Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

[PhantomPoster32]

Since the real discussion is getting buried

 

Let's not forgot that the primary rumor a few months ago was a giga coaster.

Yeah, some enthusiasts took their wishes out of their butts and plopped them on the Internet. There was never a shred of evidence to substantiate that at all.

 

The problem with wanting SDC to get these super-tall rides is that the park is so immersive in its theming that something that huge, visible from all over the park, would actually detract from the experience unless it were similarly very well themed. They've proven with Giant Barn Swing that they can do that, but they spent a lot to do it, and that was pre-recession too. In general, all parks are spending less right now because the economy is only just beginning to recover and a return on gigantic, super-expensive things just isn't likely to happen for a lot of places.

 

The crazy thing is, the park is actually doing quite well attendance wise - so much so that they are having to address problems they should have a long time ago. The biggest being crowd flow. They have been forced to redesign areas for better traffic in the park. The main issue (which they are rumored to fix this off season) is the entry area.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Moving the lemonade stand to the side near the saloon was a big help in that area (plus they now have fry bread!). They just never imagined when they built that area in the 70s that they'd someday have 2 million guests.

 

If all they do for '17 is a new entrance, I will be completely happy. The only part of my day I ever dislike is that single-file line through the season pass holder entrance.

[A.J.]

...you're going to find an exception but for the most part SDC doesn't just install cookie cutter rides and that's what a lot of the posters have been suggesting.

Oh, they certainly do. Though, it's what Silver Dollar City (and Dollywood by consequence) does with those "cookie-cutter" attractions that sets them apart.

 

Sometimes, a good ride wrapped around a easy-to-understand story in a well-themed environment is all you need for a cohesive experience. Pretty much everything can be dumbed down to a basic ride system - at its core, Efteling's Baron 1898 is "just another B&M dive coaster" but the story and surroundings are so immersive that even we would likely forget about that until we sat down in the seat.

 

The problem with wanting SDC to get these super-tall rides is that the park is so immersive in its theming that something that huge, visible from all over the park, would actually detract from the experience unless it were similarly very well themed. They've proven with Giant Barn Swing that they can do that, but they spent a lot to do it, and that was pre-recession too. In general, all parks are spending less right now because the economy is only just beginning to recover and a return on gigantic, super-expensive things just isn't likely to happen for a lot of places.

The theme park industry is actually in a boom right now, though more so overseas. Even when you consider the year of the recession, the TEA puts the growth of the North American market at 22 percent above what it was in 2006. I don't think parks are in any hurry to try and break records, but they're definitely adding big things as far as the parks are concerned. Herschend has invested a whole lot into both of their parks over that period - though most of Dollywood's have been big single marquee attractions while Silver Dollar City has invested into big themed lands with a bunch of smaller attractions within them.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

^ That may be true for the North American market as a whole, but in general, the Ozarks lags behind the rest of the country. The recession hit in 2007, but we didn't really feel any effects until 2009. So the whole time we were hearing on television that the recession was over, we were just getting started. The recession years here were 2009-2013, and even then I'd say it wasn't until last year that our local economy here fully recovered.

 

For Branson, Outlaw Run was the first shot in a fight to get the tourists back, and that's why you see several new attractions this year. Branson is realizing they can't survive with the hillbilly angle any longer and are searching for a new identity. I'm excited for the future, but we're really just beginning to come out of the bunker, and it's hard to say what the response will be. The projections look good for all these new attractions, especially with the city of Branson (finally) investing in some infrastructure along 76. We'll wait and see if the projections come true.

[LiftThrill]

^ I noticed that the roads in Branson were really good, almost as good as the Texas roads. They definitely have been putting in work towards infrastructure.

[MrFurious]

Anyone aware of the crowd situations so far this season? I am used to lower crowds in the past at SDC, and I'm planning a trip on a weekday at the end of July. I'm not worried about my trip and the crowds, but I'm wondering if the attendance is truly doing well enough to justify these park updates and seemingly increasing capital expenditures. A friend of mine went two Fridays ago and indicated that they walked on outlaw run three separate times at different times of the day!

