Your Most Memorable SDC Trip

[Coaster]

What is your most memorable trip to Silver Dollar City?

Mine was four or five years ago when we took my great grandma up to Silver Dollar City. She was in her early 80s or late 70s at the time. It was her only trip to a park like this and to Branson for that matter. She loved looking at all the old things in Silver Dollar City, (the church, school, all the old things on the edge of the sidewalk, the music, and the friendly folk). All the old men working in the park loved her to death. All the craftsmen would stop what they were working on just to talk to her. I have a ton of pictures of her with the Silver Dollar City employees. She also loved riding the train!! We also got her to ride Lost River of the Ozarks. The only reason we got her on that was because we told her she wouldn't get wet and it was a very slow ride. She ended up getting soaked...

At the time my sister was too young to ride Wildfire so her and my great grandma watched us from the observation deck. She loved seeing the expression on our faces.

She passed away in 2005 at the age of 85. I've been to Silver Dollar City with my best friends, my parent's friends, church friends, family, family reunion type trips. None of those trips mean as much to me as the memories I made with my great grandma on that weekend. It was such a fun trip.

[shavethewhales]

It's hard to say what my most memorable SDC trip was, as I've been on so many of them, and most of them have been pretty similar.

I do remember once I went in early May, and it rained torrentiously (new word?) all day. Not being able to ride any rides, I walked the park over and over again with a friend, eating heaps of food and talking to various employees. Even though we weren't able to ride much, we still had a great time - truly a show of what a great park SDC is.

Another memorable trip I had was in 2005 during the spring break season. SDC's website stated that Powderkeg would not be open until April, so we grudgingly had to pass it up and head to Wildfire first thing in the morning. It was while we were walking up the bridge past the American Plunge that we heard it: Powderkeg's whooshing blast, coupled with screaming riders. We jogged over to PK immediately, to find it open, over a month early. We got loads of rides in before everyone else found out.

It's funny though, out of all the SDC trips I've been on, I can't remember one I haven't enjoyed - and I've been there when every single parking lot was crammed, during snow storms, and during torrential rains. 

[Coaster]

It's hard to say what my most memorable SDC trip was, as I've been on so many of them, and most of them have been pretty similar.

I do remember once I went in early May, and it rained torrentiously (new word?) all day. Not being able to ride any rides, I walked the park over and over again with a friend, eating heaps of food and talking to various employees. Even though we weren't able to ride much, we still had a great time - truly a show of what a great park SDC is.

Another memorable trip I had was in 2005 during the spring break season. SDC's website stated that Powderkeg would not be open until April, so we grudgingly had to pass it up and head to Wildfire first thing in the morning. It was while we were walking up the bridge past the American Plunge that we heard it: Powderkeg's whooshing blast, coupled with screaming riders. We jogged over to PK immediately, to find it open, over a month early. We got loads of rides in before everyone else found out.

It's funny though, out of all the SDC trips I've been on, I can't remember one I haven't enjoyed - and I've been there when every single parking lot was crammed, during snow storms, and during torrential rains. 

Same here. One year we went to the Christmas festival and it was FREEZING. There were absolutely no rides going and there were a ton of people there. We drank free hot chocolate and got to talk to employees which was a lot of fun. I've had sooooo many trips I can't remember them all.

[Coaster]

I'm kind of embarassed to tell this story but, whenever I was 7 or 8 we had went down to Homestead Ridge and we had went to the petting zoo. Well, I was holding a baby goat and it peed on me. And this happened at like 11 in the morning so I went the whole day with a little goat pee on my shirt. Good thing I let go of the goat before it could do ALL of it's business!

[History Buff]

Most memorable?  Probably my first visit when I was tiny.  Even the American Plunge was scary.  I hated going through the dark cave on that ride, back when the floating part was longer.  Then, we stood in a long line for FITH.  When I caught a glimpse of the cave walls at the entry point, I threw the biggest, bawlingest fit of my life, until my parents gave in and we left without riding it.  Now, four decades later, I believe FITH is my favorite attraction.

