I discovered this website only about two years ago.. Thats pretty crazy as I have been directly involved in planning events at SDC for 5-6 years and going since the early 80's!
I wanted to let every one know here about our upcoming 9th annual Coaster Christmas event at SDC, scheduled for December 1st and 2nd, 2012. The event is open to ACE members, and guests of ACE members, and if you never thought about becoming an ACE member before you can learn more about our organization here: http://www.aceonline.org/JoinACE/
For $25 for members, and $30 for non-members (you must attend as a guest of a member though), Coaster Christmas this year will feature:
-2 Meals, including a meal at the actual Outlaw Run station, and meal voucher for use either on Saturday evening or Sunday.
-VIP seating for saturday showings of "Dickens' Christmas Carol" and SDC's new "Its a Wonderful Life" shows
-ERT on Wildfire, PowderKeg and Fire in the Hole (weather permitting)
-Construction tour of Outlaw Run, and several special suprises that you may never get the chance to do again...
-Presentations from Silver Dollar City, Worlds of Fun, Six Flags St. Louis and Schlitterbahn on their new upcoming additions for 2013
-Behind the Scenes tour of the Silver Dollar City steam trains
-Special ACE tour of Marvel Cave
Yes... all for $25, including admission to SDC for Both Days!
That's not it either...
Included as part of event admission, is a ticket to the Spring ACE event that will be held at Silver Dollar City and will include ERT on the new Outlaw Run!
We also have a special room block for $59.99 a night at the Branson Towers Hotel for those attending Coaster Christmas.
If you are interested you can find more information about the event at the ACE Heart of America Regional website at: http://www.ace18.org/coasterchristmas
Please be advised that you MUST be an ACE member or a guest of an ACE member to attend this event. Again more information ACE can be found here: http://www.aceonline.org/JoinACE/
If you have any questions either reply, or e-mail me and I will get back as soon as I can.
Thanks everyone.
Also to the administrators, I apologize if promoting the event is against forum posting rules. I am thinking because this is a SDC event, for one really GOOD price, that SDC fans might be interested. Please remove if it is.
Thanks again!
Jennifer Lovesee-Mast
"Extremeroller"
ACE Heart of America Region Assistant Regional Rep.
www.ACE18.org
Good stuff, I always hear great things about this event and wish I could go, but it hasn't been possible yet.
For anyone else considering, ACE has a "trial membership" that you can get for $20. In addition to events like this around the country you get some great magazines and help support ACE causes (which usually involve historic ride preservation).
That is a great posting,,.,.,love all the info...; i may do it just to get "close and personal" with Outlaw Run!!
Just an update on the event....
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2012
8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.: Registration at Guest Relations*
9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.: Park Presentations
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: ERT on PowderKeg, wildfire and Fire-in-the-Hole
12:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.: Silver Dollar City open to the public
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Lunch at the Stagecoach Depot
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Site tour of Outlaw Run and special opportunity for members
2:45 p.m.: VIP seating for Dickens' Christmas Carol
5:30 p.m.: VIP seating for It's A Wonderful Life
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2012
11:30 a.m.: Behind the scenes tour of the Frisco Silver Dollar Line
1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.: Silver Dollar City open to the public
2:00 p.m.: Special Marvel Cave Tour for ACE members
NOTE: A voucher for Silver Dollar City's famous Christmas dinner with all the trimmings will be provided to all attendees. Dine ate your leisure.
If you can find a better deal for $30 (non-ACE member) I'd like to see it.
I guess my question would be then, who on here is an ACE member and who needs a guest to bring? ;D
Who wants to car pool? That sounds like a bang up time!!!
http://www.aceonline.org/JoinACE/
You can get a "trial membership" for $20
What Dustijn said... :)
Trial membership was started as a great way to "try out" an ACE membership, and its a great price $19.99 for 6 months. Plus ACE also has family memberships too.
Jennifer
Is the cost the same if you have SDC season passes?
Yes it is. However, SDC is not only including the events included in the schedule mentioned above, they are ALSO including a ticket back to the Grand Opening of Outlaw Run (that if unable to attend can be used any operating day until May 31, 2013)
Both my husband and I are both SDC passholders too, so I understand exactly why you asked, I would have too. :)
Jennifer
Sent an email to a good friend who loves roller coasters as much as I do plus my daughter and son-in-law who are as addicted as I am. Thinking we will be signing up. Really love that we are offered this opportunity. As a season pass holder it's nice to see SDC recognizing that the fans would appreciate something so special. One of many reasons we support SDC and buy season passes.
