Messages

2071

Branson Talk / Re: Red Roof Outlit Mall Status

« on: July 24, 2012, 09:10:54 PM »

I thought the Meadows was about to go under also. Kind of surprised to hear stores moving in there.

With Osage Beach, Branson doesn't get the full allotment of stores it seems. I went to the Opry Mills last month and that place has it covered for the most part. Plus there's a bit of redudancy that some have their regular outlets at the Landing. Meadows has the VF outlet and thats a start. The trend I've seen like opry mills and the legends out in KCK is that there are themed restaurants like t-rex or rainforest cafe or aquarium and Dave and Busters and such to help lure more folks there.

2072

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC 2014 and Beyond Projects

« on: July 24, 2012, 08:40:42 PM »

I say just redo that whole area for 2014.  Put the net climb with geysers in the GG building.  Put the Adventure Mountain rope course where Splash Harbor was.  Move Roaring Falls and put it where the run outs for Waterboggan were and call it Geyser Falls and you have one heck of a new family fun area.  The back story could be that the small village of Geyser Gulch was built next to Geyser Falls as a gold rush town - they used the the river created by the falls to pan for gold.

All buildings must have the topsy turvy theme to it though to carry out the current look of the area.  Also the rope course needs to have themematic buildings too, it needs to fit into the area without being too intrusive with the whole look.

Love it!

Best of all, no neon colored paint.

2073

Other Parks / Re: Herschend Entertainment shows deline in attendance in 2011

« on: July 24, 2012, 07:58:01 PM »

I'm of the opinion that when one of those European countries go belly up, there will be a domino effect, and Europe will fall (economic) and then the rest of the world will follow. The US has been teetering for quite some time now, and if you think times are hard now, wait a year or two. Sorry to be all doom and gloom, but when that happens, tourist towns will take the hit first. I don't think many will take hard earned money to vacation, they will use it to pay bills and survive. Gas prices and food prices will soar. Glean the jewels you can in the Bible, plant a garden, raise some chickens, bolt the door, load the 45, and keep watch. I will get off my town crier soapbox now.  

Europe will effect China the most. Until very recently, the Euro Zone imported more from China than the US. If Europe crumbles, it may mean temporary pain but there's some benefit for us. It will certainly drive down the cost of crude, thus the cost of many things. China has manipulated the commodity markets for far too long with their charade of GDP growth. Google Ghost Cities of China and you'll understand where the strain on prices for things like copper. There's one ghost town that themed to mimic London complete with an Abby. It sits mainly empty because speculators buy up everything and ask outrageous prices. China's real estate bubble makes the US one look like childs play and it hasn't burst yet.
http://www.utne.com/blogs/blog.aspx?blogid=32&blogmonth=6&blogyear=2008

2074

Construction/Rumors / Re: Your Attraction Ideas

« on: July 24, 2012, 07:14:24 PM »

I'm guilty of pushing a spinner ad nauseum, now gerstlauer has inverted a spinner. Still think this in an icehouse theme would be great, Check in at 4:08 and turn down the volume or watch the whole thing from a Sega indoor arcade in asia. So much cool stuff  that would make Branson a year round destination.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JV10UCO4X4

2075

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: GE

« on: July 24, 2012, 06:43:57 PM »

I voted "YES".  But, I have two kids 4yrs and 4months.  Even though GE doesn't fit the theme, I agree with its need for little kids and I'm happy that SDC management recognized that it didn't fit the theme and decided to segregate it from the main park.  Some time in the past,, maybe 10 or more yrs ago I remember when a few of the "carnival like" rides were where river blast is now.  Right smack dab in the middle of all the SDC unique goodness so many of us come back for; it was absolutely disgusting to my whole family who are lifetime patrons of the park.  I can still remember when I would walk up the hill toward the saloon show and just before passing under the railroad track would look to the left and just be ashamed of that area, how someone could completely disregard the general SDC theme and decide to put that ride there was beyond me.   I was disgusted to the point I couldn't keep my mouth shut and I'm so happy that someone with power realized that it didn't fit.  Now we can at least go to GE and satisfy the small children without ruining the theme SDC is all about.

your knocking the beloved balloons, take cover

2076

Branson Talk / Re: Red Roof Outlit Mall Status

« on: July 24, 2012, 05:44:44 PM »

With Red Roof now out of business, I wonder if White Water can move their marquee to where the Red Roof marquee is now and then get rid of that "main entrance drive" that no one ever uses.

Make room for one heck of an expansion and end my griping about Waterwater being blah.

2077

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC's 2013 Project

« on: July 24, 2012, 05:42:34 PM »

In recent years there was a Butterfield Stagecoach bus company that operated a similar route as the ole stagecoach in southwestern states. I remember seeing some of the buses and they had a scene of a stagcoach on the side. Don't know if it is a true copyright issue or not, but it could be. I do wish they would have gone for the Butterfield name instead of what they chose...but hey, it's still early...concepts change. Maybe they will change it to Butterfield before the announcement is made or before the ride opens in the spring.

