New Parking Lot/Road Plans

[sdcforever]

^Parking fees are one of my pet peeves as well.  When they start charging I'll be parking at Deer Run too.

[History Buff]

I was hoping for a drive-through experience.  I so hate having to get out of the car.  I meant, of course, "pay to park".  I wouldn't mind if it was a small amount and they offered some sort of heightened security in the parking lot, along with restrooms and drink machines at the tram pickup area(s) and faster turn-around for the trams.  I was also thinking that ticket prices and season passes already cost quite a bit; I wonder if they have just figured parking into the ticket price.  I think this is a better route since the fees are then hidden.  Paying to park puts a bad feeling in most people's mouth right at the beginning of their visit, and then they have to fight their own feelings to get back into a good mood.

[StaceySue]

Maybe you're right History Buff.  We went to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg last summer for our weeklong vacation.  Yes, you do have to pay to park at Dollywood, but you also have another option.  Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg has a trolley service that you can use.  It's 50 cents a ride (in town) and 75 cents (to the other town).  Dollywood is near the transfer station in Pigeon Forge, so we just used that.  Of course, we are a family of three, so you would have to weigh the costs for larger families.  SDC has no other options (aside from motel/resort shuttles), so why not build the fee into the price of admission?  Of course, Dollywood may have similar admission prices; I can't remember.  Last year, All-City Passholders received free admission to Dollywood and Splash Country.  I guess we picked the year to go 

[Coaster]

I hope SDC doesn't force us to pay to park. I think that is so stupid and as others said, it is just a way to get a few extra bucks. It does kind of confuse me though how on some Herschend properties you have to pay and others you don't. I wonder why that is...

The price to get into SDC is pretty expensive though so maybe the price to pay to park is figured in to your admission like History Buff said.

[Swoosh]

Honestly, I'm not sure why people don't go ahead and purchase the Season Pass or the 4-day deal.  Both are very reasonably priced compared to the one-day admission.

[Coaster]

^We have season passes. It is still expensive with food, gas, lodging, etc.

[Swoosh]

I guess it is all in perspective.  Do you have fun as a family?  If so then it is money well spent and not "expensive"

[shavethewhales]

^I dunno, SDC is certainly money well spent, but I know I've already cut out a trip because I don't have enough money to spend well. 

Anyways - updates on the project? Please tell me something has been poured. Since they started paving the road 3 weeks ago I'm assuming that's going along well too, though it is MODoT...

[Coaster]

^^We definitely have fun but that doesn't make it less expensive.


Sorry to get off track here. Back on topic...

[Swoosh]

Anyways - updates on the project? Please tell me something has been poured. Since they started paving the road 3 weeks ago I'm assuming that's going along well too, though it is MODoT...

Hasn't it been raining a lot down there lately?

[sdcforever]

^That's an understatement.  They got 6 inches of rain in 12 hours on June 28, which pretty much sums up the whole month.  I think they set a new record for precipitation for the month of June this year.  So I doubt much work was completed last month.

[shavethewhales]

Anyone got an update? Last I've heard is that the parking lot STILL hasn't been poured. 

I still have the letter stating that the project was supposed to be wrapped up in early summer. And before that it was supposed to be done by late spring or earlier. It's not that they aren't doing all they can, it's just that it's impressive how long this has carried out.

I know a lot of progress was made on the road though, is that about done?

[Swoosh]

I'm curious too.  I life farther away from the park then some of you guys.  Get down there and get an update for us -- yes I am talking to you Copper and the Doctor among others. 

[shorty]

Last I saw G lot and the road are paved, but there is a delay in Indian Point road since it will cross over the "driveway" that takes you to the F lot.  The other lot between A and C is still being filled in.  A lot of progress has been made since it seems to have dried up, but there is still a ways to go.

[Coaster]

^Yeah that is what I was going to say. They should be able to start making great progress because it is going to start getting really hot and dry here in Missouri. It's very humid lately and it's only going to be worse the rest of the summer.