Silver Dollar City to retire Thunderation

[Oldiesmann]

From Silver Dollar City's Facebook page. The Thunderation mine train coaster will be retired at the end of this season.

[TheCrypt]

This is how you do it right. When I read this, my first thought was that traveling to SDC this year is a must. I love this ride and am so glad it's getting a more than proper send off.

[johnjniehaus]

This is the proper way to retire a ride for sure. I've never been to SDC but I'm going to do my best to get out there as thunderation is one of my bucket list rides and while I'm sad to see the end of another arrow mine train, I've heard it doesn't get the lines and isn't as popular as what it once was. I'm assuming it also probably has heavier maintenance costs being an arrow. So while it's unfortunate to lose any ride I commend the park for giving everyone a great opportunity to send it off in style 

[silver2005]

Glad I chose to do my Missouri trip this summer.

[johnjniehaus]

2 hours ago, silver2005 said:

Glad I chose to do my Missouri trip this summer.

Glad for you too. Unfortunately I'm planning a big trip back to Ohio and was hoping to do Pennsylvania and now I'm really questioning if thunderation is worth rethinking my entire plan and changing flights around... 

[brenthodge]

All the references to "cave, mine, beneath the surface" makes me wonder if there is another rocking boat on the Herschend horizon. Wonder if we could see a Fire in the Hole type situation with Flooded Mine going away at the end of 27, then reopening new in 28.

 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Now that I've seen the RMC mine train refurbishment concept from Six Flags Over Georgia, I wish there was a non-RMC manufacturer who could re-track some of these Arrow mine trains. I mean if RMC could do it and fix their reliability issues then they could also do it. 

If Night Flight Expedition does well and is super reliable then I could see it being brought to SDC as well. Someone theorized that it could also be a Big Bear Mountain-style coaster. Whatever it ends up being, I fear they will clear cut the site entirely and leave it like BBM is at Dollywood. Most videos I've seen from Wildwood Grove make it look like there were no mature trees spared.