Silver Dollar City: Closure of “Thunderation” After 33 Years

(eap) The US theme park Silver Dollar City in Stone County, Missouri, has announced that it will retire its popular mine train roller coaster “Thunderation” at the end of the 2026 season. According to the park, the Arrow Dynamics coaster has carried more than 27 million riders over a track length of more than 3.000 feet (900 metres) since opening in 1993. Until 2 January 2027, visitors will still have the opportunity to ride the coaster one last time before a new era is ushered in for the respective area.

© Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts

In communication with its guests – in line with the storyline and theming – the park states that the Thunderation track will soon have to make way in order to resume mining operations at Silver Dollar City. Concrete details regarding a future use or a possible new attraction at the same location have not yet been disclosed.

“Thunderation’s opening kickstarted exciting additions to Silver Dollar City,” says Brad Thomas, president of Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts. “Likewise, Thunderation’s retirement at the end of 2026 will launch new and exciting chapters in Silver Dollar City’s future. In this case, the end is really an exciting beginning. Please stay tuned!“

According to the park, the farewell season is to be duly celebrated: the festivities will begin with a ceremony at the start of the season on 13 March 2026. The tribute will conclude with a final send-off on 2 January 2027. Throughout the season, special ride moments, promotional offers as well as commemorative merchandise and limited-time offerings around the attraction are planned. ■