Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

[SharkTums]

Interesting. Thanks for the report!

[teacherkim]

Chiselphane, thank you so much for the trip report! We are driving down from STL Tuesday evening and spending Wed at the park.

 

Were they selling the fast pass? Thinking with just one day I will most likely get them unless they are suspended right now?

 

And I saw an offhand comment on FB about a reservation time but could find nothing in our tickets or the website about having to show up at a reserved time, just the particular day. Do you (or anyone else) know anything about that?

[Chiselphane]

Fastpass/Trailblazer is not being offered at all, but they are honoring it if you've already purchased it beforehand. They did give out some one-shot paper fastpasses for some ride breakdowns, which someone graciously gifted to us as they were leaving that saved us a 90 minute posted wait on Powder Keg.

 

There is reservation time verbiage on the site but same as you, there was nothing specified on our actual reservation confirmation, we just showed up at opening. My feeling is it's them giving themselves the option to set times if needed, possibly staggering entry. My other feeling is that that option is probably going to be needed fairly soon, that initial bunch up at rope drop is not ideal right now.

[teacherkim]

Got it! Thanks. I'll let everyone know how Wednesday operations go.

[SharkTums]

^Thanks in advance!

[sdcfan88]

A short teaser clip of Mystic River Falls Testing.

[tanthonyam]

Did this park ever have a river rapids before? Is this a replacement?

[mwg]

Did this park ever have a river rapids before? Is this a replacement?

 

Yes, Mystic River Falls is replacing the previous raft ride; Lost River of the Ozarks.

[mwg]

Shopping... well if you know SDC shops then try imagining how you could even add the suggestion of social distancing. They basically did nothing at all on this front. Some shops had the plexiglass shield, and some distancing signage outside the store. I don't *blame* them, I honestly don't know what else they could do here short of policing how many people were in the store at a time but it stood out because of all the other work they've done in other areas.

 

They were limiting the number of shoppers in some shops. I had to wait outside of the new Clara Belle's Cinnamon Bread because the inside was at capacity. I didn't see lines outside of any other shops, but did notice signs outside of shops indication that social distancing is being observed and they may limit the number of people inside of the shop at a time.

[mwg]

And I saw an offhand comment on FB about a reservation time but could find nothing in our tickets or the website about having to show up at a reserved time, just the particular day. Do you (or anyone else) know anything about that?

 

The new date specific single day tickets do not require a reservation.

[Chiselphane]

Shopping... well if you know SDC shops then try imagining how you could even add the suggestion of social distancing. They basically did nothing at all on this front. Some shops had the plexiglass shield, and some distancing signage outside the store. I don't *blame* them, I honestly don't know what else they could do here short of policing how many people were in the store at a time but it stood out because of all the other work they've done in other areas.

 

They were limiting the number of shoppers in some shops. I had to wait outside of the new Clara Belle's Cinnamon Bread because the inside was at capacity. I didn't see lines outside of any other shops, but did notice signs outside of shops indication that social distancing is being observed and they may limit the number of people inside of the shop at a time.

 

 

That's good to hear, I hope they get more consistent about it as I didn't see that happen a single time throughout the entire day.

[teacherkim]

So we made the trip down Tuesday afternoon and went to the park on Wed.

 

Stopped and ate at Lamberts on the way down and I got to eat my first restaurant meal with real utensils and plates since March. We also rode the Branson Coaster and played putt putt; both places no masks required but social distancing in place and they were cleaning the carts and clubs after each use. Looked like most of the theaters will be starting up again as of July 1 and I have to say it is the first time ever I drove down 76 without the ridiculous amount of traffic that has become the norm there.

 

Our hotel had maybe 6 other cars there and it was weird with so few people in the hotel. Kept expecting to see the two creepy twins in their blue dresses at the end of the hallway.

 

Wednesday was SDC day, Chiselphane did such a great review, I will try to point out any differences I noticed.

 

The entry/exit was as expected. The temp check, health screening etc, etc. We arrived about 8:50 for a 9:30 open. We were given no specific time on our tickets and no one said anything at all. We were through and standing in front of TT by 9:05. The crowd level was very low pretty much all day but particularly first and last hours of the day. The employees told us they thought it was the lowest crowd since they opened and one of them thought it was probably because WW opened that day and drew some people away. Or it may have just been a lucky mid week attendance low. Most of the day there was never more that a station wait to maybe 20 min for the coasters. The exception being PK which we waited about 30 min for and got up to about 45 min or so by the afternoon. And at one point TT had about a 40 min wait but that didn't last all day. Oddly, OR was a walk on all day. My son did ride TT one last time on our way out, about 6:30 (7 pm park close) and said it was a walk on at that point.

 

Everything would have been a walk on all day if they had been able to run two trains. Every coaster except Fire in the Hole was running only one train, then add in the every other row thing and hourly cleaning and the waits built up a little bit. A couple of the ride ops told us that the one train was do entirely to low staffing. So, if they can get some staff hired and trained hopefully that will be better in a couple weeks. If the park had been more crowded the waits would have been a lot longer.

 

All the food we tried was pretty good quality and most place were open but certainly not all. Everything regarding food and shopping the same as the earlier trip report. Like Chisephane said most things open, including outdoor shows. Indoor shows obviously still closed.

