Messages

1

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2018 Trip Reports

« on: September 19, 2018, 01:04:49 PM »

I went on Sunday the 16th. Got there a bit before opening. Quite a lot more traffic than I was expecting but it was quite warm. I have taken to riding my motorcycle when going alone and that makes getting parked and leaving SO much easier.

Each year it seems like there are less and less craftspeople... But I think the truth of the matter is that the last couple years the craftspeople there just did not have crafts I was interested in. I am more into paintings and photos and there were just a few of each. I saw the Farnum Family which I was skeptical of at first and then they played a version of "Pancho and Lefty" that I enjoyed immensely. Sawy The Western Flyer as well but I have trouble getting into Texas swing music. I intended to see the western show but the lines for it were past the barn and I was not in the mood to stand in the sun and wait.

I am hoping to get back in early October when they switch out the craftspeople but not sure my schedule is going to allow that.

I did manage to finally get a recording of the train whistle and it rolling by sans conductors... Hoping to use this in a song. I stood near Red Gold Hall and waited until it came around that bend. I would have preferred the longer whistle earlier in the ride, but figured trying to ride and record would be ruined by all of the people on the train.

With the crowds I have seen this year even on my normal visiting day of Sunday, I am not looking forward to Christmas crowds

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SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: Pictures from the Past!

« on: August 29, 2018, 04:40:23 PM »

So wait... There used to be a slide at the end of Huck Finn's Hideaway (As I knew it)? I remember the space room where it was all black with mirrors and christmas lights... That always freaked me out when I was a kid

And a Cannon shooting platform???!?!??! That would have been so cool to see. I remember when you were able to buy and shoot muskets. My dad actually bought one from there one year on vacation

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Jack and Pete Tell It All

« on: July 24, 2018, 01:18:53 PM »

I went to Dollywood for the first time last Thanksgiving. I also could say I was a bit disappointed. I am not much into rides anymore and it just didn't have a lot to fill my time. Shows did not seem as good. I am sure it does have its merits and I am sure if I rode the rides I would probably feel differently. I went because I was driving cross country from Springfield, MO to Charleston, SC and then to St. Augustine, FL and then back. But I will say I probably won't go back at least not soon. Although I would love to hit up their bluegrass festival too.

I will say I was doing all this traveling and all alone so that probably biased it some too.

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Running sound?

« on: June 19, 2018, 03:52:31 PM »

This is slightly random but I don't have an answer...

What does it take to be able to run sound at SDC? I know in general it is probably a matter of knowing the right person. But I've seen a younger girl there doing it too.

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Last Season for Cedric and Cajun Connection

« on: June 13, 2018, 03:19:26 PM »

While I hate to see the "changing of the guard" and I really hate to see someone forced out of their position, I really feel it was time to go a new direction. I like all kinds of music and will often go from a metal show to a bluegrass show in the same night, I just could not get into his music. I tried for years... but I had trouble with the cajun and honestly most of the songs were very similar. It actually used to be a running joke between me and my daughter about that show...

I think that music ties to a different time... I am 46 but all of my friends are 26-30 and they detest cajun music. And I think that sometimes you just have to move on.

Quite honestly, I miss John Corbin immensely. I think he was forced out too with a change in direction. Things change. I get it. And I know many people really enjoyed Cedric... I was just not one of them

6

Branson Talk / Re: Microbreweries

« on: May 31, 2018, 07:40:29 PM »

Springfield has White River Brewing, Tie and Timber, 4x4 brewing, Mother's. Springfield Brewing company, and I think one more. There is also a distillery at Copper Run (about 10 miles out of Branson) and another distillery in downtown Springfield called Missouri Spirits.

I've not been to Tie And Timber or 4x4 but my friends like both. White River has some great ones and Mother's tap room is always good. Both of the distillery's are outstanding.

Also a TON of original music in Springfield. Hit up Commercial St. and got to White River Brewing and Moon City Pub and Lindberg's and eat at Pizza House or Cafe Cusco.

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Bluegrass And BBQ Shirts 2018?

« on: May 20, 2018, 07:52:55 PM »

Has anyone found these this year? They were usually in the Frisco Barn but I have checked the Marketplace and the hospitality house and have not found them anywhere. Am I just missing them or did they not do them this year?

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2018 Trip Reports

« on: May 12, 2018, 07:06:18 AM »

Now that I have a computer in front of me and not my phone... Here is a not so complaining report

I went 5/11. I got to SDC before park opening but had a work phone call I had to take so didn't actually get in the park until 9:45 or so. A LOT more traffic than I expected for a Friday but the weather was perfect. Traffic was backed up until about 265 at that 9:15 time frame. I was on a motorcycle though so was easy to slip in and not wait too long. Maybe there is a "Motorcycle Parking" sign I missed. But I had found last Sunday where that was so it wasn't too bad.

Again, quite crowded in the park. Several field trips going on.

I went to see Breaking Grass first as I have enjoyed them since we stumbled into one of their shows 4 years ago. The sound was not good... Fiddle sounded very thin and high pitched. Vocals were not loud enough. It did get better by the 3rd show of the day... but wow. This was their second day. I would have thought the sound guy would have dialed them in during soundcheck or even have gotten it sorted the day before. I saw Farm Hands there on 5/8 and the first show that day started with the sound cranked and everyone jumped and really was bad the whole show. This leads me to believe it is the sound man having issues... We will see when I go back Sunday if it continues to be the poorest sounding venue.

Then I hit the Petersens which always put on a great show. They had the place packed with family and friends it seemed. The youngest girl has the most beautiful Irish lilt to her voice I could listen to all day.