 

All of these improvements should at some point result is attendance spiking.

 

Basically...I am dreaming that somehow I can continue seeing great park experiences with low lines, while the park does well enough to keep growing/improving.

 

Maybe the increase in rides and activities result in a dilution of wait times across the board?

[DoinItForTheFame]

Anyone aware of the crowd situations so far this season? I am used to lower crowds in the past at SDC, and I'm planning a trip on a weekday at the end of July. I'm not worried about my trip and the crowds, but I'm wondering if the attendance is truly doing well enough to justify these park updates and seemingly increasing capital expenditures. A friend of mine went two Fridays ago and indicated that they walked on outlaw run three separate times at different times of the day!

 

I have noticed that so far this season the park has seemed pretty slow. We have not really needed our season trailblazer passes except for the water rides. However, it is still early in the season for this part of the country. I'd expect for the park to start picking up within the next couple of weeks. (Based on what we have experienced during previous seasons.) During July is when we have waited 2-3 hours for Outlaw Run. Wildfire, Powderkeg, Fire In The Hole, and Giant Barn Swing have all had lines spilling out of the ques during July/Early August.

[MidwestThemeParks]

Anyone aware of the crowd situations so far this season? I am used to lower crowds in the past at SDC, and I'm planning a trip on a weekday at the end of July. I'm not worried about my trip and the crowds, but I'm wondering if the attendance is truly doing well enough to justify these park updates and seemingly increasing capital expenditures. A friend of mine went two Fridays ago and indicated that they walked on outlaw run three separate times at different times of the day!

 

I have noticed that so far this season the park has seemed pretty slow. We have not really needed our season trailblazer passes except for the water rides. However, it is still early in the season for this part of the country. I'd expect for the park to start picking up within the next couple of weeks. (Based on what we have experienced during previous seasons.) During July is when we have waited 2-3 hours for Outlaw Run. Wildfire, Powderkeg, Fire In The Hole, and Giant Barn Swing have all had lines spilling out of the ques during July/Early August.

 

And Christmas is usually the busiest time, but less people want to ride the rides and more want to see the shows.

[ElvisLuv]

Since the real discussion is getting buried

 

Let's not forgot that the primary rumor a few months ago was a giga coaster.

Yeah, some enthusiasts took their wishes out of their butts and plopped them on the Internet. There was never a shred of evidence to substantiate that at all.

 

The problem with wanting SDC to get these super-tall rides is that the park is so immersive in its theming that something that huge, visible from all over the park, would actually detract from the experience unless it were similarly very well themed. They've proven with Giant Barn Swing that they can do that, but they spent a lot to do it, and that was pre-recession too. In general, all parks are spending less right now because the economy is only just beginning to recover and a return on gigantic, super-expensive things just isn't likely to happen for a lot of places.

 

The crazy thing is, the park is actually doing quite well attendance wise - so much so that they are having to address problems they should have a long time ago. The biggest being crowd flow. They have been forced to redesign areas for better traffic in the park. The main issue (which they are rumored to fix this off season) is the entry area.

 

 

Rumor is that Spirit may land at BKG soon. Cheap airfare for this new ride is very possible. Attendance could really boom so infrastructure would of upmost importance to fix.

[PhantomPoster32]

Since the real discussion is getting buried

 

Let's not forgot that the primary rumor a few months ago was a giga coaster.

Yeah, some enthusiasts took their wishes out of their butts and plopped them on the Internet. There was never a shred of evidence to substantiate that at all.

 

The problem with wanting SDC to get these super-tall rides is that the park is so immersive in its theming that something that huge, visible from all over the park, would actually detract from the experience unless it were similarly very well themed. They've proven with Giant Barn Swing that they can do that, but they spent a lot to do it, and that was pre-recession too. In general, all parks are spending less right now because the economy is only just beginning to recover and a return on gigantic, super-expensive things just isn't likely to happen for a lot of places.

