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Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

p. 274: New Fire in the Hole announced for 2024!

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^ Read this, forgot to comment. Sorry.

 

I agree with you on Flooded Mine and Fire in the Hole. I noticed the same things and meant to put it in my report, but didn't for some reason. Glad you mentioned it.

 

Everything was running really well. I was especially impressed woth Flooded Mine. A lot of the time I don't bother with the gun because it just doesn't work, but they fixed those, and they worked well, and it was really fun.

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That doesn't make sense. It's across the tracks from the Lost River construction site, and that bridge means they pretty much have to keep those tracks there. I don't see the new ride impacting it at all. SDC also takes a year off after a big project, so even assuming it was the next target, FITH would open next year for sure and maybe also '21 depending on the scope of the project.

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Glad to hear the classics are getting some love and being fixed up a bit. Hope it stays that way. Been hearing a lot of rumors that this is the last season for FITH. I really hope not.

It wouldn't surprise me if it does get removed since they've just let things slowly break and fall apart on it the past few years (well at least more so than usual for SDC). So many of the effects, big and small, were broken the few days we were there. Lots of the audio has disappeared as well. Its absolutely riddled with "awkward silence" so to say. So many tunnels and even some larger scenes are absolutely silent, most notably the burning bridge scene. I remember it used to have that "fire in the mountain, fire in the hole" soundtrack playing through a lot of those scenes. But it slowly disappeared over time. I think the last time i heard it playing was in either 2015 or 2016. But back on the topic of its removal. Personally, FITH is one of my favorite rides in the park for nostalgia reasons. But honestly, i'd rather them remove and replace it with a new dark ride than keep it sitting in its current pitiful state. I mean, they could rebirth it as a new water coaster dark ride in a similar fashion to the new Lost River project, but i don't imagine corporate would see much of a ROI with that. But we can all hope they just put in the necessary work to liven it up and keep it operating.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey folks, heading to SDC for the first time next Friday! Aside from bringing in a Coke bottle, anyone know of good discounts for tickets? Sadly can't go the day before and get the Price Cutter Thursday. Also, is there any difference between online and at-gate ticket prices?

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They really don't have a lot of coupon codes. Fortunately, every ticket gets you in the previous day at 3pm (or 5pm on a day that closes at 9 or later). Yes, there's a couple dollars difference for purchasing online, but if you're getting a Coke discount, that's probably more than the online discount anyway.

 

Do the cave tour.

 

Eat cinnamon bread.

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Hey everyone, I’m just wondering how the fast pass system works at SDC like for example does the fast lane line merge or take you right to the station, and do you get to pick your row, etc..

 

Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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No merging; they all go straight to the station. Outlaw Run and Time Traveler have their own Trailblazer queues, Wildfire has a side door from the observation deck, everything else goes through the exit. You can pick any row you like; they board Trailblazer people before anyone else.

Edited by ytterbiumanalyst
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Opening day of the brand-new Festival of Wonder!

 

For the last 20 years or so, the opening of World-Fest really marks the beginning of the season for Silver Dollar City. Yes, the park opens about three weeks earlier, but with no shows and only minimal craftsfolks, it's a bit empty. World-Fest always brings the park to life....only it is no more.

 

In its place, like a Phoenix from the Fire (oooh, foreshadowing) rises Festival of Wonder. In many ways this really is still World-Fest. It has a lot of the same vibes, with the emphasis on shows and food. In recent years, though, World Fest was having difficulty coming up with enough performers to fill all the venues. The change of theme has revitalized this shoulder season festival in a major way, and it made for an incredible day.

 

First up was the X-Pogo show on the square. It features skateboard-type stunts on both spring and pneumatic pogos in a high-energy atmosphere. If you're a child of the 90s like me, you'll recognize many of the trick names. Tony Hawk did every one of those at some point.

 

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X-Pogo

 

Once the food venues opened up at 11, it was time to head to...

 

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What wonders await?

 

There are so many Foods of Wonder. I'm going to have to go once a week or so through this festival just to try them all. They do have a buffet from 3-6 on Saturdays with all of the festival foods for about $24. Not a bad deal if you want to have everything.

 

My first choice today was a twist on the specialty of my hometown of Springfield, Missouri: Cashew Chicken Waffle Cone!

 

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Still can't manage to get the orientation right on these closeups.

 

When going to a theme park, you really should go first to the attraction you are most excited about. I wanted to make sure I saw Phoenix Fire, and they only have three shows daily, so I went there first to make sure I saw it.

