Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

I just got back from OTC yesterday. It is indeed pretty great.

As far as comparing it to DW's event goes, I assume they're very similar. They both have multi-story tree/light shows, millions of lights, special high-quality theatrical productions, etc.

Time to drag up this thread at last!

It has been confirmed that Silver Dollar City will open a brand new coaster by Rocky Mountain Coasters for the 2013 season. Construction is already taking place behind The Giant Swing. It was confirmed in an article of the Spokane Journal of Business which was profiling Rocky Mountain. The firm is building new facilities to produce its track and a new train design that will "revolutionize the industry". The combination of the two new technologies will allow the firm to build looping "wooden" coasters.

Not much is known about the Silver Dollar City coaster, other than it will be built from the ground up and together with the refurbishment of the Rattler at SF Fiesta Texas the total cost of the two projects will be $12 million. Not a ton of money depending on how much the Rattler costs, but if they stay lot to the ground they won't have to use all that much wood. $8 million with this tech will build a damn good coaster, maybe even a top ten.

The big question now is "will it have inversions?". Honestly I kind of hope not. I just want a crazy first drop and lots of twisty craziness through the trees and ravines. They have some nice land at their disposal where they are building it.

I wrote up a little summary of the article on SDCFans, but I don't think I can post the original article publicly due to the paywall issues. It doesn't say much more than what I just wrote.

^Wow.

First, what exciting news! I am so tempted to find my way back there next year.

Second, will it be wooden or "wooden"? I've heard they will be building true wood coasters, but I could see them making an "NTag" from scratch, too. I understand what they've already done, but this future stuff loses me quick.

Third...I hope this doesn't mean Silverwood isn't getting one next year...that was an awesome rumor.

It has been confirmed that Silver Dollar City will open a brand new coaster by Rocky Mountain Coasters for the 2013 season.

Honestly, I will belive it when I see an actual announcement from SDC. I only say this because when the rep from RMC spoke to us at ACE Summer con at Silverwood he "Confirmed" to us that Holiday World purchased topper track for the Voyage than Holiday world turned around and said it was not true at all...

^Wow, I really hope that's not the case here. The article comes out and specifically states that they have a project at Silver Dollar City, and they are in fact building something at Silver Dollar City right now with a lot of land clearing going on already. It would be weird for them to announce they're working on somebody else's project.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. I really expected the chain to go with GCII, who they have such a good relationship with. This totally bucks the trend of staying with proven manufacturers and installing similar rides at their owned parks. The other time the park went with a coaster that was the first of it's kind, it didn't really work out all that well. (Was PK the first of it's kind? I was referring to Buzzsaw Falls, but maybe this is actually the third time they've done this...)

I also don't like the relatively low dollar count. If the $12 million is between the two 2013 projects, then they either must not be doing much to the Rattler or this won't be a very big coaster. The wood components are cheap - if this were a GCII I would be totally happy to hear of it costing $6-8 million, but NTAG cost $10 million as a re-build, and it seems like there will be a lot of costs associated with being a new coaster. We'll see though, it doesn't have to be huge and expensive to be amazing, or even a top ten coaster, but it sure helps with this style. Now that we know this is will be a thrill coaster my expectations are higher.

And while we're on the subject of money I have to add: how come SDC only gets approx $6-8 million to spend on its first completely new coaster in a decade while DW has spent around $20 million a piece on their last two coasters not including their woodie and other big rides built in the last decade. My how the tables have turned in terms of chain investments these days, not that I'm bitter or anything

And while we're on the subject of money I have to add: how come SDC only gets approx $6-8 million to spend on its first completely new coaster in a decade while DW has spent around $20 million a piece on their last two coasters not including their woodie and other big rides built in the last decade. My how the tables have turned in terms of chain investments these days, not that I'm bitter or anything

'Cause it's Dolly, and with her, it's go big or go home!

I would guess cause more people visit Dollywood than Silver Dollar City.

