Brad Thomas, General Manager, Silver Dollar City
This “Branson Tourism Center (BTC) Up Close and Personal” interview is with Brad Thomas, the General Manager of Branson’s most popular attraction, Silver Dollar City. During its entire 2010 season Silver Dollar City is celebrating its 50th anniversary of helping families have fun together.
“Many of the people coming to Branson or who are interested in Branson want more information about Branson’s attractions, shows, stars, and personalities,” said Paul Miller, General Manager, Branson Tourism Center (BTC). “This series of interviews is designed to meet that need. The format will be ‘Question and Answer’ and the interviewing will be done for BTC by Gary J. Groman, a 24 year resident of the Branson area, local columnist and free lance writer.” Part 1 of the interview with Brad Thomas (BT) will cover just one aspect of the complete family entertainment package Silver Dollar City offers its guests, rides.
BTC: How many rides and attractions does Silver Dollar City have?
BT: Over 30 and that’s just one element of the total entertainment package Silver Dollar City offers its guests including festivals, shows, craft demonstrations and many other fun filled family activities.
BTC: Do you have rides for all ages?
BT: We have rides that are targeted for families with little kids, we have rides targeted for teenagers, and we have rides that are fun for mom and dad as well as their parents.
BTC: Could you give an example?
BT: The Grand Exposition is a classic example. It has a total of ten family rides. There are three rides tucked safely away in a corner for the littlest of children, but the other rides are all designed and placed so that mom and dad or grandparents can ride those rides sitting next to their kids if they choose or just sit on a bench and watch the kids ride. It is an area specifically designed so that families can enjoy those rides and have a lot of fun together and that’s what Silver Dollar City has been about for 50 years, families having fun together.
BTC: Could you give an example of a Grand Exposition Ride that would be appropriate for families to ride together?
BT: The Electro Spin Ride which is a moving wheel with the seats arranged so that the family is sitting at the edge of the wheel looking outward. The wheel starts turning and speeds up going up and down an incline. Pretty soon your gut is full of butterflies, you’re going up to tree top level and having a bit of a thrill.
Wildfire provides a unique, thrilling and beautiful experience.
BTC: How about a Silver Dollar City ride designed and targeted more for thrills and adrenaline pumping excitement?
BT: We’ve got “Wildfire,” a world class coaster designed by B & M, the top of the line roller coaster company in the world. If your eyes are open at its tallest point, you can actually see a finger of Table Rock Lake before dropping down 135 feet and looping upside down five times as you go into the woods. It’s a uniquely designed coaster because it takes advantage of the beauty of the Ozarks while offering world class thrills.
BTC: Do you have another example?
BT: Another example would be “Powder Keg.” It takes you from zero to about 50 miles an hour in just under three seconds. If you are 12 years old or 80 years old and are seeking thrills those rides are a blast.
BTC: What kind of rides does Silver Dollar select?
BT: They are not extremely high speed rides or extreme from an intensity standpoint, but they still provide world class excitement, thrills, and family fun.”
BTC: Is a new ride opening in conjunction with Silver Dollar City’s 50th Birthday?
BT: As we started looking at our 50th Anniversary and a ride that would help showcase and celebrate that 50th Anniversary, we were looking for a ride that would bring families closer together. We found a raft ride with a twist the $7 million “Tom & Huck’s River Blast.” Riders take a nice little journey along a river channel that we’ve constructed right in the heart of Silver Dollar City, but the twist is there are water guns on the rafts and on the shores. Riders can shoot their water guns at folks on the shore, folks on the shore can shoot their water guns at people on the boats and when you come face to face with another boat you can blast the people on that boat as well. It’s basically this big organized, well maybe not so organized, water fight.
BTC: Would it be accurate to say that if you want to stay dry you probably don’t want to take that ride or be anywhere near one of the water guns on the shore?
BT: That’s exactly right.
For additional information or tickets for Silver Dollar City or any of Branson’s other shows, attractions and activities or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center. It is one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.
