Search

Posted in the project 2026 tracker about this ride back in 2025:

August 05, 2025, 02:12:55 PM
They are going to put in a coaster like Dollywood's Big Bear Mountain except maybe not as long, but a smooth family coaster.

Thunderation's days are numbered, unfortunately, but it is hard for them to maintain.

The fact that they straight up scrapped a train from TNT does imply that they aren't intending on keeping it much longer. Could go a few seasons more before they are ready to let it go though. It seems like they have a backlog of projects. Flooded Mine nearly bit the dust years ago, but other things took higher priority and it ended up getting more popular with guests again, so it has stuck around.

I have a feeling in the next 10 years or so TNT, FM, AP, Riverblast, and maybe even PK will get replaced.

I hope you are wrong.  Not much of that would make any sense.

They are going to put in a coaster like Dollywood's Big Bear Mountain except maybe not as long, but a smooth family coaster.

Thunderation's days are numbered, unfortunately, but it is hard for them to maintain.

And you know this how?

Heard if from someone in the know.

Visited the park six times this summer.  Most of it was good but one day was so-so, and one day was probably the worst day I have experienced there in over 30 years.

Shout out to the young lady working the kid rides at fireman's landing.  Reminded me of the old days.  Very cheerful.  Can't remember her name.  The new Wild West show was good I thought.  Another thing I appreciated that I want to highlight is powderkeg running two cars.  It seems they are always running 1 even when busy.

The park obviously isn't as good as it used to be regarding theming and overall culture, and some of that is because of the administration and managers of the park (more college indoctrinated grads) but also due to the difficulty in finding quality people to hire.  It's obvious that SDC has reached the realm of "just find someone to cover the shift and be there".  They can't help some of that stuff, I'm just not sure if there's enough quality candidates.  Heck I even caught the new sheriff (who has worked there for years in other capacities) on his cell phone in one of the homestead cabins.  If he can't stay in theme and off his phone why would a 20 year old employee who has never visited the park before working there even care?

Since there is still a lot of good in the park let me highlight one thing that exemplifies what I mean.  I absolutely hate how much Hannah's ice cream parlor has changed and I cannot believe how far that place has fallen.  They used to have demonstrations, but I get why they don't do that anymore.  However, it used to feel like you were in a different place there, a better place.  It was clean, cool, and happy.  It was charming.  A true slice of Americana.  Now?  I hate the new ordering system, it completely ruins the ambience of the place.  The workers are terrible.  They messed up a very simple order (although the new system doesn't do them any favors).  When I tried telling them what mistake was made and how it would easily be fixed, they just could not accept that the ice cream they served was not what was ordered.  One of them clearly didn't get the memo that one "scoop" is actually an entire bowl, not just a single scoop (thankfully the others knew this, to their credit).  But the place was DISGUSTING.  The workers obviously have zero pride in their work or for their ice cream shop, nor do they care about their customers.  I cannot believe how dirty the place was, especially one day.  It was 3:30 or so and it was not busy in there.  Workers standing around.  I brought them a cup to throw away because the trash cans were so full; do you think they got the memo?  Nope, just stood there.  Floors and tables were dirty and full of ice cream, napkins, spoons, etc.  Some of this also speaks to the culture we have of people not cleaning up after themselves, but this was a whole new level of worker negligence.  That's an example, I'm seeing more and more of that stuff at the park.

Pretty soon I literally do not want them to call it silver dollar city any more, especially once all the old stuff is gone.  When it comes to anything new, they clearly do not care about the theme of the park.  It's insulting.  It's almost as if they make a mockery of the old theme.

They are going to put in a coaster like Dollywood's Big Bear Mountain except maybe not as long, but a smooth family coaster.

Thunderation's days are numbered, unfortunately, but it is hard for them to maintain.

Great news!  I took your guys advice to log in to my account (I didn't even remember that there was an account associated with ordering) and there it was.
I forwarded it in an email to guest services and they said they think there must have been a mistake at check-out on my end, but there's proof I tried to order it so they are going to create an Adventure pass for my daughter.
While it was a hassle, I'm very pleased with the outcome and appreciate their help.
Looks like my family will be getting season passes this year, which we didn't last year.  Not sure after FITH leaves but for now I'm wanting to give them my business.

Thanks for the reminders about the login.

