Silver Dollar City: Here’s What You Need to Know (For Young Families)

Growing up in the Midwest, I always heard a lot about Silver Dollar City. Friends would go on Spring Break trips and come back calling, “FIRE IN THE HOOOOLE!” Needless to say, I was intrigued. I eventually enjoyed visiting years ago with my parents & sister. I remember great roller coasters, delicious fudge, and workers wearing old-timey outfits.

This year we took our own tribe of kidlets to “The City.” It’s changed a LOT! I was pleasantly surprised with all of the fantastic additions. We had so much fun that we upgraded our passes by the end of our 2-day trip to a season pass! Our three kids are ages 6, 3.5, and 1. I’m here to share some info in case it’s helpful to YOUR family, too!

What is Silver Dollar City?

Silver Dollar City is a theme park nestled in the Ozark Mountains –hills ;)– of Missouri.

It’s in Branson, Missouri, very close to the border of Arkansas. It’s a unique area where the Midwest meets Southern charm and hospitality. The theme park is designed to represent days-gone-by, specifically the 1890s.

• Silver Dollar City

Why should I go?

If you’re looking for an amusement park that entertains the whole family and is themed really well, you probably naturally think of Disney or Universal theme parks. But for those of us living in the middle of America, those are pretty far away (and can become pretty $$)!

The theming at this park is the highlight for me. It’s a big step up from other amusement parks I’ve been to (like Kansas City’s Worlds of Fun). Every corner of the park is well-thought out, and in line with the types of transportation and architecture you’d find in 1890’s.

The rides are well-done, and the food is much more creative (and delicious) than your standard theme park hamburger patties.

Or maybe you weren’t even looking for a theme park originally, but you’re headed to the Branson/Table Rock Lake area for some shows & boating…and wanting to fill in your itinerary a little bit!

When is the best time of year to go?

Silver Dollar City’s season runs from mid-March through December. The weather is certainly a factor to keep in mind! Here are some thoughts on the pros and cons to each season:

Check the full operating calendar for the 2022 season here.

Spring

In March, April, and May you’ll find more mild temperatures and less humidity. However, you’ll also find rain showers to watch out for. Crowds can be really bad opening week (mid-March), because it coincides with many of the school’s spring breaks (in Kansas, Missouri, Texas, etc.).

Summer

June, July, & August in southern Missouri = HOT, HUMID, and BUGS! Frankly, I would avoid visiting in July and August especially…but there are a few great water rides so there are always ways to cool off. A few of the theatre venues are air-conditioned (the Grand Exposition dog show, for instance), and the kids play area in Fireman’s Landing is too. But… most of the rides are outdoors, honestly.

You will find more entertainment and some late-night hours available (end of July/early August) to maximize your days, though. White Water (the water park at the Silver Dollar City resort) provides a great option too! Learn more about the water park here.

Fall

I would consider fall another great time to visit, along with spring. If you have preschool-aged kids or toddlers + your own flexible schedule, you may be able to avoid the school crowds, too! Cooler temperatures and slower crowds are the clear pros. There’s also a great pumpkin-themed festival in October!

The park is closed most Mondays and Tuesdays in fall, though, so check the park calendar carefully to make sure it’ll be open when you plan to visit.

Winter

Unlike many other parks in the Midwest, the season runs through the end of December. The hours in December are mostly afternoon options (1-9 pm is pretty common).

The weather starts out pretty mild but it does get very frigid by the middle-end of December, so watch the forecast carefully. They do shut down rides if temperatures get below freezing, or if there’s precipitation. However, the Christmas Festival is incredible– see more below!! And they have the most reasonably priced– yet incredibly delicious –hot chocolate, so you won’t stay cold for long!

Don’t Forget the Festivals!

There are several festivals that rotate throughout the year. There’s the Harvest Festival in September and October with pumpkins, apples, and more.