 

The crazy thing is, the park is actually doing quite well attendance wise - so much so that they are having to address problems they should have a long time ago. The biggest being crowd flow. They have been forced to redesign areas for better traffic in the park. The main issue (which they are rumored to fix this off season) is the entry area.

 

 

Rumor is that Spirit may land at BKG soon. Cheap airfare for this new ride is very possible. Attendance could really boom so infrastructure would of upmost importance to fix.

 

Not a rumor.

[ElvisLuv]

Since the real discussion is getting buried

 

Let's not forgot that the primary rumor a few months ago was a giga coaster.

Yeah, some enthusiasts took their wishes out of their butts and plopped them on the Internet. There was never a shred of evidence to substantiate that at all.

 

The problem with wanting SDC to get these super-tall rides is that the park is so immersive in its theming that something that huge, visible from all over the park, would actually detract from the experience unless it were similarly very well themed. They've proven with Giant Barn Swing that they can do that, but they spent a lot to do it, and that was pre-recession too. In general, all parks are spending less right now because the economy is only just beginning to recover and a return on gigantic, super-expensive things just isn't likely to happen for a lot of places.

 

The crazy thing is, the park is actually doing quite well attendance wise - so much so that they are having to address problems they should have a long time ago. The biggest being crowd flow. They have been forced to redesign areas for better traffic in the park. The main issue (which they are rumored to fix this off season) is the entry area.

 

 

Rumor is that Spirit may land at BKG soon. Cheap airfare for this new ride is very possible. Attendance could really boom so infrastructure would of upmost importance to fix.

 

Not a rumor.

 

 

Still unannouced, but the stars are lining up.

[MrFurious]

Well...looks like planning our trip for late July was a moron move. Also, pardon my ignorance, but what is BKG?

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Since the real discussion is getting buried

 

Let's not forgot that the primary rumor a few months ago was a giga coaster.

Yeah, some enthusiasts took their wishes out of their butts and plopped them on the Internet. There was never a shred of evidence to substantiate that at all.

 

The problem with wanting SDC to get these super-tall rides is that the park is so immersive in its theming that something that huge, visible from all over the park, would actually detract from the experience unless it were similarly very well themed. They've proven with Giant Barn Swing that they can do that, but they spent a lot to do it, and that was pre-recession too. In general, all parks are spending less right now because the economy is only just beginning to recover and a return on gigantic, super-expensive things just isn't likely to happen for a lot of places.

 

The crazy thing is, the park is actually doing quite well attendance wise - so much so that they are having to address problems they should have a long time ago. The biggest being crowd flow. They have been forced to redesign areas for better traffic in the park. The main issue (which they are rumored to fix this off season) is the entry area.

 

 

Rumor is that Spirit may land at BKG soon. Cheap airfare for this new ride is very possible. Attendance could really boom so infrastructure would of upmost importance to fix.

 

Not a rumor.

Yeah, it's a rumour. Nothing is official yet. BKG has been courting them ever since Southwest canceled the service they inherited as a part of the AirTran deal. I really miss AirTran's $50 flights to MDW and ATL.

 

Well...looks like planning our trip for late July was a moron move. Also, pardon my ignorance, but what is BKG?

It'll be busy, but you'll have a good time. BKG is the IATA code for Branson Airport.

[MrFurious]

Of course! Thankfully the tickets are free and we're going mid week.

[Vonni]

 

I could see the gold track possibly being for SDC

[PhantomPoster32]

 

I could see the gold track possibly being for SDC

 

When did the B&M plant start making Mack track?

The 2018 coaster won't be a B&M

[DILinator]

 

I could see the gold track possibly being for SDC

 

When did the B&M plant start making Mack track?

