Photo TR: Silverwood with Erik & Smisty & Not Andrew

[Electerik]

Hello! Erik here. You may remember Smisty and I from such trip reports as Erik & Smisty & TPR do Holland, Poland, and Swedeland. (Honestly, you really should. It hasn't been that long.)

 

Well, we made a new friend on that trip, and he talked us into going on another short vacation--which he then promptly bailed on. So let this TR serve as Record of Shame for the one know as Goldballs.

 

SILVERWOOD

We arrived way too early, as is our trademark. To be fair, though, the park opened at 11:00am, which is rather late in my view.

For a park that's only 26 years old, Silverwood has a screwy layout. Here I am about to tunnel under the highway to get from the parking lot to the front gate.

Hooray, Dollywood!

I know, I know, it's not Dollywood. But look, it kind of is. Just, you know, not as good.

So, after entering the park, you then walk along a pathway to a building that is nothing. (But maybe used to be the front gate or ticket booth earlier in the park's history? I don't know. This was our first visit.) You then walk a bit more to a plaza where the train station and carousel are, make a left, cross the railroad tracks, make another left where you walk back perpendicular to the main entrance, squeeze passed what sort of seems like the back of this pizza and magic show building, and then cross the railroad tracks again to get to where most of the park is. There's also a second gate (not open this day) that connects the entry plaza directly to where you're now standing, but why would anybody want to use that?

Most of the park's big coasters are in the back. Well, not really the back. More like the left. But effectively the back. This is Timber Terror on the left, just the barest glimpse of Tremors on the right, and a pretty good example of how most of the Silverwood's pathways look down the middle. Also, some random little girl whom I've decided to refer to as Andrew. Buddy! So nice of you to join us!

A better look at Tremors. I did like the park's country theming, trees, and landscaping. It was also very clean. But desperately in need of a dark ride and a coaster that I would want to ride twice.

The entrance to Timber Terror and the dual lifts of Aftershock.

Aftershock is of course a Super Boomerang, by Vekoma--a company I can't make quite as much fun of now that I've been to Poland.

Buzzbars, woo! But this ride is rough. It was also rather slow. BUT, if I'm being fair, we were also on the first train of the day and it was a mostly empty train, at that. The ride ops were friendly, though, so that's cool.

Tremors had more airtime, but was even rougher. After the ride, Smisty and I agreed that we would start planning our trips around hypercoasters.

These "do not stand up" signs are so prevalent that I almost want to google if something happened on this ride....

Every coaster in this park is only capable of running one train, which is why we hit the coasters up early. Silverwood also does that load the train, check the seatbelts, allow the lapbars to come down, check the lapbars thing--so don't expect to not wait long.

And just look at this shoddy architecture!

 

That's a joke. I'm making fun of myself for complaining too much. So now you don't have to.

 

Also, we went to this park, so now you don't have to.

The famous Tremors gift shop tunnel, which is legitimately cool.

I like Timber Terror's train.

Okay, well, we came here for the wooden coasters. What did you think, Mist-- Oh. Yikes.

 

Honestly, they're just too rough for us old people. If they were maintained like the landscaping of this place is, I'm pretty sure they'd be great.

The park has a full-service restaurant at the front, which is where I originally planned to eat. But you've got to be flexible, you know? This looked pretty good, and it meant we didn't have to walk to the front of the park and then back again, so we went with it.

 

Basically, this is an all-you-can-eat BBQ place inside the park's picnic area, which I thought was interesting.

Cool, a rapids ride!

Nope.

But Smisty will take a photo of Tremors through a hole in the fence of the rapids ride.

Man, this place is hideous.

Hey, it's the Roaring 20s Corkscrew (but minus one train).

 

(I'm not crazy here, right? This used to have two trains when it was at Knott's.)

I do like the way they ran this car ride under Corkscrew. I mean, this photo doesn't show that, but that's on me.

Another cool thing about Silverwood is that each restroom has a different name (Lonnie's Lou, Outhouses, Thunder Creek Relief Station, etc.)

 

It's a small thing--maybe even a weird thing--but I really like it.

Log Flume!

 

It's not called log flume.

 

Actually, it might be.

 

Fine, I'll look it up.

 

"Roaring Creek Log Flume"

 

That was worth it.

