Silverwood, june 17, 2018 by Cowles Publishing

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

WELCOME TO SILVERWOOD THEME PARK’S 30TH SEASON! The Northwest’s largest theme park has become a vital part of the community, and annually attracts more than 650,000 guests eager to enjoy themselves, whether they’re staying a day, a week or longer. Over the decades, it has grown from a small-scale steam locomotive ride through the woods north of Coeur d’Alene to the impressive facility that includes not just the Silverwood area but the nearby Boulder Beach Water Park, the coolest outdoor water park around with all sorts of slides and other amusements. The park is now considered the largest attraction in the State of Idaho and brings in visitors from Seattle, Portland, Missoula, Calgary and other regions. With more than 60 attractions, there’s something for everyone, from high-speed rides for thrill seekers to mellow rides for younger visitors. There’s a world-class magician, Nick Norton, who entertains crowds daily at the Theatre of Illusion. The steam locomotive, Old No. 7, still chugs around the park several times a day, but this time it’s joined by a group of bumbling robbers, lost, anxious scientists and mystical creatures like trolls and faeries. Along with a pleasant ride through the countryside, there’s plenty to see and enjoy.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

BIG CHANGES

Quite an improvement from the earlier years, when owner Gary Norton had a challenge bringing in regular guests. So he continued to add new features and opportunities for wonderful experiences. This has included various roller coasters, and rides of all intensities, including the Corkscrew, the world’s first roller coaster that goes upside down. There are rides where people scream, and rides where people get wet. There are rides recommended especially for little kids and rides for everyone in the family. Along with regularly adding new rides, the park also makes other changes as well. There are new food places and snack bars, new games, and new places to buy souvenirs of your fun day or days at the park. There’s even Garfield, who enjoys giving high-fives and posing for photos. “We keep on adding to the fun,” said General Manager Paul Norton. “Even things like adding Boulder Beach helped spread everything out – it gave people new reasons to come, to come back and stay longer.”

WHAT’S NEW

Silverwood Theme Park has plenty of reasons to celebrate in 2018. The 30th anniversary includes some fun treats in store, including discount days. Followers on the park on social media will also get

tips on where and when some special savings are taking place. Many of the upgrades between 2017 and 2018 have to do with infrastructure and maintenance. “We’re upping the quality of the whole park for our guests,” Norton said.

Improvements include: • New bathrooms The off-season included some renovations. Not only do the restrooms by Sweet Treats and the Theater of Illusion receive a lot of use, especially in the busier summer months, but they were designed using late 1980s technology. The park staff wants to incorporate new ways to show energy efﬁciency. • New shops Exciting new retail areas are in the work, including an expanded toy store where Garﬁeld will also make regular appearances. • Cool magic Magician Nick Norton will again wow audiences with some of the world’s greatest illusions. He or his apprentice, Isaiah Daniels, will perform “Phantasm” daily in the Theater of Illusion. (Check the entertainment schedule upon arrival for times) • Slow-motion fun Old No. 7, the park’s steam locomotive, offers all sorts of fun on its journey around the park. Look for fairies, trolls, and the best bandit show around.

• New hours Starting June 9, there are extended hours in June, which is great for long North Idaho sunny summer days. Sunday-Thursday, the park will open until 9 p.m., and 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. • New blog Get an insider’s view of the cool things in the park and plan your next adventure at “Silverwood Express,” an informative and entertaining new blog. Visitors will enjoy everything from tips on traveling with kids in tow to getting great deals on meals!

FAST FACTS Silverwood Theme Park Location: About 15 miles north of Coeur d’Alene on U.S. 95, about 40 minutes from Spokane. Offers: More than 70 rides, slides, shows and attractions, including four roller coasters and Boulder Beach, a water park. Attendance: More than 650,000 visited in 2017 and more than 10 million visitors over 30 seasons. Employees: 92 full-time, 1,500 seasonal. Size: About 220 acres Payroll: More than $9 million Economic impact: $85.5 million in 2014. How to get tickets: Buy them at the gate, or SAVE when you buy them online at www.silverwoodthemepark.com.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

