A $26.5 million roller coaster, Time Traveler, under construction at Silver Dollar City will feature cars that turn while the ride is in motion, a 95-foot tall loop, a double launch, a 90 degree drop right out of the gate along with a dive loop, a vertical loop and a zero-g roll.
Dennis Gordt is head of track development and simulation with Mack Rides in Germany, which designed and is building the attraction.
"It will be a hell of a ride," he said, "so, it will be awesome but it will be still also for the family. The mom can go on, the dad can go on. They can go on with their kids."
Gordt said the roller coaster is one of the biggest projects they’ve done in the United States. According to Gordt, the project is “very innovative.” He said it’s the only ride in the world that combines a spinning car with other features it will contain.
Roller coaster enthusiast and author, Jeffrey Seibert, said this roller coaster design is "unheard of. And I've been to a lot of coasters all over the world. I've covered a lot of coasters, and this is totally unique. We have not seen anything like this, not with the multi launches, not with the multiple inversions and especially that drop out of the station. You've got the unique train here, and they're really taking advantage of it at Silver Dollar City."
Duane Marden has a website called The Roller Coaster Database, which features statistics and photos of more than 5000 coasters around the world. He likes that, not only is the new ride unique but it's built into a natural landscape.
Pete Herschend, co-owner of Silver Dollar City Attractions, hopes the investment will benefit both the park and the Branson area.
"What we'll see, because we saw it when we did Outlaw Run, and we saw it to some extent when we did Fireman's Landing, we'll see a jump in the number of people, the number of visitors, who are coming here. Well, if they're coming here, they're coming to the greater Branson area," said Herschend.
Marden believes they'll come. He said the new coaster should bring in people from all around the world.
"If you're coming from Europe or you're coming from Asia to come to America to ride roller coasters, you're going to hit parks that are easier to get to that have lots of rides," said Marden. "Now with this, and rides that have been being built here in the last few years, it's becoming a bigger destination for them."
Herschend said multiple test runs using sand-filled dummies will take place before the ride opens to the public. Construction is about a third of the way finished, according to Dennis Gordt, and Time Traveler is expected to open in the spring.
Click hereto go on a virtual Time Traveler ride.
