Busiest Times at Silver Dollar City, Crowds, How to Avoid Long Lines

If you have ever visited Silver Dollar City you know how popular this mid-western amusement park is, located in the Ozark Mountains.  The key to maximizing your visit at SDC is knowing when you should avoid the busiest times at Silver Dollar City. Attending the park when the lines are short and the crowds are sparse is the secret to enjoying your stay at SDC.  Certain times of the year you will experience long lines and huge crowds.

The good news is that you can avoid the long lines if you follow our tips on how to avoid the busiest times during the season at Silver Dollar City.

How to Avoid Long Lines and Huge Crowds When Silver Dollar City is at it’s Busiest

Visit SDC from March – Mid May Before School Graduation is Ideal When The Park is Not Very Busy

When spring is still in the air and the kids are still in school is a great time to visit Silver Dollar City.  The trees are budding, and the temperatures are generally very nice.  However, during mid-March to mid May the park is only open from Thursday through Sunday so be sure that you check the schedule in advance to make sure that they will be open (scroll down to bottom of page to view the full season schedule).

2 For 1 Special – How to Get In to Silver Dollar City for FREE

Did you know that if you arrive at Silver Dollar City after 3 PM the next day is FREE! If you have time in your schedule to plan for two days at Silver Dollar City you can enjoy the park when the crowds are starting to thin out.  For the next day (which is FREE), we strongly recommend arriving when Silver Dollar City first opens.  If you have kids, send them out to enjoy the rides when they can enjoy all of their favorites while not being stuck in long lines.

Silver Dollar City has gotten better about handling long lines when the park is at it’s busiest.  They have more rides than ever, and there are attractions all throughout the park to keep you busy.  Furthermore, when you arrive when the park opens you will have an easier time parking and the temperatures will be much more tolerable.  If you don’t want to arrive after 3PM, here are more tips on how to buy cheap some cheap tickets before your arrival.

Busiest Times at Silver Dollar City

Wednesdays and Thursdays are The Best Times to Visit!

When Silver Dollar City is at It’s Busiest, the crowds are huge.  Of course the weekends are the busiest, so aim for beginning of the week.  With the park closed much of the year on Sundays and Mondays we encourage visitors to head to the park on Tuesday – Thursday.  Avoid the park during the weekend when it’s at it’s busiest if your schedule allows it.  Be sure to check out the monthly crowd calendar to find out when would be the best time for you to plan a vacation to Branson. (Full season schedule is located at the bottom of this page)

September and October are a Beautiful Time to Visit

The Ozarks during foliage is an amazing experience.  The leaves are turning colors and the temps are cooling down.  Not only that, but with the kids back in schoool the park will not be nearly as crowded.  Be sure to check the schedule because the entire park shuts down during late October while they prepare for Silver Dollar City Christmas season (which is a must see).

Personally, October is my favorite time to visit Silver Dollar City.  The season’s change is in full progress, and the autumn leaves are still holding on to their vibrant orange and yellow colors.  The crowds are light and it’s just a relaxing time to visit one of the most popular amusement parks in the country.

Festivals Can Get Busy With Large Crowds

While any time of the year at SDC can get busy, the Festivals are often the busiest.  People from all over the country come to visit during the big Festivals at the park.  We recommend taking a look at the Festival Schedule at the park.  Also, just because a festival is going on at Silver Dollar City doesn’t mean that there will be long lines for rides or shows.

For example, during the Southern Gospel festival a large portion of the crowd is coming for the great gospel music shows, rather than for the rides.  The same goes for the National Crafts and Cowboy festival. During this time, you will see the crowds around the craftsmen displays and Cowboy entertainment attractions.