Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

It's not an issue of what they could do so much as will they. I certainly expect a lap-bar only design, but SDC's insurance company is really stupid so I could see there being pressure to add OSTR's just to have "safety theatre". Luckily these days no one is going to spend $15 million on a new star attraction and have it ruined by OSTR's, so I'm sure those details have been worked out.

Posters on SDCFans have said the name will actually use the variant "Outlaw Run", though no hard sources have been cited. I have to say I really enjoy the thematics and story line that are shaping up already. As others have noted, the station looks like it is being themed around a stagecoach depot, and the actual ride story line looks like it will center around outlaws hijacking the stagecoach and sherriff's trying to run them down. I know most enthusiasts don't care, but I LOVE the fact that pretty much all of SDC's major rides have immersive and historic backgrounds.

^I actually love the little stories behind each of their attractions as well, especially the Wildfire storyline. I wonder if Doc is going to have some kind of part in this ride as well since they mentioned his experiment went wrong on the train going past the build site.

I had no clue about the so-called inversion until just a few minutes ago. When I took these pictures yesterday I did notice the overbanked turn was awfully steep, but I didn't know it was an inversion till now. So here's two somewhat good photos of the 2013 coaster.

They haven't gotten much done since the last photos posted. But you can tell it gets steeper and steeper. This makes it more obvious that it is an inversion, however, because construction doesn't pass this part of the coaster.

The station area is coming along nicely.

So there's that.

I went to the park on Wednesday during my annual vacation to Table Rock with my brother and my cousin. We got there around 2:30 because we were planning on going a second day, and it was over 100 degrees outside so we didn't want to spend a full day at the park. It was so hot that as I walked in to the park I could feel the black top sort of sinking below me (and I only weigh about 170).

I didn't get any pictures, but it was an amazing trip. It really didn't quite seem like it was over 100, but that probably has to do with the shade and the fact that I never had to wait in a line more than 3 trains...we were always moving.

First ride was Wildfire, which was a one train wait for the front and no wait for any other row...nonetheless, we went for the front. The ride has developed a surprisingly strong rattle, and I can't say I've felt any B&M looper rattle quit that much. The trims have taken away from the ride before, but the trim on the first drop didn't seem to be on, and the trim before the cobra roll almost felt necessary to avoid some headbanging. Other than that, I still love the ride...it's quick and it packs a big punch - we took 4 more rides in row 8 throughout the day, and boy that first drop is as good as ever back there, and I just love the g's in the last turn.

PowderKeg was running great today. It was running two trains, and didn't have more than a 2-3 train wait the whole time I was there. Lots of air and twistiness, gotta love it. It was broken down near the end of the day, but reopened 20 minutes before closing so I could get a front seat ride with no wait, as well as the back!

Thunderation was great, but a little rough. It was running two trains while I was over there, but the ride ops kept letting one train go without any guests...but still there was open seating in every row except for the front and back.

Fire In The Hole had a very surprisingly short wait considering the heat...still a fun ride, and I actually got pretty wet at the end.

I also rode the Giant Swing, which is always fun, the Disk-O, Waveswinger, Lost River, Grandfather's Mansion, and The Flooded Mine...all in under 5 hours. Oh, and don't eat their burgers...they're terrible.

I really have to hand it to the employees at SDC. They always kept a great attitude and worked hard despite the heat and the outfits they have to wear. Two employees at the concession stands even stopped us as we were walking to fill our empty water bottles to make sure we stayed hydrated!

As for the new coaster, you could get a great view of the drop from Wildfire and PowderKeg. After seeing these pictures, I wish I would have ridden the train to get a better view! The drop is absolutely stunning . I remember thinking it looked like the ride was nearly upside down in this overbank/zero-g thing, so I do think it looks like it will be a roll of some sort. Whatever it is, it seems like the train will be going through it at a very high speed and will have some great headchoppers!

I asked a ride op at Lost River if "she was excited about the new coaster", and she said "Oh no, I have no idea what it is. They haven't told us anything about it yet." They have to know it's a coaster, but they obviously don't know any details.

I'm pumped that I have a guaranteed return to SDC next year to ride this baby!

Isn't it funny that construction was flying along and now that they haven gotten to the potential roll, it seems to move so slowly. It is pretty much a given that this will be an inversion, but it will still be nice to see that next track piece to confirm it.

I know most enthusiasts don't care, but I LOVE the fact that pretty much all of SDC's major rides have immersive and historic backgrounds.

