Silverwood, june 18, 2016 by Cowles Publishing

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

Welcome to Silverwood Theme Park! The Northwest’s largest theme park and water park enters its 29th season with plenty of excitement, including the addition of Riptide Racer, a high-speed water slide. This fast-moving slide stands nearly 60 feet tall, has more than 400 feet of slide and features six racing lanes, which allow park guests to race against friends and family members.

Riptide Racer adds even more opportunities for family fun to the 221-acre park north of Coeur d’Alene that already offers more than 70 rides, slides shows, and attractions. Silverwood, which originally wasn’t more than a remote airﬁeld, now stands as a ﬁxture in the Northwest tourism industry as a must-visit vacation destination. It also takes pride in being the most attended attraction in the state of Idaho. The park now boasts four massive roller coasters, a drop tower and countless other family-friendly rides and attractions. Boulder Beach, which opens for the season this month, includes two expansive wave pools, numerous water slides, play areas for the kids and VIP cabanas.

This section will share interesting features and new additions to the park this season, including: • Riptide Racer, the mat-racing water slide. Riders lie down headﬁrst and go through a series of winding tubes. The lanes converge at the ﬁnal stretch, which can make every race even more exciting and competitive.

• A new magic show, “Phantasm” from resident magician Nick Norton that features even more amazing effects and mysterious illusions than past years. • More features on the train ride. This year, in addition to the fun scenery and the wellchoreographed bandit area aboard the steam locomotive, there’s more of an emphasis on exploring the unknown, including possible sightings of Bigfoots roaming through the woods. • Continuous improvements to the grounds and facilities. • More ability to interact with the park through social media. Park staff regularly maintain several channels, including Facebook and Twitter. These are great places to learn about activities and special events, including discount days, where people who follow the park on a particular social network can receive early entrance, discounts and other special deals. The park also has a free app that offers information on rides and attractions. • Easy opportunities to purchase daily and season passes online – and save money in the process! Keep reading this section for other details about what’s exciting in 2016!

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

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.

Number of employees: 88 year-round and 1,400 seasonal

Payroll:

Hours/dates of operation:

$8.5 million

Gates open at 11 a.m. daily through Labor Day, and closing time varies depending on the day of the week. In September, the park is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. weekends only. Scarywood, Silverwood’s October promotion, takes place throughout the month. For complete schedule go to scarywoodhaunt.com Size: 221 acres

Economic impact:

Number of guests: 10 million over 28 years, more than 650,000 in 2015.

$85.5 million in 2015.

How to get tickets: Buy them at the gate, or SAVE when you buy them online at www.silverwoodthemepark.com.

BIG SAVINGS FOR GROUPS

Bring B Br r your group of 15 or more and SAVE on admission. PLUS enjoy value-priced all-you-can-eat buffet meals, all day all-you-can-drink beverage bands, early entry and more. For information call 208.216.4300 or email

groups@silverwoodthemepark.com

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

LATEST &

G REATEST!

Riptide Racer Silverwood is already known for high-speed, highthrill rides, such as Aftershock and Tremors. But now that fun will head to Boulder Beach Water Park in the form of Riptide Racer. After climbing to the top of the 60-foot-tall structure, guests will lie on their aerodynamic mats and get ready to slide down head-ﬁrst in six side-by-side lanes. Once you get cleared to launch, blast off from the starting gate and slide down more than 400 feet of winding slides. Your lane will take you through a series of colored enclosed tubes, and then into the open where the lanes converge at

the ﬁnal stretch. Fellow sliders may end up with a close ﬁnish, which also can encourage repeat ridership to really prove who is the fastest. The slide was purchased from Whitewater Company, and has been engineered to allow as many as 900 guests slide per hour. Paul Norton, Silverwood Theme Park’s general manager, looks forward to Riptide Racer becoming an important part of the guest experience. “We are extremely excited about adding this new slide to our mix,” Norton said. “This will be a unique attraction where families and friends can ride at the same time, competing time and time again for bragging rights.”

