SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City

The Ozarks have  pockets in MO and AR where immigrants from Germany, France and Italy settled. Several communities have strong traditions of grape growing and wineries. Some communities have traditions of beer brewing. In AR, Altus and Tontitown are known for their grape growing and Altus especially as a winery area. In MO, Perry County, Hermann, Ste. Genevive and St. Louis all have strong German/French traditions of brewing and wineries. So, with these hard economic times, should SDC try to boost profit by adding a winery or brewery? Should they say, serve beer in the saloon, or revamp the Wagonworks Restaurant back into the Vineyard, but instead of Welch's grape juce serve say Stone Hill Wine? Just playing devil's advocate here! What do you think?

I would have to say no thank you.. I dont go to the city to drink. There would be no way to enforce how much poeple might consume, and then you have the chance for the whole drunken brawl thing going..

Dont get me wrong, I drink beer/alchohol sometimes to excess. 

BUT that is not SDC.  Nuf sed!!

Thats funny you ask, afew guys at work were just discussing this the other day. We also talked about Worlds of Fun. They wondered why SDC dont sell alcohol at the saloon, i tried to explain to them that it is a family atmosphere. And thats where WoF came in, cuz they do sell it. But no, i aint for it either. Save that for relaxin' after ya'r done for the day.

I'd rather not see it at SDC.

We would stop going to SDC altogether if they started selling alcohol...

No. On a related note, does this forum have polls?

My family and I definately agree that there should be no alcohol at SDC.   We also feel that it would take away from the family friendly Christian atmosphere.   

and that is exactly why alchohol will never happen!!
" The Christian Atomsphere" it is a big part of the city's history..

Larson!!!  great idea,  maybe shave could add that option in with all his spare time!!  LOL!!  Just kiddn shave, we love it here,  keep up the good work.

heat+husband+beer+SDC=divorce court. seriously would not put up with that. and just think of the idiots out there who would be ralphing all over the place and getting hurt. really not such a great idea.

As much as I would love to see the Vineyard Restaurant return to SDC, I'm gonna have to take the majority vote and say NO to Alcohol on SDC grounds. A rootbeer float always hits the spot for me when I'm at the Saloon.  :)

""heat+husband+beer+SDC=divorce court""  LOL.

Maybe they could open a Divorce court room next to the wilderness church :o

sorry,  i thought it sound funny! ???


WAIT,  I know. 
If selling beer,wine and so on, lets open a gambling hall!, Then they could put in a building for Gamblers Anon. between divirce court and The church...?

Ok, i'm done for now...

Unless the bottle says Sarsaparilla, or Root Beer then it does not belong at Silver Dollar City.

Even if Silver Dollar City did serve alcohol, I really don't believe it would be profitable. It's just simply not what would draw people to Silver Dollar City.

For those folks who enjoy a good drink, or two the Ozarks have some wonderful wineries.

thats what one would think, right? go to chuck e cheese, ask for a draft beer and they will fill er up! no lie. they serve beer and wine at a kids eatery. but on the other hand I can see why.....

yoiur right there trams~!!  couldnt catch me at chuckies without  a drink or four to numb me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   :P :P

Yeah...not a good idea. As other points, with the rides & drinking? Not a pretty picture!  :o You get tossed around enough, imagine being a little over the limit and getting off the electroslide???? etc, etc, etc. It's a family park let's leave it that way!  :D Sure we all like a cold drink, maybe outside of SDC have them buy the Old Wooden Nickel Restaurant and can go from there? It's right up the road and used to be a great place to go!

I love a good glass of wine with dinner or sitting on my deck watching the night lights, but SDC - NO WAY!  Not even as a chill factor when the basketballs drive me nuts!  It's not the right atmosphere for drinking alcohol.

Quote from: eagle1 on September 23, 2011, 04:44:40 PM
Yeah...not a good idea. As other points, with the rides & drinking? Not a pretty picture!  :o You get tossed around enough, imagine being a little over the limit and getting off the electroslide???? etc, etc, etc. It's a family park let's leave it that way!  :D Sure we all like a cold drink, maybe outside of SDC have them buy the Old Wooden Nickel Restaurant and can go from there? It's right up the road and used to be a great place to go!

Has Wooden Nickel closed? I haven't been out there in years, we use to go all the time. I remember the large tree trunk with th salad bar around it & pudding! I use to get the "wooden nickles" almost everytime we went, I still have a ton of those in a small plastic box.