I would guess cause more people visit Dollywood than Silver Dollar City.

Bingo.

With the (alleged) information already out there so early, I wonder when they'll announce this.

I'm going with the assumption that this is true, but I'm still eager to hear from SDC when the time comes.

Second, will it be wooden or "wooden"? I've heard they will be building true wood coasters, but I could see them making an "NTag" from scratch, too. I understand what they've already done, but this future stuff loses me quick.

Oh boy. Okay, everyone pay close attention.

Regardless of the support structure material, which can be wood or steel, a roller coasters steel or wood categorization is defined by the material used to build the track. So if it's made of layers of wood (even though it has a thin flat steel rail to keep the wheels from shredding the track into sprinters), it's a wood coaster. If the track is steel, it's a steel coaster.

If this coaster is built by RMC using their Iron Horse track, it will be a STEEL coaster. The track defines the category of wood or steel, not the support structure. It won't be "wooden" anything, if it is indeed Iron Horse Track.

I will be quizzing you all later. So commit it to memory!

As a Missourian, I'm stoked we're getting another coaster at SDC. I was hoping for a CGI woodie, but an RMC steelie will do nicely too, especially after trying out the "New Texas Giant". Peace.

^Yes, I was oversimplifying since the term "'wooden'" was used in the initial post. I could have said "hybrid steel" instead. I think what loses me is that I forget that Iron Horse is the name of their steel track. And Topper Track is the only wooden coaster track they make, right? Once I have the product names straight I should be fine.

If I recall correctly, didn't Robb post a video from IAPPA in chich he interviewed someone from RMC who said they were had a project lined up to build a traditional wooden coaster? I do remember quite clearly that they said they were launching their own wooden coaster trains. So this could be wooden.

It has been confirmed that Silver Dollar City will open a brand new coaster by Rocky Mountain Coasters for the 2013 season.

 

Honestly, I will belive it when I see an actual announcement from SDC. I only say this because when the rep from RMC spoke to us at ACE Summer con at Silverwood he "Confirmed" to us that Holiday World purchased topper track for the Voyage than Holiday world turned around and said it was not true at all...

Not only that but the free part of the "article" in the Spokane Business Journal makes absolutely no reference to a new coaster at Silver Dollar City.

Rocky Mountain Construction Group Inc., of Hayden, is erecting a new $1 million shop building where it plans to move its proprietary roller coaster track manufacturing operations, says Fred Grubb, the company's president.

The move also will make room for the specialty contractor to develop and manufacture high-performance roller coaster cars that can excel on a track that Grubb says is revolutionizing wooden roller coasters.

I'm not saying it won't happen, but I'd like to see the rest of the article and if it states anything about SDC.

^Larry, I have purchased the article and it definitely stated that both Silver Dollar City and Fiesta Texas would have projects by Rocky Mountain for 2013. The article also gave the combined $12 million figure for both.

Can anyone track down this interview from RMC where they said they were building a traditional coaster? The article was very much focused on RMC's new track and train production facility so it sounded like that was all of their business. I can't imagine SDC going with RMC for a traditional coaster when they've had so much good business with GCII.

Edit: I'll go ahead and post the most interesting excerpt from the article, hopefully that's OK:

Rocky Mountain Construction is developing the new cars to take advantage of the performance-enhancing capabilities of its track system, Grubb says.

 

"Our particular track can turn and twist so extreme, it will take new cars to do that," he asserts.

 

An engineering team has been working on the design for the new cars for about three months, he says. "We will be building cars we think will be revolutionary for the industry."

 

He says the combination of the cars and the track system will enable new wooden coasters to include inversions, a feature that no wooden coaster has had since Kings Island theme park, in Mason, Ohio, removed a damaged, structurally flawed loop from its Son of Beast ride in 2006.

 

"We're developing it so riders can go upside down in a wooden coaster," Grubb says.

 

Rocky Mountain Construction already has two contracts to build wooden coasters with such features, he says.