[History Buff]

More memories:

The Riverfront Playhouse was actually a playhouse.  One show was called Hatfield's Haint, in which an elaborate multi-storied haunted house was the set.  It was hilarious when I was a teenager, and hokier than any saloon show or train robbery every hoped to be.  I wish they would build a new theater for this sort of thing.

It was replaced by a time machine show, in which an overacting "tourist" from the audience was "accidentally" transported back to the 1880s (which didn't make any sense to me since we were already in the 1880s just being in the City!).

Shad Heller did a show for at least a year that was a throwback to his vaudeville days.  He was the true icon of the City and even showed up on The Beverly Hillbillies in a recurring role.  Some of the scenes were shot on location on Main Street.

The Rainmaker was the best, and I too took a while to figure out there was a sprinker in the trees.  That was a simple, but really cool, effect.

Roaming characters are a simple addition.  The only time I see them these days is when they're pulling people out of the audience for an unentertaining competition of some sort.  I just keep walking, but they're shows used to be a major feature of the park.  The shows would just seem to happen at random, and they were worth stopping for.

People used to be allowed to try the blackpowder guns.  There was a target out beside the shop, and the shooters were guided by the experts.

They used to make candy, besides just peanut brittle and fudge, in the candy shop.  I remember seeing a video somewhere that showed them making candy canes, which would be really cool at Christmas.  This was before they were open for Christmas.

The first year of the Christmas festival, they brought in snow machines and kids could sled down the hill.  I think I remember this was somewhere around where the Giant Swing entrance is now.

They also did a light show on Lake Silver for Christmas.  There were flashing, "animated" lit-up characters and music.  This was before Geyser Gulch.

They used to decorate themed Christmas trees in the Marketplace at the exit.  This was the only place where a bit of the present day was allowed to penetrate the park.

When the park went Victorian and gaslights were introduced on Main Street, they were supposed to advance it a year, as mentioned by others here.  I was glad they reverted to the original theme.  I never saw a gaslighter lighting the gaslights, but I think someone did - kind of a Charles Dickensy thing.

They used to have stagecoach rides and carriage rides.

[History Buff]

Has anybody mentioned the undertaker?  He was a tall guy, dressed in black, and he walked around measuring people.  He never said anything and looked like the walking dead himself.

[History Buff]

Does anybody still read this strand?  Do you remember the old saloon shows, back before they sang "It's Raining Men"?

Yes, Carrie Nation delivered a good history lesson in her show, but I never saw it.  The big deal in the saloon was that they warned her, and later other villains, not to break the new St. Louis mirror behind the bar.  Through special lighting and a sliding panel, the mirror was inevitably broken anyway.

I also remember when the picture above the mirror was too risque and the lady's arm (In the picture) rotated to cover herself more appropriately for the family audience.

It was very long ago that you could have a real tintype portrait made - can you still do this? - and a typesetter would print authentic, personalized posters for you.

The best shows in Echo Hollow were The Dillards (The Darling Family from the Andy Griffith Show) and the Branson Brothers (recently re-formed with mostly new members in Branson), and the best comedian in the Hollow was Mercy Pervis the Third-and-a-Half, who even zip-lined from the mill at stage-right to the stage.

I have two memory books from SDC, one from 1978 and one from 1983, with some great photos of the park.  There's barely any mention of rides in either book, but there are small pictures of the diving bell.  The first pictures in the books are of the roving characters, including the Rainmaker and a Traveling Medicine Show.  Much was made of the Hatfield/McCoy feud, and Zeke Hatfield's forbidden attraction to Ellen McCoy.  Do you think those things are politically incorrect these days?  Are local residents afraid of the hillbilly label?  That's just sad.

[Joy]

I'm reading it. Unfortunately, I've only been going to the park since the mid '90s, so I don't have the kind of awesome memories that you have.

If I recall correctly, you can still get a real tintype made. I do know that back in '94, my family got one (it's laying around here somewhere).