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

LIFEGUARD “BOBBING” One of the ﬁrst things that new visitors to Boulder Beach Water Park may spot is the lifeguards looking and acting a little funny. They all are focusing on the water and people in it, which is great. But they also are moving their whole bodies in a boband-turn pattern that looks much more active than beach lifeguards in other places who mostly sit in their chairs and stare all day. The good news is that Silverwood Theme Park’s lifeguards are actually doing exactly what they’re supposed to: thoroughly scanning their assigned area.

Rather than looking straight ahead or trying to keep track of certain people in the water all at once, all of Boulder Beach’s lifeguards are required to follow a thorough scanning method that divides what’s in front of them into 10 sections. Each area must be looked over and over during their shift to make sure nothing is missed. They also change locations in the park regularly during their shift to make sure they stay alert and look at different surroundings. This style of scanning is more active than simply staring ahead, which can sometimes lead to zoning out or focusing on one area and missing something taking place on the perimeter.

Don’t be concerned if they don’t make eye contact with you for long when they’re ‘on stand’ – they hope everyone enjoys their experience and remains safe. But they’re busy and are asked to not chat with anyone while in this mode, since this can potentially take away their focus from their assigned duty, even for a few seconds. If you do need something, feel free to contact the nearest lifeguard. Even if they can’t take time to give you their full attention, they’ll be happy to call a manager who can assist with your questions or needs.

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

Train takes passengers into the i n a unknown Tr

This season at Silverwood Theme Park, guests will do more than take a leisurely trip aboard the park’s historic steam locomotive: they can help science! The trip aboard Old No. 7 can aid a group of scientists seeking colleagues who recently went missing on a search for Bigfoot. “They need your help in ﬁnding the scientists, especially since the woods are now ﬁlled with more Bigfooted creatures than ever before, plus there are some other new mysteries out there,” said Chris Tortora, better known as Marshal Jack, who writes, casts, stunt coordinates, dresses the set and just about everything else for the 30-minute train trip around the park. The train departs every hour on the hour throughout the day at the depot at the center of the park, across from Lindy’s restaurant. “Our theme this year is ‘Expedition Silverwood,’ which is a perilous journey into the Mythical Frontier, and we’re looking for brave souls to volunteer,” Marshal Jack said. The journey aboard the slow-moving attraction passes by the park’s resident bison herd, an Indian village and an Old West town. New this year are Fairy Woods, where you may see signs of little folk peeking out from under toadstools, fairy rings or little doors and pathways at

Adven

the bases of certain trees. Even if you’ve been on the train before, be sure to keep your eyes peeled this year – Bigfoot may appear anywhere at any time. Another popular stop along the trip is the silver mine, which has recently been taken over by bandits. When these desperadoes spot the train, they invite everyone – at gunpoint – to empty their pockets. But don’t be scared – the guns aren’t real and any “stolen loot” is donated to Children’s Village, a charity in Coeur d’Alene that helps area kids in crisis situations.

. . . e tur

The robbery also allows the robbers and deputies in the cast to show off professionalquality falls, ﬁghts, and stunts, taught by Marshal Jack, who, in his pre-Silverwood days, worked as a stuntman and actor at Universal Studios and Walt Disney World. A trip aboard the train is a great break from the hubbub in the rest of the park, and Marshal Jack said some people say it’s their favorite thing about the park. One year, he overheard one child tell his grandfather that he wanted to get back on it for another round.

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

.. “The boys tell us they want to be the Marshal, the girls want to be Deputy Maggie, and their parents ask us how they can be in the show,” he said. The cast has been ﬁnalized for months and rehearses regularly. But volunteers are sometimes called upon to help – each train trip requires at least one speaking part from the audience. This year will be especially fun with the integration of the scientists – and the mysteries lurking in the woods.

“My favorite thing this year is hearing people tell family members what they missed,” he said. “They’ll tease then and exaggerate – ‘Bigfoot was like 20 feet tall. How could you not see him?’”

The fun of “Expedition Silverwood” starts even before the train leaves the station. The depot, which previously was just a stark waiting area, now includes a small ofﬁce/workshop/storage area for explorers Maggie and Annabelle McGuillicutty who are searching for missing cryptozoologists – plus any other mysterious creatures that happen to be hiding in the woods.

