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 any goons ever been to Silver Dollar City in the mecca of the Ozarks, Branson Missouri? My grandfather used to call it steal your dollar silly. It was basically like one of those 1800s recreation places crossed with a lovely theme park. As a child I was promised we'd get to take place in a taffy pull and watch them blow glass. I only remember watching a blacksmith(?) and watching my parents pay way too much money for a glass pitcher Wikipedia informs me that there are a number of old-timey demonstrations that go on there:
They apparently have 7 roller coasters, a thing I can neither confirm nor share stories about, since I haven't been there since the 90s. I do remember Fire in the Hole though, which was more of a people-mover thing than a roller coaster. You'd ride through scenes of some sort of mountain hillbilly people burning a town to the ground. The baldknobbers (hillbilly people in question) looked like this:  You'd also yell "Fire in the Hole!" which was fun for a small kid. I don't remember the context of this, please no one tell me that it was in encouragement of something horrendous from history. The only other ride I remember was a float-through ride on 6 person rafts that spun as they floated along, and numerous spots where an unlucky guest would get drenched. I can't find a name for what this must have been through a quick google, but it looks like the park has expanded with a lot of new rides since the last time I was there. Any other goons visit this fever dream?
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Jul 30, 2022 00:28
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 00:05 |
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Silver Dollar City is, in my opinion, the best themed amusement park outside of Disney and Universal. It is a nearly perfect park, and I adore it. The ride collection is top notch. Classics like Fire in the Hole, memorable traditional steel in Wildfire, and cutting edge stuff like Outlaw Run and Time Traveler (well, Outlaw Run was cutting edge at the time - RMC's first full build.) And weird poo poo like Powder Keg, which is a water-coaster-turned-launch coaster that has a lift hill at the end. A great collection of flats and kiddie rides, too, if that's what you're there for. Entertainment is everywhere, with wandering "citizens of Silver Dollar City" in the front of the park and tons of shows every day on multiple stages. Watching the crafts people work is a ton of fun, and they're happy to talk to you about what they're doing. The food is also a notch or two above traditional park food, with cinnamon bread and apple turnovers made on site. The place is beautiful. It is definitely in the Ozarks, so you have to deal with a poo poo ton of hills, but they use them to make the roller coasters spectacular. Wildfire overlooks forested hills, Outlaw Run goes out into the woods, so the entire thing is a surprise, and Time Traveler drops off a cliff immediately.   The theming - 1880s - is everywhere. I haven't seen a park outside of the big boys that's so well themed. Everything really looks like it belongs, and when things don't fit, they extend the story in creative ways. Like, the roller coasters have (small) plots, and they keep getting more ornate. Wildfire is the experiment of a mad scientist. Outlaw Run is a delivery run where you're trying to outrun the bad guys. Time Traveler is a time machine created by a father/daughter team, who urge you to Dream Big and Do Good. How can you not love a park that themes its charging station?  And the cave! Silver Dollar City exists because of Marvel Cave. They used to give tours, and the amusement park sort of metastasized out of that. The cave tours are free, and you can take a lantern lit tour for a nominal fee. It's very pretty in there, and always a comfortable temperature since its underground. Very important during sticky Missouri summers.  Silver Dollar City owns. I could go on for so long.
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Jul 30, 2022 00:57
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I grew up going to Silver Dollar City and, like you, can only remember Fire in the Hole and the water ride that and the train, where a couple of baldknobbers (not to be confused the the Branson show) attempt to rob everyone and hijinks ensue
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Jul 30, 2022 00:59
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wth this place looks rad Love these kinds of lower budget parks, bet the crowds aren't too bad either
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Jul 30, 2022 01:40
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Boxman posted:And the cave! Silver Dollar City exists because of Marvel Cave. They used to give tours, and the amusement park sort of metastasized out of that. The cave tours are free, and you can take a lantern lit tour for a nominal fee. It's very pretty in there, and always a comfortable temperature since its underground. Very important during sticky Missouri summers. Dang, I really don't remember this at ALL. A lantern lit tour of that sounds way better than the drive through cave my parents took us to. It also seems like the theme park aspect of it must have really taken off in the late 90s/early 00s just looking at how quickly they started building coasters on wikipedia. Scuba Trooper posted:I grew up going to Silver Dollar City and, like you, can only remember Fire in the Hole and the water ride Oh man, this guy's gurning face was all over half the billboards in Branson it seemed, but I can't find a high res photo  Honestly the weirdness of Branson could fill a whole thread. Waste of Breath fucked around with this message at 01:59 on Jul 30, 2022 |
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Jul 30, 2022 01:56
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I went to Silver Dollar City once in middle school, I do not remember coasters like that. Those look sweet. Should maybe look into taking the family soon
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Jul 30, 2022 02:05
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Time Traveler is an S tier roller coaster. And the airtime on Powder Keg is sublime But really... Fire the Hole is the weirdest most unique part of that park. Waste of Breath posted:You'd also yell "Fire in the Hole!" which was fun for a small kid. I don't remember the context of this, please no one tell me that it was in encouragement of something horrendous from history. I'll throw a spoiler tag on here in case you don't want to ruin your childhood memories Baldknobbers were pro-Union vigilantes in the 1880s. So if the pro-Union people are the bad guys on the ride....... I also really liked the Huck Finn ride where you shoot people with water canons. Apparently this sort of ride is not unique to this park, but its the only place Ive ever seen it. Super fun. 