GARY NORTON LOVES TO WATCH GUESTS ENJOY PARK

Silverwood Theme Park owner Gary Norton seems to enjoy being able to pass some management duties to his kids, their families and other trusted employees. This allows him more time to do what he really loves: watch guests enjoy his park. During the season, Norton likes to walk around to watch guests and staff, along with observing things like the state of maintenance and landscaping. During this walks around the park, he especially likes to listen and watch. Most guests don’t recognize him and some of the seasonal employees don’t either. “He especially likes to be at the entrance in the morning,” said Paul Norton, General Manager. “He likes watching guests get so excited that this place is here. Some don’t believe there’s all of this is out here. He loves seeing their expressions.” Over the years, the park staff has worked hard to make sure people receive a satisfying experience, whether it’s their ﬁrst or 400th. “It’s great that we get to know a lot of the families who have been coming here for generations,” Paul said. “Some of our earliest guests are now bringing their kids or grandkids.”

Silverwood has been active in several national and international amusement park associations. It will be hosting the “Golden Tickets” in 2019, an industry gathering and awards presentation. “People are honored for things like training, entertainment, marketing, food, human resources and more,” Paul said. This will be a good experience for peers to see the park. “We want to show off everything we’re doing,” Paul said. Industry accolades are good, but the real test of a park is what the guests think, which is why Gary still enjoys hearing and seeing people making great memories. Their opinions and suggestions often lead to changes, everything from different locations of bathrooms to a larger gathering area by the entrance where people can wait before the doors open each morning. This year, improvements were made everywhere from retail areas to upgraded restrooms. “He’s always looking for ways to make sure everyone enjoys themselves, even if it’s something small,” Paul said. Photo: Kathy Plonka/The Spokesman-Review

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

Silverwood Theme Park has done plenty to keep guests entertained over the years, and in the process brought a high degree of talent to North Idaho. Though there are always plenty of exciting rides for all ages, owner Gary Norton has made sure to offer even more to appeal to visitors, including musicians, magicians and other entertainers. Some are still around, others are just great memories. Here’s a selection of favorite entertainment from the past 30 years. • Air shows Silverwood is located at the site of the Henley Aerodrome, which was an active private airﬁeld and hangar until the 1970s. When Gary Norton bought the ﬁeld and

surrounding property, he and friends occasionally ﬂew a variety of private planes for fun and to entertain visitors, including Norton’s P-51 Mustang. Park guests could also view Norton’s collection of antique aircraft, which were stored near today’s entrance to Boulder Beach. • Ice Show Some of the world’s top ﬁgure skaters enjoyed spending summers in North Idaho, including Olympic medalists and world champions. A competitionstyle rink also allowed park guests a chance to cool off while enjoying world-class entertainment. • Animals The early days had a petting zoo, pony rides and a few exotic cats, including a lion named Leonard and a Bengal tiger named Tigger.

Skilled entertainers Magicians, musicians and more graced the stage, including Bret Wengeler, an early entertainer who blended comedy with some of the best juggling around. One of his greatest feats was solving a Rubix Cube while juggling. He spent several years at Silverwood and now performs on cruise ships.

artists, McGiveney entertained visitors and gave suggestions to other performers.

In fact, it was a Silverwood magician who encouraged him to ﬁrst try his hand at sleight of hand.

• Rex Castle The nationally-known master puppeteer, marionette artist and puppet builder once entertained visitors then took his act to the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

“I got into magic as a dare,” he said. “I’d been working with a magician all summer, and was giving him a hard time one day, and he said ‘why don’t you do it?’ so I said his show word for word.”

• Garﬁeld The favorite cartoon cat and his pals Odie and Arlene still greet visitors. Nick Norton, the park’s resident magician, has worked in the park’s entertainment division since he was a teen.

• Michael McGiveney Considered one of the world’s best ‘quick change’

“I start doing tech for the ice show at age 15,” he said. “There has been quite a pool of talent to soak up.”

But then he discovered that creating illusions was fun, so he began practicing, performing and learning. “I don’t think I fully enjoyed it until about ﬁve years in,” he said. “I was nervous every performance.” This year, Norton returns to the Theater of Illusion daily. There is also a bluegrass band weekends in the High Moon Saloon, the Silverwood Mountain Boys.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

“Build a theme park in the middle of the woods in the middle of North Idaho –

ARE YOU CRAZY?