An Olde Time Christmas (Nov/Dec) is incredibly popular, and worth a visit. We LOVED the specialty shows/performances. There are even carolers dressed in Dickens era clothing that sing Christmas hymns and songs as they walk around the park! The Christmas lights throughout the park were even better than I’d imagined– truly spectacular. There’s even a Christmas tree lighting most evenings as well as a parade to check out. I highly recommend this festival.

Country Music Days (mid-Sept) look pretty great, too. Realistically, with young kids, the live music can be a long time to sit in one place, not to mention really loud!

I was impressed this spring that the Bluegrass BBQ Festival had unique BBQ entrees & sides available throughout the park to try! Super fun. Learn about all of the festivals here.

How long to stay?

Short answer: 1-2 days would give you enough time to see most of the park, but you certainly wouldn’t run out of activities if you stayed longer than that, or got a season pass.

Long answer: One day is probably plenty for adults touring kid-free, or families with older children/ teenagers that can 1) move around the park quickly and 2) wouldn’t care to hit all of the kiddie rides/shows/entertainment options.

Two days is perfect for families with younger children, babies…and also multi-generational groups. Really any group that may need to take a break mid-day…or just generally take longer to get from Point A to Point B, take extra potty trips, feed babies, all of those things.

That said, there is an endless array of entertainment available at Silver Dollar City! Bluegrass concerts, dog shows, western music, gospel hymns…they have it all. That’s to say nothing of the live demonstrations (one of my favorite parts of the park!). The glass-blowing, candy-making, and blacksmith demonstrations were all fascinating to me. If you enjoy any of the above, you might find a season pass worthwhile!

Where should I stay?

If you’re coming from out of town, there are plenty of options for lodging. The theme park is nestled in the hills, and the closest options geographically are cabins and campsites. Silver Dollar City has its own cabins among those, but we felt those were overpriced.

We stayed just a bit further in Table Rock Lake State Park in small cabins in an RV lot. The gravel lot ambiance was meh, but A+ for: indoor plumbing + shower, a mini-kitchen, fun lofts for kids to sleep in, a playground, and proximity to Table Rock Lake + surrounding biking trails! We found it on Airbnb. Here’s the link if you’re interested- I would definitely recommend it.

Branson (about 10-15 minutes away) is FILLED with hotels and condos you can rent. If you’re wanting something a bit less rustic, or with a year-round pool, that may be the choice for you. It all depends what type of experience you’re going for.

A Word on Parking at Silver Dollar City:

It’s my personal opinion that the premium parking ($18) is a total ripoff. There are several parking lots, and the closest one is the only one that you pay for. All of the others are free. If you get there reasonably early in the morning, you can park in the closest free lot and be within an easy 5 minute walk of the theme park.

There are (free) trams that come by various spots in the parking lots pretty frequently, too, if you don’t feel up to the walk. You will have to fold your stroller in order to ride, so keep that in mind. At the end of the day with a loaded-up stroller I felt like walking was easier than all the maneuvering. Our boys really loved the tram (it rivaled some of the rides for them, which is the preschooler equivalent of babies playing with the box the toy came in).

One rainy park day I even saw buses running the route along with the trams, for an even cozier (drier) trip to your car. Basically, please don’t pay for premium parking unless you are really rolling in that dough and feeling spendy. 😉

Attractions to Prioritize:

I have way too many thoughts to share here! Blog post coming soon with kid’s ride recommendations and considerations by age & height.

BUT for now: Fireman’s Landing & the Grand Exposition areas are kids wonderlands. Tons of options for all ages (adults too!) in both of these places. The Grand Exposition was probably the area we spent the most time in, and you can’t beat that Magnificent Wave Carousel.

If you want to make sure you hit the CLASSIC Silver Dollar City attractions, prioritize: Fire in the Hole & the Frisco Silver Dollar Line Steam Train.

If you’re a thrill seeker, make sure you check out: Outlaw Run, Time Traveler, the Giant Barn Swing, Wildfire and Powder Keg.

The “newest kids on the block” are very popular lately, and for good reason: Time Traveler (unique and surprisingly fun roller coaster with spinning cars), and Mystic River Falls (perfect for a hot day).

