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National Kids Fest Evaluation

ByCoaster

This will be an annual article after each trip to the park I make. I will do an evaluation sheet of my opinions of the park for the day and try and help you have the best trip possible.


Wednesday, June 25, 2008
This happens almost every trip to the park. You get out of the car walk up to the tram loading area, you see all the people and you’re thinking, “Man the place is going to be packed today.” But once you get to the park gates you’re thinking, “Hey today won’t be so crowded.” That is how the day started out for me. The parking lot was packed and there were a ton of people there. I figured it was due to the construction which they were working on from the time we got to the park and the time we left. It was just making things look a bit more congested than they already were.
It was a pretty slow and relaxing day at the park, as it almost always is. The day was strictly a play day. We didn’t go to any shows (except for banana split eating contest if that counts). We rode rides, ran around, and just had fun.

Good:
The Lines: The lines at the park are almost never long. The longest we waited in line for a ride was probably Powderkeg. The line was to the front of the queue building but it was just a straight shot to the loading station. We probably waited for ten minutes. Plus, the blast was great!
Fire in the Hole: My experience on Fire in the Hole was probably the best I’ve had in awhile. You definitely get wetter on it this year than you did last year which is something that I definitely wanted. Plus, the forums here at SDCFans have really taught me to look closer at theming than I did in the past. That’s what I did on Fire in the Hole. Those two things definitely made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable.
Marvel Cave: What a great spot to cool off from a warm day at Silver Dollar City! The cave guides are always very informative and fun to talk to. We were at the very front of the tour which made the tour a lot more fun. You can talk to your guide during the walk which was really fun.
Old Time Photos: I usually hate wasting my time in this place but it was really fun this time. I was with my friends and not my family so maybe that was it, or it could be that I’m older now but, it was a really fun thing to do. KIDSFEST Activities: I didn’t participate in anything but the banana split eating contest (I didn’t get picked) but all the kids looked like they were having a lot of fun.
Overall Experience: Pretty self explanatory if you’ve ever been to the park before.

Bad:
Construction: You’ve got the road, parking lot, Culinary & Craft School, and now you have the new ride. There is a lot of change going on in the park right now and you can see it all. Whenever the road and parking lot are finished it will really be a great thing but until then there will be a lot of traffic and whatnot. The new ride construction looks pretty weird but it also adds to the suspense as to what might be happening (even though we pretty much already know). There is a huge fence around all of Tom Sawyer’s Landing.
Culinary & Craft School: I love how it is almost finished but it looks like they have went the cheap way out on this one. It is supposed to look like a Timber frame farmhouse and looks nothing like that. It looks like a modern house than you can see if you go down the street from your house.
Employees: Some of the employees were pretty rude and didn’t seem happy to be there like they have in the past. But then you come across the folks that love what they do, which makes me proud to be a SDCFan.

Regrets:
Shows, Rides: We didn’t go to any shows which kind of upset me. I want to make it back to the park before KIDSFEST is over so I can see all the new shows that are offered but I don’t know if that will happen. Also, we didn’t get to go on the train (which was a first for me). I also haven’t rode the Waterboggan in two years. I really felt like riding it but the line is always way too long for such short of a ride. This also marked the first time that I didn’t make it into Grandfather’s Mansion on a trip. If I make it back to the park before KIDSFEST is up I’m going to go see the Echo Hollow show also. I haven’t got to do that in my two trips this year.
Pictures: Sorry but this was strictly a play day for me. I didn’t lug around a camera or anything so I didn’t take any pictures.

Tips for you and your family/group during KIDSFEST:
Water Ride Lines: This applies especially to the Waterboggan and Lost River. If you want to ride those rides make sure you do it early in the day. The Waterboggan line sometimes can become huge and it almost always does on a daily basis. Same goes for Lost River. On very busy days American Plunge can even get pretty backed up. Make sure you get to those rides early so you can get to the roller coasters and other attractions later in the day, seeing as their lines move faster.
Marvel Cave: If you are at the park on one of those steamy hot Missouri summer days go to Marvel Cave to cool off. The park offers a lot of shade but Marvel Cave is a great way to cool off, plus it is a great tour with a lot of history. Also if possible, try to get at the very front of your tour group so you can talk to your guide more and find out more information. To do this you need to get in line right after the tour group before you leaves. Believe me, it makes the whole thing more enjoyable.
Shows, Rides, and Activities for Adults: This festival is all about the kids but don’t let that scare you away. You still have the thrill monsters such as; Wildfire, Powderkeg, and even The GIANT Swing that adults can enjoy. Also all the shows can be funny and enjoyable for older folks also. Especially the Banana Split Eatin’ contest. The contest is held at 3:30 daily at the Gazebo on the square. They split the contest up where five adults and five kids 12 and under are selected. (Plus if you’re picked it’s a free banana split)!

KIDSFEST continues all the way through August 10! You can enjoy three all NEW shows; The Magic of Peter Gossamer, Ice Circus, and VeggieTales Invention of Silliness. There is also the return of Kid Concoctions full of activities for well--kids! Plus you can always ride over 30 more rides and attractions!

Other upcoming Festivals:
Southern Gospel Picnic- August 28-September 7
National Harvest Festival- September 11-October 25
An Old Time Christmas- November 1- December 30

You can discuss all these topics and more in the SDCFans Forums.

Comments

Shavethewhales

Here's another short video -> http://www.ky3.com/features/branson/17227774.html

Looks like it's coming together, but the more I hear about the theming, the more out of place it feels.

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