This question came up quite often when Gary Norton announced plans to do this very thing, starting with a steam locomotive and then a few carnival rides a few years later. But his kids loved the idea.

“He would take us to theme parks around the country and watch us play to see what we liked,” Paul said. “I see elements of Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm in how Silverwood turned out.”

“Your dad wants to make his own theme park. How cool was that?” said Paul Norton, one of Gary’s sons and the park’s general manager. “It was actually a very stressful time for him at ﬁrst but I’m proud he stuck with his vision.”

Gary Norton’s vision of the ideal theme park was simple in theory but challenging when trying to implement on large scale.

Gary Norton had been interested in theme parks for years, and often visited Southern California attractions to observe everything from the rides to the lines to how the staff interacted with guests. Norton also brought his family along on many visits.

“He wanted to make sure to always give guests a good product, make sure everything is clean, and provide quality food that’s also affordable,” Paul said. The Norton family was also part of the experience. There were plenty of jobs that needed hard workers.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

“He never forced us to do anything: he didn’t want anyone to have a job where we didn’t want to do it or didn’t want to be there, since guests would pick up on that,” Paul said. “But if you were interested in trying something different and having new experiences, you can always do that.” Paul’s ﬁrst job there was scooping popcorn in 1988 in the Main Street Theater. He and his brothers and sisters ﬁlled in other roles, everything from food and beverage to operations to entertainment. Today, their spouses and in some cases their children also work at the park in all sorts of roles. Paul has been general manager since 2008. Having a park owned by a multi-generational family is unique in the industry, where some larger companies own many larger parks. “We had some opportunities to meet other families who own parks, and we’re doing some things that are special,” he said.

“He would take us to theme parks around the country and watch us play to see what we liked,” Paul said. “I see elements of Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm in how Silverwood turned out.”

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

MAGIC EXPERIENCE AWAITS

You can say that this year’s magic show is 30 years in the making. It wouldn’t be true, but it sounds good to say. But it is true that resident magician Nick Norton does steadily build upon his shows year after year, including keeping elements everyone loves and also throwing in some of the best illusions around to wow audiences, whether they’ve never seen him or have never missed a show for the last decade. For this year’s show, “Phantasm: The Magic in All of Us,” Norton again has created amazing illusions which will provide a wonderful experience.

“We started coming up with most of this year’s show as early as last August,” said Norton. “It’s been a lot of fun.” The 30-minute show typically is preceded by a short intro by Norton, who lets them know what they’ll be seeing. This helps humanize him and the show, which he thinks is important. “Some magicians just suddenly appear and start their routine, but I want to make sure that people know that I’m just a normal guy who wants to entertain them,” he said. Plus, seeing the audience gives him an idea of the tone of the show.

“Maybe there will be a lot of families, or lot of kids, or a lot of crazy uncles who will love more grown-up humor,” Norton said.

This year’s show includes opportunities for audience volunteers, and the ﬁrst speaking role for Amanda Norton, Nick’s wife and co-magician. Gypsy the bird returns, as does Dr. Cosmos, a scientist who is known for crazy experiments.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

This year’s show will include several opportunities for audience volunteers, and the ﬁrst speaking role for Amanda Norton, Nick’s wife and co-magician. Gypsy the bird returns, as does Dr. Cosmos, a scientist who is known for crazy experiments. “This year, Dr. Cosmos is going to be trying chemistry,” Nick Norton said. “People really love this character, and it’s the biggest role for him.” The Nortons will perform six days a week, and the other day will feature Isaiah Daniels, Nick Norton’s apprentice. He’s been working with the show for more than ﬁve years, and Norton said he’s ready to go solo. “He’s one of us,” he said. “This is a good chance for him to show off his stuff and leave the show in his capable hands.” Norton has been watching Daniels’ magic for years and helped produce his show. “He has his own style, which I love and audiences will love,” he said. The Nortons enjoy meeting people after every show and posing for photos. He also loves feedback about the show. People who want to see the show are encouraged to come early – seating for the Theater of Illusion is often full 30-45 minutes prior to showtime.