The explorers will be hard at work every hour, and visitors will enjoy seeing mysterious specimens plus other surprises. The setting is 1915, a popular time for scientiﬁc exploration of the American West, but the sisters are aware that future visitors are interacting with them – including their “personal telegraph devices.”

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

RV Park completes upgrades additions or enhancements include paved trails, improved water heaters in bathrooms and better deﬁned boundaries for the different sites. An irrigation system will keep the grass green all season, making it even more appealing. Lynn Lowry, park manager, said some visitors stay for one night, and others for longer periods of time. The average stay is 3-4 nights, and some guests spend 2-3 weeks camping while enjoying Silverwood Theme Park. Or some season pass holders come several times through the year.

Henry said a lot of campers like to secure their spot, go play at Silverwood or Boulder Beach for a few hours, maybe come to the RV park for lunch, head back into the park in the afternoon, and then call it a night back at their campsite – no need for driving home!

HE STAFF OF SILVERWOOD THEME PARK’S RV PARK REMEMBERS THE DATE QUITE CLEARLY: JULY 23, 2014.

It’s when a powerful windstorm roared through the park, instantly took out 200 trees, and badly damaged dozens more. “We then had to take out a lot more for safety reasons,” said Juston Henry, Assistant General Manager. “Then two or three weeks later there was another storm that took even more trees out.” But that disaster gave the park the opportunity to re-make the RV Park into something even more appealing and modern. Much of the 2015 season saw landscaping upgrades, and more changes took part prior to this season’s opening.

“The storm really did help open some sites, create some space and make more room for people to play and run around,” he said. “But we’ve been replanting and transplanting a lot of trees.” Today, there are 126 RV spots and 41 tent spots. The RV area includes 50 & 30-amp hook-ups and there are also some tent spots with 20-amp hook-ups. This year, the RV park is adding a playground and also offers free Wi-Fi. Both have been popular guest requests. Other

This year, RV park guests can have one more fun amenity: fires. Previously, only propane cooking was allowed, but now wood can be burned in firepits. Wood can be purchased at the RV park store. “The coolest part about opening weekend this season was going to the RV Park in the evening and watching so many peoples’ fires,” Henry said. “Fires are really a big part of camping.” Area fire restrictions do apply. He and other longtime employees enjoy talking to people who have been staying at the RV park for years. Past visitors are usually given a head’s up at the beginning of the year when reservations will open up, but newcomers can also check www.silverwoodthemepark.com to find out when this takes place. By now, most spots for summer 2016 are claimed, but there may be some open for September or October. Check the site for more details “We’re staying open for Scarywood now,” Henry said. Overall, Henry and Lowry invite people who like camping and like Silverwood to check out the improvements. “We continue to do as much as we can to make the RV park look beautiful,” he said.

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

TICKETS & Passes

ant to know how to have a great time at Silverwood Theme Park this year?

There are two easy ways: bring your pals, and get your passes online.

Get your passes online & come with friends

Groups: The Northwest’s largest theme park has some great group rates, which could be a great option for family members, friends, classmates, co-workers, club or church members, or any other combination between 15 and 2,000. The larger the group, the lower the admission price for everyone. Groups can also receive other extras like private cabana rentals in Boulder Beach, early entry for Boulder Beach or Coaster Alley, or allyou-can-eat picnic buffets at the Thunder Creek Picnic Grove. The park also has group discount days June 4-19, where admission is $30/adult or $16/youth and seniors. For group info call (208) 216-4300 or email groups@ silverwoodthemepark.com.