The 2018 coaster won't be a B&M

 

And you know this from official channels? I just ask, because it wasn't long ago, everybody in here was saying a 2017 B&M is on the way, and now it's a 2018 Mack. Yet, I've yet to see anything remotely resembling an official word for any of it. So until proven otherwise, it seems all of this is no more than speculation... Seemingly baseless speculation at that. Unless you have been personally told by a SDC higher-up "the 2018 coaster won't be a B&M", coming in here and saying that seems a bit pretentious...

[PhantomPoster32]

 

I could see the gold track possibly being for SDC

 

When did the B&M plant start making Mack track?

The 2018 coaster won't be a B&M

 

And you know this from official channels? I just ask, because it wasn't long ago, everybody in here was saying a 2017 B&M is on the way, and now it's a 2018 Mack. Yet, I've yet to see anything remotely resembling an official word for any of it. So until proven otherwise, it seems all of this is no more than speculation... Seemingly baseless speculation at that. Unless you have been personally told by a SDC higher-up "the 2018 coaster won't be a B&M", coming in here and saying that seems a bit pretentious...

 

Man if you get this worked up about things that have absolutely no bearing on your life I'd hate to see you when you get news on something that does. You must be a real joy in real life. It's not speculation that the park is adding the coaster in 2018. This was confirmed verbally by the park at a two different functions.

 

The manufacturer of the ride comes from other sources other than park management that are actually working on the project. If you care not to believe that, I invite you prove that the information is false. It's not difficult to find information that the higher-ups went last August and visited Mack headquarters and rode several of their rides at Europa-Park including the spinning Bluefire. I'm not going to post proof as I don't have the right to post photos from their Facebook accounts without their permission and the hell I'm asking them just to soothe your curio usury. So I guess in the end if being acquainted with people who would know is being pretentious, I'll wear it like a badge of honor.

 

Forgot one thing - they went back in January to Germany. Weird how info of a signed contract came out around that time.

[DILinator]

 

I could see the gold track possibly being for SDC

 

When did the B&M plant start making Mack track?

The 2018 coaster won't be a B&M

 

And you know this from official channels? I just ask, because it wasn't long ago, everybody in here was saying a 2017 B&M is on the way, and now it's a 2018 Mack. Yet, I've yet to see anything remotely resembling an official word for any of it. So until proven otherwise, it seems all of this is no more than speculation... Seemingly baseless speculation at that. Unless you have been personally told by a SDC higher-up "the 2018 coaster won't be a B&M", coming in here and saying that seems a bit pretentious...

 

Man if you get this worked up about things that have absolutely no bearing on your life I'd hate to see you when you get news on something that does. You must be a real joy in real life. It's not speculation that the park is adding the coaster in 2018. This was confirmed verbally by the park at a two different functions. The manufacturer of the ride comes from other sources other than park management that are actually working on the project. If you care not to believe that, I invite you prove that the information is false. It's not difficult to find information that the higher-ups went and visited Mack headquarters last year and rode several of their rides. I guess if being acquainted with higher ups is being pretentious, I'll wear it like a badge of honor.

 

I'm getting worked up???

 

 

One thing you did get right, however, is that I am actually a real joy in real life, confirmed by many people every day, as well as all of the friends I've made in coaster enthusiast circles, so that was good intuition on your part!

 

Seriously dude, it was a legit question, that merited a legit answer, nothing more. And weren't you the one ridiculing somebody else for name dropping in the Valleyfair thead? Hmmm...

[PhantomPoster32]

I answered your question - I guess if that makes me worked up and/or a pot/kettle calling a pot/kettle black I'll add those to my pretentious badge you bestowed on me. Man if I keep this up I'll win all of the Internet merit badges in no time.

 

To your last comment - I don't see any names or even titles for that matter because in the end you're really the only one that cares

[seminole]

Love coming to TPR but just as it occurs on SDC Fans, PhantomPoster32 aka Swoosh, clogs up the board with his all-knowing, better than everyone else attitude. It's pretty pathetic that someone can be so rude over something that's incredibly fun to most of us. Everyone is sick of it over there, including the PTB at the park. Just turn it off, man. Lighten up. You're rep is following you around all over the place.