Agreed. It adds to the already stellar atmosphere, and in some cases can help make waiting in line more enjoyable.

Oh, and don't eat their burgers...they're terrible.

Wait wait wait...there is bad food at SDC?

It's been 105+ outside the last week, I can only guess that they've slowed down due to that.

Oh, I am sure. I wasn't complaining, just being silly.

I've heard that the park has been hurting for attendance during the last week due to the heat. I'll bet the next major addition is another water ride - probably the remaining one from CC.

Thanks for the photos. I had thought for sure that the track would be inverted by now, but it looks like these bents are two-part, and they've got a lot of the lower stuff in place. They're probably going slower due to the heat as well. The new catwalks look nice.

I haven't heard much complaining about Wildfire having rattle before. I didn't really notice any a month ago, but perhaps it gets worse when it's hotter and the wheels are breaking down.

I guess it could be an angle-thing, but from the newer pictures of the alleged roll, it looks like there is almost no clearance unless that crossbeam closest to the track is ultimately removed later.

Riding in the back row on Wildfire you could see the cars in front of you shaking, and it didn't get any better in the front row either...could it be because the train was virtually empty? I've felt rattles on Kumba and Hulk, but this seemed worse...

Haha, Yeti, I was at the park Wednesday also! Wildfire did have an extreme shake, more than a typical B&M, but I agree - it's probably the heat causing the wheels to melt or burn. It was running unbelievably fast, but I don't think the trims were on.

I'm still hoping for more airtime on the new ride...an inversion is awesome, but this is not very much to ask for in a pre-fab wooden coaster! I think the track looks amazing so far, and blends in so well with SDC's look and feel. The coasters look great from the lake, and you can see most of Wildfire and a good part of PowderKeg; you can just barely see the top of the lift and the crest of the first drop of Outlaw from the lake.

I'm still hoping for more airtime on the new ride...an inversion is awesome, but this is not very much to ask for in a pre-fab wooden coaster! I think the track looks amazing so far, and blends in so well with SDC's look and feel. The coasters look great from the lake, and you can see most of Wildfire and a good part of PowderKeg; you can just barely see the top of the lift and the crest of the first drop of Outlaw from the lake.

That's probably going to come down to how the cars are designed and the restraint system they end up going with, especially given the roll.

I'll take airtime over inversion every time, but an inversion on a woodie is still very intriguing. ...Can't wait to see how this turns out.

^Im the same as you, but my favorite inversion is a zero g roll so if that is what this turns out to be, it's sort of like the best of both worlds.

I think even if this weren't made out of wood this particular inversion/layout would be intriguing. Besides the crazy drop, the pullout and curve leading up into the roll is very sharp and intense, and even the roll itself is looking oddly-shaped and intense. I think when you are riding this the roll is going to hit you out of no where, a lot of people aren't even going to see it coming.

I think the airtime is coming though. After the turn out of the roll I'm betting there is an airtime hill that hops across the base of the drop before heading into a turnaround, and then maybe another airtime hill in the opposite direction to get it headed back toward where it will cross under the lift.

Yeah, I don't understand why we're assuming this coaster won't have any airtime just because it has an inversion...

You never know. Just because Rocky Mountain Construction built the bonafide airtime machine known as New Texas Giant doesn't mean that Silver Dollar City's new coaster will be one. Maybe Silver Dollar City wants an intense positive-G machine. We won't know until the layout is finished and someone rides it.

I just really hope it's lengthy. SDC seems to have this cliche of short lasting coasters, so maybe we'll get lucky with this one.

More talk about little airtime.. guys, THE DROP. If this element turns out to be a Zero-G Roll, as the name suggests, it will have airtime! You guys should defer judgments to after more track has gone up, or, better yet, when the entire track is finished.

^ Or maybe August 9th

FYI - Italy & Europe Trip Participants got the heads up first, but TPR will be doing a group trip to SDC as part of a tour next summer!!!

FYI - Italy & Europe Trip Participants got the heads up first, but TPR will be doing a group trip to SDC as part of a tour next summer!!!

Well, I know what tours I'm going to do this year

Also, not a huge deal, but 50th post!

According to Swoosh that runs Midwestinfo guide this is the first of three major projects at SDC and the cheapest. The second he sez offers some relocations from Celebration City and thinks the third may be a next gen Mystery Mine. Interested to see what makes the second phase more expensive than just moving two small scale rides from CC.