FAMILY AREA Silverwood Theme Park is really all about families. Everything from Coaster Alley to Boulder Beach Water Park could be considered a “Children’s area,” since there’s plenty of fun activities and attractions for every age in every corner of the Northwest’s largest theme park. But there is now an area that little visitors can call their own. Garﬁeld’s Summer Camp was expanded in 2014 to add smaller-sized rides, such as Krazy Koaster, a medium intensity roller coaster; Puppy Go Round, a dog-themed ride; the Butterﬂyer, a swinging ride; and Barnstormer, which lets kids ride biplanes. All of the rides are small and slow enough for little kids to ride solo if they feel that they’re big enough and they meet the minimum height restriction, but they also have space for parents,

Passes. The best way to save big per person is with a season pass. Passholders get free parking, 10% discounts at Lindy’s Restaurant, Mugg’s Old Tyme Photos, and Silverwood RV Park. It also allows people to put money on the card and use it at stores or restaurants – a great alternative to carrying around cash. Single passes and gold passes are available. Gold passes allow access to the cardholder plus two guests per day. Visit www.silverwoodthemepark.com for more info about purchasing passes. Other opportunities to win single-day passes into the park or season passes can be found at Silverwood’s site and social media. Hotel partners in Spokane and North Idaho offer Silverwood specials that include park admission. Silverwood is no longer selling its season passes or single day tickets at Costco Wholesale. Customers can ﬁnd the lowest discount prices on passes and tickets online at www.silverwoodthemepark.com throughout the summer season.

grandparents or guardians to ride along with them if they need a little extra support. Garﬁeld’s Summer Camp is also the perfect place to spot the park’s resident cat, Garﬁeld, or his pals Odie and Arlene. If they’re not in this area, they’ll likely be wandering through the park greeting visitors and being available for photos. Visitors can even partake of Kids Kafe, a snack area that includes easy-to-eat and not terribly messy family-friendly items including box lunches, hot dogs and soft-serve ice cream. Of course, there are other treats that can be found in all areas of the park and Boulder Beach.

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

COURTYARD

DINING

ATTRACTIONS

DINING

ATTRACTION

1. Coaster Alley Entrance

5. Silverwood Coffee Roasting & Trading Co.

18. Kettle Corn

43. Tremors Roller 45. Aftershock Rol 46. Timber Terror 50. SpinCycle 51. Sky Diver 52. Panic Plunge 55. Elephant Ride

13. Victorian Coffee & Tea House

20. Krazy Kars 28. Ferris Wheel 29. Bumper Boats 30. Paratrooper 33. Roaring Creek Log Flume 34. Tilt-A-Whirl 35. Antique Cars 37. Corkscrew Roller Coaster 38. Scrambler 39. Super Roundup 40. Thunder Canyon

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RETAIL STORES

16. Sweet Treats

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Groups Only

Coffee, Pastries, Souvenirs

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.& Daf\q k J]klYmjYfl Full Service, Lunch & Dinner Favorites

10. High Moon Saloon

ATTRACTIONS

Sandwiches, Fish & Chips, Beer

7. Train Depot 8. Carousel 10. High Moon Saloon

11. Main Street Theatre

Popcorn, Candy, Drinks, Souvenirs

Live Performers

Espresso, Tea, Fresh-Baked Pastries

11. Main Street Theatre 14. Group Performance Stage 15. Theatre of Illusion

Pizzas, Bread Sticks, Popcorn, Slushies, Beer

Magic Show

Carmel Apples, Fresh Fudge

RETAIL STORES 5. Silverwood Coffee Roasting & Trading Co.

Fresh Popped Kettle Corn, Soft Serve Ice Cream, Slushies

19. Sugar Shack

Funnel Cakes, Elephant Ears

27. Country BBQ

Burgers, Hot Dogs, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Chicken Strips

31. Ice Creamery

Hard Scoop Ice Cream

RETAIL STOR

36. Cold Springs Pizzeria

44. Shake Rattle & 56. Coaster Alley S

Pizza, Pretzels, Nachos, Beer

41. Downrush Slush

Popcorn, Cotton Candy, Drinks, Slushies

69. <ahhaf <glk

GAMES

Coffee, Pastries, Souvenirs

21. Shooting Gallery 22. Spyro & Ring Toss 23. Midway Games 32. Arcade 70. 3 Point Shoot-Out

9. General Stuff Mercantile )*& ;mjlakk ;Yf\q >Y[lgjq 16. Sweet Treats & Souvenirs

ATTRACTIONS A ATT AT T TRA TT R RAC ACT ACTI AC ACT TIO T IO IO ON NS NS 57. 5 7 58. 60. 61.