“Phantasm” featuring Nick Norton or Isaiah Daniels takes place daily in the Theater of Illusion.

Silverwood Theme Park â&#x20AC;¢ Sunday, June 17, 2018

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

TRAIN TRIP STILL A FAVORITE

Adventure awaits aboard Old No. 7! Though Silverwood’s steam locomotive is pretty slow compared to the high-speed coasters at the park, it remains one of the favorite attractions. In fact, it was actually the ﬁrst attraction – before Silverwood was a thing, owner Gary Norton was intrigued by a train and several miles of track on an auction block. The train was originally used by a Nevada mining company for hauling silver ore in the early 20th century. It remained in a mining museum for years, but when it became available, Norton thought it would be fun to install around his property in North Idaho and then invite people to come ride it. His gamble paid off; people loved it. And as time went on, Norton added more and more elements and attractions to make the Silverwood experience even more enjoyable. Today, 30 years later, Old No. 7 still chugs around the park and the surrounding countryside every day the park is open. Every year, there are additions to the 30-minute trip, plus some elements everyone loves. For 2018, “Expedition Silverwood” includes strange and mysterious creatures plus scientists who look for them. Various fauna, or at least signs of them, can be seen all along the train route, including fairies, trolls, sasquatch and more – even a mermaid. “We’ve been moving toward the Expedition/ Adventure theme for years and this year we’re jumping into it with both feet,” said Chris Tortora, who produces the entertainment aboard the train ride and plays the role of Marshal Jack, who narrates the experience for passengers.

The story is set in the early 1920s, and continues the search launched in past years by renowned cryptozoologist Professor McGillicutty and his adventurous daughters who are trying to ﬁnd what’s really lurking in the woods. Visitors will expect some surprises and a lot of fun – including the possibility of spotting a previouslyelusive mermaid.

“We love meeting kids and people having fun,” he said. “We also love seeing the repeat riders who get off the train and get right back in line to go again.” The train departs hourly all day. This year, the depot has been expanded and there will be more entertainment to enjoy while waiting in line.

“We’ve been promising there’s been a mermaid somewhere for six seasons, and some people swear they’ve seen it,” said Tortora. Some new features come courtesy of one of Tortora’s friends in Orlando who creates creatures for theme parks. He spent the winter crafting trolls and other new imaginative characters for Silverwood, based on Tortora’s designs. “Shipping them here would have been too expensive, so I ﬂew there and drove them back the 2,998 miles to Idaho,” he said. “I drove around the block a few times to make it an even 3,000 – it was a trek!” One of the favorites of the train trip is also returning – the bandit show. It includes a blend of comedy, audience interaction, drama, and stunts. Tortora, a former stuntman and actor, directs the choreography. The show includes the bandits holding up the train and demanding money. It can be a bit scary for little kids unfamiliar with the show, but it’s all in fun and proceeds are donated to a local charity. Some people love cheering for the lawmen and lawwomen who ﬁght with the bandits, and for some shows, the bandits get a few cheers. Tortora said the train remains one of the more popular attractions at the park.

“We always enjoy ideas from employees, guests and season pass holders for ways to make the experience even better,” he said. “One of the things I love hearing is, “You know what would be cool?’”

Old No. 7, Silverwood Theme Park’s steam locomotive, departs regularly all day from the depot near Lindy’s restaurant and Main Street. People are encouraged to line up early.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

DISCOVER ALL SORTS OF FOOD!

Feeling hungry? Just follow your nose for super treats anywhere in the park.

The park offers everything from a simple snack to take the edge off to a treat to satisfy your sweet tooth to a complete family meal. Every region of the park has different, quality and affordable food choices, and everyone has their favorites. You’ll find burgers, burritos, and hot dogs. You’ll find barbecue. You’ll find cotton candy and caramel apples. You’ll find perhaps the only walk-up/float-up bar in Idaho off of the Lazy River where there’s a cool treat with your name on it.

Here are some options that interest many diners: LINDY’S: The park’s full-service restaurant offers a cool and classy stop and a full menu. You can sit

inside and cool off or sit outside, watch people and wave as the train goes by.