 

One is planned at Silver Dollar City theme park, in Branson, Mo., and the other at Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme park, in San Antonio. Those jobs are valued at a total of $12 million, and both coasters are scheduled to open in the spring of 2013, Grubb says.

Source: Spokane Journal of Business: http://www.spokanejournal.com/article.php?id=7763

Note that they say the two projects with include such features. That sounds like they will at least have the new track and trains, if not inversions.

As exciting as it may be I still would consider this a rumor of sorts. Rocky Mountain has, in the past, alluded to different projects that didn't happen (i.e. talking about doing work on the Voyage). Also strange the manufacturer would confirm attractions - usually they are really hesitant to let any details slip until the park announces it.

We got enough information to show it will happen I just wonder about if all the details are 100%.

^^Cool, thanks for the clarification.

^No, it is not a rumor. We now have a authoritative source.

Definition of RUMOR (from Merriam Webster)

1: talk or opinion widely disseminated with no discernible source

2: a statement or report current without known authority for its truth

Here's the interview in question. This confirms that the ride will in fact have topper track and will debut the new trains. That's one question answered. Now the question is, how big and how crazy?

Might have to wait awhile for more info now though. This ride won't open until 2013. I expect an announcement from the park earlier than usual, but they usually announce rides in early November, so that could still be pretty late in the season.

^

I hope it's a version of Thunderhead but taller and longer with more air.

Too bad they couldn't relocate/reopen Ozark Wildcat. I know it has nothing to do with the topic but it's still sad.

Major construction has started on this project now. Not only are they clearing land and adding fill in some areas, but they've begun foundation work on the station and they've started pre-casting a number of concrete piers that will apparently be set into place later. Seems like an odd way to cast footers, but what do I know. Photos can be seen here (they're not mine so I can't repost them): http://sdcfans.com/forums/index.php?topic=1853.msg38332#msg38332

I should also mention that the word on the street is that this will be a fairly large coaster, not really family oriented per se, and there is a rumor of a record-setting first drop. That would be something like 80 degrees or more to set the record for the steepest first drop on a wooden coaster... I guess we'll see.

A Tornado ripped through Branson early this morning causing major damage to the downtown and theater areas. Silver Dollar City is also reported to have received a significant amount of damage as well as the Titanic Museum.

Pictures from Fox4KC

Video from Fox2

KY3

Video from the Weather Channel

Edit: Looks like the news media got it wrong...again

Thank you all for your concern! We’re happy to report there was no damage to Silver Dollar City, White Water, Showboat Branson Belle or The Wilderness. As reported, Ride The Ducks did sustain minor damage, but will reopen as scheduled on March 9th. For more information about clean up efforts in the area, visit KY3.com.

SDC Facebook

This sucks. I was just there last August. Hopefully they can get it cleaned up quickly and that there are no more fatalities. 1 has been reported so far and by sheer luck others have been avoided. A band waited it out in their bus, and it wasn't in the same spot when they got out. The Best Western hotel is reported to have been destroyed and had guests at the time.

From the park's Facebook Page:

Thank you all for your concern! We’re happy to report there was no damage to Silver Dollar City, White Water, Showboat Branson Belle or The Wilderness. As reported, Ride The Ducks did sustain minor damage, but will reopen as scheduled on March 9th. For more information about clean up efforts in the area, visit KY3.com.

No damage being reported! Definitely a close call there!

I'm wondering if it affected the remains of Celebration City.

^There's not much left at CC to disturb, but most of the major damage wasn't in that area anyway.

Several hotels, restaurants, and various buildings in West Branson have been completely destroyed. Looks like some of the Ride the Ducks vehicles may have been totaled, but not all of them.

Hopefully they didn't loose anymore trees at SDC. It really sucks when part of the famous tree canopy covering the park goes missing. There's no replacing a tree that is growing between a path or through a building.

Good to hear the park is safe! My thoughts and prays go out to the family affected by the tornado.