Helico Helicopters copt co opte p rs Barnstormer Barnst Bar Ba nstor ormer orm r er Red Baron Tiny Tree House

37 41 39

62. Tiny Toot 6 Roller Coaster 63. Frog Hopper 6 .,& :mll]jÛq]j . 66. Puppy-Go-Round 67. Krazy Koaster 68. Kiddie Wheel

Kids Hot D

RETAIL

59. Mine

35 70

DININ 65. Kidz

40 33

53 44

49 48

52 51

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

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ATTRACTIONS

DINING

78. Elkhorn Creek Lazy River 79. Polliwog Kids Park 80. Riptide Racer 89. South Wave Pool 90. Cabana Island

76. Boulder Beach Swirl

47. Seismic SnoCones

Sno-Cones, Soft Serve Ice Cream, Slushies

77. Granite Grill

Burgers, Hot Dogs, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Chicken Strips, Pizza

0*& <ahhaf <glk 83. Oasis

92. North Wave Pool 93. Toddler Springs 94. Velocity Peak Body Slides 95. Ricochet Rapids Family Raft Ride 96. Avalanche Mountain Family Raft Ride 97. Rumble Falls Tube Slides

Burritos, Taco Salads, Quesadillas, Chicken Strips

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& Roll Gift Shop Souvenirs

Soft-Serve Ice Cream, Shakes

Rent a Private Cabana

48. Kool Cactus

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87. Dessert Island

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All-you-can-eat BBQ & Group Picnic Pavilion

Hard Scoop Ice Cream, Huckleberry Shakes

54. Popcorn Wagon Popcorn, Cotton Candy, Drinks

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84. The Cove

Hard Scoop Ice Cream, Sno-Cones, Slushies

88. Chicken Shack

Chicken Strips, Chicken Sliders, Chicken Sandwiches

91. Cabana Cooler

Tropical Frozen Drinks, Beer, Popcorn

98. Spiral Spuds

Fried Spiraled Potatoes, Onion Rings, Fried Pickle Chips

Float-Up Bar, Tropical Frozen Drinks, Beer

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RETAIL STORES

Burritos, Taco Salads, Quesadillas

75. Boulder Beach Trading Company 81. Lockers, Tube & Towel Rentals

89 84

90 92

94 96

Kafe

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Lunch Boxes, Dogs, Popcorn, Drinks

82 83

98 97

81 8

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L STORES

e Shack

13 14 20

24 32

6 3

26 64

67 1 68

66 62

BOULDER BEACH ENTRY RESTROOMS Wheelchairs, lost and found, stroller rentals

INFORMATION CENTER

FIRST AID AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR ATM LOCATIONS LOCKER RENTALS GARDENS SMOKING AREA

Silverwood & Boulder Beach are smoke free. Smoking in designated areas only.

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

THE Ultimate goal At Silverwood is to have a great time! The h great news is i that, h thanks h k to social i l media, the enjoyment of the Northwest’s largest theme park can continue after they’ve walked out the gate. Silverwood’s staff maintains a variety of channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, even SnapChat. “Every day we’re putting up new stuff, hoping to keep people engaged and having fun,” said Jordan Carter, Media Manager. “We really focus on expanding the park’s digital experience. Plus, social media is a good way to let people know

i ffun. or guests h having He also shares info about upcoming promotions, including special events that you’ll only know about if you’re plugged into a particular network or visit the mobile-friendly site www. silverwoodthemepark.com.

“We like to reward people who follow us,” he said. “We’re always doing giveaways, and we’re planning Facebook/Fan Appreciation Days this season with early entrance opportunities and other fun.”

good way to know about season pass sales or early-bird specials. Carter encourages people to follow Silverwood on their favorite social platforms and post whenever they’re in the park, especially if they use hashtags like #silverwoodthemepark or #silverwood4fun. He and other park staff like hearing guest suggestions and questions through social media on how to improve the park experience. The idea for a new family bathroom in Boulder Beach actually started as a social media suggestion. “It really is rewarding to see how much people love the park and share their experiences,” he said, “and we read every one.”

