Blogs

originally posted on 12/18/2023

Photo: Paul Drabek. View full-sized image.

For an event that started out in 2002 with a construction tour of the long-gone Celebration City (Branson, Missouri) and a handful of ACE members in attendance, Coaster Christmas at Silver Dollar City (Branson, Missouri) has grown into a massive affair. Coaster Christmas 2023 was the 19th edition of the end-of-year gathering for the Heart of America region (early on, there were some years the event was not held), and this year the records were blown away with 230 ACE members along with family and friends making the trek for a weekend of fun.

Kicking everything off was Friday night ERT on Branson Runaway Mountain Coaster. The session is always a great way to get the weekend started, both with steeply discounted rides on the mountain coaster as well as the chance for attendees to pick up their registration packets and T-shirts provided by Silver Dollar City (if they registered early enough). As always, Runaway Mountain Coaster was flying.

A silent auction raised $2,800 for the ACE Preservation Fund.
Photo: Paul Drabek. View full-sized image.

Saturday morning started a little earlier than usual at Silver Dollar City for Coaster Christmas, owing to quite a number of activities packed into the morning schedule before the park was set to open. Upon entering the park, everyone headed to the Riverfront Playhouse where hot chocolate, coffee and pastries were provided. New for 2023, a silent auction of items donated by Silver Dollar City was held. The auction items included signs from “The Big Reveal” event earlier in the year, parts of various coasters, a wheel from Thunderation, a wheel from Fire In The Hole and other goodies. The auction raised $2,800 for the ACE Preservation Fund.

Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.

Dalton Fischer from Silver Dollar City kicked off the presentations with a little information about the new Fire In The Hole coaster by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) that is going to replace the park’s original in the spring of 2024. After a spirited trivia contest, Silver Dollar City’s President Brad Thomas joined attendees for a Q&A session.

To celebrate the park’s soon-to-be-departing Fire In The Hole, attendees enjoyed a tour of the maintenance area that permitted a look at many of its details, followed by ERT.
Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.

Photos: Paul Drabek. View full-sized image.

View full-sized image.

Once the presentations came to an end, it was time to head on over to the park’s original Fire In The Hole for one final ERT session. Before ERT commenced, attendees got to peek behind the curtain and venture through Fire In The Hole’s maintenance area. Highlights of the tour were getting close to the ride’s trains, looking at the ride’s display panel that still shows the section that was shortened and viewing a lovely avocado-colored fridge and sink that have been a part of the maintenance area since the ride opened back in 1972 — a nostalgic moment for those who grew up in the 1970s. Once everyone made their way through the maintenance area, the classic coaster was fired up and its final ERT began.

Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.

After an hour of run-ins with Baldknobbers, hearing about Red Flanders' lost pants and surviving the crossing of a burning covered bridge, it was time to head over to the Rivertown Smokehouse for lunch. Silver Dollar City closed the Smokehouse for ACE members to be able not only to enjoy the food typically served but also to sample a few culinary additions to the menu for 2024.

Following a meal at the Smokehouse, attendees ventured over to the new Fire In The Hole for an abbreviated look at next year’s addition to Silver Dollar City.

Once everyone was done with lunch, it was time to see the new Fire In The Hole. Originally there was supposed to be a tour of the ride, but unfortunately with RMC’s crew in the building and parts of the ride in motion, attendees were not able to head inside for a look. A few surprises remained though, as it was announced that everyone attending Coaster Christmas would get a park ticket to use during the 2024 season and become a permanent part of the new Fire In The Hole’s theming, as attendees’ names would be installed on a list of Marmaros Missouri firefighters to be placed somewhere in the ride’s queue.

Park favorites such as Time Traveler and Wildfire kept attendees occupied throughout the day.

With the park open, all were able to ride coasters like Time Traveler, Wildfire, Thunderation, Outlaw Run and PowderKeg. Those who chose a show during registration headed off to enjoy VIP seating for “Coming Home for Christmas” and “A Dickens Christmas Carol.” As night fell upon the park, Silver Dollar City’s An Old Time Christmas festival came to life with 6.5 million lights. Santa and his reindeer even made an appearance during the park’s “Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade” that wound its way all across the grounds.

A beautiful park by day, Silver Dollar City becomes a stunning site when illuminated with thousands of holiday lights.
Photo: Tom Nickerson. View full-sized image.

There was so much going on during Coaster Christmas that the ticket for Sunday included in registration was much needed. The last day of the weekend always finds the park considerably less crowded than Saturday with short-to-nonexistent lines for many of the rides. Saturday remained the best day to experience and enjoy the holiday event, while Sunday was certainly the day to experience Silver Dollar City’s collection of rides.

Photos: Paul Drabek. View full-sized image.

View full-sized image.

Coaster Christmas was, as it always is, a jam-packed and wonderful way to finish out the coaster season with friends and family. With Silver Dollar City’s goal of making Coaster Christmas bigger and better year after year, ACE members would be wise to mark November 8 through 11 on their 2024 calendars and join ACE Heart of America for Coaster Christmas 2024.

— Paul Drabek, ACE Heart of America Regional Representative

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