Thank you for letting us know about this conference. Much appreciation!
Just curious
--How many people usually attend Coaster Christmas?
--Who all from SDCFans is attending this year?
Thanks again for the invite extremeroller!
Usually between 50-80, though this year I think we may have a few more.
Just to share some questions I received over the last few weeks via e-mail:
You CAN become a trial member for $19.99 (if you have never been a member before), which not only covers an ACE membership for 6 months, but does allow the member to bring non ace members to any ACE event as guests. Please be advised that as an ACE member you would be responsible for the actions of the guests that are attending under your name and member #.
Non-members (of ACE) are allowed to attend ACE events, however, you must attend as a guest of an ACE member, and the member's name needs to be given at time of registration.
The registration deadline is Nov 24 for online registrations! More information at www.ACE18.org
Please feel free to e-mail me at jlovesee@sbcglobal.net with any questions you may have. Moderators thank you for letting me post this information!
Jennifer
I'm a member of ACE and I'll be going for sure! I can't wait! ;D
I have wanted to go for years, I wonder if this will be my year? If I can get away from home/ work for a few days, I might just do it!
I really wanted to go, but realized I have other obligations that day. Sad. :( :( Perhaps some other year.
Gotta few questions before I make my reservations...
What exactly takes place during the ERT? Is is exclusively ride time, or any behind the scenes? maintenance tours? Lights on?
Is the Cave Tour any more in depth etc. than the other tours?
ERT is a staple of ACE events, it stands for Exclusive Ride Time. Basically only those attending the event get to ride what rides are scheduled for ERT, in this case PowderKeg, Fire in the Hole, Wildfire and I believe the Giant Swing. Since weather is always an issue (temperature), usually SDC has some kind of back up option, plus we always have Fire in the Hole.
As far as the cave tour, as far as I am aware its the normal tour, but SDC almost always throws some suprises in that even I am not aware of. Is there something you would like to see added to the tour? My creativity has run dry, so I am always open to new ideas.
Jennifer
I was more or less aware of ERT, just didn't know if it involved other things other than riding as well.
As for the cave my favorite tours have been more off the cuff lantern tours. The Mammoth room might have more bats at this time of year, but that was a nice addition to the Lantern tour. These tours stopped frequently for stories and gave more intruiging things about the cave than the tyical free tour.
I am now a member and will not miss this for the world
I have my membership and reservation both for the event and for a pet friendly hotel.
Looking forward to a great time and hopefully for some decent weather.
Who else is going to the event?
grats to u MH... Cant get away from home to make the event,,,,
but will be @ the city sunday..... will u still be around? when r u headed home.?
I am not sure on Sunday. Time will tell if I will still be around. Ill tell ya you cant beat the deal they are offering this year.
Taking the family for sure Saturday staying most of the day,leaving a little early daughter is in band and has a christmas parade to be in.Sunday wait and see about 3 hour drive to the park for us.
Trip report tonight:
THis was my first Coaster Christmas, I wanted to let you know that this is a DO NOT MISS event. I have been to the city literally dozens of times in my life however have not recieved such treatment. Like royalty.
Report tonight
Cannot wait to hear the rundown of your adventure!
Myguy77, my mouth is watering for the report! Sound very interesting! Please post photos/video if possible! Thanks!
Quote from: mhguy77 on December 04, 2012, 08:53:00 AM
Trip report tonight:
This was my first Coaster Christmas, I wanted to let you know that this is a DO NOT MISS event. I have been to the city literally dozens of times in my life however have not recieved such treatment. Like royalty.
I whole-heartedly agree! If you have a chance to go to Coaster Christmas next year, go. It's worth it. Even my 65-year-old mother asked me "How come we've never done this before." In order to avoid reduplication, I'll post my full report under "Trip Reviews" in just a moment.
THANK YOU SO MUCH to extremeroller for inviting us to this event. It was great!
We arrived at the park at 9:30 and were checked in at a table out front of the big wreath.
They gave us lanyards and coupons for entrance both days into the park and also a voucher for a meal of your choice ( no limits!)
When the event started they marched all 160 of us down to the river front playhouse for a presentation. Outside the doors under cover was a huge assortment of plate sized cinnamon rolls, apple and cherry turnovers, huge cupcakes and coffee. Please keep in mind that everything was complementary for attending guests. I figure at this point we are up to 5.50 per person for drink and huge pastry.