Other options if you’re looking to get wet include American Plunge log flume & Tom & Huck’s Riverblast (my boys looooved this aim/shoot water ride…but you will for sure get soaked).

Hows the food at Silver Dollar City?

The meals & snacks here are a big step above your typical fair… fare. The food fits the theming, and it’s really a fun part of the experience. I have a separate post all about which foods you should try while at Silver Dollar City!

My personal favorites are the skillets. There’s some with sausage, potato, onion, and corn… others with okra & zucchini, and some with chicken fajita flavors going on. They are all amazing.

There are potato twists, BBQ entrees, artisan grilled cheese sandwiches, and kettle-cooked chips + loaded up toppings. You can also find burgers and pizza if your kids are more into the classics.

There’s a great variety of sweet snacks to try, too. Their cinnamon bread is famous, and worth the accolades. It’s warm, gooey, and easy to pull apart and share while touring the park. You can find it at Clara Belle’s bakery near the Riverfront.

Know Before you go:

• Download the Silver Dollar City app! It was super useful to have all of the show times and approximate ride wait times there at your fingertips. They do hand you a map as you enter the park, but it reads like a multi-paged newspaper and it’s a little cumbersome if your hands are already full. Learn more about the app here.
• Check the weather app. It’s really green in the Ozarks for a reason: it rains pretty frequently! And I’m not talking about a light drizzle…it can POUR. Being prepared with ponchos was a game-changer our last trip there. Be mentally prepared that many rides shut down if rain or lightning is around.
• Be prepared for HILLS! Oh man my calves were feeling it the next day! It’s a workout on its own, but pushing a double stroller…well it felt doubly hard!
• Study the map to orient yourself to the park areas before you arrive. It’s a lot less straightforward than the Disney hub-wheel setup I was more used to. The trees and narrow/themed walkways make it hard to tell exactly where you are. The theming from one area to the next can be pretty seamless. Which is great, but also you can sneak into the next area not-so-much on purpose!
• Bring your own stroller, if possible. The ones available to rent looked pretty uncomfortable. We used a lightweight double umbrella stroller, and were surprised with how often our almost-4 year old (and even on occasion our 6 year old) wanted to rest and ride in the second seat. I’m telling you, those hills are no joke!

Silver Dollar City Baby & Toddler Tips:

• The restrooms are spread out, and often tucked away in a corner of the park. Some are huge with lots of stalls, but others are small. What I’m saying is your toddler having to pee RIGHT NOW may have to walk for 15+ minutes to get to the nearest bathroom then wait in a line for an open stall …meaning get there at the first signs of a potty dance!!! There are always family restrooms available though, which is great.
• Do not expect well-defined stroller parking. Once or twice there were designated areas outside the line queues but mostly not. You could mostly park it anywhere off to the side of the ride’s entrance. I’d bring valuables with you, but we never had anything stolen that was left there unattended.
• Do not expect a well-defined rider-swap system. BUT they do honor this practice! So ask the first employee you pass as you board the thrill rides how best to make that happen. We rarely were expected to all wait in line together. We were usually able to have one adult ride while the other waited at the exit with the kids. It was less stressful to let them move around a bit, and often it was a great view of the ride and the kids were thoroughly entertained as we waited. Then the “waiting adult” would exchange places with the “rider adult” and enter the ride with an employee via the exit.

• Bring tons of snacks!! You are allowed to bring outside food into the park, and lots of it! I was glad we’d brought a small cooler with things like bananas, grapes, applesauce pouches, and cheese sticks to supplement our park meals. It keeps costs down, and you’re ensured your kids have foods they are comfortable eating. The food lines got pretty long, so it was nice having food ready when we needed it, too.
• There are 5 nursing stations throughout the park. Look for the smiley faces on the map to find where they are.

Have you been to Silver Dollar City? What do you love about it?! Would you recommend it for young families?

Let me know in the comments below!

If you’re headed there, definitely read this article too:

Best Foods at Silver Dollar City Theme Park