Virtual Ride-Through of Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City Wows

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One of the coolest things I saw last year was a video that featured a virtual ride-through of the a new type of hybrid wood roller coaster. Branson, Missouri’s Silver Dollar City is building Outlaw Run, which will feature the feel of a wooden roller coaster, but all the pulse-raising thrills of a steel coaster.

“Our Silver Dollar City fans told us they wanted a new thrill attraction, and we were determined to create a world-class experience even they couldn’t imagine,” said Brad Thomas, senior vice president, Silver Dollar City Attractions. “We pushed to take the classic wood coaster to a place it’s never been before by applying modern technology and techniques to traditional wood coaster building methods. The result is a wood coaster with never-done-before thrill elements.”

Outlaw Run marks Silver Dollar City’s biggest investment in a single ride in the past decade and is sure to become a must-do stop for any roller coaster fan. Beginning in Spring of this year, the new $10 million ride will passengers soaring through the Ozark Mountains on a ground-breaking wood coaster that includes several firsts:

  • World’s steepest drop on a wood coaster – More than 16 stories, 162-foot drop at 81 degrees, nearly vertical
  • World’s only wood coaster to twist upside down – A record-breaking three inversions including a 720-degree (double) barrel roll
  • Second fastest wood coaster in the world – Top speed of 68 mph, world’s fastest wood coaster on steel wheels

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Silver Dollar City, highly awarded for theme development, designs attractions with compelling storylines to bring projects to life with real history in mind. In the creative concept, Outlaw Run goes beyond the outskirts of the safe haven of the 1880s Silver Dollar City to a storied place where civility is waning and outlaws may lurk. Passengers, setting out with brave new dreams of vast America, board the Western Missouri Stagecoach Company – where, during treacherous travel, and at any minute, a wild chase could ensue. “All generations will enjoy this bold and daring ride where the ‘good guys always win, leaving the bad guys in the dust,’” Thomas said.

The new ride takes advantage of the natural mountain terrain, with a more than 10-story lift that leads to a 162-foot drop (16 stories) into a valley. Custom-designed “stagecoach” trains, fashioned after the iconic Concord stagecoaches of the time period, take riders on a journey of unexpected drops, thrilling twists and rolling inversions. Riders soar through nine locations where they will experience “airtime” – or weightlessness.

I can’t wait to go for a ride, how about you?