We filed in the auditorium and were greeted by Brad Thomas of SDC with Martha Bonner and also Lisa Rau. They were with us all day answering questions and serving us with excitement and a humbleness not to be matched. There was the presentation of Outlaw Run with the entire POV shown for the first time, both Brad and the Rocky Mountain Coaster President spoke. Then I believe it was the Schlitterbahn folks talking all about the KC park and there upcoming event for next year. Six Flags sent a representative that talked about improvements and adding a new coaster, I believe it is the boomerang we are all familiar with if we have been to many other parks. Then Worlds of Fun talked about the new Dinosaur exhibit and their improvements to the water park. Then raffle prizes were given away. I myself caught a brown Outlaw Run Shirt ( 19.00) I figure at this point I have broken even with my $25 admission.
We were told to go ride the rides ERT time for 1 hour until meeting at the exit of FITH to see the new coaster. On the way out the door each attendee received a bag from SDC and a insulated cup from Schlitterbahn. The SDC bad contained a cpl of Outlaw Run pins, 2 Coaster Christmas T shirts, a 1 lb of candy from Browns and a magnetic Outlaw Run bumper sticker for your car. The Shliterbaun cup contained a necklace to hold your money that was waterproof a brochure for the park and 2 free tickets. I value the tickets and mug at $90 and the SDC bag at 20.00+5.99+5.00+4.50=35.49.
Off we went to ride PK without wait 3 times then FITH. At this time we decided we were not going to make Wildfire in the hour so we waited to get back to see outlaw Run. Martha and the gang from SDC showed up and took us through a small door and we walked back to the OR station where a buffett of Potato Soup and a tomato soup rolls the bean skillet and the regular succatach skillet, drinks and Apple Dumplings were served. We ate lounging in the actual station that is decorated with western lights and a safe. This meal would have cost 16.00 minimally.
We were invited to eat all we wanted and told we could roam the grounds of the new coaster and sign our names under the 152. Man that coaster is much tighter than the maps show and the action just does not stop from the top of the hill until you reach the station. I questioned the workers about throughput and they said THEY did not know, but the ride would have 2 cars both seating 24. The ride will last 87 seconds and the load time at a good clip was 30 seconds. They thought they would know around mid season what the real throughput was.
After walking all over the coaster we departed and went to ride some rides before the 2 pm special seating of Dickens. It was a great show as usual. We then walked the park until about 6 and decided to go for the Prime Rib Buffett.
When we went through the line the first of the 6 of us looked back as I was getting a piece of Prime and said " there are no places to sit", I said 'well ask someone what we are supposed to do'.
The next thing I knew there was a little employee pow-wow and we were brought to a separate dining room with 1 large square table ment for 16. The waitress said we would be served right away. I noticed the room was decorated nicely and had a tv in it, that I found to be way out of theme and that tipped me off. The waitress walked back into the room and took our drink orders with the manager of the restaurant and said " Will the Herschends be meeting you tonight?" I explained the situation and that we were just at the park as regular guests the manager then said that we need not worry that she had worked there for many years and that if the Herschends did show she would tell them they ran out of tables and seated us in their dining room. We let her know we would be happy to move if a table opened and did not mean for a misunderstanding. They were wonderfully gracious and said we would stay right there and enjoy the quiet away from the loud dining room. That really capped off the day. We tipped very well for the service they provided, I am sure many of them do not get the tips they deserve but these ladies were great. The Prime Rib Buffet was 20.00 tip 20.00 ( our portion)
Add up the day folks, what would you pay for a day spent with the SDC PTB having them serve you and answer any questions you had, interested in what you had to say as a fan, interested in your feedback on their park. Serve your breakfast, a buffet lunch, let you roam the woods around the new ride and sign it with a sharpie. Give you loads of swag and a Prime Rib Dinner in the private dining room where Mary herself probably ate her meals.
It cost me $25
If you add it us it would run about $ 185.00
And that does not include admission to the park itself for 2 days.
Look into the ACE club and its events. I am looking ahead and planning to visit other parks with them, it's a great time with fun folks and you can't argue the value in what they put together.
Now if someone would help me figure out how to post pics I will get some up here ! lol
Still working on my PTR from the event, hope to have it up by Friday.
Will have a special report on It's A Wonderful Life tomorrow on MiG.
Here's our PTR from Coaster Christmas, if you weren't there, you missed out on a lot of fun
http://midwestinfoguide.com/ace/coasterchristmas/2012/