Messages

16

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC’s 2024 Project(s) and Park Developments

« on: January 04, 2024, 08:14:53 AM »

It looks incredible. They are doing a knock-out job with the theming. It's going to be like a hi-def version of the old FITH. I'm sure the final touches and details will carry it through. They definitely know what they are doing.

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2023 Crowds / Trip Reports

« on: January 02, 2024, 10:22:39 PM »

That is awesome mg, so glad one of us could have that experience.

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Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC’s 2024 Project(s) and Park Developments

« on: January 02, 2024, 10:21:40 PM »

Maybe eventually, but I'm not sure what to expect next at this point. Haven't heard many rustlings lately. I think they keep the cards closer to their chest these days. A lot more people are paying attention than the old days when it was mostly just us on this obscure forum.

I still think the train station rumor makes sense. Even this year the line was wrapping into the corkscrew pass. They've gotten away with it for many years now, but if they are trying to elevate the status of the park into a major national destination, the current line situation for the biggest ride in the park is still a sore spot.

The real question for me is: if they do move the train station, does that mean FM is gone next? Probably so... They'll probably re-do the whole area from the dead space where runaway-ore-carts was all the way through the FM space when they get the chance.

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2023 Crowds / Trip Reports

« on: December 18, 2023, 12:36:57 PM »

Made it up there this past weekend for the last visit of the year with my family. Rode FITH a few final times. Friday was rainy off and on in the evenings, so crowds weren't too bad, but on Saturday it was packed as usual. I waited in the longest line for FITH that I've ever waited for it to get my last ride. It stretched almost back to the Powderkeg sign.

Bitter sweet to say goodbye, but I'm looking forward to the new one.

20

Branson Talk / West End / Ozark Nights

« on: December 18, 2023, 12:27:09 PM »

So I have been asking around about what the new "West End" development is that has a big new sign next to Steak n' Shake, and apparently it's an effort to develop the area where the giant water resort was going to go a few years ago. The largest attraction currently proposed is Ozark Nights, which is some sort of unique "night walk" through the woods. https://www.ozarknights.com/faqs/#elementor-tab-content-1382

It sounds... interesting. I'd try it out. Glad that they are clear cutting everything, but they did put in a big parking lot that is pretty garish on the landscape. I suppose someday the Ozark Mountain highway might eventually get completed through here anyway.

21

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC’s 2024 Project(s) and Park Developments

« on: November 29, 2023, 11:16:35 AM »

I don't think we discussed it much on here, but that new pretzel dog restaurant is going to be huge. Kind of feels like they wanted something big to establish the area more. Possibly a lead up to adding more back in that area where the pumpkin dance party is. No more wooded walk unfortunately, unless you count the few tall cedars left hugging the pathway. I'm sure they'll eventually connect it all to the new FITH.

22

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2023 Crowds / Trip Reports

« on: November 27, 2023, 04:20:38 PM »

I've been told crowds in general have been lighter this year. Between the costs of inflation causing some to pull back on vacations, people waiting for next year since there hasn't been a new ride in awhile, and people scared of the crowds from previous years - it feels like the park has been fighting the headwinds lately.

2024 is shaping up to be a good year though. Once they get that resort going I think they will rise another notch in attendance since full fledged theme park resorts are very attractive for a lot of families.

Will be interesting to see the impact of the Vinita park in the long term though... but I guess they will cross that bridge when they come to it seeing as the Vinita park still has a lot to prove.

23

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC’s 2024 Project(s) and Park Developments

« on: November 16, 2023, 03:55:00 PM »

I am hopeful they'll connect OR to the area vacated by the original FITH. The new FITH really does look like it is setup to eventually connect back to GE, but like I said they'll have to finish that back area first.

As for the wildfire/PK dead ends... it would be harder to connect them, but I feel like they could run a path between them. I'm surprised they haven't after all these years.

24

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC’s 2024 Project(s) and Park Developments

« on: November 16, 2023, 09:49:29 AM »

I'm trying to get an idea of how the new fire in the hole district will be accessible from the existing park. I know one end will be accessible from the fireman's landing but will it also be connected to Grand Exposition?

The connection will be where the little kiddie swings are currently. You can see the new location for that ride has already been prepared next to Lake Silver if you go into the Landing.

They won't be adding a pathway to GE - yet. Looks like they could easily add one, but they haven't done much with that back area yet. It is not part of the Christmas event this year, but I would wager they will activate that space more in the coming years. They really need to add some tree islands or something to it - I don't like that it feels like a parking lot.

25

Other Parks / Re: New Park - American Heartland in NE Oklahoma

« on: November 15, 2023, 11:34:44 AM »

Branson was well on it's way long before SDC got to be very big at all. In fact, by the time FITH opened in 1972 there were already a ton of theatres and famous performers calling Branson home. The damming of Table Rock Lake is actually what spurred the area into being a tourist town, with the country artists driving it after that. SDC grew at a steady pace, but it's hard to say when it really got "big". I'd say the 90's?

