originally posted on 12/10/2021
Photo: Matt Laskowksi. View full-sized image.
“Over the river and through the woods to Coaster Christmas we go” is what was sung as 188 ACE members and guests arrived from as far away as California, Florida, Connecticut and everywhere in between to Branson, Missouri. Over the years, Coaster Christmas has become more than just an event but an entire weekend to mark the end of another coaster season and to spend time with coaster family as well as regular families.
Kicking it all off for 2021 was the traditional Friday night exclusive ride time on the Runaway Mountain Coaster at the Branson Mountain Adventure Park. With seriously discounted tickets of $5.50, ACEers and their guests were treated to 4,900 feet of nighttime thrills through the woods. There were many rerides on the Runaway Mountain Coaster, and attendees were happy to meet up with friends old and new. Coaster Christmas registration packets with event shirts were distributed for those who registered early before the night ended, well after 10 p.m.
Temperatures allowed only Fire In The Hole to open for ERT.
Photo: Matt Laskowksi. View full-sized image.
The next morning everyone gathered at Silver Dollar City for Coaster Christmas. After the remaining registration packets and shirts were handed out and a group photo was taken, attendees headed down into the park for a morning of ERT and breakfast. Unfortunately, with Coaster Christmas being a cold-weather event, the only ride that was open for ERT was the indoor Fire in the Hole attraction. As an alternative to riding, Silver Dollar City treated attendees to the park’s legendary cinnamon rolls, along with hot chocolate and coffee, in the Saloon. After ERT ended, everyone gathered in the Smokehouse’s dining pavilion to find that despite the cold, the rapids for Mystic River Falls were running. A few members inquired if the “ACE Polar Bear Plunge” with a ride on the rapids would be possible. The answer was no, as the ride was just running for some off-season maintenance. In the Smokehouse, door prizes were given out, including shirts, mugs and front-of-the-line passes.
Silver Dollar City’s Lisa Rau serves cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate.
Photo: Paul Drabek. View full-sized image.
Photo: Matt Laskowksi. View full-sized image.
With the park opening, rides were waking up as the temperature rose above each one’s operating limits. With everyone equipped with two front-of-the-line passes and a food voucher for use in the park, attendees headed out to enjoy this one-of-a-kind marvel of a park. Rides were enjoyed on Time Traveler, Wildfire, PowderKeg, The Grand Exposition Coaster and Thunderation. For the rest of the day, some took in a show, some stayed on the rides, some enjoyed shopping and some journeyed into Marvel Cave, which Silver Dollar City was built around — and all had a great time.
Thunderation.
Photo: Paul Drabek. View full-sized image.
Wildfire.
Photo: Matt Laskowksi. View full-sized image.
Sunday had even more for Coaster Christmas weekend attendees. Starting off at Snowflex on Wolfe Mountain, a group of ACEers spent the morning tubing down the mountainside on Snowflex’s all weather tubing surface. Customers can tube down alone, or the more daring can link arms with fellow ACEers to increase the mass and speed careening down the slope.
Photos: Travis Shoemaker. View full-sized image.
View full-sized image.
New to Coaster Christmas weekend this year was an informal get together at Branson’s newest mountain coaster, the Copperhead Mountain Coaster at Sheppard’s Adventure Park. While it may not be as long or as fast as the Runaway with just 3,116 feet of track, views over the White River Balds Natural Area were stunning and made it a great ride.
Photo: Matt Laskowski. View full-sized image.
Photo: Paul Drabek. View full-sized image.
Rounding it all off for those who decided to stay Sunday was a Silver Dollar City that was almost completely empty, almost giving attendees exclusive ride time with most coasters being walk-ons all day long.
For those who run the Heart of America region, Coaster Christmas is always a special event, and hopes are that attendees enjoy the weekend as much as they do. Mark calendars, as plans are already in the works for Coaster Christmas 2022 (November 11 -13), with the goal of making the event bigger and better and giving attendees more of a chance to enjoy all that Silver Dollar City has to offer, including the park’s world-class coaster lineup.
— Paul Drabek, ACE Heart of America Regional Representative
Photo: Matt Laskowski. View full-sized image.
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