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Jul 30, 2022 14:14
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BlueBayou posted:I'll throw a spoiler tag on here in case you don't want to ruin your childhood memories This was why I wondered! Thank you! Not trying to do that thing where you distance yourself from something potentially problematic, I grew up in Missouri and did not learn that John Brown was a cool and good guy until college so I figured there was probably some...creative framing going on at the theme park in the Ozarks. Waste of Breath fucked around with this message at 17:46 on Jul 30, 2022 |
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Jul 30, 2022 17:36
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BlueBayou posted:Time Traveler is an S tier roller coaster. Both of these look amazing. I love a bit of antagonism in my parks  .
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Aug 2, 2022 12:51
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THE BAR posted:Both of these look amazing. I love a bit of antagonism in my parks The general feeling of the river battler is also found in the Mack Twist 'n' Splash (same manufacturer), marketed as the Tsunami Soaker at a few Six Flagses. The water guns on the sides of the ride are a great touch, you don't even have to wait in the queue if you don't feel like getting wet. And you get very wet. It sort of looks like a nice splashing, but those guns put out a ton of water.
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Aug 2, 2022 13:09
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Boxman posted:Silver Dollar City is, in my opinion, the best themed amusement park outside of Disney and Universal. It is a nearly perfect park, and I adore it. I've never been there and am not close, but this all sounds so cool. I really like the little backstories they came up with for all their rides, and that Time Traveler roller coaster actually has cars that spin in random circles independent from going along the track. I've never seen anything quite like it, here's a random video I found, it looks insane and way fun. The video title might be a bit misleading, because once you put enough adjectives in there, if you look at it from the perspective of "it might not be any one of these things specifically, but when you put them all together, mostly the spinning launched part, I suppose it is true". Still though, fair warning, even just watching the video was enough to make me feel a bit dizzy and disoriented. So maybe  for some.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzrAtHVk_Tc Out of the parks I have never hear of before in this subforum, this looks like the one put together the best that I would most like to visit.
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Aug 3, 2022 12:05
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I live near Branson and loving hate this place but the succotash is really good. They do it up big for Christmas and it rules.
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Aug 3, 2022 19:18
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Bismack Billabongo posted:I live near Branson and loving hate this place but the succotash is really good.
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Aug 4, 2022 03:45
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There’s also okra and sausage or chicken or turkey or carrots and onions and stuff too. I had never had it before I tried it there and it’s v good
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Aug 4, 2022 04:17
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There used to be a Silver Dollar City in Pigeon Forge, TN, but Dolly Parton bought it mid-80's and made it much better.
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Aug 9, 2022 20:28
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Living so upsettingly close to SDC just makes me miss growing up near Worlds of Fun/Oceans of Fun even more. The Zambezi Zinger and Orient Express may have been racist deathtraps, but they were our racist deathtraps.
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Aug 9, 2022 21:32
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Inkspot posted:Living so upsettingly close to SDC just makes me miss growing up near Worlds of Fun/Oceans of Fun even more. The Zambezi Zinger and Orient Express may have been racist deathtraps, but they were our racist deathtraps. A kid next to me lost an eye on the Zambezi Zinger because the park didn't trim the trees. “No pygmies shorter than 4 skulls can ride without adult.”
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Aug 10, 2022 18:35
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 00:05 |
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empty baggie posted:There used to be a Silver Dollar City in Pigeon Forge, TN, but Dolly Parton bought it mid-80's and made it much better. Before SDC it was Gold Rush Junction, and before that it was Rebel Railroad. That one has been around for a long time.
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Aug 11, 2022 18:41
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