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[Ozark Outlaw]

Let me start off by saying that yes I know both Silver Dollar City, and Dollywood are owned by the same company. With that being said, who is copying who?

At first Dollywood (Silver Dollar City, Tennessee) followed in the foot steps of Silver Dollar City. For example, Fire in the Hole was built in 1972 followed by Blazing Fury in 1978.

More recently however, it seems that Silver Dollar City is now following the dust trails of Dollywood. For example, Thunder Express was built in 1989 followed by Thunderation in 1993. River Battle was built in 2008 followed by River Blast in 2010.

Now with rumors speculating that Silver Dollar City may build its own version of the Mystery Mine, who is copying who?

More importantly, has Dollywood become Silver Dollar City's testing grounds?

[Joy]

I think Dollywood is more a "testing grounds" than a SDC being a copycat. Which I kinda like, because it allows them to test rides and themes before putting them in SDC.

River Battle, for example, is so cartoony, and several people have voiced this in various ways that the company will have seen these complaints.

And thus with River Blast, I think we see the result of this in how amazingly well-done the theming is.

I'm kinda curious--is Timber Tower very popular at DW? Do you think SDC will ever get something similar?

[shavethewhales]

I don't think "copying" is the right word for what's being done at either park, nor do I think either park is following in the other's dust. DW and SDC are quite different these days, and the rides and attractions installed at such have different motivations behind them. DW's splash battle, as an example, is more cartoony simply because that is what works with DW's lighter atmosphere. If the same had been applied at SDC we would rightfully have been perturbed because that would have ruined an intensive theme area.

As far as adding the same base attractions at each goes, it's just good sense, IMO. If one ride is a hit at SDC, why wouldn't they eventually add it to DW? There's no sense shooting in the dark with each addition, otherwise we'd end up with a lot more Timber Towers.

I hope to see DW add a S&S family launched coaster like Powderkeg someday soon, and I hope SDC will benefit from DW's experience with G-fighters to give us the next gen. of Mystery Mine.

[Junior]

This type of "borrowing" from other parks is not new. When Tom Sawyer's Landing was built in 1980, I thought SDC had invented the ballroom. How clever I thought they were! Then I was in the Entertainment and Attractions offices a few weeks later on business and one of the managers had brochures from other parks around the country tacked to a bulletin board. One was for Sesame Place, themed after Sesame Street. Guess what? Ballrooms, ballrooms, ballrooms, and other features of TSL all over their park. Wow, this burst my bubble. Also, when the diving bell was built at SDC, it was kind of an experiment regarding simulation attractions. Star Tours came after that, as well as Back to the Future, and many other similar attractions. Parks share information, consult with each other. Allow people to tour their parks and go behind the scenes.

[betamike]

This is something that most all entertainment companies do.   Here at Disney, we give people on each coast an opportunity to experience well-received attractions and some become instant classics (Disneyland/WDW = "it's a small world" / SDC/Dollywood = Fire In The Hole (Blazing Fury), etc...)

No one actually considers it copying in the industry, especially when the concept is created in house.  My only issue comes when things are bought "off the shelf" with a slight theme layover.  That type of easy reach can be seen through by most guests and turns a well intended attraction into carnival fodder.  IMHO, this is what Celebration City's main problem was.

[Swoosh]

I'm kinda curious--is Timber Tower very popular at DW? Do you think SDC will ever get something similar?

There's a reason that there are only 3 of these rides in the world, and it's not the cost.
They're maintenance nightmares.  Timberrr Tower has had a lot of downtime since it was first built.  It's been better lately, but it has sufferered A LOT of downtime in its short life.