Messages

1

Dollywood Discussion / Re: Dollywood first time

« on: October 11, 2017, 08:06:11 AM »

I knew it would be different. I guess the "flatness" of it all and the walkways just reminded me of Six Flags St. Louis a lot. I am going regardless as I've a day budgeted there and will be interesting to see their take on Christmas. I'll be by myself so I can cover a lot of ground quickly. My luck, though, it will be raining all day

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Dollywood Discussion / Re: Dollywood first time

« on: October 10, 2017, 09:30:19 AM »

Thank you. It looks a lot more Six Flag-ish than I expected. A lot more rides. Not sure what will be open for their Christmas festival. But I am there anyway on my trip. Worth the time just to say I went

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Dollywood Discussion / Dollywood first time

« on: October 09, 2017, 10:54:08 AM »

So I have gone to SDC since I was a kid (40 years) but my family never made it to Dollywood. The week after Thanksgiving this year, I am taking my second Epic trip of the year from Springfield, MO east to the ocean and then to the gulf. I already drove to California this year... Anyway, one of the stops is going to be in Dollywood on the Saturday after Thanksgiving... I know, horrible day to go but it was either that or black Friday with the rest of the itinerary.

So this being my first time there and I will just be there the one day, what should I not miss? I don't much do rides so mostly will be shops/food/shows that I should not miss

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Branson Talk / Re: 65 South Closed?!

« on: July 22, 2017, 07:37:03 AM »

I would take 44 to 360 (60) to 65.

65 South is closed from Kearney to Sunshine. Every road easy to get to from 44 is a nightmare headed south (I live in Springfield). Going 44 to 360 which then turns into 60 to 65 keeps you moving without city traffic.

You can definitely go down Campbell to 13 and south into Branson West, but getting to Campbell from 44 is going to be slow

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2017 Trip Reports

« on: June 26, 2017, 11:40:22 AM »

I went June 18th for a few hours. Mostly for the shows... I enjoy rides but cannot ride them right now.

I watched the Saloon Show for the first time since last summer and I really enjoyed it. The "modern" song mentioned was a take on a song from Hamilton which I really enjoyed... But I enjoyed ALL of Hamilton. I guess we all have our tastes... My guess is 90% of the people in the audience did not even make the connection.

The thing that bothered me was that during the stunt dog show, they were playing Gary Glitter's "Rock n Roll Pt.2" song... This seemed REALLY inappropriate to me given Gary Glitter technically gets money when it is played and he has had some serious legal problems that should probably not be played at a kid-oriented show. Most of the sports arenas that played that song stopped about 10 years ago because they did not want to be associated with his getting money for the song's use.

The pork belly fries have become my new favorite there

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Random Talk / Re: Kayaking in Branson area

« on: June 09, 2017, 03:20:57 PM »

Many areas near Kimberling city to put in. Also, if you look on Google maps, there is a spot you can get to at the eastern tip of Indian Point where you could put in too. They teach diving there but it is public access

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Construction/Rumors / Re: The General Complaints Thread

« on: May 08, 2017, 04:15:25 PM »

The whole picture taking fiasco is so out of date. I would say 90% of the people do not buy the pictures and they print every one. So all of that photo paper goes to waste. Not to mention the fact that there are people like me who REALLLLLLLLLYYYYYY hate having their picture taken for a lot of reasons. Knowing this, I will now either not ride the train or will blow by that and make people angry. I don't like the wastefulness or the time suck it creates...

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2017 Trip Reports

« on: May 08, 2017, 10:50:33 AM »

I was there Saturday 5/6/17 as well. I got a late start and parked in lot 6. The school buses had the place jam packed. I tried to eat lunch 3 times an hour apart before finally having to succumb to waiting in line just before 3PM.

I was there for the bluegrass shows which mostly weren't all that crowded. I stay away on Saturdays but Flatt Lonesome were only there until Saturday so I had to make the trip. I enjoyed all of their shows.

One thing I missed this year is the VERY pared down BBQ sauce sampling. I always ended up buying 2-3 sauces during the past years. This year it was relegated to the barn and there were only about 20 BBQ sauces and half of those were SDC labeled ones.