The AH park certainly does have a decent location in terms of access. I40 is a major artery and will make it easier for people from several surrounding states to get there. It's still not surrounded by much though other than Grand Lake. The thing is, there are already plenty of established parks around the country and plenty of lakes, so what will make them stand out?

The anti-woke stuff won't bring people in. People don't go on expensive vacations to protest Disney. I'm sure they have some things in the works however. They will surely roll out some characters, movies, etc somewhere in the timeline of this development. We'll see if they catch any eyeballs though...

Anyway, next time I'm running up to Branson I'm going to try and get off the highway to get a few construction shots. Probably not much to see from the road yet, but would be interesting to see how much activity is going on by the entrance. I imagine they have a big setup by now for the contractor staging since they'll be there for a few years.

26

Construction/Rumors / Re: Six Flags/Cedar Fair Merger and it's effects on SDC

« on: November 15, 2023, 10:52:57 AM »

Once upon a time HFEC almost bought several SF parks. They ended up doing an operations deal at a few former SF parks instead of buying, and that didn't seem to work out great... but it did help the company grow and learn how to manage more theme park properties and seemingly led to them getting Kentucky Kingdom eventually.

I agree, we may see HFEC pick up more properties IF some get spun off. Hard to say what they would try to sell though. They use FC to sell passes, and it is a cheap park to run apparently. The Great Escape is small, but apparently does OK - and again, sells passes.

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Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC Resort Survey

« on: November 15, 2023, 10:50:29 AM »

Brad hinted at the resort during the presentation at Coaster Christmas. He didn't say much, other than the park had a TON of land to work with and a lot of exciting announcements to come.

I expect to see things moving out there next year, with an announcement towards end of year - maybe sooner. They are probably late into the design stage by now.

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Former Ride and Attraction return poll

« on: November 15, 2023, 10:48:30 AM »

Bringing back Rube Dugan's is such a good idea that it's hard to believe it hasn't been done already. The park needs more indoor, unique attractions. There is a lot of new simulator technology out there, and I believe Vekoma or a similar company actually has a giant simulator theatre in their catalog.

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Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC’s 2024 Project(s) and Park Developments

« on: November 15, 2023, 08:31:08 AM »

Also, I'm reading conflicting reports about if FITH used to be longer.  Some say a portion of track was removed in the early 80's making the ride shorter.  This picture of the control panel seems to show that more track used to exist.

Yup, I can't remember the full story (it's buried on this board somewhere), but they shortened it around the time that Blazing Fury at DW opened. BF is a clone of FITH, but with the shortened layout. Probably had to do with timing/guest throughput and ease of maintenance. The tracks were still there until a "few" years ago. I can't remember when they finally took them out and walled off that area, but you could see them right before the train tunnel next to the hanging scene.

Given the timetable (I was told by SDC staff during Coaster Christmas that most of the original theming and props will be transferred to the new ride to save time and $$$) they will likely need 2-3 weeks to clear out both the maintenance area and the theming assets from the old structure. So expect mid-late January for the demo.

Interesting. I believe we originally heard the only thing going to be recycled rom the original ride was the mural of the burning of Marmaros. So, are they reusing more of the old ride?

One thing I'd like to see them do: is to have an exhibit to walkthrough in the ride queue. It could contain displays about the town of Marmaros, the guano mining in Marble Cave, and the Bald Knobbers. It could also contain original display pieces from the original Fire-in-the-Hole.

Otherwise, what is the latest on what SDC will do with architectural pieces of the old ride? Are there still rumors of a possible auction to sell some of the old ride?

They are transferring a few things over, but we'll see how much. I know some of the stuff outside and in the queue area will make it over, but most of the props within the ride are probably headed for the trash. They have all new mannequins and baldknobber costumes, and most of the props will be better, newer stuff in the new ride. There's not a lot within the ride that could be easily transferred since it's a lot of building sets and fake rockwork.  I'm excited to see the train replica they are building. The final scenes should be much better in the new ride.

30

Other Parks / Re: New Park - American Heartland in NE Oklahoma

« on: November 08, 2023, 11:50:06 AM »

So the annexation ultimately went through and the RV park has officially kicked off with a big ground breaking ceremony. Still a lot of questions in the air about this, but so far everything has gone well and they are on their way.

I remain skeptical that the park will ever reach the proportions they originally outlined, but I do believe they will get a park open in a few years. Will definitely want to visit before they struggle and end up closing. There are a lot of people in the area, and they have good access due to the turnpike, but I still say that without a major IP or something to draw people, it's just a random big theme park with a generic americana theme in the middle of nowhere.

Their main hope of creating a draw is simply building enough themselves to get big, but I still don't see where the $2 billion is going to come from...