 

These dancers are incredible. They use LED and real fire effects in choreography and individual performances. I can't stress enough that every one of you needs to see one of their shows. Hopefully at SDC during Festival of Wonder, but if not, they tour a lot: https://www.phoenixfiredancers.com

 

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Though not officially part of the Festival of Wonder, it was also opening day for the new saloon show, Sagebrush Sadie's Wild West Adventure. These saloon shows don't change an awful lot from year to year, but there is some new banter and some new dad jokes to groan at. I liked the Night Court parody especially.

 

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Juggler Albert Lucas is back again with all his hits, and he is also out to set a new record for most objects ever juggled at SDC. He did it, juggling 10 rings at once!

 

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Next up was CirqUnique. I am always up for one of these theme park knockoffs of Cirque du Soliel. This one had a really cool balancing act that I hadn't seen before, as well as an acrobat duo, a juggler, a clown, and one of the same Wheel of Danger acrobats that I saw at Kings Island last year. Good show!

 

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After the show, I went back to the Frisco Barn for another Food of Wonder: crab fries! These are waffle fries with Old Bay, just like Chickie's and Pete's, but topped with actual crab meat! So good. Best crab fries ever.

 

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I Harp Extreme is maybe a bit overhyped. I mean, maybe it's extreme for harp music. Really though, it was a beautiful relaxing show that was just perfect after the adrenaline-pumping shows earlier in the day. The sextet were all wonderful musicians and played a wide variety of music. I was like half the age of the next youngest person in the audience, but whatever. Those harpists kicked ass.

 

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Last show was PaintJam with Dan Dunn. I'm so glad to see him return. Last year he had a substitute because he was undergoing chemotherapy. But he is an awesome dude and has beaten the cancer and is back at jammin' some paint like the badass artist he is. It was a great show as always. Dan Dunn is a genuinely good dude.

 

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So that brings us to the end of Day 1. Festival of Wonder is a hit with me! If you can make it down here sometime in the next three weeks, do it! It's a great time.

 

Final count:

 

Shows - 6

Rides - 0

Foods of Wonder - 2

Beers - 0

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^ Wow, that's so cool you'll get to go back again and again, with all those food choices to have.

And all the shows look wonderful! I think the one called Phoenix Fire would be The One for me

not to miss. I love those kind of shows. Thanks for the Opening Day TR, Andrew!

 

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^^^ Yeah, Phoenix Fire is the headliner for a reason. It's a notch above the rest for sure. If you only see one show, that's the one.

 

^^ The crab fries were excellent.

 

^ Yeah, I couldn't remember his name when I was writing this, but Ricardo Barraza filled in at SDC last year too.

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^ Yeah, I couldn't remember his name when I was writing this, but Ricardo Barraza filled in at SDC last year too.

 

I admit having to look it up

 

He was fun and took time to talk to my 14yr old. She also liked that she was taller. Not many guys she can say that about.f7e0144f71bd3b98b2ad291184cd3c3b.jpg

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Yeah, I know it was really a matter of when you had time off, but you saw like 60% of SDC. Still better than nothing for sure, and it's still a good park during spring break preview. But once it's running on all cylinders, it becomes truly world-class. Best theme park in the Midwest.

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In case people didn't know, Frontier Airlines is back at little ol' BKG airport with nonstops from Denver, Dallas and Chicago. Plus they are now flying into XNA in Northwest Arkansas from Denver for some lost cost options besides Allegiant at Springfield and XNA.

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This park is so irritating to get to from the east coast. I've been watching prices for awhile now to St. Louis, Kansas City or Branson (lol on that last one) and it's always higher than it should be. Even if you're not a ULCC fan it would benefit everyone for an ultra low cost carrier to expand their routes to these areas from the east coast and create some competition. Right now it's way more expensive than it should be.

 

Obviously (to anyone that knows us) we're churning for it anyway but points do have value so I don't want to blow them all on something stupid.

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This park is so irritating to get to from the east coast. I've been watching prices for awhile now to St. Louis, Kansas City or Branson (lol on that last one) and it's always higher than it should be. Even if you're not a ULCC fan it would benefit everyone for an ultra low cost carrier to expand their routes to these areas from the east coast and create some competition. Right now it's way more expensive than it should be.

 

Obviously (to anyone that knows us) we're churning for it anyway but points do have value so I don't want to blow them all on something stupid.

This is absolutely true. What you're talking about here is also what I run into trying to fly to the East Coast. We have no such problem going to the West Coast from here; you can find $50-70 flights all the time.

 

So maybe keep an eye out for a cheap flight to Mesa, Arizona, and you can get to Branson from there.

 

Whenever you get here, SDC will be worth it.

Edited by ytterbiumanalyst
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