FOUNTAIN DRINKS: Each year, the park sells a commemorative souvenir cup that can be purchased at any snack bar. You get free reﬁlls on the day of purchase and 99 cent reﬁlls the rest of the season. ICE CREAM. Since the beginning, park employees have been asked to make sure the scoops are big! That means that ice cream fans can sometimes get more than a pound to enjoy – but be sure to eat it quick on hot days! GO CONTINENTAL: Get to the park a little early to start your day with freshly roasted coffee and French pastries made from scratch. Or have an afternoon pick-me-up before tackling more rides.

BETTER FOOD: Guests with special dietary needs can speak to a server or a cast member. The park now offers gluten-free options at several locations including the Kool Cactus, the Theater of Illusion and the barbecue pavilions. Information is also available for diners with allergies or other sensitivities. TINY PORTIONS: Parents can get small-sized treats for little ones who may not want a full portion.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

SCARYWOOD HAS BIG PLANS Scarywood Haunted Nights runs Thursdays-Saturdays Sept. 28-Oct. 27. It is recommended for ages 13 and older due to frightening content. For more details, to purchase advance tickets or book your group of 25 or more for a certain day, visit www.scarywoodhauntednights.com

There are a lot of reasons why Scarywood Haunted Nights has become one of the most popular ‘scare’ destinations in the region each fall. A big one is that people feel like they’re part of the action, which increases their enjoyment – and their fear. “With haunted houses or something like Scarywood, you don’t just sit back and passively watch a scary performance,” said Chris Russell, Scarywood’s FX director. “You’re immersed in it. You become the characters in the story and are totally involved with everything.” The immersion is part of the reason that Silverwood’s annual fright fest has had such staying power.

where you never know who or what will “We’ve been pulling Egyptian jump out and surprise you, or when it reference material for months, including will happen. studying lots of National Geographics,” Russell said. “We started work on “People enjoy fear – it’s this one even before last year’s show entertainment,” Russell said. opened.” For 2018, some crowd favorites will This year, instead of creating sketch return, like the maze of Blood Bayou, drawings and turning them into reality, the panic-inducing Total Darkness and the Scarywood team has created 3Dementia. computer renderings using a 3D printer. But one new treat will be Pharaoh’s This made everything more visually Curse, an Egyptian-themed adventure, impressive, helped make items faster and which will replace Caved In. upped the authenticity factor. Some details are under wraps, but Russell and other Silverwood visitors will experience state-of-theemployees also traveled to Transworld art scary special effects, including a this winter, an annual national gathering haunted temple and other fast-moving for theme parks, professional haunted elements. houses, escape rooms and similar scary

“There will be action scenes that guests will be in the middle of, lots After the park shuts down for general of suspense, a fast pace, and some operations at the end of September, it re- claustrophobia thrown in,” he said. opens on weekend evenings in October “People will feel like they’re in a movie – with new spooky attractions. Some but a scary movie. We’re trying to bring favorite rides re-open, but with a twist, back the crowd focus.” like Timber Terror now run backwards. Adding to the experience will be an Along with the attractions, there are original musical score and accurate also scare zones through the park, Egyptian designs.

attractions.

including updating signage to something functional but decorative. “Something Walt Disney taught our industry is to change things gradually rather than a big change at once,” Russell said. A past magician, he also helped with some of the effects and illusions for Nick Norton’s magic show. Later this summer, Silverwood will hold auditions for the Scarywood cast, which often attracts people from around the region eager to be part of the attractions or the scare zones. Scarywood also incorporates Hollywood-style costuming, make-up and prosthetics to make people look even more frightening vs. just someone in a scary mask.

