'America's Best Theme Park' Is Getting A Massive Expansion, Including Something It Desperately Needs

When we talk about the best theme parks in the U.S. almost all conversations come down to Disney vs. Universal. However, the park that was recently voted the best theme park in America wasn't Magic Kingdom or Universal Studios, it was Branson, Missouri's Silver Dollar City.

I got to visit Silver Dollar City for the first time a couple of years ago, and I absolutely understand why USA Today called it the best theme park. It's an incredible place. It's a destination for roller coaster fans, with multiple incredible coasters , but it also has great food and an incredible design. And now, SDC is getting even better because it's about to become a true theme park resort with a Silver Dollar City hotel coming in 2026

Silver Dollar City Is Becoming A True Theme Park Resort

Back in 2021, Silver Dollar City purchased 800 acres of undeveloped land next to the park. Another plan for a resort fell through and the park swooped in and grabbed the land. Since then, fans have been wondering what it would do with the space.

Silver Dollar City has now officially announced Silver Dollar City Resort, a hotel with 262 guest rooms that will provide easy access to the theme park. There will also be a full-service restaurant on site, and considering SDC has some of the best theme park food , the expectations for a meal at a full-service restaurant on the property are going to be high.

Needless to say, this is wonderful news. When I visited, it was clear one of the things that Silver Dollar City needed most was a hotel. The park is located in the beautiful Ozark Mountains, giving it some of the most incredible views of any theme park in the world. The downside of that is there are no hotels located particularly close.

The resort will make Silver Dollar City a true destination.

Even More Is On The Way To One Of America's Best Theme Parks

The resort is part of a half-billion-dollar investment in Silver Dollar City over the next decade that will develop over 1200 acres of land. The most recent addition to the park was a from-the-ground-up new version of Fire in the Hole , the park's iconic dark ride coaster.

While only the resort has been officially announced, it's clear that a lot more is planned over the next decade as part of the major investment in Silver Dollar City. We can almost certainly expect a significant expansion to the theme park, which will likely include a marquee roller coaster or two. All of it is going to make this place even more of a must-visit theme park.

Silver Dollar City Resort is expected to open in late 2026.