[SoCal_Coaster]

Hey everyone! My family and I are traveling to Branson to visit Silver Dollar City theme park tomorrow. We are a group of six and want to know the best way to get around the park. Also, what is the best strategy to tackling Silver Dollar City at park opening. One last question: do we need to rent lockers while on the rides? Thank You!

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Hey everyone! My family and I are traveling to Branson to visit Silver Dollar City theme park tomorrow. We are a group of six and want to know the best way to get around the park. Also, what is the best strategy to tackling Silver Dollar City at park opening. One last question: do we need to rent fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo while on the rides? Thank You!

Welcome to the Ozarks! The best way to do SDC, assuming you want to do all the big rides, is this order:

 

1. Powder Keg

2. Outlaw Run

3. Giant Barn Swing

4. Lost River of the Ozarks

5. American Plunge

6. Wildfire

7. Firefall

8. Thunderation

 

And make sure you go on the train and Flooded Mine at some point. Doesn't matter when. Flooded Mine only ever has a line right after the train lets out (FM'S entrance is next to the train's exit). Also doesn't matter when you go on Fire in the Hole; the queue will be basically the same length all day.

 

You don't need lockers, but you can rent them cheap if you want. They're floating, so you pay once ($3 last time I rented one, but it might have gone up since then), and you can sign in and out as you wish. There are stations near all the major rides.

 

And if you read nothing else, read these words:

 

EAT THE CINNAMON BREAD. TAKE THE CAVE TOUR.

 

Have fun!

[MidwestThemeParks]

Love coming to TPR but just as it occurs on SDC Fans, PhantomPoster32 aka Swoosh, clogs up the board with his all-knowing, better than everyone else attitude. It's pretty pathetic that someone can be so rude over something that's incredibly fun to most of us. Everyone is sick of it over there, including the PTB at the park. Just turn it off, man. Lighten up. You're rep is following you around all over the place.

 

He doesn't clog up SDCFans. We have seen that when he doesn't talk on that site, speculation is nearly nonexistent.

 

Hey everyone! My family and I are traveling to Branson to visit Silver Dollar City theme park tomorrow. We are a group of six and want to know the best way to get around the park. Also, what is the best strategy to tackling Silver Dollar City at park opening. One last question: do we need to rent fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo while on the rides? Thank You!

 

I don't know if I would do Powder Keg first, it rarely opens up on time. We almost always ride Thunderation first, when there isn't a line because TNT can get pretty long waits at some points in the day. American Plunge and Lost River of the Ozarks will probably always have long lines, so you might want to ride those soon after they open at eleven. But, being a Thursday tomorrow, crowds should be light I would think.

[PhantomPoster32]

Hey everyone! My family and I are traveling to Branson to visit Silver Dollar City theme park tomorrow. We are a group of six and want to know the best way to get around the park. Also, what is the best strategy to tackling Silver Dollar City at park opening. One last question: do we need to rent 1ockers while on the rides? Thank You!

 

There are shelves to place your items on while ride on everything but the water rides. Your stuff has to go with you on both Lost River and American Plunge. On River Blast there are containers on the actual boats - but there is no guarantee that they will remain dry as the boxes don't always shut tight

 

Our usual progression of the park is... assuming you are not interested in the shows

1. Outlaw Run

2. The Giant Barn Swing

3. PowderKeg (it's usually open by then)

4. Fire in the Hole (be warned it is now on "summer splash mode" - you'll get a little wet)

5. WildFire

(LUNCH) you can go either earlier than normal or later than normal it'll be better for you.

During the normal "Lunch time" go on the water rides as the lines will be shorter.

6. Train (we usually go right after lunch to let our food settle)

7. Flooded Mine

8. ThuNderaTion

9. Grand Expo Area

10, Rerides/Firemans Landing