It did close think it's been about 5-6 years, maybe longer?? I just wish someone would buy it and get it back to the way it was, tree and all!  :) Unfortunately your nickles are worthless now....sorry!

no booze please.

Loved the Wooden Nickel. Been closed a long time. The building is in horrible disrepair. Time marches on.

Allowing alcohol would be a deal breaker for me.  Don't use it and don't want to be around it.  As much as I love the City, if alcohol were allowed we would simply stop going.  SDC is a rare jewel, messing with the values it was founded on would be devastating.

Harp

If people have to drink to enjoy SDC, then things would have to go greatly downhill. They can go to a winery (the area has several), hit up a distillery, or go out on the lake (which you are not supposed to drink and navigate the waterways FYI). SDC is doing great for 50 yrs w/ out it, and shouldn't have to stoop that low. That'd be out of character, knowing their core beliefs, and after all this time. It'd be like after all this time McDonald's unveiling that they are going to sell margaritas or fried rice...they are doing alright w/out it....

How many times have we had this discussion?

The majority of the responses here, even though I strongly disagree with them, are the reason why it would never happen. The Herschend's preference aside, it would be a bad business decision. I've seen the same thing over and over with my interest and involvement in unaffiliated minor league baseball.

Certain people are loud, rude, dangerous, angry and sometimes violent, all over the place. For some reason when alcohol is present people blame that behavior on the alcohol -- and I've even seen people complain about "loudmouthed drunks", when the loudmouths in question weren't even drinking. Like all prejudices, people assign a causation that matches their belief. (Yes, that's a reference to racial prejudice; the same thing happens.)

Edit to add: there are tons of complaint here about guest behavior during Young Christians Weekend. Nobody has suggested banning Christians from the park. ;)

I really mean that tongue-in-cheek. I'm a Christian myself, and I only drink occasionally (almost never in public), so I don't have a dog in this fight. I just grow tired of old self-justifying prejudices that refuse to die.

I believe there is a lot of stigma with "loudmouth drunks," because it's true. Sure, some people are loudmouths even without alcohol involved, but alcohol, and loudmouths do seem to find each other quite often.

It has nothing to do with self-justifying prejudices. Alcohol has the ability to change a person's demeanor. Therefore, since some people cannot control their alcohol intake, I can see how the selling of alcohol could be an issue at a family friendly theme park.

Ditto to what Ozark BBQ said. Some stereo types exist because of the abundance of truth to them. (some that is, of course not many or not all).

It would personally ruin SDC to me. I don't personally like going to restaurants that have bars, or smoking, ruins the whole dinner for me. I wouldn't want to be at a park to relax being all nervous the whole day. The lack of alcohol is one of the magical things about SDC for me.

My mom's family is a large population of alcoholics. Sure it's not the alcohol's fault, it's the users. However, some users have no control and if it's available the user isn't going to do anything to control it. And then ruins the whole families experience, along with who ever else they decide to be around and effect that day. I can't tell you the family gatherings, weddings, etc that have been ruined in my family because of excessive use of alcohol, so much so it was my goal at my wedding to be the first wedding that didn't have to have police called to come and intervene in some knock down drag out fight that some drunk has decided to start, or because they are holding people hostage at gun point in their drunken paranoid state, etc. SDC was one place we could always go as a family relax, and actually have a "good" time with said family members. Since alcohol was not a option there.

My husband's family also has some of the same problems. Because of such, even though my husband and I in theory are not against the use/consumption of alcohol by every one or even by most people, him and I have just found it easier for our lives not to even have it in the equation we don't see any value in it (cost money we would rather spend on other things, and doesn't add anything to our lives of any value). So we have personally made a personal choice that we don't drink. It's not that we have never had a drink we both have, and both decided it just wasn't anything special to us, and after seeing how some of our family members have absolutely used it to destroy their lives-in fact one of my uncles died a few years ago from alcoholism and he was only 43 years old! He was only a few years older then me, each year as I get closer to 43 I just can't imagine that being the end of my life. Not to mention the last 10 years of his life he was so brain dead from such severe alcoholism he might as well of been physically dead! Every time he seen my husband he would introduce himself and tell my husband he was my uncle and he had never met him before. No matter how many times he met him.