Then up to Red Gold Hall to catch Jonah something. Not a fan. Then back to Breaking Grass/Petersens/Breaking Grass/Rhonda Vincent

They have the shows spaced nicely so that you can hit a lot if you plan right. I caught 7 different sets with the 4 bands. I wanted to see the Hainings but I could not fit that in. I also could not fit any sort of lunch in because the lines were just too long. Correction, I could have had a Hot Dog or one of the Skillets by Riverfront playhouse but I was not feeling it.

Park was still pretty crowded when I left at 5.

I am anxious to see how Sunday is as I am using one of my "bring a friend" passes to bring someone who has only been a few times. She wants to ride more than listen I think... But we will see

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2018 Trip Reports

« on: May 12, 2018, 05:34:37 AM »

the sound issue is related to the soundman. May have been different guy on days you were there i always sit right by sound booth as that is usually the best place to hear. I may be critical, though, as I used to run sound in bands and at churches and i’ve already seen like 65 bands this year. I am used to certain quality. And every other sdc venue has sounded great so far BUT riverfront playhouse

Has anyone found this year’s festival shirts with all the bands listed? It usually is in the frisco barn but I have not found it anywhere

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2018 Trip Reports

« on: May 11, 2018, 01:00:11 PM »

Unsure what is going on with the sound in riverfront playhouse but it sounded horrible last sunday and the first breaking grass set today also sounded horrible. And there have been issues all through the second set. Vocals not loud enough. Eq’d totally wrong for them. I have seen them multiple times in last 4 years at dockside and they always sound amazing. Hopefully the sound guy gets his crap together quickly

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Attendance numbers

« on: May 01, 2018, 01:34:37 PM »

Is this correct on Cox Health day? Is it just Saturday? I planned to go Saturday and Sunday for a bit to hear the bands but I've been there accidentally on a Cox Health day before and miserable doesn't even begin to describe it.

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Attendence number....

« on: April 20, 2018, 05:05:51 PM »

I would not expect schedules changins 2-3 days beforehand, but I think a week ahead is not horrible. I mean, weather forecasts DO change, but they usually (key word) don't change drastically a week ahead. So if say I got my schedule for the next week on Friday, would not be horribly off.

Most hourly people I know it's about like that... they get a schedule for the next week on Friday.

It is not the days where there are too many employees that there are problems... Yes, they send people home - which sucks FAR MORE on a paycheck than finding out a few days early if you have to work or not. The problems stem when they play for 4000 and have 24000 because it is a nice day and the previous years there were not nice days. That is when complaints go up and it just goes horribly wrong.

And while yes, you probably can often predict employee needs at retail shops by analyzing previous years, how could anyone possibly think this is a smart way to do it for a theme park that is VERY weather related in attendance? That seems moronic to me... And if that is how they are analyzing things... well that explains most of the problems

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Attendence number....

« on: April 19, 2018, 11:02:44 AM »

"I dont know how the PTB arrive at the "Expected attendence",  But yestarday's  magic number was 7000 people.."

I have always wondered this. From what I was told some time ago, they base it on historical trends for the day. Not really related to weather. And that is how they get burned in my opinion. I mean, when a historical trend for say April 18 is 7k people without taking weather into account, there really is no way to be correct. If you staff for 7k people and it is an 85 degree day, you make everyone angry because you are understaffed. And if you staff for the same amount and it is 50 and raining, you have WAY too many people.

I do not know how far ahead they schedule workers, but it seems like using a historical attendance without taking into account so many other factors is what most of the problems are.

I go back into looking at it from an engineering perspective... If you look at it based off past value plus about 4 other factors, you could probably get your staffing estimates within about 10% and also keep a lot more people happy. SDC truly needs an industrial engineer or someone like that on staff. And why they don't is a bit beyond me...

I think it would be a fun job to do that. And perhaps you even pay the person a lesser amount and then they get bonuses based on accuracy of prediction and savings in labor or guest happiness.

14

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: 2018 Trip Reports

« on: April 15, 2018, 05:02:33 PM »

Just got home...

Got in about 10. There were maybe 200 cars in lot 2 when I pulled in. It was miserable cold. I don't know why it was so bad today... I have been there when it has been colder. But the wind was biting. And no escape from it.

I kind of killed time until the earth harp show. This year's show was not as strong as last years. They should have called it earth harp salutes James Bond Themes. And his explanation of how the thing works is complete BS (The thing is a fancy MIDI trigger), but it does make for a good show. It just was not anywhere near as entertaining as last year with the song selection

I did not see Harp and Hang Drum last year... I regret that immensely after seeing the show this year. I REALLY enjoyed that. I am not a fan of either instrument in general but I loved what they did. No real fanfare or even talking but the music was amazing. If I go back, I will definitely hit their show again

I did not see the Illusion show... as an Engineer I spend those whole shows analyzing the tricks. It ruins the show for me (and for my family when I had a family).

I did see the Saloon Show... with about 30 other people. I felt sorry for the performers as there was no audience to feed off of and the laughter wasn't loud enough. I've never been there with such a small crowd

I am unsure how I feel about the Time Traveler area revamp. I love the added seating and how all of that is done. But it looks like it won't take much to make it a complete clusterphuck. I am a little unsure why they did not take the walkway straight into the walkway by the side of Frisco barn instead of doing the little jog. It would have changed the echo hollow entrance some but it would have made a lot more sense.

Hopefully can figure some time in my schedule to get back on the 29th

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General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Attendence number....

« on: April 15, 2018, 04:35:31 PM »

It did not even feel like that many. I am guessing most left by 2 ish. I sae the saloon show with about 30 other people. I felt horrible for the performers.

It was horrible weather wise though. I have been there in winter and all but that wind today was just biting. And there was no hiding from it. They had pretty mich pulled thenheaters from everyplace so nowhere to go