Russell said Scarywood is “Everyone in our industry gets together recommended for at least age 13 and to share ideas, see new products, and higher because of a high terror factor. get the latest info about masks, monsters People who are interested in attending and more,” he said. are encouraged to plan ahead and buy When they’re not working on current tickets online in advance. Attendance or future Scarywood plans, Russell likes increases as the month gets closer to to help out in other ways in the park, Halloween. Come early if you want to avoid large crowds.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

Silverwood visitors brought in more than $24,000 in donations collected during 2017’s Community Appreciation weekends that was presented to local food support organizations. From left: Second Harvest Chief Development Ofﬁcer Drew Meuer, Bonner County Food Bank Executive Director Debbie Love, Post Falls Food Bank Executive Director Leslie Orth and Stephanie Sampson, Silverwood Theme Park’s Public Relations Manager.

continues to GIVe BACK Silverwood loves being a good neighbor. The park staff has worked to make sure that the region’s largest theme park does everything it can to give back, whether it’s scholarships for employees pursuing college to free tickets to area students to encourage them to read more to helping area charities. Over its history, the park has donated millions of dollars, and opened its doors to everyone from veterans returning from their military service to disabled community members. Fireﬁghters, police ofﬁcers, EMTs also are welcomed regularly. For the last 10 years, the park has offered 10 $1,000 scholarships annually to employees attending college. Each spring, the park holds the Night of Stars, where over 6,000 physically and mentally disabled

guests and those with a terminal illness receive free entrance for a special outing and pavilion meal in the park for themselves and a guest.

about Reading is the Ticket or for your students to participate in the 2018-2019 year, please call Knowledge Unlimited at (800) 356-2303.

Another special program is Reading is the Ticket, which offers students in the Northwest a ticket into the park each summer in exchange for them independently reading at least 10 hours during the school year. It’s free for teachers to take part in the program, and all the students have to do is log their hours and turn in their completed form by early spring, and then they receive their tickets by the time school gets out.

The last three weekends in September the park reduces general admission to only $38 and $4 of the general admission price will be donated to area food banks. Over $24,000 was donated to area food banks in 2016.

The program began in 1999 with 4,522 students, and continues to grow every year. In 2008, more than 44,000 young readers participated, and more than 83,000 took part in 2018. The tickets donated this year equate to more than $4 million. If you’re a teacher or principal and would like to know more

People who have dug for change in their pockets during the train robbery also will be happy to know that their surrendered loot goes to a good cause – at the end of each year, the park picks a charity to contribute to. In 2017, Silverwood’s guests generously donated to support the cause and with an additional contribution by Silverwood’s owners Gary and Jeanne Norton, the total gift amounts to $100,000.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

LONGTIME EMPLOYEE SHARES MEMORIES Juston Henry’s interview at Silverwood Theme Park seemed to go well. “They had told me to wear jeans and white shirt, and 20 minutes later, I was running the Ferris wheel,” he said. Henry was part of the team hired to operate the ﬁrst expansion of the park in 1990. It had opened two years earlier but mostly consisted of the train and air shows. But owner Gary Norton added the Corkscrew, the carousel and a few carnival rides, and needed operators fast. “It was small at ﬁrst, with very few people working there,” said Henry.

He worked in the rides area for several years, then moved to the games area. He later switched to the RV park, then retail, then operations, which oversaw security and ﬁrst aid. “One summer when I was in college, I started at 4 a.m. in Maintenance where we greased rides,” he said. “Then I stayed and worked the rest of the day.” This year, 28 years later, Henry is the assistant general manager, where he is able to share his expertise with the entire park staff and also make sure guests have a great time. “It has been great -- I never

expected it to be a career,” he said. “I stayed because it’s fun, and it’s still fun.” He enjoys working with employees and showing them the potential of the park. “Silverwood has always been a perfect job for people in high school or college, since you know you’ll always have a job every season if you want one,” Henry said. “I really like the variety: there are so many things you can do here.” This year, three of his kids are working in the park. A 14-year-old son is starting his ﬁrst season, working in food beverage. A 16-year-old daughter also works in food

and beverage, and a 21-year-old son manages the games area and is starting his eighth season. Henry has enjoyed watching the park grow, along with more interest from park-goers. “It all starts with Gary – he cares so much about everything we do,” Henry said. “I’ll never forget that ﬁrst year I was there and he made sure to try all of the rides himself and talked to all the guests and staff about what they were experiencing. I try to emphasize with the front-line staff.”

The front-line employees are the ones who will ﬁrst come into contact with guests and can affect what kind of day the park visitors experience. “It’s such a beautiful park, and Gary and the Norton family care so much about this,” he said.

