Silver Dollar City (SDC) Discussion Thread

That's a pretty good day there, Andrew. Thanks for sharing it.

How much time did you spend at the park, altogether?

About 3 1/2 hours total, almost all of which was spent inside. They let people into the theatres well before the shows actually started just to be out of the cold. All 30 guests really appreciated it.

^ Very nice. When we visited the Chinese Lanterns Display on the PNE grounds, I wished they had enclosed the seating area in some kind of tent, for viewing the live shows when they happened. We saw the setup and decided that by 6:30pm, the first show would already be c-c-c-cold. Too cold for us. And not getting a fast queue for any of the hot drinks sold at the "Hot Bar" didn't change our decision. They had small tents with heaters in them for rest spots, as well as a couple of them for smokers.

Was Fire in The Hole open during your visit? I was there Saturday and my phone showed it was a brisk 25 degrees yet they managed to open FITH with a 2 train service despite its 32 degree temperature limit. Do they normally open it below operating temperature? Either that or they measure the temperature inside the building. MY experience was much like yours on Saturday. There was literally no one there. We were told that there were 400 people in the park by an employee as we walked in to the the Dickens Christmas Carol. *amazing show by the way* Every attraction (3 rides and 2 shows) was a walk on, even the cave and the train. We had a group of 20 people join us on the cave which was a great way to warm up thanks to the constant 60 degree temps. We ended up doing the cave twice because of the warmth. Rightfully earned myself some cinnamon bread I must add

I approve of any trip report that incorporates Sonic Youth's Teenage Riot

^ Very nice. When we visited the Chinese Lanterns Display on the PNE grounds, I wished they had enclosed the seating area in some kind of tent, for viewing the live shows when they happened. We saw the setup and decided that by 6:30pm, the first show would already be c-c-c-cold. Too cold for us. And not getting a fast queue for any of the hot drinks sold at the "Hot Bar" didn't change our decision. They had small tents with heaters in them for rest spots, as well as a couple of them for smokers.

Oh, outdoor shows, wow. Assuming that was around Lunar New Year....phew, that's gotta be cold. Yeah, nothing was going on outdoors in any way. Just a few scattered people getting as quickly as possibly to the next indoor venue, and there were also about 3 hot chocolate stands and one skillet stand open. Everything else was happening indoors.

Was Fire in The Hole open during your visit? I was there Saturday and my phone showed it was a brisk 25 degrees yet they managed to open FITH with a 2 train service despite its 32 degree temperature limit. Do they normally open it below operating temperature? Either that or they measure the temperature inside the building. MY experience was much like yours on Saturday. There was literally no one there. We were told that there were 400 people in the park by an employee as we walked in to the the Dickens Christmas Carol. *amazing show by the way* Every attraction (3 rides and 2 shows) was a walk on, even the cave and the train. We had a group of 20 people join us on the cave which was a great way to warm up thanks to the constant 60 degree temps. We ended up doing the cave twice because of the warmth. Rightfully earned myself some cinnamon bread I must add

I don't think any rides were open. Train might have been, and I did see a Flooded Mine op in the prisoner uniform coming out of that ride's exit. Never went over there to check. FITH was for sure closed; I checked on that, since riding a coaster in January would be awesome, even if it's an indoor one. When we were there on Friday getting our last rides of the year (hit a high of 41F), they never opened FITH because of ice on the track. I'm sure that track condition has more to do with it than the outside temperature, and 32F is just there to represent ice.

Christmas Carol is a great show, and I always approve of cinnamon bread. Thanks for pointing out the cave is 60F year-round. This makes it a great way to cool off or warm up depending on what the surface temperature is doing to you.

I approve of any trip report that incorporates Sonic Youth's Teenage Riot

I knew you were a classy guy.

Thanks for the trip report! It just looked cold (especially to a southerner like me.)

I also heartily approve of your music tastes - any report that starts with the Cure and includes New Order makes me smile in my tragic and misunderstood little heart

Haha brilliant work, Andrew. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the trip report! It just looked cold (especially to a southerner like me.)

 

I also heartily approve of your music tastes - any report that starts with the Cure and includes New Order makes me smile in my tragic and misunderstood little heart

So cold. This is unseasonable for us. Usually we have highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s, so we get that lovely black ice. This event would have been a big hit if it weren't so ridiculously cold. Fortunately, they've already published next year's schedule and they do intend to do it again and stay open through 1/1/19. Hopefully there's better weather next year at this time.

Haha brilliant work, Andrew. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks! Given our shared musical interests, I'm sure you found it entertaining.

http://www.ky3.com/content/news/Silver-Dollar-City-rings-in-new-year-with-2017-attendance-record-467731443.html

Silver Dollar City rings in new year with 2017 attendance record

Posted: Tue 3:22 PM, Jan 02, 2018

NEAR BRANSON, Mo. (News Release) -- With national headlines focusing on Silver Dollar City’s festivals, features and the Year of Food and Crafts, the 1880s-style theme park in Branson, Missouri hit record attendance in 2017, topping 2.1 million guests (actual total 2,115,522) and setting a record for the highest attendance in the park’s 58-year history. The 2017 wrap-up is some 42,000 people over the previous year.

Visitors to An Old Time Christmas also hit record numbers, surpassing 500,000 guests in the two-month period of November-December for the first time. The growth was spurred by the addition of Christmas In Midtown and national accolades including the #1 ranking in the USA Today/10 Best poll for Best Theme Park Holiday Event.

