NOTE: Herschend does not own Adventureland. They plan to own it, but the sale has not yet happened. Per HFE:
“We do not currently operate any Palace Entertainment properties. Until the sale is final, please direct any questions to the relevant property or a Palace HQ representative.” – Herschend
On March 18, 2025, Herschend Family Entertainment announced plans to acquire the Palace Entertainment U.S. properties, including Iowa’s Adventureland:
Herschend is the family that originally leased the Marvel Cave near Branson, Missouri and then opened Silver Dollar City in 1960. Today they are a large corporation that owns a number of attractions around America (and some outside of it).
Adventureland had been acquired by Palace Entertainment in December 2021:
Palace Entertainment is a subsidiary of Madrid, Spain-based Parques Reunidos which owns properties around the world.
I haven’t visited Adventureland since their 21+ Halloween event in 2018 so I cannot directly comment on the final years under the original Krantz family’s ownership, nor can I comment on the three seasons Palace Entertainment has operated the park (2022-2024), but I certainly have alot to say about Silver Dollar City.
What is Silver Dollar City?
I first visited Silver Dollar City as a teenager in 1984. It was a lovely park, and I thought “I should really get back here in 40 years.” So I did, returning in 2024 and buying their low-cost annual pass which let us visit several times that year. The main reason for making the 6-hour drive to Silver Dollar City so many times last year, and twice (so far!) this year, is their special events.
Silver Dollar City has more events each year than even Walt Disney World’s Epcot does — and that’s saying something. This year, the are hosting:
- Spring Exposition
- Bluegrass and Barbecue
- Summer Celebration
- Southern Gospel Picnic
- Harvest Festival
- An Old Time Christmas
We saw several of these events last year, and their Harvest Festival had more pumpkins than any place I have ever been, including pumpkin patch. An Old Time Christmas has more Christmas lights than any place I can think of other than the discontinued Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights that used to be held at the Disney/MGM Studios in Florida.
You can take a look at this original Herschend park by browsing through my (currently) 6000 photos:
https://themeparks.disneyfans.com/SilverDollarCity/index.html
Is Herschend a good fit?
This is the question fans of (insert name of Palace Entertainment park that HFE is about to start running) have been asking online. There are plenty of folks upset with what Palace Entertainment did with their home park (see the various Kennywood groups for great examples of this), but also plenty that really liked the new energy they brought.
The same can be said for Adventureland. Many classic rides and shops and long-running entertainment offerings were removed, but the park received new rides and new paint.
What will Herschend do?
Looking at Silver Dollar City is most likely not going to be a way we can figure this out. SDC is operated as a theme park, not an amusement park. They have themed areas where the workers wear costumes to match. Even the people working in the popcorn wagon are wearing 1800s outfits. The workers on their prison-themed Flooded Mine boat attraction are dressed in black and white striped convict outfits (and, you get a gun that looks like a real gun to shoot at targets).
The folks working their steam train are dressed as conductors. It is a completely different type of park than Adventureland.
The park also does its best to make things fit with the area they are in. Even the Dippin’ Dots stands are themed and not just the same modern food stand you would see at a carnival.
Also, while Adventureland has served beer for decades, there is no alcohol sold at SDC or its water park. Other attractions they operate in the area are also alcohol-free, though I have been told some of the hotels they run have booze. I am waiting on an official list from HFE on which of their properties allow alcohol.
When Palace took over Adventureland, I was told by management of the park that they were not really keen on having an Oktoberfest. Since that event continued as planned the next three years under Palace, perhaps they looked at the amount of money it made and decided to keep it.
Praise the Lord and Thank You for your Service!
While Adventureland has a church, SDC takes Christianity much further. Many fans of the park call Herschend a “Christian business.”
SDC is a place where, if you sneeze, someone will say “bless you” instead of “gesundheit”. Entertainment in the park will share Christian stories, or offer prayer requests at the end of the show. Their Christmas event actually says Christmas, and features a living nativity show as well as a stop on the steam train to hear “the true story of Christmas.” The park even has a church with Sunday service.
Each day starts with a flag ceremony, recognizing veterans. Many shows will ask veterans to stand and be recognized. This is not specific to SDC — it is common at many of the attractions in the Branson area. For this reason, all of this may just be “because the park is there” rather than “because Herschend owns it.”
What about the cinnamon bread?
If you have seen anyone commenting on this acquisition, you might have seen references to cinnamon bread. Cinnamon bread appears to be the “Dole whip” of Silver Dollar City (and also at the sister park, Dollywood, which originally was a second SDC). There can be long lines to buy a fresh loaf of this stuff. The park even has an express lane at the shop that sells it JUST for buying loafs!
Fans of it are hopeful this might make its way to the Iowa park.
What does this mean?
Nothing. We know nothing but there is an intent to buy the Palace Entertainment parks. We can only look at other properties SDC has acquired to look at changes they made — and, changes may be localized and not apply at any other property. (For instance, alcohol being served at one Herschend property did not mean it would be served at all of them.)
Time will tell. Meanwhile, Adventureland has already had two different general managers since they took over the park, so another change of boss may not be as disruptive as it was the first time it changed.
More to come…
