Celebration City
Encyclopedia
Celebration City was a "night-time theme park" located in Branson, Missouri
, USA. Celebration City was themed after America
in the 20th century, with areas based on Route 66
, Small-town America in the 1900s, and a beachside boardwalk
in the 1920s. As a "sister park" to Herschend Family Entertainment's Silver Dollar City
theme park located nearby, Celebration City was meant to continue the day where Silver Dollar City's 19th century theming left off. Celebration City opened in the afternoon into the evening, with the operating day capped off by a laser
and fireworks display.
The park featured many rides, shows, and attractions. Celebration City's operating season ran from May until mid-September.
purchased the park in 2002 with plans to redevelop and reopen it. The Branson Courier reported at a cost of over $40 million. Branson USA was reopened as Celebration City in 2003, after a redesign and expansion. The park was equipped with a laser, water and fireworks show, a wooden roller coaster, and a brand new log flume ride
in 2008.
On Friday October 24, 2008, Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation announced that the park would finish out its 2008 season and not return for 2009, due to unmet financial expectations. It closed its doors for good on Saturday, October 25, 2008. Herschend continues to operate the nearby Silver Dollar City and White Water attractions, and in announcing the closure, stated "...the company is already exploring various new development concepts for the site including an aquarium, other family attractions, re-theming the current park and also, destination retail and dining".
Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s....
, USA. Celebration City was themed after America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the 20th century, with areas based on Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
, Small-town America in the 1900s, and a beachside boardwalk
Boardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
in the 1920s. As a "sister park" to Herschend Family Entertainment's Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City is a theme park in the state of Missouri. Opened on May 1, 1960, the park is located between Branson and Branson West, Missouri, on Highway 76...
theme park located nearby, Celebration City was meant to continue the day where Silver Dollar City's 19th century theming left off. Celebration City opened in the afternoon into the evening, with the operating day capped off by a laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
and fireworks display.
The park featured many rides, shows, and attractions. Celebration City's operating season ran from May until mid-September.
History
An amusement park named Branson USA was opened on the site in 1999. The park struggled in its early years and closed in 2001. Herschend Family Entertainment CorporationHerschend Family Entertainment Corporation
Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation is a privately owned themed-entertainment company that operates several theme parks and tourist attractions within the United States....
purchased the park in 2002 with plans to redevelop and reopen it. The Branson Courier reported at a cost of over $40 million. Branson USA was reopened as Celebration City in 2003, after a redesign and expansion. The park was equipped with a laser, water and fireworks show, a wooden roller coaster, and a brand new log flume ride
Log flume (attraction)
Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats...
in 2008.
On Friday October 24, 2008, Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation announced that the park would finish out its 2008 season and not return for 2009, due to unmet financial expectations. It closed its doors for good on Saturday, October 25, 2008. Herschend continues to operate the nearby Silver Dollar City and White Water attractions, and in announcing the closure, stated "...the company is already exploring various new development concepts for the site including an aquarium, other family attractions, re-theming the current park and also, destination retail and dining".
Rides
Rides included:- Accelerator, a S&S double shot tower double shot towerDouble Shot (ride)Double Shot is a type of amusement ride manufactured by S&S Power.The ride is a drop tower type attraction that uses compressed air to rapidly propel riders up the tower then gently lower them with a series of air-cushioned bounces back to the loading platform.The ride is very similar to the Space...
- Bumble Bee, a kiddie ride
- Fireball, a swinging ride
- Flying Aces, a kiddie ride
- Flying Circus, a Larson Flying Scooter ride (which has been moved to Herschend owned Wild AdventuresWild AdventuresWild Adventures Water & Theme Park is located from Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. The park features approximately 59 rides and attractions, including eight roller coasters, hundreds of exotic animals, shows, Splash Island water park and...
) - Freefall, a milder version of Accelerator
- Jack RabbitJack Rabbit (Celebration City)Jack Rabbit was a steel roller coaster at Celebration City in Branson, Missouri, USA....
, a steel roller coasterSteel roller coasterA steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world...
(Built by E&F Miler Industries in 2003 which has been moved to Herschend owned Wild AdventuresWild AdventuresWild Adventures Water & Theme Park is located from Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. The park features approximately 59 rides and attractions, including eight roller coasters, hundreds of exotic animals, shows, Splash Island water park and...
as Viking Voyage) - Orbiter
- Paris Wheel
- Roaring Falls, a Shoot-the-ChutesShoot-the-ChutesShoot-the-Chutes is an amusement ride consisting of a flat-bottomed boat that slides down a ramp or inside a flume into a lagoon. Unlike a log flume, a Shoot-the-Chutes generally has larger boats and one single drop....
ride - Route 66 Speedway, a large go-kart track
- Scrambler (which has been moved to Herschend owned Wild AdventuresWild AdventuresWild Adventures Water & Theme Park is located from Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. The park features approximately 59 rides and attractions, including eight roller coasters, hundreds of exotic animals, shows, Splash Island water park and...
) - The Stinger
- Slick's Slightly Used Cars, bumper cars
- Swing & Twirl
- The Electric Star Wheel, a Ferris wheelFerris wheelA Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
- The Flying Carpet
- The Frisco Line
- The Ozark WildcatOzark WildcatThe Ozark Wildcat was a wooden roller coaster at Celebration City in Branson, Missouri. As of May, 2011, Ozark Wildcat still stands. Ozark Wildcat's coaster train was sold to Dollywood.-Rider Experience:...
, a gci wooden roller coasterWooden roller coasterA wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
built in 2003 - ThunderboltThunderbolt (Celebration City)Viking Voyage is a steel roller coaster located at Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia. At its former home Celebration City it was known as Jack Rabbit from 2003 to 10/25/2008. It opened at Wild Adventures on March 5, 2010....
, a steel roller coaster - Vintage Carousel, a carouselCarouselA carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
- Shoot-D-Chute, a log flume