Kids Fest at Silver Dollar City

[Swoosh]

http://www.midwestinfoguide.com/festivals/kidsfest/

Some Comments on KidsFest this Year:

-- There seems to be a much larger push this year to get parents to buy things for their kids.  There are two huge "stores" where the whole point is to BUY BUY BUY.  Then on the square they have a "kids crafts" area where the kids for $2.00 can make things that you would make at Vacation Bible School.

-- The magic show was very good, but it seemed to just end

-- The Circus on Ice was once again very bad.  They have one section of the show which relies on strobe lights almost the entire time.  I don't know about others, but I can handle strobes for a little bit, but then they just get annoying, and that was the case here.

-- There really wasn't that much for the older generations to do during this festival.  Once again this is my beef with Kids Fest as it has been in the past.  This Festival goes on way too long and alienates a good portion of those who visit the park.  There was a show a couple years ago that was produced by Mutal of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.  That show could be enjoyed by all audiences, why wasn't it brought back?

-- Is it time for Southern Gospel Picnic yet?  At least there are grown up shows then.

[StaceySue]

I actually liked the circus on ice better than the magic show.  The only thing I really didn't like about the circus was the use of the projection screen.  I would have liked to see the girl skate with the hoop this year, but I did like the act with the cloth--similar to the acrobats of China act. 

I can't really put my finger on why the magic show annoyed me, but I was ready for it to end.  Don't get me wrong, the illusions were cool, but after awhile I was ready for it to end.  I agree that it does end suddenly.

My cousins were disappointed in the Veggie Tales show, but I didn't see it.  They thought the show inolved too many people just dancing around the vegetables.

I wish they would bring back shows similar to what they used to have in the opera house.  I like silly little musical or comedy shows.  I also liked the riverboat show they had with the Cajun Connection a few years ago.  I guess the saloon show is musical comedy, but even that show hasn't been as good the last two years. 

Dollywood had a good show last year; I nearly cried watching it, and my daughter was on the edge of her seat for the whole show.  It was a story about teenagers at a 1950s burger joint and how their lives progressed as the decades passed.  I guess that type of show wouldn't really fit in as well at SDC, but shows at Kids Fest often don't fit the 1880s theme. 

Thanks for the opportunity to give my opinion.   

[betamike]

The 1950's show you mention from Dollywood has actually won some theme park awards. It is one of the best shows I have ever seen (inside or outside a theme park) but would not fit in at SDC as we (thankfully IMHO) do not have a 1950's themed section.

It would be a HUGE draw for Celebration City though.

[Coaster]

I really enjoy all that Kidsfest has to offer although I didn't get to see any shows this year. I think the main reason it runs so long though is because they want the festival to run all the way through the summer season which is fine with me. Summertime is supposed to be for kids really, plus adults can visit in the fall more than kids can.

[Swoosh]

I just don't think it needs to last 3 months whereas most of the other festivals are limited to 1 month.

[shavethewhales]

They must really turn a profit off of this festival. I mean, it seems a little ridiculous to devote the entire summer to abandoning so much of the park's theme and catering to kiddies. I know it brings in the mom's and their young families, which SDC is after so hungrily these days, but I think more can be done to keep the park more all around entertaining during the summer. I don't think even the kids are as attracted to the cheesiness that's slapped around for them as much as most would think.

[Coaster]

They must really turn a profit off of this festival. I mean, it seems a little ridiculous to devote the entire summer to abandoning so much of the park's theme and catering to kiddies. I know it brings in the mom's and their young families, which SDC is after so hungrily these days, but I think more can be done to keep the park more all around entertaining during the summer. I don't think even the kids are as attracted to the cheesiness that's slapped around for them as much as most would think.

Yeah I have to agree with this whole statement. I hate how it is all about the money.

[orient express]

worst fest ever....money is the bottom line with this one.

[Zephon]

They must really turn a profit off of this festival. I mean, it seems a little ridiculous to devote the entire summer to abandoning so much of the park's theme and catering to kiddies. I know it brings in the mom's and their young families, which SDC is after so hungrily these days, but I think more can be done to keep the park more all around entertaining during the summer. I don't think even the kids are as attracted to the cheesiness that's slapped around for them as much as most would think.

Well, in defense of the company- June, July, and August are the summer vacation months.  The period of the year when kids are not in school and most families plan their vacations.  Having the Kid's Fest last 9 weeks (just a week over 2 months) allows those families flexibility to fit their vacations into their own time-frames, not SDC's.  It's not like they shut down all the adult oriented facets of the park.  There are still plenty of adult oriented shows, crafts, and shopping.  As a matter of fact, out of the four large entertainment venues- Opera House, Red Gold, Playhouse, and Echo Hollow, only the Playhouse with the VeggieTales show would be strictly a "kid's" show.  Echo is still Echo, and the magic and ice shows are just as enjoyable to most adults as they are to kids, maybe even more.  And I can say this because I see their reactions everyday.

The season lasts 9 months, April to December.  Just under 7 months of that is completely devoted to the adult customer, and the kids have nothing for them except a few rides, a playground, and a chance to visit Santa Claus at Christmastime.  Please don't be resentful of the fact that kids have 2 months when the park tries to pay special attention to them.

That being said, I'm sorry that you can't find things to keep you entertained during Kid's Fest.

[Swoosh]

Well I have just heard from a lot of the shop workers that they do not care very much for KidsFest as it seems the older people who actually SHOP don't seem are prevalent as the other festivals and it is quite boring for them during that festival.

They call it the "never-ending festival"

[Zephon]

I understand.  It is indeed, the longest festival we have.  But then, life is what you make of it. 

My observation is that, even though it is Kid's Fest, there are still large numbers of elderly people visiting the park.  I know because it's hard to walk anywhere on park without getting stuck behind bunches of them ambling here or there.  Now, why they would do less shopping in the summer is a mystery.  My personal opinion is that it is just elderly shop keepers (and most of them are elderly) needing something to talk, or more likely gripe about.  I was just talking to Ray Johnson, the knife maker, today, and he said he just sold two of his $5000 Damascus knifes in the last couple of days, and I know it wasn't kids buying those.  As a matter of fact, he said that he was getting really low on stock and that the general manager, Brad Thomas, had offered to come in after hours to help him make more.  An offer which he kindly refused.  LOL

Sometimes I do wish the area had the available workforce such that the company could hire more younger help in the shops and restaurants.  Not that I'm against hiring the elderly.  It's just that 95% of them are so slow at the counters and registers.  It takes forever to get checked out.  And I would suspect that that is partly the reason they can't run more customers through their shops.  But, God love 'em, they're just tryin' to get along, same as me, so I do my best to be patient with them.

[History Buff]

And yet there are ways they could have a Kids' Festival without losing the theme of the park.

[Zephon]

That's true.  I think in a round-about way, they're trying to go for a circus type atmosphere, which would be in keeping with theme, but just not quite achieving it.  As you know, circuses were prevalent in the late 1800's but trying to spread one across the whole town might not be the right way to go about it.

[History Buff]

That would be fine with me, but dog shows and magicians who dress in modern costumes and use modern music don't work for me.  Likewise with the circus.  Worldfest seems to work better, with most groups wearing traditional costumes (but not always).  I loved hearing the bagpipes, several years ago - it lent a new sound to the atmosphere that was kind of cool.

[Zephon]

You're right, that stuff doesn't fit with the theme.  What kind of entertainment do you think would be enjoyable for kid's in the 4-11 age range that would still fit the theme?  Or just put the aforementioned in costumes?