The Party's Over for Branson's Celebration City
Prior to 2003, the park had been known as Branson USA. HFE bought the property, invested capital to transform it, and positioned the park as a companion to Silver Dollar City, another Branson theme park it operates. Celebration City had been open in the afternoon and evenings, while Silver Dollar City opened early and did not have evening hours. Apparently, the park hadn’t been meeting attendance and revenue projections.
Attractions at the shuttered Celebraton City include the Ozark Wildcat wooden coaster. The fate of the coasters and other rides is unknown, although they could find homes at Silver Dollar City or HFE's other parks, Wild Adventures in Georgia and Dollywood in Tennessee. HFE also operates White Water water park in Branson, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede dinner show in Branson, Tennesee, and Myrtle Beach, SC, and other attractions.
According to a statement by Joel Manby, HFE's president and CEO, the company does not plan to sell the Celebration City property. It is exploring other options such as an aquarium, a dining, shopping, and entertainment complex, or even a re-themed park.
I think the Celebration City site would be better served with a large resort hotel complex to allow Herschend to offer vacation packages that would include lodging, transportation to Silver Dollar City, and entrance fees into the amusement park. Just take a look at Disney or Universal to see this is a winning formula. The resort could have time shares, hotels rooms, and RV camping surrounding lakes and boardwalks, there could be shops and restaurants, and swimming holes, water slides, mini golf, boat rentals, and other family-friendly attractions that would compliment the amusement parks offerings.
Michael-
Sounds like a plan! Thanks for writing.
-Arthur
I also agree. I’ve heard talk of a Great Wolf Lodge resort being built in the Hollister area. This would be a terriffic boost for the area by having a great place to stay and play in the off month. I believe this type of resort will gain popularity in the Branson area. Of course we can’t overlook how the new airport will impact us. Branson continues to be an up and coming spot.
We’re sorry to see Celebration City closed, but not surprised. We go there every year, our kids enjoy it, but last summer prices went way up, you shouldn’t have to pay to do things once you paid to get in the place. Plus the food we ate there was expensive and bad, I can see why people stopped coming. It got too expensive and not the quality it was before.
I am deeply saddened to hear about the closing of Celebration City. My family and friends bought season passes for Celebration City, Silver Dollar City and White Water every summer. We always had a blast. We will greatly miss it.
We will really miss Celebration City the most. For the last 4 years we have have spent a week in Branson visiting Silver Dollar City, Whitewater and Celebration City. We enjoyed the nights at Celebration City the most. Our son Garrett looked forward to the Lazer Show on the great lawn each night. I don’t think I have ever seen anyone have so much fun doing the Chicken dance after the show. Those will be lifetime memories for all of us….
The best idea is an indoor water park lodge. I’d stay there with my girl’s for sure.
Something different. I also loved CC and am sad to learn it closed, we were just talking about the laser show and wanting to see it again in July..guess not
This closing is a tremendous disappointment and will be the reason we do not go to Branson and Silver Dollar City for the first time in 5 summers.
Tulsa, OK would welcome this park to our community. After our family owned Bells park closed after city officials with hidden agendas closed the park for good, this icon tradition in Tulsa left our children with no amusement park in area. I’m sure even a surrounding community of Tulsa would probably donate land for it. I think the park was too little for Branson as SDC is the top dawg but it would be perfect for the Tulsa area if they decide to take it out completely. Please consider moving it here if it has to go as we will support the park. OK is big tourism dollars for MO and this tie into SDC and a park here would further the goodwill of Oklahomans visiting. Maybe allow it to still be under the umbrella of the corporate name and still offer passes to it as well as savings for us to visit SDC and White water.
The wooden coaster, Ozark Wildcat, at Celebration City was the BEST wooden roller coaster I’ve ever ridden. Most others really jerk you around, but this one was surprisingly smooth. I will really miss it. We always bought extended day passes to SDC, WW, and CC.
I took my family there a few years ago and it was a great amusement park. It was clean and there was a variety of rides. I finally thought about taking them back over Labor Day weekend to read that it closed. I live within 15 minutes of Six Flags St. Louis and I thought that Celebration City (although smaller in size) was a much better park.
We did not get season passes this year, as we have the past 7 years. My kids were so upset that celebration city had closed. We liked the layed back atmosphere of celebration city. I don’t know if we will get season passes for 2010. The ticket and food prices have really gone up. I hope they come up with something for the land, an aquarium or other theme park. Branson does not need anymore dining or resorts in my opinion.
I really don’t understand why Celebration City wasn’t a success. In my opinion, it was the best little amusement park I’ve ever been to. It gave the kids something to do in Branson at night. It had a carnival atmosphere without the “carnies”. We would love to see it come back!
Let me start by saying I HATE amusement parks. I however took my nine year old son there and we had a blast. The only amusement park I have ever looked forward to returning to. It was big enough for him not to be bored, but had a small carnival feel. We really enjoyed the laser show at the end of the night. That alone was worth the price of admission. I am just sorry we only got to go once. We didn’t go back to Branson this summer mainly because it was gone. We would love to see it reopen!!!
My family went to Celebration City a few years ago from NW Washington. We have been planning to go back this next summer and I was truly saddened to hear it was not open. This was my favorite place and I still wear the hat I bought there. The laser light show was awesome. I really wish they would reconsider and reopen. I liked the route 66 theme.