For me I think American Plunge needs more love.  Although I will say last year a few things were working that werent the year before.  I think American Plunge can be an absolute home run when it comes to good theme and I don't think it would cost a whole crap ton.

Please, for the love of all that is right and good, hand-painted signs!

I think over the past five years they've done well with flooded mine.  Seems every time I go there's something fixed that wasn't working a few years back.
My only complaint is they need to get the voice back..."I'm gettin' outta here, no matter what!".
But FM is still a fantastic ride.  I won't complain about it because it will just give them an excuse to take it away.

I dunno if anyone else has ever had trouble with this kind of stuff, but I ordered an adventure pass for my 4 year old this past winter and now SDC says they have no record of it, so now we're stuck without one.
Last year I ordered one for another daughter who was eligible and never got anything in the mail nor did I get a confirmation email or letter.  However, when I emailed before our trip they said I just had to go to the ticket booth and bring the birth certificate and pick it up there so that's what we did.
Since I didn't get anything in the mail or via email this time either I just figured it was normal and just like last year.  Nope.  They say they don't have it and don't seem too empathetic, either.
I understand they are a business, but I ordered that pass, and if they want to go everything digital they better make sure it works.  So now I'm not sure if we can do season passes or just the 2 day pass as this is another $150 bucks for our family of 6.

Anyway, that's my rant!

Sad news. Knew it was coming one of these years. Glad to know theres one summer left.

Almost fitting he's going out with fire in the hole as the park continues to shed the original theme.

Homestead Pickers really are one of a kind, you don't just find them anywhere.

I expected a new entrance for everyone - not some special season pass perk for the more expensive tiers.

Ugh....

Just noticed: "Priority Gate Entrance"

What is this?

Brad's video mentioned a revamped entry system, and there will be a different gate for those passholders who opt to pay the higher fee.  We've talked about the entry being remodeled for a couple of years, and it sounds like that might come in some form for 2023 - another vintage memory succumbing to progress - but we just can't be sure how intrusive the new system might be on the classic entrance.  It may be no more than a dedicated turnstile.

Ive never understood the complaints about the entrance.
It never takes more than five minutes from off the train to through the turnstyles. It usually moves pretty good.
I dont get it.

The park claims they changed the music in the Christmas Carol because of copy right laws. Well ALL the other shows on the Branson Strip seem to have no problem with "copy rights"? I think another Great idea would be to replace the Christmas Carol with "Santa Claus is coming to Town." A Broadway show with popular songs as "Santa Claus is coming town, Toymaker of the King and One foot in Front of another. Would be great. The park has the "rights" to Rudolph the Reindeer, why not add on to this with Santa Claus is coming to Town.

Its a cop out.
Not only did they change the show but they fired the two best actors.
Anyone know of a video of the old dickens show?

The clientele seems to be changing as of late, so this is of no surprise to me.

As the park changes, so goes the clientele. Six Flags-type parks attract Six Flags-type customers.

Bingo

While there is a divide between old SDC and new SDC...it is still way better than your average theme park. In Missouri, it blows Worlds of Fun and Six Flags St. Louis out of the water. So what if it's "covered in roller coasters" it's 2022 and that's what the new generation is going for. It pays the bills. Plus, it's not like the coasters are sitting right there in the middle of the park, they're all hidden in their own way.

There is still plenty of old SDC for everyone to enjoy. The festivals are incredibly themed and fun to attend and the only one that has seemed to be omitted from years past is World Fest. Just because things may not be the same as they were 5, 10 or 20 years ago, doesn't make it bad. To say "they've stopped caring a long time ago" is a complete insult to the citizens who have put a lot of time and effort to making SDC a national destination.

They stopped caring a long time ago.

Its well on its way to being six flags branson.
Thats what the powers that be prefer.
Heck some of them are probably happy about the train being down. Now they can "update" it and get rid of the classic aspect of it.
Wait til you see the new FITH.  No doubt it will be a soulless PC glitzy ride with no real history or theme.

I try to enjoy the remaining aspects of what made the park special before they transition those out too, one by one as they have been.

Not only would I ride the train right now, but I'd bring my kids.
Ot'd be great.
The wreck was a fluke thing.
That train has had a lot of miles on it with no issues.
I have full faith in sdc fixing it, and doing it quick.
If people dont want to ride, then dont.
Whatever happened to personal responsibility?