We always get a kick out of the whole Hatfield/McCoy thing 'cause the last name of my aunt's family is Hatfield (and even funnier, they live on a street named McCoy!). In fact, they once got a free skillet bowl at Hatfield's Tater Patch because of their last name! LOL

One of my most vivid memories from SDC is from '97 (I THINK that's the right year) when we took my cousin from California down to SDC in November of that year. The park was pretty empty that day, and a bit chilly, so we found ourselves the only ones riding Lost River. My cousin was flirting with the guy operating the ride, and since we were the only ones on the ride, he let us go around as many times as we wanted.

We ended up riding 15 times in a row without getting out of our boat. After that, we headed to the train depot.

So, we were on the train, soaking wet, when out there at the farthest part of the track loop in the forest, the train broke down. It was at least an hour by the time we got "rescued" and taken back into the park. We've got pictures of all us girls, soaked to the bone, standing around with the conductor. You should see the look on my sister's face.

Well, needless to say, my sister ended up sick by the next morning... We've definitely learned to bring dry clothes with us on cooler days!

~ "Becky" Joy ~

[Copper]

I miss the Play House being a playhouse too. Timothy Turnbuckle’s Traveling Time Machine and Hoedown are two of my favorite SDC shows. Everyone tells me about the Chicken Thief Show that was in the Playhouse, it seems to be legendary. When the Boatworks Theatre opened they presented Shad Heller’s Toby Show which starred Terry Sanders and was hilarious. I wish the Opera House presented a production show all year long. Did anyone ever see Listen to the River, which was a fun show? I know it is cheaper to bring in an act for a few days or a month rather than paying employees for a full season of work and having to offer them benefits, but it really hurts SDC not to provide such classic things.

As a little kid I had a blast during the street shows. One time they had about six prisoners escape from the Flooded Mine and we were gathered to help round them up. As a child these things were exciting. 

[Joy]

Listen to the River was AMAZING! I've got the cassette tape of the soundtrack, as well as an autographed glossy photo from it.

Another memory I've got is from '95 when we took my grandparents down to SDC. I don't remember what building it was in, but they were having a casual square dancing thing, and I got to square dance with Terry Sanders (that's what the pic is of in my signature banner on the far left). I believe it was also that year or the next that I was brought on stage for Doc Gizmo's show; I had to wear a lab coat (which was enormous on 10-year-old me) and a bald head cap/wig with frizzy hair coming out of the sides.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

[Copper]

So, we were on the train, soaking wet, when out there at the farthest part of the track loop in the forest, the train broke down. It was at least an hour by the time we got "rescued" and taken back into the park. We've got pictures of all us girls, soaked to the bone, standing around with the conductor. You should see the look on my sister's face.

I have never been so lucky to get stuck on a ride or attraction at SDC. I think it would be fun to get out of the boats in the Flooded Mine. I have been stuck on the lift hill of Apollo’s Chariot and the Orient Express. I was quite small on the Orient and that freaked me out a little.

[History Buff]

I had forgotten about Listen to the River, which is amazing considering the young age of the Opera House.  It was a great show.  Also, as much as I love the Dickens show at Christmas, I still liked the old Christmas shows.  I'd like to see those come back, maybe in the Riverfront Playhouse.  Those in-house productions always seemed to have more bang for the buck than the visiting groups.

[History Buff]

I have never been so lucky to get stuck on a ride or attraction at SDC. I think it would be fun to get out of the boats in the Flooded Mine.

But not in an actual fire scare, such as happened a few years ago.  Park employees were commended at the time for their excellent evacuation of the ride.

While on FM, my favorite part of the ride is still the queue.  With the line so short, most people don't stop to look at the scene on the right in which a bodyless head tells them to "Keep it movin'!"

[History Buff]

Off the subject, but a great memory:

Did anyone ever ride the Sammy Lane Pirate Cruise on Lake Taneycomo?  It was where the Landing is now - downtown Branson.  On the old boat, I was privileged to be the little kid who took the wheel when suddenly the pirate boat came out of nowhere and chased us down.  They shot us with their cannon and made a hole in the middle of our boat from which water rushed in.  It was exciting for this little kid - way back when.  I remember I wet my pants on that one - even while sitting on the captain's lap.  That's probably why they shut down the operation.

Back in those days, everything was still tied to the Shepherd of the Hills theme.