Author Topic: SDC's 2011 Project  (Read 337296 times)

Nate65807

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #690 on: October 25, 2010, 10:33:04 PM »
She's right here too. Another example was Bass Pro. A unique enough sporting goods store to get people from the other side of the country...Just to shop!

Branson has Bass Pro, Shows, SDC, Table Rock Lake, and more. This place is great. Beats Vegas hands down

"Tis' a privilege to live in the Ozarks"
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Nate
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Makayna

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #691 on: October 25, 2010, 10:43:58 PM »
She's right here too. Another example was Bass Pro. A unique enough sporting goods store to get people from the other side of the country...Just to shop!

Branson has Bass Pro, Shows, SDC, Table Rock Lake, and more. This place is great. Beats Vegas hands down

"Tis' a privilege to live in the Ozarks"
-Harold Bell Wright

Well Nate, you're right, but there are many other things that Branson DOESN'T have that draws them other places... football and baseball are two major ones.  If they're from, for instance, Colorado, and the Chiefs are playing the Broncos, and that family was already planning a vacation at some point in time, wouldn't it make sense to take their vacation in KC at the same time as that game?  And while they're there, they're not going to drive 4 hours to go to SDC... they're going to go to Worlds of Fun if they want to hit an amusement park on their trip.

Branson also doesn't have public transportation, which is something that people ask a lot about on tripadvisor.  I don't know if that would be a "deal breaker" or not, but for some, it just might be.  Plus, it's usually cheaper to fly into KC or STL than it is Spfd or Branson.

And, many people go to KC for vacation to see the Plaza light up on Thanksgiving. ;)

And of course, there's the arch in STL.

There are many things that sometimes draw people away from Branson.  And, just because people DO go to Branson doesn't mean that they're going to go to SDC while they're here.  For the price of 1 single-day ticket, they can easily get TWO tickets to a show!  So, SDC really does have a lot of competition.  They're not immune simply because they're SDC - maybe to true die-hard fans, they are, but not to the general population.

Nate65807

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #692 on: October 25, 2010, 10:54:36 PM »
What you say is true, but with a typical family, sports is something that not EVERYONE is excited about. Branson has something for everyone, even if it doesn't have everything. I would guess that most people who come here don't fly.

Just in the past few years, plane tickets and fees (i.e. Baggage fees) have went up quite a bit. Flying one person may be cost effective vs driving, but the price increase isn't as evident when driving 5-6 people vs buying 6 plane tickets (like 2 grand depending on destination...yikes)
Nate
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Nate65807

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #693 on: October 25, 2010, 11:27:10 PM »
My apologies for getting off topic there. I think whatever SDC does the fans will appreciate it. Impressing the masses is what is important here. I'm sure SDC does demographics studies of who visits the park (or at least season pass holder info).

 They know we want rides and more than just a playground. But if that's all they have to give and ticket prices don't skyrocket, I'm all smiles :D
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I'm like Hercules meets Michael Bolton. I can go the distance"

Casper

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #694 on: October 26, 2010, 09:08:44 AM »
----quote----
And while they're there, they're not going to drive 4 hours to go to SDC... they're going to go to Worlds of Fun if they want to hit an amusement park on their trip.
----quote----


WoF is a THEME park not an Amusement. Sorry had to correct that, I'll go back to hiding into the shadows now  8)
« Last Edit: October 26, 2010, 09:11:50 AM by Casper »

Nate65807

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #695 on: October 26, 2010, 10:09:00 AM »
What's the difference between an amusement park and a theme park? I'm guessing that any park that's fun is an amusement park, but if it fits a theme, it gets to be a theme park. Am I wrong on this?
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cowboy

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #696 on: October 26, 2010, 10:52:45 AM »
1st time post here....found the site after I learned about Jim Owen's Float Trip from Swoosh.

Anyhow. I have a family of 5. We buy season passes every year to SDC and we live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I have been to Worlds of Fun once back in 1989. I tried to get my family (Kids 16, 14, 6) to go this year, but they are not excited about going...why I don't know.

The reason we like going to Branson is because of all there is to do, in a relatively small geographical area. There are nice hotels, golf courses, shopping, lakes, fishing, Silver Dollar City, etc. When you got to Branson, you feel like you have gone somewhere special, not just another city (as you do when you go to Kansas City, Dallas, or St. Louis). We will continue to buy season passes no matter what the new attraction is for 2011.

Going this last weekend, the place was packed, but the ride lines were short and they were not even running to full capacity. So that shows that Silver Dollar City is much more than just a ride park, and that the majority of people that go, do not go for the rides.

I know what I want the park to build (GCI Wooden coaster), but that might not be what will benefit the park the most. I would also like to see them bring back the carousel and the balloon ride for me and my youngest to enjoy together. We’ve missed those the past two years. As far as a playground goes, I would hope they would just finish out the Old Tom Sawyers landing area, it seems kind of weird walking through that area now.

