Credit: Shane Adams, FlickrIt’s been nearly half a year since Silver Dollar City issued a permanent closure notice for January 3, 2027. Theme park guests now have just over five months to experience an iconic Branson, Missouri, attraction before its 33-year-long era ends forever.
Silver Dollar City Announces Permanent Closure in January
Back in February, Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts announced the 2027 closure of Thunderation, its iconic steel mine train roller coaster. The attraction first opened in April 1993 and will close when the Stone County theme park ends its 2026 season on January 3, 2027. The final day to experience Thunderation will be January 2, 2027.
The park celebrated Thunderation with a special dedication during its 2026 opening ceremony in March, and has decorated the roller coaster with banners and other regalia to celebrate its final year.
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Silver Dollar City released commemorative merchandise to celebrate 33 years of Thunderation and provided a few hints about what will replace the steel mine train roller coaster. The park claims that the fictional Marvel Cave Mining Company ordered the ride’s closure to reclaim the land for new underground developments.
The redevelopment of this historic attraction is part of a $500 million investment plan for the park over the next ten years, announced by the company in October 2024. The first phase of this expansion, an onsite hotel property called Silver Dollar City Resort, will open in late 2026. It will feature over 250 guest rooms, pools, a meeting space, a restaurant, and transportation to the theme park.
Silver Dollar City is expected to reopen for its 2027 season–the first in 33 years without Thunderation–sometime in March of next year. However, the Missouri theme park has not announced an exact reopening date.
What do you think about Silver Dollar City’s ten-year expansion plan? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments!
