Five Star Parks & Attractions, parent company of The Track Family Fun Parks, entered a partnership with The Track in June 2021. The company invested millions of dollars in new rides, arcade games, and food and beverage offerings across the three Branson properties.
Track 3
Of the three sites, this is where the company has made its biggest financial investment. The bumper boat pond was removed and replaced with a family-style spinning coaster, which opened on March 18. The new coaster features a figure-eight-shaped track and free-spinning vehicles.
- The Taco Co. truck has opened at front of the park. It serves everything from nachos to burrito bowls to churros. It opens Memorial Day weekend and even includes margaritas and beer on its menu.
- The food truck plaza also features the addition of plenty of cosy seating. From the shaded tables and chairs here, parents can watch their kids have fun while they enjoy a meal and some relaxation of their own. This seating area will open Memorial Day weekend.
- The Kids Kountry section will get its own food truck called Mini Melts, also opening on Memorial Day weekend.
- And there’s one more new food truck in the mix, located next to the Wild Woody go-kart track. That one will feature mini melts as well as “snowie” shaved-ice treats.
- The layout of the arcade has been completely modified, in keeping with current trends in this segment of the amusement industry. The revamped arcade opened on March 18 and has added new games as well as new, upscale prizes.
Track 4
A new ride called Thunder Struck, which is positioned near the existing skycoaster, opened on April 11. This thrill ride seats 12 guests at a time and treats them to a 360-degree “dance party.”
- The crown jewel in the company’s culinary collection is Fuel, a fresh American Grill designed to encourage guests to stay on site for lunch or dinner. Fuel also serves craft beers and pre-mixed drinks, plus plenty of take-out options. The menu features an array of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, mac and cheese, smoked wings, entrée salads, and desserts. Fuel opened on March 15 and can seat up to 120 guests.
- Fuel features a wrap-around, double-decker patio that offers plenty of seating with great vantage points of much of the park. The full deck opened on May 6.
- The food truck area now features Refuel, which opens Memorial Day weekend. It offers high-end concession-style food like soft pretzels and funnel cakes and is located in an area with plenty of tables and chairs for resting.
- The layout of the arcade has been completely modified, in keeping with current trends. Popular new games – including Axe Master, King Kong of Skull Island VR and Marvel Avengers Coin Pusher – have joined perennial favourites. This opened on March 14.
- Though no changes have been made to the iconic Branson Ferris Wheel, which was moved from Chicago’s Navy Pier to this site in 2016, as part of the Track 4 complex, the Wheel benefits from its proximity to all the enhancements on site. It will also welcome its own new dining concept later this year.
Track 5
- A new Mini Melts food truck is opening on Memorial Day weekend, bringing a long-awaited culinary aspect to this park.
Craig Wescott, senior vice president of Five Star Parks & Attractions, said: “It’s gratifying to see so many incredible changes taking place in such a short time.”
“We built our company on the belief that families deserve to create unforgettable moments together in a safe, fun and relaxing environment. Five Star Parks & Attractions has ensured that our biggest dreams are becoming realities. We’re delighted to welcome back the guests who have always loved our parks, and to encourage new ones to come experience fun with their families and friends.”
Five Star acquired 10 other properties earlier this year, including two others in Branson. Xtreme Racing Centre Branson and Adventure Ziplines of Branson, which were owned by Dubby’s Attractions, are now part of Five Star’s growing portfolio of 13 family entertainment centers (FEC’s) in seven states.
Xtreme opened for the 2022 season on March 12 and features a fleet of go-karts that respond to guests’ demands to go faster than anything else in Branson. The Zipline opened on March 14, welcoming Spring Break visitors to a site whose most popular experience continues to be a seven-line zip course on which guests can go up to 50 mph.
The other recent acquisitions are three Dubby’s properties in another leading family vacation destination, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee – Xtreme Racing Center Pigeon Forge, Speed Zone Fun Park and LazerPort Fun Center – and Celebration Station sites in Clearwater, Florida; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Greensboro, North Carolina; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Mesquite, Texas.
Five Star has established an incredibly strong presence in Branson, adding key players from The Track, including Wescott and several managers, to its core leadership team. The group’s CEO is John Dunlap, who most recently served as president of SeaWorld and Aquatica in San Diego.
John Dunlap said: “Five Star is committed to creating and maintaining environments that provide the best day ever for both our guests and our employees.”
“We’ve modeled our corporate philosophy after the legacy established by our flagship properties here in Branson. We’re committed to paying forward kindness and happiness to families everywhere.”