I can't tell you how many times the drunks in my family have ruined nice times. It was always so sad to me, especially how they would ruin their own children's special days. However, going to SDC was always a relief, and they would be so happy knowing their dad wasn't going to be making a jerk of himself, and/or ruining what could be such a fun day. They would be so happy! So different in comparison to going places where alcohol was served.

And for my own self, I just can't even relax when I am around people drinking, responsibly or not, cause just too much stress from my childhood of the family who never could control themselves.

Again I know not every one is like that. My MIL and FIL can have one drink and leave it at that and be fine. And I don't worry about being around them. But, mixed company that I don't know and alcohol just ruins my time. Cause I just can't relax and enjoy my day worrying about which one might be the crazy! Not to mention the other things people brought up-vomiting, urinating on themselves, being obnoxious, etc etc.

Plus I would imagine by the time they had to hire grown ups to serve, pay the extra for liability, pay the extra people to handle any such fights, etc (security), pay for the alcohol license, the liability insurances-drunks on rides, drunks causing fights, anything like this could cause non drunk patrons to sue if they got caught in the middle of said situation through no fault of their own, etc etc. I wonder in the end just how profitable it really would be. And then of course the customers like me that it would ruin their time so much they would just not go. (I do not go to WOF, six flags, etc). I just don't see in the end it being that big of a money maker, as a money loser.

I saw some asked to try the poll thought I would go ahead since it is a interesting question

no

No thanks, not at SDC.

I bring my children because it is a family Christian oriented place.  I think alcohol would be a hinder some of the fun of others and the ones drinking.  I always seem to get in line by someone who had to much to drink at local festivals and all they want to do is talk talk talk and the smell with the heat not a good mixture.  I say no to alcohol and keep it safe for our children!

nope!! alcohol, hills, heat, kids, law suit.

I love the novels you write magnolia!!!

Merged the two topics.

Anyway, I may be the only one here who doesn't see a problem with a little alcohol on park. I'm not talking bud or miller lite, I'm just talking about a little authentic wine tasting. I don't know much about the Herschend's thoughts on the subject, but if they weren't opposed to an authentic Ozark wine stand, I think it'd fit right in. I don't know anyone who gets belligerently drunk from a sip of wine.

ok shavethewhales i will agree with you there. wine tasting and a little dheese factory maybe? i would be ok with that. but beer and wiskey no way.

come on who doesnt want a lil moonshine??

lol Miss about my novels.

I like the tease of white lightening/moon shine just not the real thing. I mean that was always some of the funniest bits on Beverly Hill Billies, and of course on the Train ride with Icabod and the train whistle too. lol

I know we would all prefer to have as much of an authentic 1880’s experience at Silver Dollar City as possible, but at the end of the day it is still a theme park.

Yes, I am about to use some overly exaggerated, and overly drastic examples, but not everything has too be exactly authentic. Back in the 1880’s, it was common place for someone have a gun on their hip. That doesn’t mean that Silver Dollar City should now sell six shooters. Back in the 1880’s, the main mode of transportation was by horse. That doesn’t mean Silver Dollar City should now sell horses. Back in the 1880’s, alcohol was sold at the Saloon. That doesn’t mean that Silver Dollar City should now sell alcohol.

Like most things in life, moderation is the key. In reality, a little alcohol is fine, so long as that is not the main attraction. Plus, you have to define your criteria for alcohol. There is a big difference between selling knock off beer in a can, and authentic alcoholic recipes of the 1880's.

Its the liability that would eat them up as well as the churches.  They will never do it.  Its a tough mix parks and booze, disney knows how but six flags sure doesnt.  It can effect the crowd and that would concern me.

If alcohol was allowed at SDC we'd have all kinds of loose articles on rides!  ;)

Looks like everyone has decided that SDC only has room for one kind of spirit... the Holy one!

 ;D ;D ;D All the references to moonshine and I couldn't find any last time I was there. ;D ;D ;D

No, seriously, I'll have a drink now and again, but there is no place for that at SDC.

I love the fact that there is a working church on the property, and that would definately send the wrong message.

^^ I like that haytater! A friend of mine tells stories about being in a church school as a teen, and at the dances, the administration would walk around and pull two cuddling slow dancers apart to near arms length and tell them to "Leave room for the Holy Spirit"

Ozark BBQ said:  " Back in the 1880's, it was common place for someone have a gun on their hip. That doesn't mean that Silver Dollar City should now sell six shooters."