This is awesome. That's how you do it. Now they just need a dark ride.

The Quiet Garden was nice. It's just some benches and trees and birdhouses.

 

Would be a nice place for a dark ride.

They kind of all are, Silverwood. They kind of all are.

I have seen one of these before, and I think they're great. I don't think the little girl in the front ("Andrew") does, though.

Back to the front of the park. Or, really, like the middle. The layout is weird.

Where the park grows its plants? Weirdly front of house, but why not? (You can't actually go in, though. You just get to look at it.)

There's certainly room for expansion.

The water park is off that way. Also, closed for the season.

Someone has set up this giant chess set like its checkers and I am unaccountably angry about it.

I will also applaud Silverwood for not having a lot of Halloween event theming all over the place. This was the only indication I saw (other than a few advertisements) that they were going to have an event at all.

These buildings were built so that the train didn't feel lonely.

But they also have things in them, like candy!

The front of the park also features a country-style carousel.

Train station theming.

Okay, so the train is actually the park's main attraction. In that, it's the longest ride there, it's the entire reason the park was even built, and its layout takes up a huge amount of space, while the actual theme park is sort of wedged into a corner.

There's a story to the train ride. Well, actually, there are like, four or five stories that don't particularly make sense together. But I'll try.

 

So, there was an expedition by a famous explorer to see if they could find Bigfoot, but the expedition went missing. So now you're part of another expedition put together by his daughters to go find the first expedition and also maybe Bigfoot but lookout for train robbers because the Marshall says there's been reports but it's okay because the expedition leader has a gun that she wants you to know is fake (I assume because this is Idaho and at least some of the guests on the train are probably armed and likely just stupid enough to shoot at a cast member who has a fake gun) and also would you like to buy some popcorn?

Bison. They have nothing to do with the story. (I think?)

Here the train stops to be robbed (weird decision, that) by an Australian dude and a Frenchwoman. (Did I mention that the expedition is allegedly English? Because it is.) There's also a bit of a stunt show here.

 

Oh! And some guests give them real money, which they keep and give to charity or something...?

And then we're in the fairy woods and there are spitting trolls oh what the actual fudge!?

No one told me I was going to get wet on the train ride.

Heading back to the park. Along the road. Even though the train has like 300 acres to play with.

Goodbye, Silverwood. I like you, but you don't actually deserve it.

It's like we're back at Duinrell.

I've never seen one of these before, but I like the look of it.

Edited October 6, 2019 by Electerik

[SharkTums]

I think your train got robbed by Crocodile Dundee!!?!?

[bert425]

great report.

 

and yes, that Tremors Gift Shop Tunnel is legit cool!

[Canobie Coaster]

Great report! I agree 100% about the park's odd layout and slow dispatches. I found the latter to be the bigger issue since I found both woodies to be fairly smooth (then again I have a super high tolerance).

 

Speaking of getting unexpectedly wet, did the entrance of the spinning coaster have a sprinkler aimed at you as you entered? They were doing that when I was there Labor Day weekend.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Cool! This is a place I've heard of but not really seen before. Thanks for the great photos!

[jedimaster1227]

Silverwood has intrigued me ever since it bought Deja Vu/Aftershock from Six Flags Great America... It doesn't seem to get a lot of coverage online, so thanks for sharing this detailed look at the park.

[PKI Jizzman]

I recognize these people. They seem like good people.

 

Wow, the park looks fantastic. I don't remember it having the reputation for great landscaping or anything I'm impressed. Although after a quick search it looks like that might have been the focus this year since they hosted the Golden Ticket awards, hah. Too bad the rides weren't the highlight of the park. They look like they have a lot of potential, especially with Tremors featuring all of those tunnels.

[jynx242]

At least it is a very pretty and well landscaped park! Thanks so much for the report - I always love them.

[A.J.]

So, there was an expedition by a famous explorer to see if they could find Bigfoot, but the expedition went missing. So now you're part of another expedition put together by his daughters to go find the first expedition and also maybe Bigfoot but lookout for train robbers because the Marshall says there's been reports but it's okay because the expedition leader has a gun that she wants you to know is fake (I assume because this is Idaho and at least some of the guests on the train are probably armed and likely just stupid enough to shoot at a cast member who has a fake gun) and also would you like to buy some popcorn?