Looking forward to whatever 2011 brings us, even if it is just another place to shop and eat some great food.

Nate65807

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #697 on: October 26, 2010, 11:00:20 AM »
Going this last weekend, the place was packed, but the ride lines were short and they were not even running to full capacity. So that shows that Silver Dollar City is much more than just a ride park, and that the majority of people that go, do not go for the rides.

Welcome to the forum, Cowboy. Totally agree with you here. As somebody who comes for the rides, it was hard to believe. But I've seen it several times. SDC is great because it is more than just rides.

Also I agree with you on Branson. There are so many different things to do in such a small area. I live about 45 min away, but come down twice a month because it is so much fun.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2010, 11:01:04 AM by Nate65807 »
Nate
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Makayna

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #698 on: October 26, 2010, 12:26:12 PM »
What's the difference between an amusement park and a theme park? I'm guessing that any park that's fun is an amusement park, but if it fits a theme, it gets to be a theme park. Am I wrong on this?

That's pretty much how I take it.  World's of Fun is an AMUSEMENT park, but SDC is more a THEME park.  I'm sure there's some sort of theme at Worlds of Fun... but certainly not executed the way SDC is.  IMO, no park out there is as much of a THEME park as SDC.  But SDC is also still an amusement park... but IMO, they're ALSO a theme park. ;)

Joy

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #699 on: October 26, 2010, 04:00:31 PM »
Worlds of Fun USED to be a theme park, but it's for many years been just a cookie-cutter amusement park.

The theme of WoF was supposed to be "Around the World in 80 Days" (hence the balloon), but... yeah, they may still have areas (Europe, America, Africa [where the 50s Diner is IN Africa]), but so does Knott's Berry Farm, but I'd probably call that another park that used to be a theme park but is now only an amusement park.

Worlds of Fun may have great rides, but that's all that it has going for it.

dwfan

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #700 on: October 27, 2010, 06:31:33 PM »
I'm so confused I don't know what SDC is getting in 2011. I have tried thinking about it, but don't know what direction there headed. :)

sanddunerider

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #701 on: October 27, 2010, 06:34:10 PM »
plan on a new kids area.. they need it! and the kids will love it.. they can add something they need and wont have to spend millions to do it...   IMO   LOL

Polley

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #702 on: October 28, 2010, 02:39:48 AM »
plan on a new kids area.. they need it! and the kids will love it.. they can add something they need and wont have to spend millions to do it...   IMO   LOL

Is there a great need for more kid areas?  I feel like everywhere I turn there is kid attraction.  If anything I think it is time for an attraction catered more towards adults. SDC should add an area with more crafts, a new show, and a major ride.

Nate65807

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #703 on: October 28, 2010, 03:01:31 AM »
Is there a great need for more kid areas?  I feel like everywhere I turn there is kid attraction.  If anything I think it is time for an attraction catered more towards adults. SDC should add an area with more crafts, a new show, and a major ride.

Welcome to the forum, Polley. I agree with you on the new show/theater idea. This year the shows have had longer lines than the rides, even during the summer (unless it's Saturday/Sunday). The crafts idea...not sure how many people that draws, I am neutral here.

Consider that the playground at Tom Sawyer's landing was taken out, as well as the Treehouse. Geyser Gulch is really the only major playground left in the park. Sure the Grand Exposition is geared towards kids, but it is all rides. Not everybody wants to get wet, or wants their kids to get wet at Geyser Gulch. If you're going to a nice restaurant after SDC and don't have a second set of clothes to change into, do you really want to tell your kids "No playground for you!?"

I have reluctantly accepted that the Treehouse is a relic of the 70's and 80's, when people didn't sue someone every time they skinned their knee :( but there needs to be a 2nd playground that's up-to-code and dry for kids to play on.

Now Polley, this part isn't directed just at you...but everybody that is upset about the lack of a new major ride next year...nothing personal :)

Do people honestly think that we don't want to see a major ride!? I'd love nothing more than to see the Water Boggan ride souped up to be even wetter, more extreme, and have less downtime ??? than before.

That said, SDC is truly special because it is a good mix of things. SDC has several shows, rides, and crafts, but only only one playground. In the very rare instance that SDC fails to satisfy my adventure seeking side, Six Flags is just 3 hours away and $48, if you include parking :)

On a related note, even when I had a Six Flags Season Pass, I never visited more than 3 or 4 times a year, and I lived in STL at the time. I go to SDC about 10-15 times a year. I wonder why that is? ;)
« Last Edit: October 28, 2010, 03:16:24 AM by Nate65807 »
Nate
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I'm like Hercules meets Michael Bolton. I can go the distance"

sanddunerider

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Re: SDC's 2011 Project
« Reply #704 on: October 28, 2010, 07:15:10 AM »
I know why!!!!! :o :o  You have the same sickness most of us have.  know as SDCS   ( Silver Dollar City Syndrome)    : And it is NOT curable, but it is contagious. ;D