SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City

Silver Dollar City & Celebration City Discussion => General Silver Dollar City Talk => Topic started by: KBCraig on February 18, 2013, 07:19:45 PM

Title: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: KBCraig on February 18, 2013, 07:19:45 PM
If anyone mentioned it lately I missed it, but TNT opened in 1993. It's my favorite of the modern coasters.

It's time to spruce the old gal up with a good refurb and overhaul, in my opinion.
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: sanddunerider on February 18, 2013, 07:23:16 PM
Nice catch KB..

Happy Birthday TNT<<
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: tiffanylynnt on February 18, 2013, 10:49:42 PM
TNT and I are the same age...
Exactly what day was the first official ride on it?
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: How-doFolks on February 19, 2013, 06:04:47 AM
Wow!! 20 years! Sure is funny how fast 20 years can go by.
Happy B'day TNT!! :)
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: joshblakebran on February 19, 2013, 01:31:17 PM
I remember riding it the summer that it was brand new...can't believe it's already been 20 years...
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: DollarCityBoy on February 19, 2013, 03:02:56 PM
Can't believe 20 years have come and gone. I remember being there for the opening in 1993. Dad & I still have our collectors tin mugs from the opening. The wait to get on was insane. It zig-zagged ALL the way up to the top and past the magic show!
Now 20 years later, Dad & I will be standing in line for SDC's new wooden coaster, Outlaw Run.
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: rubedugans on February 19, 2013, 03:20:33 PM
I'll look for a date tonight Tiff.
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: Gilligan on February 19, 2013, 05:09:43 PM
Quote from: DollarCityBoy on February 19, 2013, 03:02:56 PM
Can't believe 20 years have come and gone. I remember being there for the opening in 1993. Dad & I still have our collectors tin mugs from the opening. The wait to get on was insane. It zig-zagged ALL the way up to the top and past the magic show!
Now 20 years later, Dad & I will be standing in line for SDC's new wooden coaster, Outlaw Run.

That is really cool for you and your dad!  I mean really, really cool!  I hope the two of you have the greatest time.  And you have collector tins?  I'm really, really jealous.
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: Ozarks Gal on February 20, 2013, 08:54:40 AM
Happy Birthday to TNT this year! :) It was my first roller-coaster ever (if you don't count Fire-in-the-Hole) and I will always have fond memories.
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: DollarCityBoy on February 20, 2013, 09:18:30 AM
Quote from: Gilligan on February 19, 2013, 05:09:43 PM
Quote from: DollarCityBoy on February 19, 2013, 03:02:56 PM
Can't believe 20 years have come and gone. I remember being there for the opening in 1993. Dad & I still have our collectors tin mugs from the opening. The wait to get on was insane. It zig-zagged ALL the way up to the top and past the magic show!
Now 20 years later, Dad & I will be standing in line for SDC's new wooden coaster, Outlaw Run.

That is really cool for you and your dad!  I mean really, really cool!  I hope the two of you have the greatest time.  And you have collector tins?  I'm really, really jealous.

Oh yeah, Dad & I will have a great time. He's the only one who will ride roller coasters with me, My mom won't go near any of them, and my Wife won't go on anything that goes upside down.
About the Collectors Tins, I have posted pictures of it on here somewhere, I'll have to find where, and I'll post the link.
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: qwed94 on February 21, 2013, 07:56:50 PM
WOW. I never thought about TNT being 20 this year.  My story about TNT is also my sons. Meaning, TNT was the very first "big boy coaster" he ever rode.  I tried getting him on a few coasters at SFSL, but he was too short. First time to SDC in 93, they let him on. My Son loved it so much.  He was 5 years old, and very short for his age. Now he is 25, normal height, build like a panzer. and a coaster fanatic.  I am trying to coax him in to going to SDC with his Mom & I on the 23-24 of March so we can ride Outlaw Run together (for the first time).
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: tiffanylynnt on February 22, 2013, 12:57:50 AM
Quote from: Ozarks Gal on February 20, 2013, 08:54:40 AM
Happy Birthday to TNT this year! :) It was my first roller-coaster ever (if you don't count Fire-in-the-Hole) and I will always have fond memories.

