Main Street Dance Party (& suggestions to make it better)

[Joy]

So, on May 1st, at 9:00pm, Silver Dollar City held a dance party on Main Street. There was a very impressive crowd there for it, and there had to be over a hundred people who were actually dancing (with many more looking on).

As posted in the 50th Anniversary Weekend Reviews thread, here's the playlist for the dance party; it's mostly in order, but not entirely:

Celebration by Kool and the Gang
The Electric Slide
The Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)
YMCA by The Village People
Simon Says (a song I've never heard before, but it was fun!)
Cotton-Eyed Joe by Rednex
Hokey Pokey (which started out traditional then did some different music styles)
Bunny Hop
Boot-scootin' Boogie
Time Warp
The Twist
Cha-Cha Slide Part II
Then a medley that went: The Dinosaur/Walk Like An Egyptian/Come On Ride The Train/Hand Jive/Thriller/Cupid Shuffle
And to end it all, Na Na Hey Hey (The Goodbye Song)

Yes, it was full of modern music, but it was... FUN. Even for someone like me who only participated in a couple of the dances.

Anyway, the reason I'm posting this is first to find out who else was there 'cause I'm curious about your opinions. Second, I was just reading the newest brochure for SDC and just like I'd said elsewhere on the forum that I'd love to see them do, they're going to have the dance party every night during Moonlight Madness!

Personally, I'm excited.

I do think that maybe they should do the Time Warp first, to kinda give an overall feel of "time traveling from the 1880s to the 2010s" before all the modern music. LOL Just a thought.

[History Buff]

I don't get it at all.  Is anyone more likely to attend or spend because of this?  Really?  This, I could attend at just about any community festival.  For free.

[Junior]

You know me, Mr. Hardcore Old School. My thought is keep everying themed in the 1880's. We can do the bunny hop at any street festival in anytown USA. Silver Dollar City is a special place. Let's keep it that way. If the park personnel are going to do something, add more attention to detail to the park and keep the theme. I believe Miss Mary would always do what she thought she had to so a profit could be made, because, that's business, but, whew, she did it with class. Jack and Pete did, too. If I were them, I'd be slapping the wrists of a few of the folks in charge, even if it meant a trip to Georgia.

[Swoosh]

I don't like this at all.  'course I don't like the different music during Moonlight either

[Joy]

Oh, I certainly agree that at any other time of the year, this just wouldn't work. But since they've already been doing the whole modern thing for Moonlight Madness anyway (though I still argue that their music choices for the park atmos speakers are not what the kids are listening to these days; they really should just play modern country if they're gonna go modern), they might as well go all the way. And it was fun watching and dancing with the street characters.

[bthomas]

Could it be that they are trying to give people something to do at days end?  Instead of rushing out and jamming the exits...they can hang back awhile and let the people thin out.  It's something different...I don't think it harms anyone's park experience.

[Joy]

All I know is I had tons of fun that night and thought it'd fit in perfectly with the more "modern" feel of Moonlight Madness, and apparently TPTB thought the same thing. I mean, Main Street was CROWDED. It was amazing!

[Junior]

Well, really the powers that be respond more to an event with a full house than they would an old goat like me shouting about the theme. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ IS THE BOTTOM LINE!

[StaceySue]

They used to do a dance party after Ignite the Night at Celebration City during the summer.  I agree that it helps with crowd control.  At CC, some people would leave right after the fireworks, and some would stay and do the dance party.  It's also fun to do with the kids.

It seems that elements of CC continue to trickle into SDC, especially during the summer months.  The music playing during Moonlight Madness in not unlike the music at CC.  I'm just happy they have Moonlight Madness--something fun to do in the evenings during part of the summer, at least.  We had fun last year, and I couldn't even ride coasters since I was about 8 months pregnant!

[mhguy77]

C-H-E-A-P

[History Buff]

It does, in fact, ruin my park experience, and my family and I will not participate.  I guess they will not be getting my $$$$$$$$$ during any time they decide to do this, and that's my bottom line.  I want to be positive about it, but SDC is NOT CC.  Is this the thinking:  hey guys CC failed and SDC succeeds, so let's do the things we did at the failing venture and maybe we can shut down our flagship.  Let's make it just another amusement park and give up completely on the theme park idea.  We don't want to look like we even know what we're doing.

It would be so easy to stick to some semblance of an atmosphere, but they are losing it and losing it fast.  At least when they attempted to make everything Victorian, they realized it was a huge mistake and went back to what they do best.  This new stuff is a complete ignoring of their base audience, their roots, and everything that made the place special for all of us diehard fans.

[Joy]

I'm as diehard about theme as anyone else, but I figure this fits fine with Moonlight Madness, and since that's the only time they'll be doing this, it really doesn't bother me. I can handle having two weeks where 6pm-10pm are for the riders. 'Cause really, that's what MM is all about: letting the riders get a chance to experience the rides in the dark. They're not worrying about shows or shopping. It's a special event. Two weeks out of the whole season. I really don't mind it at all (though I do still wish they'd switch to modern country for the background music).

[pintrader]

I'm as diehard about theme as anyone else, but I figure this fits fine with Moonlight Madness, and since that's the only time they'll be doing this, it really doesn't bother me.

If my memory is correct, Moonlight Madness started as a 2 day event and now is a 2 week event.  So what would keep them from expanding it out more?  I do like Midnight Madness but let's keep the theme of the park in tack.

[orient express]

Well. As bad as i hate to say it i have come to accept all of this nonsense. Lets face it. They are out to make money for the least amount they can spend. Just like every other company now. So i have just come to appreciate  the older stuff that the park still has to offer.

[History Buff]

Then bring in bars, grinding dance music, lap dances, and casino gambling.

I'm hoping HFE still has minutia of the values that it used to.  All the money the company has made has been because of the little things, the one-of-a-kind-ness of SDC.  To deny that is to misunderstand the unique position in which this park finds itself among the industry.  To run the company like WoF or SF is not the best long-range direction to take it.

And yes, 2 days becomes 2 weeks, becomes "we have a big crowd, so let's stay open and do it on a whim", becomes "let's do it every day that it doesn't rain". 

They're not doing it so we can experience the rides at night (we do that at Christmas); they're doing it so they can sell concessions.  SDC has always been more sophisticated than that.