Are you sure you didn't go into the Neurogen attraction at Walibi Holland?

[better_by_design]

 

This problem is easily addressed, by building a time machine and riding Tremors in it's opening season.

 

In all seriousness, it was a fantastic ride when it was younger, with an aggressive layout and really creative design with all the tunnels (including through the giftshop) but the inevitable degradation with age has surely been extra harsh on a ride that was a little crazy from Day 1.

 

See the insane efforts Holiday World has made to maintain The Legend and Voyage since they were built... most parks just don't have that level of dedication/obsession/funds.

 

Silverwood is definitely pretty, and definitely unusual... err... unique!

 

Thanks for the always-excellent TR!

[robbalvey]

Ahh, yes! I was most certainly hoping there would be a trip report from your visit... and here it is! Well done....

[MrSum1_55]

My last visit was three years ago. Timber Terror was running great at that time, but Tremors was quite rough. I know the park uses topper track on some sections of Tremors, but it could use more. Even though the wood coasters are hit-or-miss, the operations are bad, and the park is long overdue for a new coaster, I still love this park. It has that "small park" charm that feel like a breath of fresh air in a country dominated by corporate parks.

 

I might be moving to Northern Idaho soon. If I do, I will be proud to call this my home park.

[Electerik]

I know the park uses topper track on some sections of Tremors, but it could use more.

 

I could definitely tell that that there were sections that were better, or at least differently rough.

 

 

Even though the wood coasters are hit-or-miss, the operations are bad, and the park is long overdue for a new coaster, I still love this park. It has that "small park" charm that feel like a breath of fresh air in a country dominated by corporate parks.

 

Sure. Tone is something I struggle with sometimes. It's not a bad park. I had a good time. It's just that if someone were to tell me they were going to this park and asked me what rides they couldn't afford to miss, I'm not sure what my answer would be. I mean, "Make sure you look at the flowers," seems a bit substandard. "Check out Tremors' gift shop"?

 

Personally, I don't think most parks need more than four or five coasters. They just need to figure out how to keep the ones they do have in good shape. But the big glaring hole at Silverwood, in my opinion, is the absence of anything even dark ride-adjacent.

 

Still, I've been to worse places.

[ThemeParkJunkie51290]

Excellent report!

[Electerik]

Stupid technical question: Are two of those photos upside-down, or do they just appear that way to me?

 

Follow up question: If they do look that way to everyone, did no one want to say anything because they just thought it was a bit by me?

 

[Edit: I think I've fixed it. Welcome to a now confusing post!]

Edited October 6, 2019 by Electerik

[Nrthwnd]

^ I believe, that everybody, like Canada, was just being polite, and not bringing it up.

 

[IdahoKat]

My last visit was three years ago. Timber Terror was running great at that time, but Tremors was quite rough. I know the park uses topper track on some sections of Tremors, but it could use more. Even though the wood coasters are hit-or-miss, the operations are bad, and the park is long overdue for a new coaster, I still love this park. It has that "small park" charm that feel like a breath of fresh air in a country dominated by corporate parks.

 

I might be moving to Northern Idaho soon. If I do, I will be proud to call this my home park.

 

I'd be great if they added another coaster, even another parks used coaster. But for 2020, they spent $100,000 on a "Drone Light Show." *yawn*

 

I live down the road from the park, so reading this trip report was a lot of fun to see what someone visiting. Thank you for the post.

[cfc]

I've never been to Silverwood, but I've heard good things about their Giant Inverted Boomerang (that is, it actually runs consistently from day to day), and I knew that Knott's old Corkscrew found a new home there (I think you're right about it having two trains when it was in California).

 

Thank you for increasing my knowledge of this park. The more you know . . .

Edited October 5, 2019 by cfc

[swfan1988]

I'm glad the park is finally getting some attention! (It's my home park if you couldn't tell)

 

The one train ops are a bummer but its just the way it is...

 

Dark Ride: PLEASE!!!!!

 

I'm not sure why it doesn't get more attention, especially since its better than some other northwest parks.. (cough cough Wild Waves, cough cough Oaks Park cough cough)

[The Great Zo]

I enjoyed this trip report, but I'm even more anxious to read Goldberg's trip report of not going to Silverwood. I'm sure he's hard at work on it!