That was my first roller coaster too, because I don't think Runaway Ore Cart really counts...
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: tiffanylynnt on February 22, 2013, 01:00:19 AM
Quote from: rubedugans on February 19, 2013, 03:20:33 PM
I'll look for a date tonight Tiff.

I think I found it at http://rcdb.com/220.htm. Does April 10th sound about right?
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: DollarCityBoy on February 22, 2013, 10:08:50 AM
http://sdcfans.com/forums/index.php?topic=1972.0

The above link should take you to the page where I posted 3 pictures of my TnT tin mug that we purchased when the ride opened.
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: Ozarks Gal on February 22, 2013, 10:43:21 AM
Quote from: tiffanylynnt on February 22, 2013, 12:57:50 AM
Quote from: Ozarks Gal on February 20, 2013, 08:54:40 AM
Happy Birthday to TNT this year! :) It was my first roller-coaster ever (if you don't count Fire-in-the-Hole) and I will always have fond memories.

That was my first roller coaster too, because I don't think Runaway Ore Cart really counts...

:o *gasp* How did I forget the Runaway Ore Carts?? That makes TNT my first "big girl" coaster ;) (thanks qwed).
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: Gilligan on February 22, 2013, 11:49:07 AM
Quote from: DollarCityBoy on February 22, 2013, 10:08:50 AM
http://sdcfans.com/forums/index.php?topic=1972.0

The above link should take you to the page where I posted 3 pictures of my TnT tin mug that we purchased when the ride opened.

What a treasure!!  I wish I could find one of those.
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: cjfootball_89 on February 22, 2013, 06:15:42 PM
Anybody happen to have any photos of Thunderation when it first opened?.... Perhaps some photos of the line length when the ride was relatively new?
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: tinmann620 on February 22, 2013, 08:36:10 PM
I was there opening day, waited over 2 hours in line. Recently found these going through old boxes~
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: MissinTheGreenTrams on February 22, 2013, 09:13:25 PM
That is really cool!! Green eyed here!
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: Junior on March 09, 2013, 08:09:04 PM
I've got an old friend from my days of working in the old Vineyard Restaurant (Wagonworks Restaurant now). She and I worked there back in 1978 and 1979. I contacted her via Facebook last year, and she says she has a daughter that works at Thunderation. She told me she is glad that her family tradition of working at SDC carries on in her daughter. She said her daughter loves working at the roller coaster. Good for her, I say! It also makes me feel old knowing she has a daughter old enough to work at the park...she and I were 17 years old when we worked together. Time flies?!?
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: Ozarks Gal on July 10, 2013, 09:17:43 AM
Quote from: Gilligan on February 22, 2013, 11:49:07 AM
Quote from: DollarCityBoy on February 22, 2013, 10:08:50 AM
http://sdcfans.com/forums/index.php?topic=1972.0

The above link should take you to the page where I posted 3 pictures of my TnT tin mug that we purchased when the ride opened.

What a treasure!!  I wish I could find one of those.

There's a TNT mug on eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Behrens-Silver-Dollar-City-TNT-Thunderation-It-s-A-Blast-Tin-Cup-Mug-/221252334769?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3383aab4b1) right now. It's in much worse shape than DollarCityBoy's mug, but it's the first one I remember seeing.
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: Ozark Outlaw on July 10, 2013, 09:48:01 AM
Nice catch Ozarks Gal! :)

ThuNderaTion is such a classic-sentimental ride for me! Sure, it will never replace Fire in the Hole for nostalgia. However, like many of you here, ThuNderaTion was also my first big roller coaster experience. The distinct clacking sound of the chain pulling the cars up the lift hill is unmatched by any other roller coaster that I have been on. While waiting in line, you always knew where the train was at once it reached the lift hill. :D
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: okiebluegrass on July 10, 2013, 10:35:53 AM
Thunderation was the first big coaster on park. I first road it in 1995. I wish you could still ride backwards
Title: Re: 2013: ThuNderaTion's 20th anniversary
Post by: DollarCityBoy on July 10, 2013, 11:30:30 AM
WOW! Have they been keeping that tin mug outside all these years?
Mine does look a lot better than that one!
Thanks for sharing, I won't be selling mine though.