While the oldest amusement park in the world continues to operate uninterrupted since 1583 (for those interested, it is the Dyrehavsbakken in Denmark), most will not last even a fraction of such a time span.Particularly for smaller parks without the resources of major chains like Disney or Universal, the theme park industry is not a particularly easy business in no small part due to the high cost of maintaining older rides. After posting a loss of more than $1.2 billion at the end of 2025, Six Flags closed six “underperforming” locationsĀ in its amusement and water park portfolio this year. The beloved Brean Theme Park in the British coastal town of Somerset was assigned to liquidators at the start of 2026 while Hersheypark east of Harrisburg in south-central Pennsylvania announced that it will be closing its popular Tidal Force ride after one last summer season run.Silver Dollar City theme park to close Thunderation roller coaster in January 2027The Silver Dollar City theme park in the Ozark Mountains in southwestern Missouri just became the latest to publish a permanent closure notice for one of its most popular attractions on January 3, 2027.The 61-acre theme park sitting between the towns of Branson and Branson West was first opened in 1966 for visitors who were coming to see the nearby Marvel Cave. Over the following six decades, the theme park was expanded to more than 40 rides and seven roller coasters including the Thunderation.Related: Another 50-year-old amusement park closing forever after summerThe runaway mine roller coaster was added to the amusement park in 1993 and took riders through what is reconstructed to look like a mine from the 1880s. Designed to reach a height of 80 feet and 48 miles per hour, the steel coaster quickly became one of the most popular attractions in the park.
The Thunderation was added to Silver City Dollar in 1993.Silver City Dollar
This is the last day to ride Thunderation in Silver Dollar CityThe final day to ride the coaster will be on January 2, 2027 while Silver Dollar City putting up decorative signs marking its final run. Photographs that visitors to the park posted on social media channels show that Silver Dollar City is teasing new attractions as being necessary for development by the fictional Marvel Cave Mining Company.More Travel News:Airline to launch unusual new flight to Cayman Islands from the U.S.There is a very cool Irish version of swimming pigs in the BahamasUnexpected country is most luxurious travel destination for 2026Low-cost airline launches easier way to get to Sri LankaBeyond that, the theme park has not elaborated on the reasons that it decided to shut down Thunderation. As the roller coaster has become a multigenerational classic among some visitors to the park, Silver Dollar City has also released a line of commemorative memorabilia such as t-shirts, hats and mugs for those who want to pay homage to this chapter in the 66-year-old park’s history.Due to its meticulously recreated atmosphere of a 1880s-era Ozarks mountain town, Silver City aDollar was named the best theme park in America by USA Today for the fifth year in a row earlier this spring.”Thunderation’s opening kick-started exciting additions to Silver Dollar City,” Brad Thomas, president of Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts, said in a statement on the closure earlier this year. “Likewise, Thunderation’s retirement at the end of 2026 will launch new and exciting chapters in Silver Dollar City’s future.”Related: Disney closes 8 popular ridesĀ Ā Ā