Caitlin and Katie: Days 1 and 2 (Katie)

AAAAAAAAAND we made it! The drive took us about 13 hours and it felt like 13 hours. It was long but a lot of fun. We got to Branson about 8 p.m. and promptly passed out. This morning we woke up to a terrible ring from my cell phone, stumbled to breakfast and discovered we could have ate better in our car, which only has poptarts. So, the breakfast sucked. However, the room is nice and it’s right next to Silver Dollar City. We rode the free shuttle that the hotel provides and arrived at 10 a.m. were we promptly got cinnamon bread from the bakery (awesome bread). There were barely any people there so we rushed right to the roller coasters. Here are our ratings:

Wild Fire:
Brandon – 7.5 Katie – 7
The Wild Fire is your typical “ready for the next step” roller coaster. If you’ve been stuck riding all the kiddie ones, you’ve experienced speed and a few twists and hills, and now you’re ready for loops…this is the roller coaster for you. We went during a dead day so there weren’t very many people in the park and therefore the lines were short. This immediately put us in a good mood. We got on and got locked in and we took off. First thing we noticed: the speed sucked. Really! It sounds harsh but we’re being honest. It just wasn’t that fast. There were several loops you get thrown through and it’s hard to worry about speed when you’re upside down. On the bright side, when the speed is down you have time to smile and look at the camera. Our pictures were great. For experienced roller coaster lovers, this isn’t going to be your new fav but it’s fun. Our suggestions: Ride in the front and in one of the outside seats.
Powder Keg:
Brandon – 8 Katie – 8.5
All right, if you’re ready for some speed here it is. This roller coaster is FAST. It shoots you off and you never look back. There are some down sides to this ride. First, Brandon’s biggest complaint is the way you’re strapped in. It isn’t the typical over the shoulder ones – it’s lap bars. Second, it’s hard to get a good picture unless you’re good at smiling while being thrown at the speed of light. Finally, there is always a long line for this ride because it’s that good. Our suggestions: Ride in the front and don’t have a cell phone in your pocket because you’ll be fighting to keep it in the whole ride.
Fire in the Hole:
Brandon – 1 Katie – 6
Brandon was disappointed because I called it a roller coaster. Now, it does have a height requirement and a few surprising, squeal inducing drops but overall its sort of a cute, fun ride. He was expecting a typical roller coaster. My mom LOVES this ride. It’s the only roller coaster that she will ride. So the verdict is, it’s fun. It’s not a screamer, but it’s fun.
Silver Dollar City: 8
Overall we gave the park an 8. The food is awesome. There is no food in the entire park that I didn’t want. It is an amusement park so the prices are a little high. There are neat shops everywhere you turn. Our favorite was the glass shop. You can see glass blowing and the shop is filled with really pretty breakable glass things. The people in the park are a little hickish. Overall it’s a really cool place and I love going! Plus, the fact that Brandon is snoring right now says that there was definitely plenty to do!
Hotel: 7
The Deer Run Motel is a nice place. Free Internet is a definite perk but the terrible breakfast is a downer. The beds are comfy, the TV has cable and the room was clean. Brandon says the only problem is the shower head is too short for him. So the shower and the breakfast are our only complaints!
We’ve only eaten at 2 new places so far and here are our ratings:
Steak N Shake:
Brandon – 7 Katie – 7.5
Bandana’s BBQ:
Brandon – 7 Katie – 8