DID YOU KNOW?

Gary Norton in the early 1980s to be utilized by Gary and his friends as a meeting spot to show off their vintage planes and cars.

Each summer, Silverwood hires seasonal employees – 1,500 in 2018! Silverwood’s steam train is pulled by Old #7, built in 1915 for the Eureka and Palisades Railroad in Nevada which was acquired, along with 3.5 miles of track, at auction by the park’s owner after a bidding war with the Disney Corporation.

Silverwood’s all-you-can-eat buffet, Chuckwagon John’s, has served over 2 million chicken quarters to school groups, corporate group outings and the general public since 2007.

? ?

Silverwood’s courtyard contains approximately 125,000 brick pavers, all of which were meticulously designed to ﬁt Silverwood’s theme. Boulder Beach’s two wave pools hold up to 500,000 gallons of water per pool.

Tremors drops 103 feet and was named among the top 10 coasters in the nation.

Silverwood’s kitchens prepared 56,000 pounds of chicken strips, or 338,000 individual strips in 2017 (up from 43,730 pounds/262,380 strips in 2016)

The Corkscrew, purchased from Knott’s Berry Farm, was the ﬁrst attraction to take riders upside down

The most popular dessert item at the park is the oversized scoop of Cascade ice cream.

During Silverwood’s ﬁrst season in 1988, it saw about 100,000 visitors. In the last few years, the park has averaged more than 650,000 annual visitors, making it the most-visited attraction in Idaho.

Silverwood roasted about 2,400 pounds of coffee in 2017, 1,000 more pounds than 2016. Silverwood’s humble beginning was as an airstrip called Henley Aerodrome purchased by

Aftershock, which stands at 191 feet tall, is nearly twice as tall as the next highest coaster at Silverwood, and travels at 65 mph and has 4.5 Gs. It took 70 truckloads to transport it from its former home at Six Flags Great America in Chicago.

Silverwood is home to Las Vegas-trained and renowned award-winning illusionist Nick Norton who performs several shows daily. Scarywood Haunted Nights has more than quadrupled its attendance in its 8 years of operation and raised the scare factor to new heights of chills and thrills in the Paciﬁc Northwest. Silverwood gave away about 83,000 tickets throughout the Northwest for its “Reading is the Ticket” program. Since 1999, this has worked out to about $16 million.

Silverwood has donated over $300,000 to Children’s Village, a Coeur d’Alene charity for children in crisis situations.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

NEW BLOG SILVERWOOD EXPRESS SHARES PARK SECRETS

GET CONNECTED ONLINE Thanks to social media, the Northwest’s largest theme park can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime.

Facebook is a prime platform for the park, and nearly 300,000 people worldwide “like” the park.

Silverwood maintains a variety of social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, even SnapChat.

The park’s YouTube channel has videos of rides, employees and just goofy activity in the park. Users can also upload their park experience.

Park employees are always putting up new, interesting and engaging information all year, since people enjoy what’s happening even when the park is closed.

Other channels also offer a good chance to check out the park or remember past visits.

During the off-season, the park posts fun photos of the empty park that’s sometimes covered in snow.

In honor of Silverwood Theme Park’s 30th anniversary, the park launched a new familyfriendly blog. This blog, “Silverwood Express,” features short articles that often are inspired by tips, questions or comments from park guests. Readers receive behind-the-scenes insights, information about rides and attractions and the park experience and fun promotions like ticket giveaways.

Guest are encouraged to post on their favorite social platforms and post whenever they’re in the park, especially if they use hashtags like #silverwood or #silverwood4fun.

Social media, e-newsletters and the ofﬁcial park site are all useful opportunities to learn about upcoming promotions, including special events.

Park employees also like reading guest suggestions and questions about ways to improve the park experience.

BE SURE TO MEET GARFIELD, ODIE AND ARLENE THIS SEASON Garﬁeld loves meeting Silverwood Theme Park guests more than he loves lasagna.

There were more than 700 entries, and Silverwood Express received the most, with 349 votes.