That's great that no major attraction was opened last year, yet the park still broke their record. That says a lot that word of mouth and positive experiences from customer service focused strategy can peak attendance all on its own. Although I'm sure the buzz behind Time Traveler partially contributed to that, even if the attraction had not yet opened. Here's to hoping that record is broken again next year.

They spent a lot on the new Christmas stuff though - that was basically the new attraction for this year.

It is great to see the park really taking off again though. They have been bursting at the seams and actually losing customers because of how busy they've been during Christmas and how overcrowded it has been. The new coaster next year will really set things over the edge. They need more parking, a bigger entrance, wider walkways, etc...

I have a feeling a Dollywood-esque period of investments and expansions is near. Maybe not $300 million worth over a decade, but I expect a resort announcement any year now. I don't know if we discussed it already here or not, but a huge new water park resort has been proposed just down the road from SDC. They are losing out on opportunities here if they don't spend some money to increase SDC's capacity and get started on more resort amenities.

Wait? New water park? That's great! I have not really ever liked White Water that much. It had such terrible capacity so that nearly every slide had at least a forty-five minute wait. Is it possible that the new water park would be built where Celebration City used to be? It'd be great if Herschend started doing some major investing into SDC within these next couple years! I wonder if the opening of Heritage USA (reopened Dogpatch USA) in 2020 will at all affect how Herschend invests into SDC?

I would be extremely supportive of an on property resort for SDC. The cabins and campgrounds are cool and all, but the distance from the park and the community bathrooms completely turn me off. I just think the idea of a highly themed on site resort would be a win win situation.

Pretty sure Shavethewhales is talking about Wild Bear Falls, which is a Great Wolf type place, not a full outdoor waterpark.

http://www.ky3.com/content/news/New-water-park-planned-for-Branson--433932163.html

BTW, the news articles I'm linking to are from Springfield's NBC affiliate, so these are legit.

They spent a lot on the new Christmas stuff though - that was basically the new attraction for this year.

 

It is great to see the park really taking off again though. They have been bursting at the seams and actually losing customers because of how busy they've been during Christmas and how overcrowded it has been. The new coaster next year will really set things over the edge. They need more parking, a bigger entrance, wider walkways, etc...

 

I have a feeling a Dollywood-esque period of investments and expansions is near. Maybe not $300 million worth over a decade, but I expect a resort announcement any year now. I don't know if we discussed it already here or not, but a huge new water park resort has been proposed just down the road from SDC. They are losing out on opportunities here if they don't spend some money to increase SDC's capacity and get started on more resort amenities.

An on site resort with indoor water area and a vastly improved Whitewater or new water park adjacent to SDC would get them over 3 million in short order. I firmly believe that SDC should never play second fiddle to Dollywood but be an equal. The more NWA and Springfield grows, the base will continue to expand. FolKS in Northwest Arkansas basically considers it the local park and everyone goes.

Let's see if the rumored non SDC affiliated 100,00 Sq ft indoor water park resort actually gets built. Branson has lacked the Kalahari, Great Wolf, Wilderness in the Smokies scale of that type of resort.

Screw the indoor water park part. I'd rather the resort be more like DW's Resort. From what I can tell, it appears to have an adult feel, but plenty to entertain children.

But either way it would be a win.

This was the one I was thinking of: http://bransontrilakesnews.com/news_free/article_0c806d5a-e4f1-11e7-967f-6fc1bd93f9ff.html

Actually there have been several new indoor water parks, but most of them have been glorified indoor pools. This resort is actually pretty sizable with $422 million worth of development. I don't think the new water park will be huge, but it sounds like it will be big enough to be called a real water park.

Oh cool, hadn't heard of that one. We had that boom in the 90s, and then it had been quiet around here for the next 20 years. All of a sudden a bunch of things are being built, too many to even keep track of.

^It's because America is being made great again, Andrew...

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

You know the more you say things like that, the more you energize the left.

My partner's a lefty.

And I've forgiven him for it.

Go Time Traveler!

So now that the off season is here, apparently everything including the two food stands and the large eating area between the ThuNderaTion entrance and Echo hollow is being leveled. This was kinda surprising as when they were actually open the last time I was up there one of the employees said that the pathways were originally gonna pass thru there but they decided to keep and re-purpose the building and thus placed the pathway behind it instead. But now apparently not. I am assuming maybe they found it was structurally unsound?

August 2017

January 2018 Demo

Original Post: https://www.facebook.com/CarrExcavating/posts/1579982795417462

Damn. We didn't even have time to hear enthusiasts bitch about this in anticipation. There wasn't even an opportunity for people to moan and start talking about a petition to save the 'historic' structures.

You know the more you say things like that, the more you energize the left.

I would never reveal my true political stance here, as do I rarely anywhere, but I know how much you just love that saying! That, and I was actually hoping someone else would somehow be offended...

No! Not Poke Salad Mary's! That was the best place to get a poke salad EVAR!!!!

Seriously, it was okay, but there are at least a dozen places to eat that are better than that one. That area was kind of a retaurant alley, with a couple of skillet places and some snack and beverage stands. I wouldn't be surprised if they're building a new high volume restaurant in the style of Crossroads Pizza but still serving the skillets.

I've made no secret that I think Trump is an idiot, and I don't consider that a political opinion. I thought he was an idiot when he was on the Apprentice, and I thought he was an idiot when I had to deal with his minions carrying out his policies in the course of my job (I work in the travel industry and occasionally have dealings with his hotels). My assessment of Trump's mental capabilities and overall competence to do anything did not begin with his most recent job.