I seriously doubt it. It's almost like Tom And Huck in that respect.

There's Butterfield everything in NWA from Lowell's repro stage coach to elementary schools to retirement communities.

2078

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC 2014 and Beyond Projects

« on: July 24, 2012, 05:38:29 PM »

That in combination with the ropes courses of Adventure Mountain  would be a grand slam. Half Dollar for the pre K and this combo takes care of grade school, adolecents, and adults.

2079

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC's 2013 Project

« on: July 22, 2012, 08:36:52 PM »

So whens the copter shots from overhead going to come?

2080

Branson Talk / Re: Disney Theme Park in Branson by 2014

« on: July 22, 2012, 06:44:08 PM »

Someone stated Aulani was the first offsite DVC property. What about Hilton Head and Vero Beach?

I could definitely see them doing something like that in Branson. Or Great Wolf building a resort. Hard to sustain either when the area is very slow for 3 months a year. If you look at the places they have built, it's places with year round population/visitors.

That's just it, It shouldn't be. Cabin Fever. We always end up going someplace in Jan or Feb for a weekend. That place has been Splash Country, and recently Great Wolf Lodge to pretend it's summer. That's why I said it should have a substantial weatherproof aspect to it.

Think Gaylord's Opryland Hotel in Nashville with those atriums only in this case one is Epcot-esque with fine restuarants and such . Kinda like this:


and one a water wonderland liek the ones you see at Great Wolf Lodge or the places around Wisconsin Dells and the The Wilderness in the Smokies and one an indoor Disney Carnival the atmosphere of Downtown Disney but with rides. Bright and flashy.

2081

Branson Talk / Re: Old restaurant at School of the Ozarks

« on: July 20, 2012, 11:46:46 PM »

Not to be confused with the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville AR.

For a minute, I thought you were going to drop a Limbaugh name.

2082

Branson Talk / Re: Disney Theme Park in Branson by 2014

« on: July 20, 2012, 11:41:27 PM »

but, maybe everyone would be going to this new place instead of SDC. be fine with me, less people at SDC. thats just the way i look at it.

Nah, just more to do, making Branson more appealing and attractive to a broader range of folks.

2083

Branson Talk / Re: Disney Theme Park in Branson by 2014

« on: July 20, 2012, 08:03:37 PM »

wonder if it would drag some'a the crowd away at SDC.. 

No, it would help. It would bring in more folks to the region.

Like I said, not a big outdoor theme park to start but an inclosed structure. I love the mingling of rides tht intertwine and interact with each other and you are starting to see that alot during to space constraints of existing parks and indoor theme parks. The only thing that compares in the US is the Nick themed indoor park at Mall of America in Minny.

Another idea of mine that I knock around when it's slow and My job is such that I  write cnc programs for one off or small run lathe and mill work and then set up and run it with some parts taking a whole day to complete and I just set there and listen for loud noises (which would be bad) until it's done.  All the while I have  a unused marketed degree hanging on the wall. I've milled the first resin models of many of the wheels you see on the road that's OEM equipment.

Back to the other idea, an Adventure Park with indoor and outdoor elements that bring rock climbing, caving, rafting/Kayaking, ropes courses, zip line course and snowboarding/sking. With a lodge and anemities like a cafe and such located on the grounds

My inspiration for this is that many caves are tourist traps now and there's no sense of exploring and discovering on your own. I'm sad that the caves at Devils Den and many others are now off limits due to protecting the bats from fungus. I'm glad my childern got to explore on their own before this happened but my nieces missed out. Several companies are making cave courses at all different levels, I've seen them as part of structure to build incredible, realistic rock climbing courses.

There are few man made river courses suitable for actual real life like rafting and kayaking. There's only 10 or so. Here's the one that got my interest.
Wisp Resort's man made river



More info: http://www.adventuresportscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=2

and

http://usnwc.org/

A snowflex facility like Liberty University installed that I've previously posted


more info:
http://www.liberty.edu/snowflex/

All offerings would have the ability to serve children to adults and offering things that have year round aspects as well as some seasonal. It could host events and competitions.

2084

Construction/Rumors / Re: Your Attraction Ideas

« on: July 19, 2012, 07:34:59 PM »

We don't want anything by Gravity Group in our park.

Have GG's timberliner trains helped? Seems that given it's problems folks still rave about Holiday World's woodies and get them lots of media play.

2085

Construction/Rumors / Re: Your Attraction Ideas

« on: July 19, 2012, 07:33:17 PM »

A mine themed ride based on the Euro fighter but with another attraction built in.

As part of the queue you come to the part of the line where the 8 or so people that  each train carries gets to the verticle elevator shaft that takes you down into the mine where you load into the ore themed train for the coaster. The eight people get in and as part of safty protocol strap into their seats. as the elevator starts the descent it goes normally but when out of sight of the queue line and in the dark something goes wrong and SNAP, your on a freefall tower for about 15 to 20 ft where you suddenly brake and then proceed to the ore train for the coaster.