 

We also got the hand sanitizer treatment from every single ride op. They tended to get you when you were trapped in the station waiting to board. However all the employees we encountered were friendly and doing their best.

 

They were working on MRF with a crane , mostly on the elevator lift. It was filled with water, could here it but not see much due to the work walls. And toward the end of the day they were having the crane pull boats up and put them where the lift should leave them. So it does seem that is the final obstacle to opening. I think it will be very soon.

 

As far as people following the rules. Most did observe the social distancing markers in the line. As pointed out before adherence to the mask rule deteriorated as the day progressed. Ride ops were enforcing the rule but employees outside the ride lines not so much. I mean there were lots of areas that are walkways where there really isn't anyone to do the enforcing. I did see what was obviously a supervisor pass a group of 5-6 twenty somethings without their masks on and she said nothing to them. I'm kind of guessing as long as most people have their masks on they were choosing to not start a scene with the small number that did not have them on outside the ride lines. My personal experience with the mask all day was that it was uncomfortably hot (and heat usually does not bother me); in other words annoying but doable. The only ride I had a problem with was PK, the mask kept slipping down on that one. Every ride op we ran into did require the masks stay on during the ride, so I am not sure on which of the "certain thrill rides" you didn't have to wear one. I did see several people wearing masks incorrectly, either below their nose or resting on their chin and not really covering the whole mouth. I cannot say if those people were doing it intentionally to buck the mask rule or just ignorant of the proper way to wear them. Maybe a little of both.

 

Now I did NOT put this in to start a whole debate on masks, just reporting what I observed happening the day we were there. It is really my belief that every business has the right to make the rules they feel comfortable with and the customers will have to decide if they are willing to comply or not and if not then don't patronize the business. I was absolutely stunned at the vitriol displayed on FB toward the mask rule, although I don't know why I was stunned, typical I guess.

 

Overall I agree the park was doing a pretty good job of trying to make this all work. I'm sure all the parks will go through a short learning curve as they reopen. And on a personal note, it was just so nice to get out and DO something!

 

If there are any specific questions that I didn't answer for anyone, feel free to ask away.

[CaptainUnknown]

Since I've all but cancelled my December Orlando trip at this point, I'm looking at a smaller, more relaxation based vacation in early November to Branson. So the question is: most of the Silver Dollar City rides are closed for the season by that point, right? Or are some still open weather depending?

[teacherkim]

I have been there in mid November and it was mostly weather depending. The water rides will be closed of course, but the weekend I was there all the coasters were a go. It will depend on the temps, variable time of year. You probably have equal chances of 50 and sunny or 40 and raining or 30 and snowing; or having one of those at the start of the day and another by the end. Unfortunately there is no way to really predict that time of year. Sorry. The earlier in the month you go the better your chances will be though.

[Sean Reed]

CaptainUnknown, all rides, except water rides, will be open during An Old Time Christmas, with the usual break down. During An Old Time Christmas, you will also have different shows/attractions open that you can't do any other time of the year. Almost every ride will close once the temperature drops below a certain degree or if the wind gets above a certain speed. The guidelines are posted here: https://www.silverdollarcity.com/theme-park/Attractions/Rides/Ride-Temperature-Guidelines

[Chiselphane]

It's also a great time to go because even if the park appears busy, generally the crowds are there for the Christmas lights and shows. "People there for the shows" kind of holds up year round for the park but it feels more pronounced to me for Old Time Christmas; we've been numerous times in November and most rides were walk-ons or one cycle. If you do go, make sure to get some wassail!

[sdcfan88]

Silver Dollar City has been pretty active on their social media pages lately. They are also teasing a possible soft opening for MRF later this week... perhaps in time for the 4th of July holiday?

 

EDIT: It's been reported by a couple sources on site that the construction walls have indeed been taken down!

Edited July 1, 2020 by sdcfan88

[Nrthwnd]

Great photos from the park! Hope that everything planned, goes "according to",

without too many unexpected surprises happening, along the way.

 

"Knock~Loading Station~Wood."

[DoinItForTheFame]

That last photo doesn’t even look real!!

[michaellynn4]

I know it's perfectly safe, but that last photo is playing serious mindf**ks with me.

[BDG]

 

 

Oh man, that lift is incredible.

 

/moves the park up on the bucket list

[Guy T. Koepp]

That looks pretty cool.

[prozach626]

Can anyone comment on how the lines and capacity have been lately? Is the park still running one train opps?

[Canobie Coaster]

Can anyone comment on how the lines and capacity have been lately? Is the park still running one train opps?

 

As of my visit on 6/28, the park was running one train on every coaster. Outlaw Run and Thunderation were walk-ons. Time Traveler's line spiked after opening (posted at 45 minutes), but it went down to a 2-3 train wait by the mid-afternoon. Wildfire was usually just a 2-3 train wait as well. Powder Keg was the problem. If you didn't go there right after opening, it had a posted 60-90 minute wait all day since the operators there would sanitize the train every cycle if someone pulled down their facemask (and they usually did).

[DJeXeL]

 

 

Oh man, that lift is incredible.

 

/moves the park up on the bucket list

 

Pretty cool. Lets hope it doesn't cause too much downtime.