Family Fun at Silver Dollar City Theme Park
Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri is the mecca for family fun. It is a theme park based on all things from the 19th century. It is a one-of-a-kind park because it has an attraction like no other theme park has, Marvel Cave. Silver Dollar City has thrilling rides, time period shows, beautiful shops, and friendly & helpful employees. Come along on our tour of fun at Silver Dollar City theme park!
Entrance
The fun at Silver Dollar City theme park begins at the entrance. As you arrive you are greeted with a water tower clock that really operates. What I loved about this park is that they built it around the natural beauty of the trees and mountains. This park is great on a hot day because there are many shady areas and stores to visit!
When we arrived we went to the Hospitality House and we made a donation to the cause that Silver Dollar City supports in exchange for our entrance. They help children in need in their community.
Birthday’s at Silver Dollar City!
If you have a birthday within a week or so of your visit to Silver Dollar City, you will get a birthday freebie! You have to go to the General Store to receive it. I won’t spoil what it is!
Navigating the Park
It is very easy to navigate the park because of the way it is laid out. First of all, on the ground of the park are bright signs leading you to places you may want to go to next.
Secondly, there are also sign posts with many of the attractions, rides, restaurants that you are looking for.
A third option, and I highly recommend this, is downloading the official mobile app of Silver Dollar City. You can access everything from here: tickets & passes, rides & wait times, show schedule, dining, craftsmen, shopping, exploring the park map, and what I liked the best was highlighting only those attractions, rides, & dining you want to visit. It’s a personalized plan for your fun day!
Shopping
The fun at Silver Dollar City continues at the stores! I loved them! There were so many to see and the products are top quality. Many are hand-made unique gifts! We bought a few for gifts others and for us to keep as well! One of my favorite stores was a quaint Christmas shop. It will put you in the Christmas spirit and it doesn’t matter what time of the year you’re visiting!
Dining
Since you saw photos of taffy and pickled bologna, I thought it was fitting to continue our tour of Silver Dollar City with dining options. Aside from fantastic sweets like fudge, taffy, assorted copper kettle candies & chocolates, and pickled foods, there are lunch and dinner spots to satisfy everyone’s appetites! There are also many tables outdoors.
We ate dinner at the Rivertown Smokehouse and it was really good. The platters include one or two meats, 2 sides, and a roll. Sandwiches, salads, and kids meals are also available. I especially liked their baked beans!
Employees
I have to mention the employees only because we have never received such friendliness and helpfulness than at Silver Dollar City. We were literally standing in front of the park sign routing our course and we had two different employees (not at the same time) come up to us and offer help. The retail employees were also very knowledgeable about the products in their stores.
One employee that stood out was a gentleman by the name of Mark that was our tour guide for the Marvel Cave attraction. I will highlight Marvel Cave at the end because we thought it was the BEST part of the park! Mark was super knowledgeable and was very safety conscious of the group. He made the tour so much fun with adventurous music clips, lights, and history behind the cave. Scroll & read through to the bottom to learn all about Marvel Cave. It truly are the employees who make the experiences come to life!
Rides
Silver Dollar City has rides for every type of thrill (or non-thrill) seeker. Personally, I don’t do rollercoasters, but our oldest son does. For him, the scarier the better. He said they were all great, but his favorite was Powder Keg.
Another rollercoaster is Wildfire. Check this video out!
Water rides are always great on a hot day. These are the kind of rides I love! Check these out!
This is the American Plunge water ride. Both the Mystic River Falls and the American Plunge rides are a lot of fun! If you rent a locker for the entire day (best option) and have a change of clothes, you don’t have to worry about walking the park dripping wet (and you will get wet)! Or, you can ride the water rides early in the afternoon and dry off as you walk around the park. This is best on a hot & sunny day.
These are a few more rides.
Shows & Experiences
This is where I truly believe Silver Dollar City stands out from the rest. The 19th century theme continues throughout the shows & experiences. From the blacksmith to the Wilderness Church, from the Grandfather’s Mansion (fun house) to the Saloon show, all of these make you feel like you’re in a different era.
Saloon 
The Showdown at the Silver Dollar show is the theme park’s longest running show since 1973. It truly is a classic and I really hope they stay for many years to come. It is funny, dramatic, action packed, and will keep you on your toes. You can even order a real drink from the bar! The pre-show begins outside the saloon with a real married couple capturing your attention and preparing you for what is to take place inside. The couple is as cute as can be and they make a great team!
Marvel Cave 
And now for the BEST part of Silver Dollar City theme park! Marvel Cave is unique because this is NOT a man-made cave. The theme park was built around it! You will literally descend nearly 500 feet below the surface. There is a part at the beginning of your tour that you have to be able to stoop low because there are many entrances and tunnels like that. You should wear good fitting shoes and, in my opinion, you should be comfortable in dark, tight spaces. Our tour guide, Mark, was absolutely wonderful. He was knowledgeable and made our experience so much fun! For more super interesting history on Marvel Cave visit here.
Not recommended for guests who may suffer from a fear of heights, visual impairment, difficulty with depth perception, claustrophobia or have a history of seizures. Guests will experience a one-hour walking tour which includes 700 steps and a difficult climb to exit. There are wet, dimly lit walking surfaces, enclosed spaces and narrow passages which require stooping, bending and twisting. The exit is a 3-minute cable train ride. Loading and unloading the train requires negotiating stairs, low overhead clearance and varied walking surfaces. Guests must be able to participate with limited assistance from companions. Guests must be able to traverse uneven walkways and steps. Guests must be able to maintain an upright and seated position with control of their upper torso, head and neck while on cable train. Guests must be able to brace and grip handrails with one functioning hand/arm.
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Overall, our family loved Silver Dollar City theme park and we would absolutely love to visit again one day. Make sure you visit and check it out for yourselves if you’re in Missouri! And if you’re visiting during the Christmas season, check out this Complete Guide to An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City!
If you’re looking for great BBQ in Missouri outside of Silver Dollar City, make sure to stop at Hickory Log Restaurant & Lounge. The ribs, especially, are delicious! Check out other Missouri posts below!