Which, if you’re at all familiar with the favorite orange cat seen in comic strips, TV shows or movies, is that he really, really, really savors that tasty pasta dish.

This new blog offers current and potential guests, plus lifelong supporters and season pass holders the opportunity to follow along and engage with the park staff in order to create the ultimate theme park experience.

Each day of regular operations at the park, Garﬁeld gives high ﬁves and handshakes to park visitors, and also loves posing for photos with them.

The name also reﬂects the park’s early days as ‘a town with a train,’ when Old No.7, a historic steam locomotive, was the only attraction. Visit silverwoodexpress.com for more info.

Visitors can also sign up for an email newsletter that discusses upcoming promotions and activities. In the off-season it’s a good way to know about season pass sales or early-bird specials.

When the park is open, there’s all sorts of promotions and simply fun photos of rides, food, entertainment or guests having fun.

During the planning for the blog last spring, the park narrowed down a list of possible names to three and then let park fans make the ﬁnal decision. People were able to vote on social media channels for “Our Silverwood,” “Go Silverwood,” and “Silverwood Express.”

The blog also includes tips on ﬁnding great food and visiting the park with kids. Expect information about the park’s history and other interesting tidbits all year long.

Joining him as in past years will be Odie, a friendly dog, and Arlene, a fellow cat. All come from the mind of creator Jim Davis, and all can be spotted in the newly renovated and expanded Toy Store, sometimes separately, sometimes together. Garfield was created by Jim Davis and was first syndicated in 1978. Today, the comic strip appears in more than 2,400 newspapers worldwide and is enjoyed by more than 200 million readers. In addition to the newspaper strips, there are more than 100 licensed Garfield products, from video games to comic books. There have also been two movies, an iPad app, a TV show and more.

Silverwood Theme Park • Sunday, June 17, 2018

Silverwood Theme Park Summer Events

More details are available at www.silverwoodthemepark.com/events-deals. Schedules or events are subject to change – please double-check the park web site.

Father’s Day, June 16-17 Celebrate Father’s Day at Silverwood! When a family brings Dad to the park and PURCHASES their tickets online or at the front gate, Dad gets in FREE! (Only one free Dad ticket per family, not valid with any other discounts, coupons, promotions or special offers.)

that PURCHASES a ticket, they will be given one FREE ticket for Grandpa OR Grandma. Plus everyone receives a special pricing of only $38 for General Admission (ages 8-64) and $21 for youth/senior admission (ages 3-7, 65-plus). Not valid with any other discounts or promotions.

Toyota Tuesday, July 17 and 24 The driver of any Toyota gets in FREE when they bring an admission coupon from any Inland Empire regional Toyota Dealer. Coupon must be validated on arrival at Silverwood by a parking attendant. Not valid with any other discounts, coupons, promotions or special offers.

Community Appreciation Discount Weekends Sept. 8-9; 15-16; 22-23 Coaster Classic Car Show Sept. 1-2 Classic cars from across the Northwest converge on Silverwood on the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day Weekend. The 15th Annual Coaster Classic Car Show is one of the biggest events of its kind in the Inland Northwest. If you like cars that go fast, look good, or just remind you of the good ol’ days, you’ve gotta be there!

Grandparents Weekend Sept. 8-9 Silverwood shows its appreciation for Grandmas and Grandpas by admitting them to the park for free when accompanied by a grandchild. For each grandchild

Save money and help our local food banks! For each general admission ticket sold $4 will be donated to help local food banks and for each youth/senior ticket sold $1 will be donated. Admission is $38 (ages 6-64, and $21 (ages 3-7 and 65-plus). Save more when you purchase at silverwoodthemepark.com.

Scarywood Sept. 28-Oct, 27. Scarywood is back! Get ready for a month of screams as the theme park you thought you knew just became the nightmare you’ll never forget. As seen on Travel Channel’s “Halloween’s Scariest Thrills,” Scarywood is full of haunted attractions and roaming monsters. Experience ﬁve haunted attractions, seven scare zones and most of Silverwood’s signature rides in the dark. Try to survive the night because you’ll be lucky to make it out alive!

Silverwood Theme Park â&#x20AC;¢ Sunday, June 17, 2018