Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

[SharkTums]

And at least they're giving everyone notice so they can go ride one last time unlike a certain park in Edmonton!!! 

[Shavethewhales2]

They are definitely doing this the right way. Love that they are pulling out all the history and even brought back the ride's theme song. The park really does well putting these things together when they want to, I just hope the new ride is given as much care after it opens. Time Traveler's 'theme' of being a clock factory with a dad/daughter inventor duo is basically forgotten now unless you really go searching for the details, and Wildfire's famous inventor character has been missing for years. The best thing about FITH (and flooded mine) is that it smacks you in the face with rich history and details. So unique and interesting, and so much more than just a coaster in a box. 

The outpouring of attention they are receiving over this proves they have something special here, and they obviously know it. 

[Danrarbc]

20 hours ago, cfc said:

I like Fire in the Hole and its Dollywood cousin, but the ride is very old, and I imagine it's difficult and expensive to maintain.  I hope they replace with a nice updated version (like Knott's did with their mine train and log ride).

It's interesting that Blazing Fury received a refurbishment very recently but FITH is getting replaced rather than its own refurb.

[tinaalsgirl]

I'm pretty sure FITH is just too far gone structurally to be just refurbed. That building is a mess.

[mwg]

- Duplicate post.

[mwg]

3 hours ago, Danrarbc said:

It's interesting that Blazing Fury received a refurbishment very recently but FITH is getting replaced rather than its own refurb.

Blazing Fury is also 6 years newer than Fire in the Hole. I'm sure they learned quite a bit in those years of Fire in the Hole and did some things differently in the construction of Blazing Fury. 

Also, Blazing Fury removed the water from the final drop in 2011. So it ran with water for around 33 years compared to the now 50+ years of Fire in the Hole. Maintenance workers at Dollywood have said that they had to basically choose to remove the water or face removing the ride due to the issues that the water caused for the entire building.

[Shavethewhales2]

It's honestly amazing that they made this ride last over 50 years with the water and mold constantly waging war against it. I'm sure they "could" have revamped it, but it's a cost/value decision. Obviously building a fancy new ride will provide more ROI vs spending the same or more to "fix" an old ride that people won't really notice. Still hard as a fan to watch something you've grown up with disappear, especially something that spans generations. I hope Blazing Fury lives on forever. I'll probably make a trip out to DW next year or so for it. 

[tndank]

Grew up near Dollywood and finally did the 10 hour drive to SDC to ride FITH last year with all the rumors.  Something I've always wanted to ride.  Might do it again now that it's official.   (full disclosure, Flooded Mine was the #2 reason since ours shut down long ago)

 

[ytterbiumanalyst]

USA Today Named Silver Dollar City the Best Theme Park

 

No. 1: Silver Dollar City - Branson, Missouri

Silver Dollar City, with its 1880s mining town theme, attracts some two million visitors annually with its combination of entertainment, festivals, 100 resident craftsmen and more than 40 rides and attractions. The park is also home to Time Traveler, the world's fastest, steepest and tallest spinning coaster.

 

https://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-theme-park-2023/

[SharkTums]

^Remember Robb is on the 10Best Panel so you're welcome!

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Awesome! The list was pretty solid this year. All 10 of those parks deserved to be there.

[prozach626]

That's about the best list I've seen from a popular publisher for a while. There wasn't like a random Six Flags New England thrown in or anything.

[Zand]

Finally getting a chance to take a trip out to this bucket list park the week of July 10th. I found it kind of odd that the park still closes at 7pm during this time period and extends to 10pm the week of July 17th. A real bummer as I was looking forward to the many tremendous night rides this park has. Any reason why they close so early at that point? I'd understand if it were mid June, but I've never seen a park that doesn't expand to full summer hours of operation by July 4th week. Even on Friday night they close at 7 and I fly out on Saturday. It makes no sense to me.

[prozach626]

probably staffing, as usual

[tinaalsgirl]

Most shows in Branson start at 7pm, so the park closes with the assumption that a big chunk of the crowd is going to be headed to shows.

[prozach626]

Just spent like over $300 for fucking Dixie Stampede tickets. Kids.

Front row upcharge so I can smell the animal shit.

[Chiselphane]

Ugh I feel your pain.   We do like Stampede but I'm cheap so it's a very very rare visit.  I'm always genuinely entertained by the slight insult of pig noises when they bring the main course out.

[teacherkim]

On 6/20/2023 at 7:32 PM, Zand said:

Finally getting a chance to take a trip out to this bucket list park the week of July 10th. I found it kind of odd that the park still closes at 7pm during this time period and extends to 10pm the week of July 17th. A real bummer as I was looking forward to the many tremendous night rides this park has. Any reason why they close so early at that point? I'd understand if it were mid June, but I've never seen a park that doesn't expand to full summer hours of operation by July 4th week. Even on Friday night they close at 7 and I fly out on Saturday. It makes no sense to me.

The 10 pm close is just something they usually do for a couple weeks in July, special "late night" hours. If you look at the calendar it only lasts for two weeks. There is so much other stuff going on in Branson I don't think they really need the late hours all the time to draw in the crowds.

[prozach626]

How close does the Trailblazer pass get you to the front of the line? I'd like to get the basic pass so I can ride just a few coasters without making my family wait long when we visit in a couple weeks.

[MidwestThemeParks]

On 7/11/2023 at 2:36 PM, prozach626 said:

How close does the Trailblazer pass get you to the front of the line? I'd like to get the basic pass so I can ride just a few coasters without making my family wait long when we visit in a couple weeks.

Basically right to the front. I don’t think you would ever wait more than a couple trains when using a Trailblazer pass.

[teacherkim]

On 7/11/2023 at 2:36 PM, prozach626 said:

How close does the Trailblazer pass get you to the front of the line? I'd like to get the basic pass so I can ride just a few coasters without making my family wait long when we visit in a couple weeks.

And they are usually cheaper than most SF and CF fastpasses, so based on your past posts, I'm pretty sure you will find it totally worth it.

[prozach626]

Thanks

[teacherkim]

We swung by last Wednesday to use free tickets we had from the mostly snowed out Coaster Christmas event. Since we really had no priorities and knew on such a hot day we would just stick to our favorites we took our sweet time driving from STL, stopped for lunch at Lamberts, swung by the hotel to dump our stuff, etc. We were at the park from about 3-10,  and other than the raft ride we never waited more than 15 min. OR and WF were walk on. MRF had a posted wait time of 95 min at the hottest part of the day, actual wait was about an hour, which we did having never caught it open or been there when it was warm enough to be open. Nice covered, breezy queue line. It is a unique and fun ride, whomever is going backwards down the big hill will be the one to get really soaked but of course no way to control that. If I am going to risk getting super wet, I do prefer a ride that has something worth getting wet for, like this one with lots of drops and rapids in addition to the lift and hill. I actually enjoyed seeing the park lit up at night without the Christmas lights. I mean they are spectacular and all but I much prefer warm, summer night rides.

[mwg]

Riding Outlaw Run at night in the summer is a little different than riding it at night in December and freezing your face off. 

[teacherkim]

On 7/27/2023 at 8:47 AM, mwg said:

Riding Outlaw Run at night in the summer is a little different than riding it at night in December and freezing your face off. 

And having done both.................give me summer everytime. Every. Single. Time.