Facebook is a prime platform for the park, and nearly 200,000 people worldwide “like” the park. The park’s YouTube channel has videos of rides, employees and just goofy activity Don’t forget the app in the park. Whether you’re in the park or planning Other your trip, be sure to download the ofﬁcial channels that there are things going on here all Silverwood mobile app. The free online also offer a good chance to check year even if the park isn’t open.” park guide gives you information about out the park or remember past During the off-season, Carter has been rides and attractions, special events, and good times. posting fun photos about what the park is even your location in relation to any rides Visitors can also sign up for an like when it’s empty and covered in snow. email newsletter that discusses you want to check out. You can use it to When the park is open, the park’s social post to social media or send an electronic upcoming promotions and media features rides, food, entertainment activities. In the off-season it’s a postcard to friends and families telling about all the fun you’re having.

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

Scarywood plans already in motion Organizers continue seeking ultimate fears

hat are you most afraid of? Chris Russell really, really wants to know. That kind of info is gold to the main mind behind Scarywood, Silverwood Theme Park’s October scare-fest. Following the ofﬁcial close of Silverwood at the end of September, it reopens through October as a spooky, PG-13 affair. Many of the rides are still open, but there are some special limited-edition spooky attractions. Each year, Russell and a cast of hundreds plan ways to creep out and even terrorize Inland Northwest residents. But in order to do this, he tries to ﬁnd ways to appeal to people’s fears. Zombies? Clowns? Dolls? Spiders? Enclosed spaces? Guys with chainsaws? They’re all on the list. “My job, really, is to disturb people,” Russell said. “I love learning what people are scared of, so we can consider how to include them.” Another challenge is to keep it interesting and new each year – the same old frights annually can get real old real fast. So the Scarywood team constantly makes changes, from moving or expanding some of the ‘zones’ to coming up with other themes or attractions. Some of the details of 2016 are still under wraps, but audiences will have a lot to look forward to.

“We have a great year planned, and we’re bringing back a lot of fan favorites and making some other enhancements,” Russell said. “We’re going to have more zombies and more clowns for sure, and nothing is going to be made smaller.” For instance he’s been looking for ways for Caved In to be more claustrophobic, along with louder sound – so you can

better feel the panic build up in your body. He’s also working with the cast to improve their make-up, rather than relying on appliances and prosthetics. “Now that we have the attractions where we want them to be, it’s time to step up the make-up,” Russell said. So far, Scarywood has been a deﬁnite hit – more than 70,000 people attended in 2015, and one night’s attendance came close to hitting the 10,000 mark. People are encouraged to make reservations online as well – it guarantees them a spot. Russell is always on the lookout for people who want to help – especially those who enjoy wearing costumes. In past years, he’s visited ‘scary’ places at other parks or trade shows for the fast-growing scare industry.

“I don’t think about anything but Halloween, all year long,” he said. He was also asked to share his special effects and design skills to enhance resident magician Nick Norton’s “Phantasm” performance. He spent much of the winter building the new lab for Dr. Cosmos, which included random scientiﬁc apparatus and notations on a chalkboard that probably check out. Scarywood runs ThursdaysSaturdays Sept. 30-Oct. 29. It is recommended for ages 13 and older due to frightening content. For more details, visit scarywoodhauntednights.com.

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

‘Phantasm’ will wow park visitors

Nick Norton returns for another exciting season This year’s “Phantasm” has been years in the making. Yes, Nick Norton has been entertaining and amazing visitors to Silverwood Theme Park for more than a decade with incredible illusions and Vegas-quality entertainment. But each year, Silverwood’s resident magician has always had the thought “wouldn’t it be great if we could also do THIS?” but the right people or the right technology wasn’t where they needed to be – until now. “I’ve been working on pieces of this show for the past six years, and we now have everything in place,” Norton said. The show takes place daily at 3 and 5 p.m. weekdays and 3, 5, and 7 p.m. on weekends in the Theatre of Illusion. Norton will perform in all of the shows. (Up until two years ago, he tried to give himself a day off once a week, but enough park visitors let him know that their total Silverwood experience wouldn’t be complete without seeing a Nick Norton show instead of a substitute – so he pledged to be there every day.) This winter, his show team and Chris Russell, Scarywood’s coordinator, teamed up to ﬁgure out how to make the show be even more fun, move quickly and be especially exciting, whether it’s new ingredients or continuing favorite moments from past years.