I do wish they would have people keeping people moving right after the ticket scanning... People go through that and just stop. Not waiting for strollers or anything... just stopped. It is so hard for me not to just yell at them for their stupidity. On days when it is packed, it just creates a log jam. There have been times I have seen someone making sure people keep moving through the hospitality house. Someone doing the same at the entrance where tickets are scanned would make a world of difference

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Week of car show weekend

« on: April 13, 2017, 02:49:55 PM »

We took our vacation during that car show week about 10 years ago. It was not intentional. I got caught in traffic and it took 2 1/2 hours to go 1/2 mile. I had a 4 year old in the car. At one point it looked like they were going to shut down 76 before we were even able to get to our hotel. I swore I would never go down that weekend ever again...

Perhaps it has gotten better. But back then, it was awful. SDC was fine, but trying to get back to hotel on the strip was a nightmare

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2017 Trip Reports

« on: April 09, 2017, 06:17:03 PM »

Went today. Started with the balancing act show. It is essentially a pared down version of the cirque zuma zuma or whatever was in the Red Gold Hall the last couple years. Was still good and quite impressive. Went to the Flamenco Kings next. It started out REALLY slow but got much better. Many of the times it seemed like they were not playing the instruments or making all the noise with the dancing, but it was still very enjoyable.

Then lunch. My friend had the strawberry flatbread which she enjoyed a lot. I had the pork belly fries which were excellent.

After lunch we hit up the earth harp... not sure I believe his explanation of how the thing actually works (Seems that the notes would be much lower pitch than standard A440 tuning if it worked how he said...), but it was a very good show. Never thought I would hear Pink Floyd at SDC. It is very much a performance art piece. If you cannot appreciate that, the show isn't for you.

Then to see Ecuador manta or whatever. Have seen them many times... I was not bored with them this time so that is a plus. I actually enjoyed it

The people in the shows were much more lively than I remember them being in years. It was very loud at every show. Kind of surprising.

We had a beautiful day. Not too crowded.

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2017 Trip Reports

« on: April 07, 2017, 09:53:55 AM »

Anyone go to the opening day of the new festival yesterday? I am going Sunday... would like to know what to expect

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Branson Talk / Re: Showboat Branson Belle -- big changes

« on: March 13, 2017, 06:05:54 PM »

One of my best friends is Choctaw, and we actually just recently discussed that exact topic, so I understand 100% what you mean and I hope for your sake that in future they don't push you to have your photo taken the way they did before.

Actually it has just been the one time I had an issue. The other times it was fine. At Dixie stampede it has been fine. The only place it has ever been an issue is the one time at Branson Belle... And I've been to the Belle about 8 times so only just the once

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Branson Talk / Re: Showboat Branson Belle -- big changes

« on: March 13, 2017, 01:50:56 PM »

It isn't about the time... I just do not like my picture taken by anyone. Just a personal quirk... maybe part of the native american side coming out. I will opt out on shore too... hopefully won't be a fight because I really want to see the Country on the lake show.

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Branson Talk / Re: Showboat Branson Belle -- big changes

« on: March 13, 2017, 09:31:25 AM »

Are they still doing the pictures beforehand? I HATE that part... slows things down and I do not want my picture taken nor will I ever be buying a picture set. I have a phone and a camera that is as good or better than they have and IF I do want pictures, I will take them myself. In the past, I have just said I wasn't getting pictures and bypassed it all. Then last fall I had a run in with one of the photographers who INSISTED I get pictures and we got into an argument over this... We finally just walked by her and boarded because I was done arguing about it.

This is such an outdated process and I do not know why it persists in Branson. Before everyone had a camera on their phone it made sense as people want to remember... But no one is going to pay for pictures they can take for free. Just is a waste of photographic paper. I do hope they recycle the 95% of pictures that go unsold.

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Sound at A Christmas Carol And It's A Wonderful Life "off" this year?

« on: December 29, 2016, 08:10:54 PM »

So I went to both shows today and while they still just aren't "right", they are much improves since my visits a few weeks ago. Some of the new actors voices just don't have the presence that the old actors did and the voices just sound "thing" ( the ghost of christmas past is the most obvious on this one)

And for some reason the guy playing george bailey this year and a part of last year just can't hit the timing on the jokes. For example, when Clarence is talking about money and george says something like "well it comes in mighty handy around here bub" there are no laughs. The guy who originally played george would nail that timing and the whole crowd would be laughing. The new guy has the lines but his timing is off on a lot of lines that should be getting more laughs... of course you would not know any better had you not seen it wih the original George