Park meets attendance goals for 2014

[History Buff]

The trouble might lie in consistency.  Weekends in peak times are often at capacity.  The biggest growth could come in the weekday crowds.  How does the City attract more people to the weekdays?

Sometimes the focus is backwards.  They offer more showtimes and events on weekends and work with minimal staff on weekdays.  Perhaps deep discounts or other perks could spread out that crowd and attract more.

Unless they want to build in more space, sometimes getting a bigger crowd just isn't an option.  Already Christmas is often more uncomfortable because of overcrowding on weekends.

[Swoosh]

They could go the Sea World pricing route.  Saturdays are more expensive to attend while middle of the week it is cheaper to go.

[sanddunerider]

Swoosh, now that you say that........    I have wondered why they don't do just that..   discount tues-wed-thurs...

I am sure that is why they are doing the 30 or 40 dollar Thursdays, with coupons or coke cans or whatever...   

[Hollwood]

The celebration happens everyday that warrants a family to have front of the line access. The park may hit 10,000 that day, but hardly ever at the time of celebration. So on a cold rainy day in November they will not have the 10,000 guest celebration. But on an weekday during summer, when the attendance hardly ever reaches 10,000 they will have it. Remember the 9,000 is an average. Several others have already said it. The numbers skew big time during Christmas. When you are only open 3-4 days a week, and two of those days are 20,000 plus, your average shoots up pretty fast!

[Hollwood]

Oh and as for the 25,000 day in 2006... I was there. December 16 2006, My apple dumpling stand ran out of product (the one that use to be by the flooded mine exit). I could not get to the Red Gold to get more but it did not matter anyway because they had none either!

[sanddunerider]

My apple dumpling stand ran out of product (the one that use to be by the flooded mine exit). I could not get to the Red Gold to get more but it did not matter anyway because they had none either!

HATE it when that happens!!!!

[SDC#1fan]

I think the root problem is Branson it's self. Branson is a dying town of old washed up singers. If things are going to turn around things will have to change to meet the demands of a younger generation.

[sanddunerider]

I think the root problem is Branson it's self. Branson is a dying town of old washed up singers. If things are going to turn around things will have to change to meet the demands of a younger generation.

I don't know if it is the "root" of the problem, Although for sure a major contributor..  But I do agree with the rest of your statement..
 
They could cater to ALL age demographics IF they would just do it.

Time for a "management" change in Branson.

[stang]

Branson needs to change or sdc needs to move white water out to by sdc and put a hotel between them making their own destination.

[chittlins]

Branson needs to change or sdc needs to move white water out to by sdc and put a hotel between them making their own destination.

Not only move Whitewater and build a hotel but that hotel needs it's own indoor waterpark for year round operation. We have taken three Feb weekend getaways in a row till this year to some kind of indoor waterpark till this year due to a Florida trip. We'll likely hit the Wilderness at the Smokies in Oct as part of a road game trip against Tenn along with our season pass discount at SDC.

[Swoosh]

If they're going to do that - might as well move the SBB's dock out to Indian Point too.  In fact - why doesn't SDC just buy that condo land down there and make it a Dream More Resort. 

[shavethewhales]

Or they could buy the failed Indian Ridge development that connects to SDC's property. Lots of good opportunities they could move on right now, but Celebration City sure poisoned the well for the time being. Just doesn't make sense for them to make any massive investment in Branson when they've only begun setting up DW to be their true signature property. Maybe by the end of the decade though, if DreamMore turns out well...

[Swoosh]

Well... PTB have mentioned that if Branson continues to have issues they (SDC) would have to take matters into their own hands and become more of a resort destination then just a complimentive property to the town.  SDC has always tried to play the "good neighbor" role (one reason why the park has never really had a night life) but I'm starting to get the feeling those days are becoming numbered as SDC becomes THE reason people even cone to the area. 

[sanddunerider]

Yep, large motel/resort, indoor waterpark, small selection of restauraunts, maybe some retail shops?.  Trams interconnecting it all together, maybe even an indoor theatre for some live entertainment.

oh my, the options are endless......

[chittlins]

Yep, large motel/resort, indoor waterpark, small selection of restauraunts, maybe some retail shops?.  Trams interconnecting it all together, maybe even an indoor theatre for some live entertainment.

oh my, the options are endless......

I've ranted on about this before but the CC area is prime for this. Ala carte rides(coaster, star flyer, giant wheel)restaurants, entertainment like dine in movies and bowling for kids and bowling for adult like King Bowl in Orlando. Add in some retail and casual eateries and other types of attractions(seasonal spook houses and Christmas Enchanted Forest type things). The Island in Pigeon Forge seems to be pulling some of that off.

With the purchase of the Globetrotters, I will throw out the 3,000 to 4,500 seat arena with attached hotel idea again where they bring in the arena shows like the Disney on Ices, Ringling Bros, concerts by artists in the charts in real time not two decades ago and other things and fill in with home stands with the
Globetrotters. I'm taking my son to Little Rock this Sat for the Marvel Universe Live show. Branson is nearly two hours closer. You got an MSA of now over 500,000 in NWA, 300,000 in the River Valley and the Springfield area and that's not including weekend getaway marketing to Tulsa, St. Louis, Little Rock, Memphis, OKC, Topeka, and KC to name a few.