“We’re keeping a faster pace, and there’s more magic in our opening than we’ve done in entire past shows,” Norton said. “We have four large illusions going on in just the ﬁrst 6.5 minutes.” The traditional stage has been enhanced by things taking place on two wings. One houses the lab of Dr. Cosmos, an inventor, and the other has a garden and other vignettes. Dr. Cosmos debuted last year but only as a character on a video screen. This year, a cast member takes on the role of the eccentric doctor.

“He’s a little like Oz – he’s always tinkering, pulling levers, trying to be helpful, but things always seem to go haywire,” Norton said.

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

s The addition of an extra cast member plus three separate stages can also make changes happen fast. “I used to have to go upfront and perform while they were moving things around backstage,” he said. “Now we can jump from one scene to another quickly while they’re resetting things on another – it’s a little more physical for everyone but helps the pace.” For those who haven’t seen a Nick Norton performance, he blends quality multimedia illusions with fun

entertainment. He also likes to visit with the crowd prior to a show to judge the energy and maturity level, and often uses audience volunteers. “Phantasm” clocks in at right around 30 minutes, making it a great place to visit to cool down, catch your breath, maybe have a meal and be entertained. Norton said a big appeal of this year’s “Phantasm” is the state-ofthe-art special effects, including LED lights, music, smoke, and live and robot birds.

The show takes place daily at 3 and 5 p.m. weekdays and 3, 5, and 7 p.m. on weekends in the Theater of Illusion. Norton will perform in all of the shows.

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

G arfield arfield,, O die & Arlene!

E SURE TO MEET GARFIELD, ODIE AND ARLENE THIS SEASON

Garfield loves meeting Silverwood Theme Park guests more than he loves lasagna. Which, if you’re at all familiar with the sardonic orange cat seen in comic strips, TV shows or movies, is that he really, really, really savors that tasty pasta dish. 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. 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 wandering through the park every day, sometimes separately, sometimes together.

But their main base of operations is going to be Garfield’s Summer Camp, which is now located in the recently expanded children’s area. In addition to standing around greeting guests, there’s also a photo area where you can pose with the characters at scheduled times. 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 • Saturday, June 18, 2016

VERWOO L I D GIVES BACK TO COMMUNITY S The ﬁrst time you’re held up on the train at Silverwood Theme Park might be a little scary, especially if you’re under age 10 or so. But once you catch on that the guns aren’t real and the “bandits” are trained actors, it’s easy to sit back and enjoy the performance and stunt show.

What’s even more heart-warming is what happens to the loot that’s “stolen” during every show – it’s saved up all year and donated to charity each fall. For instance, the total contributions from the 2015 season ended up being about $57,000. But park owners Gary and Jeanne Norton “rounded up” this figure to an even $100,000 which was presented to Children’s Village, a non-profit shelter in Coeur d’Alene for children in crisis situations. The park and the Norton family also provided a similar figure to Children’s Village in other years, reflecting the family philosophy that everyone has a responsibility to help out their neighbors. In addition to helping area youth, the park tries to benefit other members of the community. It helps welcome back military members and guests with special needs. It salutes veterans and members of the public safety community and their families. Each spring, the park holds Night of Stars, where as many as 5,000 physically and mentally disabled guests and those with a terminal illness receive free entrance and a meal for themselves and a guest.

