The_Jobu
Well-Known Member
Never been to SDC, but I've been looking for new theme parks lately. Is it like Dollywood?
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- Thread starter wdwmagic
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Never been to SDC, but I've been looking for new theme parks lately. Is it like Dollywood?
It's the sister park to Dollywood (used to be called Silver Dollar City, Tennessee). While I haven't been to Dollywood, going off of what I've seen online, expect a similar feel with unique attractions and shows to the park. Plus there's Marvel Cave which is include with admission.
Jrb1979
Well-Known Member
The U.S. has some of the best theme parks in the world.
Dutch Inn '76
Well-Known Member
I've not been to Dollywood since I was a very small child. SDC is very heavy on art and crafts demonstrations, glass blowers, etc. There are some rides there, but they are more of a side show to the demonstrations, IMHO. It's a neat place, especially at Christmastime... but when it's crowded it's really hard to get around in, because the park is not laid out for a crush of people. ...and parking is a nightmare. You have to park offsite (down the road literally in a church parking lot) and be bussed in.
The_Jobu
Well-Known Member
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
Yes very similar to Dollywood. I’ve been to Dollywood more but both offer a similar experience. They are both operated by the Herschend family.
Sdc vs. Dollywood is a bit like Disneyland vs. WDW... Dollywood feels a bit more corporate and fake, SDC is more small and crowded, but feels more genuine with more history.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
Both parks offer some incredible coasters that are truly unique and award winning.
Calling Wildfire, Outlaw Run, Powder Keg, and Time Traveler a “side show” to the craft demonstrations seems silly. 2 of them are record holders.
I strongly disagree. They are very similar, and there are some areas where SDC exceeds Disney. They have the best Christmas Festival of any theme park, period. Dollywood comes really, really close but SDC’s Sing-a-long Train experience and better light display just barely beat Dollywood’s superior shows (Christmas in the Smokies is my second favorite theme park production anywhere year round, surpassed only by Epcot’s Candlelight Processional.). It’s killing me I’m not experiencing these festivals this year far more then missing a December trip to Florida.
Some of you need to get out of the Disney bubble more. If thrill rides aren’t your thing, Sea World, Busch Gardens (Williamsburg more then Tampa but still both,) Silver Dollar City, Dollywood and Knott's Berry Farm should still be on your must visit list.
Basil of Baker Street
Well-Known Member
What are the people on the Silver Dollar City message boards saying?
Well, no park anywhere has the kind of following Disney does and you see here, but there is a fairly active SDC forum out there:
SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City - Index
SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City - Index
sdcfans.com
Basil of Baker Street
Well-Known Member
I'm going to go check that site out to see if people are complaining about how bad SDC is.
Sorry if you think that because I like WDW I’m not allowed to critique it and point out when others do better.I'm going to go check that site out to see if people are complaining about how bad SDC is.
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
While I don't doubt that's true (especially considering Magic Kingdom was the only park in existence then), WDW of 9 months ago was also miles worse than the WDW of, say, 1995 -- and that's despite the addition of Animal Kingdom, which is a great park. There's no comparison between EPCOT then and now, and the Magic Kingdom was better at that point as well. Hollywood Studios may be better now, but even that's arguable because there was some really cool stuff in DHS back then and the theme was much better.
NelleBelle
Well-Known Member
I'll take MK, DHS/MGM and Epcot from the mid-late 90's and AK from today and working H2O parks from the early 2000s. I'll take DLR from today (well, from last year 
)! I agree that there was a lot more to the WDW parks in the mid-late 90s. And I LOVED Pleasure Island--it was so unique and so much better than all these shops you can find a regular mall.
)! I agree that there was a lot more to the WDW parks in the mid-late 90s. And I LOVED Pleasure Island--it was so unique and so much better than all these shops you can find a regular mall.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
Yeah I think I’d take WDW with Pleasure Island, Illuminations, wishes, and the former DHS with the tram tour anyday.I'll take MK, DHS/MGM and Epcot from the mid-late 90's and AK from today and working H2O parks from the early 2000s. I'll take DLR from today (well, from last year
The only thing I would truly miss is Avatar.
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
I'd miss Kiliminjaro Safaris the most, but really all of Animal Kingdom.
Would still trade it for Horizons, Journey into Imagination, World of Motion, better Spaceship Earth, the original amazing Seas pavilion, Wonders of Life, etc.
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The DHS tram tour was special. When Lights Motor Action stunt show was operating, it was neat to see sometimes the motorcycle riders practicing their moves and stunts backstage. When the stuntman was lit on fire that was incredible. Residential Street and the building where the cast make the costumes was neat to see during the tram tour.
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Dutch Inn '76
Well-Known Member
OK, I'll play. Comparing WDW of '95 to January:
I think the MK is better today. I love the scavenger hunt in Adventureland and Sorcerers of the MK. Buzz Lightyear, PhilharMagic and the Mine Train have all opened since then, and are all must dos. New Fantasyland, in general was a great addition. The MK has definitely changed for the better.
DHS - of course it's better now. ...but even if you long for the old "Disney MGM Studios", then you have to admit that it had run its course. They didn't trash all of that investment because it was thriving.
EPCOT - I loved the original EPCOT. I wish I could bottle it up and go back and see it again; but Epcot has a problem because it can't be what it was designed to be anymore. It won't work now. We're all too jaded for it, and it's been proven over and over that trying to predict what's next is expensive at best and laughable at worst. They're working on a solution, and until Covid, they were unfolding the plan. All we can hope for is a full recovery of our economy so that The Mouse can reinstate the plans.
Then of course, there's ANIMAL KINGDOM. Which gets better every year, seemingly.
I wish the boards would stop trashing Disney and just enjoy!
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Jrb1979
Well-Known Member
I will agree with the MK and Animal Kingdom. I personally don't think DHS is better as I am not into Star Wars at all. As far as Epcot goes my take has always been putting IP into World Showcase is a mistake. They should have put money into making new original attractions for each country. Instead it's now less a theme park and more of a food festival year round.