Author Topic: America's Fun Park in Branson  (Read 21044 times)

sanddunerider

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #45 on: July 25, 2018, 03:44:22 PM »
They just posted on their facebook page that they are closing down.  Something about it being too hot and one of the coasters is sold.  Said they are going back to the drawing board and hope to open again in October.  Wow that didn't last long

It is HOT!!   But you cant be selling assets if your going to stay open.....  LOL,   unless those assets are mortgaged so heavily you cant make payments :o :o

Okiebenz

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #46 on: July 25, 2018, 07:03:30 PM »
what is funny is just Monday they were posting about $15 all night wrist bands, and today they are out of business.  They say they will open again but if you are selling off coasters, that seems out of business to me.

runner1960

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #47 on: July 26, 2018, 06:45:17 AM »
I was by there several times 3 weekends ago and at 9 or 10 at night it was a virtual ghost town. I never saw 1 ride operating. Location is /was terrible that far east on the strip. It just looked like any other carnival you see set up in a mall parking lot with the exception of the small coasters. In Contrast the mountain coaster had a line 50 people deep most of those nights. Carnival rides are just not that appealing to me.

HumphreyHawk

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #48 on: July 26, 2018, 04:07:34 PM »
I'm guessing they are burning through there operating capital too fast and are betting on the fall months to have better success.  I wonder if they have any halloween type attractions that they plan for or if it's just a hope that the weather will help increase traffic?

The tripadvisor reviews are mostly positive.  A few complaints about rides being down where they responded that they where having maintenance issues.  But the park was responding up to a couple of weeks ago on the reviews.

Not a good start....but I guess there is still some hope to recover.
« Last Edit: July 26, 2018, 04:17:51 PM by HumphreyHawk »
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shavethewhales

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #49 on: July 26, 2018, 05:15:57 PM »
The park isn't the one selling off the coaster, it's the carnival that actually owns the rides. The park just owns the land, from what I understand. They have some kind of deal in place with the carnival to host rides there on a rotating basis. Evidently it was a bad deal if they had to get rid of a coaster after two months.

They did talk about Fall and Christmas events, but if they can't even get the basic park operational for summer then I am not sure how they think they can handle the extra effort of a seasonal event.

I never got there so I'm not sure what it was really like, but every report I've read talked about how most of the rides were closed and there were only a few employees running around from ride to ride. They probably were never able to hire an actual workforce because of the delayed opening and the piss-poor "job fair" planning. The Branson labor market is extremely tight - even SDC is struggling. You can't just announce a job fair and hope people show up.

Gilligan

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #50 on: July 26, 2018, 07:08:26 PM »
I was by there several times 3 weekends ago and at 9 or 10 at night it was a virtual ghost town. I never saw 1 ride operating. Location is /was terrible that far east on the strip. It just looked like any other carnival you see set up in a mall parking lot with the exception of the small coasters. In Contrast the mountain coaster had a line 50 people deep most of those nights. Carnival rides are just not that appealing to me.

From the road, I thought it was rather nice looking; so much more than I expected it to be.

Swoosh

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #51 on: July 26, 2018, 08:12:51 PM »
Then there are parks like OWA that do make it work. 
SWOOSH

Okiebenz

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #52 on: September 20, 2018, 07:38:07 PM »
I see on facebook they are starting some sort of race car ride or something along those lines and are hiring drivers.  I wonder how long this will last.

Swoosh

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #53 on: September 20, 2018, 08:56:10 PM »
RZR vehicles.  Kind of an ATV style dune buggy thing. 

They need to stop trying to make Fetch happen
SWOOSH

sanddunerider

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #54 on: September 20, 2018, 11:06:32 PM »
This is the same style of UTV, that SOTH has added for trail riding...

shavethewhales

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #55 on: September 24, 2018, 08:25:53 PM »
Yeah, I don't get it either. I guess I should see the concept in action, but I have a feeling they are setting up for another swing-and-a-miss here. Really wish they would just re-open some rides with a scaled back setup that they can regroup from. Anyone been by recently? What's left?

Citydweller84

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #56 on: September 24, 2018, 08:47:04 PM »
Yeah, I don't get it either. I guess I should see the concept in action, but I have a feeling they are setting up for another swing-and-a-miss here. Really wish they would just re-open some rides with a scaled back setup that they can regroup from. Anyone been by recently? What's left?

When I drove past there this past weekend there wasn't much left. The ticket/restroom building was about it. All the rides have been taken down and removed. Its really nothing more than an empty lot at this point.

shavethewhales

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #57 on: September 25, 2018, 05:13:52 PM »
Oh man, that's sad. So much for the whole "re-opening in the fall" idea then. Not that they would be able to find staff at this point anyway.

Maybe they'll try again next year? Seems like they are just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks.

cowboy

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #58 on: September 26, 2018, 10:46:35 AM »
I do think that an entertainment district that was a mix of rides, bar/grills, shops would go over well - but they can't be viewed as temporary attractions (which I think was the issue with this park). As mentioned by many, it looked as if a carnival had set up on an open lot - which I think was a turn off by many.

The other new attractions - Big Foot, Branson Wheel, etc. seem to be doing okay, but I think those look more permanent. Didn't one of the Tracks at one time have a few amusement rides too - are those still there?

Jay

sanddunerider

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Re: America's Fun Park in Branson
« Reply #59 on: September 26, 2018, 10:56:59 AM »
I see on facebook they are starting some sort of race car ride or something along those lines and are hiring drivers.  I wonder how long this will last.

OK!! let me be the skeptic this time.....

Where are they going to ride?
 
The RZR is an off road vehicle,  NOT a flat track or circle racer.   
There are not any trails in that location. 
Are they going to ride round and round.??  And why do they need driver's?
OH? 
maybe like a go-cart track!??  YEAH!!  like there arent any Go-carts in Branson..

SO?  what is it "new" they are bring to Branson..