During the fall, it dedicates a portion of every admission to area food banks and also collects food donations. In 2015, it divided $28,672 between the Athol Food Bank, Post Falls Food Bank, Second Harvest in Spokane, Sandpoint Community Food Bank and Community Action Partnership in Coeur d’Alene. The park also encourages its own employees to do well in their personal and professional endeavors by offering scholarship opportunities to staff pursuing higher education. Another special program is Reading is the Ticket, which offers kindergarten through eighth grade students throughout the Northwest a ticket into the park

each summer in exchange for reading independently for at least 10 hours during the school year. It’s free for teachers to take part in the program. Students receive their passes by the time school gets out. The program began in 1999 with 4,522 students, and continues to grow. In 2008, more than 44,000 participated, and more than 70,000 young readers took part in 2015. The tickets donated annually equate to more than $3 million. If you’re a teacher or principal and would like to know more about participation in Reading is the Ticket, please call Knowledge Unlimited at (800) 356-2303

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

Planning a summer to remember?

lanning a summer to remember? Visit silverwoodthemepark.com for upcoming events and promotions.

SEPTEMBER Coaster Classic, Sept. 3-4.

Celebrate the country’s birthday with patriotic music and a fireworks extravaganza at dusk

Classic car lovers converge on Silverwood the Saturday & Sunday of Labor Day Weekend. The 14th 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! As a participant in the car show, entry fees are $20 for 1-day admission or $35 for two days. With entry, each driver and one passenger receive free admission into the theme park. Register your car online at Silverwoodthemepark.com Discount admission tickets available for family and friends at check in, for $35 general admission or $21 ages 3-7 and 65 plus.

TOYOTA TUESDAYS, July 19 and 26.

GRANDPARENTS WEEKEND, Sept. 10-11

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 other discounts, coupons, promotions or special offers.

Silverwood shows appreciation for Grandmas and Grandpas by admitting them to the park for free when accompanied by a grandchild. For each grandchild that purchases a ticket, they will be given one free ticket for Grandpa OR Grandma. Everyone receives a special pricing of only $38 for General Admission (ages 8-64) and $21.00 for youth/ senior admission (ages 3-7, 65+). Not valid with any other discounts or promotions.

Events subject to change.

JUNE FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND, June 18-19. When a family brings dad into the park and purchases their tickets online or at the front gate, he gets in free. (only one free Father ticket per family, not valid with other discounts, coupons, promotions or special offers.)

JULY INDEPENDENCE DAY, July 4.

COMMUNITY APPRECIATION DISCOUNT DAYS FOOD DRIVE Sept. 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 Save money and help our local food banks. For each general admission, $4 will be donated to local food banks, and for each youth/senior admission, $1 will be donated. Admission is reduced to only $38 (ages 8-64), and $21 (ages 3-7 and 65-plus). Save more when you buy online. 50 Percent Off Park Sale, Sept. 10-Oct. 25. Park guests will save 50% on all Silverwood souvenir merchandise in retail stores. Shop early for your favorite clothes and souvenirs because at these prices they go fast! Offer cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers. Some exclusions apply such as food, beverages, photos, some general merchandise and Scarywood Halloween merchandise.

Silverwood Theme Park • Saturday, June 18, 2016

WHERE YOUR FAMILY WILL EXPERIENCE, HAIR-RAISING ATTRACTIONS, PINT-SIZED KIDDIE ADVENTURE, GIGANTIC ROLLER COASTERS, E R S,, M MASSIVE AS S IV V E WATER WAT T E R SLIDES S L I DE S & AWARD-WINNING AW WA W AR RD DD-W -W -WINNING -W WINNING I N N I NG ENTERTAINMENT. ENTERTAINMENT ENTER E NT T E RT RTA TA T A I N M E NT T. T.

NEW

NO MORE TICKETS IN COSTCO! FOR THE lowest

S I LV Just outside Coeur d’Alene on Hwy 95 in beautiful North Idaho.

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ticket prices anywhere

GO TO

CO . K R A ODTHEMEP

GIAN MAT RACING GIANT W WATER SLIDE FOR 2016

Silverwood Theme Park â&#x20AC;¢ Saturday, June 18, 2016

Free Admission

for the Driver of any Toyota! *

July

19th

July

26th

*Voucher required. Pick up yours at your local Toyota Dealer. One voucher for the driver only.

2016 Toyota RAV4

2016 Toyota Prius 2016 Toyota Corolla

Your Local Toyota Dealers are bringing another Summer of Fun!

2016 Toyota Camry