the skyline of a park in order to put in a new revenue earning ride. Lightning Rod will be much more visible from the old school parts of Dollywood than Wild Eagle, yet i'm pretty certain i've seen compliments about Lightning Rod from you guys. That stuff is what brings in the money! I've conversed with elderly visitors many times at Dollywood who are just staring in a daze watching Wild Eagle drop. The feedback is always positive, to the extent of one old gentleman saying to me " i'm gonna have to get off my blood pressure medicine so i can ride it". A coaster like that is in it's own way an extra show guests attend on their visit. That makes money, if the park doesn't make money, the park doesn't exist. Silver Dollar City, put in something over 200ft, i might drive further on vacation then what i normally do to ride it.

[A.J.]

^ I truly don't feel Wild Eagle was "plopped" most of the ride is hidden. In my opinion it is highly themed, sometimes there has to be a little give and take with the skyline of a park in order to put in a new revenue earning ride. Lightning Rod will be much more visible from the old school parts of Dollywood than Wild Eagle, yet i'm pretty certain i've seen compliments about Lightning Rod from you guys. That stuff is what brings in the money! I've conversed with elderly visitors many times at Dollywood who are just staring in a daze watching Wild Eagle drop. The feedback is always positive, to the extent of one old gentleman saying to me " i'm gonna have to get off my blood pressure medicine so i can ride it". A coaster like that is in it's own way an extra show guests attend on their visit. That makes money, if the park doesn't make money, the park doesn't exist. Silver Dollar City, put in something over 200ft, i might drive further on vacation then what i normally do to ride it.

Wild Eagle really isn't very "themed". Yes, it's got the big eagle sculpture in the front, the cheesy "challenge" / "soar" / whatever on the plaza pathways, the eagles on the cars, the eagle metal cutouts on the side of the building and the inspirational messages scattered throughout. Fine. But Wild Eagle's major thematic elements, like the station building, really only look like extensions of the Wilderness Pass area as opposed to stuff that gives a ride its own story and identity (like Firechaser Express or even Tennessee Tornado). This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because it brings a sense of familiarity to the area (which I like). However, in terms of how "themed" it is, Wild Eagle is basically a steel Thunderhead.

 

Outlaw Run is Silver Dollar City's showstopper attraction right now, and I'll bet that they'll be willing to ride on it for a while and make a bunch of smaller-scale additions over the next few years. Wild Eagle's massive size and scope made sense for Dollywood as the largest steel coaster in the park at the time was Tennessee Tornado. If anything, I'd be more willing to bet that Silver Dollar City will install a family coaster similar to Firechaser Express in the near future, to further align the two parks together.

[larrygator]

If anything, I'd be more willing to bet that Silver Dollar City will install a family coaster similar to Firechaser Express in the near future, to further align the two parks together.

 

I agree with this line of thinking but not so much to align the two parks but to provide a thrilling junior coaster that provides a different experience for junior riders.

[Koasterking48]

^ Wouldn't it be a little redundant have two family launch coasters? I understand Firechaser Express and Powderkeg don't have a lot in common, but they both fit within the same height restriction category so younger riders can enjoy. You would really have to differentiate the two from one another.

 

By the way, I think Firechaser Express looks like an excellent family coaster so I would be perfectly happy with SDC getting something similar.

[larrygator]

^ Wouldn't it be a little redundant have two family launch coasters? I understand Firechaser Express and Powderkeg don't have a lot in common, but they both fit within the same height restriction category so younger riders can enjoy. You would really have to differentiate the two from one another.

 

I'm considering the speed differential of 30MPH as the big differentiator.

[Koasterking48]

^ That is true, I'll take back what I said

 

Now that I think about it, SDC's collection as it stands now is really great. Not one of their major coasters is anywhere near a dud.

[chadster]

^This.