Just to stir the pot a bit:  SDC DID sell six-shooters up until a coupla-three years ago, and I personally wish they would again. 

I think I noted elsewhere that I went once (just after they stopped) with the intention of getting a replica Colt Army Model 1860.  I needed one for my re-enacting, and I had my eye on one the Gun and Knife shop had, and I would have preferred giving my $$$ to SDC, but ended up having to enrich Bass Pro.

I cannot imagine that the selling of the black powder repros would lead to real shootouts on the square--heck, most folks couldn't load one if all the supplies and implements were set in front of them  ;D


My son is saving up to buy his first 3-band Enfield or .58 cal Springfield Rifle-Musket.  Such a firearm would be well within theme and hardly a danger to the City or its guests.  And it would bring a little more revenue into the coffers.  But, alas! I am sure it won't be available there.   :(

palallin,  i agree with you on this.. I myself am not a blackpowder enthusiast. but if SDC were to sell them , since it is time period correct. I would think it ok.. 

Years ago, the actually made rifles on site.! Now i might consider buying one of those.!

Re:  Alcohol
I don't believe that any of the Herschends are teetotalers (having partied with some of them), and it's not due to any "religious" considerations that SDC doesn't serve alcohol.  It's simply a matter of "why open the door to the possibility of trouble?"  Some people hold their alcohol pretty well, but others do not.  But there was a time when employees were allowed to bring alcohol onto the park grounds for after-hours events (I've see the Saloon bar set up with drinks), but even that is not allowed anymore.

Re:  Firearms
Black powder guns used to be a big part of the City, and the reason they don't sell them now is simply because there is not much of a demand for them.  It was pretty fun back in the day when guests could shoot one in the demo area of the gun shop.  That became a safety concern so it was stopped even before they stopped the sales aspect.  But, I don't think they ever actually "made" guns there; the process of making barrels is too exacting even for their craftsmen.  They were able to demonstrate the process, but not turn out actual usable firearms.  What they would do is start out with a "kit" and give it a treatment...whether it be a bluing process to give it a special finish, or carving on the stock and forearm.  I've seen Bruce Grimes turn out some pretty cool looking rifles.

What is really strange to me after all these years is to see security guards carrying pistols on park.  A sign of the times I guess.

Zephon: remember that "spirit of 76" rifle that Bruce Grimes made for the bicentennial year? It was fabulous. The stock had a detailed carving of that famous painting and was offered for sale at a premium price. Wonder what became of it?

Would be the end of a great family park.  SDC is a theme park not an amusement park.  If you need to drink at SDC you might have a problem.    We love to have beers and bbq each night back at the condo but at SDS   NO WAY

Yes FirstVisit....SDC is supposed to be a theme park, but it is getting more like an amusement park all the time.It was nice to see some of the old crafts  this Harvest Fest.
Alcohol: NO
Guns: No.....even though we have many pistols and rifles including Black Powder.

Quote from: okiebluegrass on September 27, 2011, 11:40:20 AM
I love the fact that there is a working church on the property, and that would definately send the wrong message.

Somebody might have Communion without Welch's grape juice?  ;)

sounds like the perfect use for CC...  casino or two,  couple of restauraunts, maybe one upscale both with bars,  maybe a "sports bar" with dance floor and quickie eats!..Maybe a couple of evening shows///  

dinner and a show anyone? ::)

I say let Celebration City become the adult evening spot.   
Disney Did it with Downtown Disney and it worked well, maybe that could give SDC something to do with the property there.

Like I said earlier, I don't know how the Herschend's feel about a little wine, but I know for sure that they have spent the last several decades trying to keep "adult" entertainment out of Branson especially casinos.

yea shave i know,  I was just throwing it out there,, knowing it wont ever happen on herschand property,,
 
Even without casinos i think an area with open bars and restauraunts on the west side of town would be a good deal.... Now you have to go to the landing area for that type of entertainment.

I will always and forever vote for Branson to get a Dave & Busters.

Quote from: Joy on September 28, 2011, 08:31:41 PM
I will always and forever vote for Branson to get a Dave & Busters.

Where's the "like" button again? :D

I'm no teetotaller by any stretch, but one thing to remember: winemaking really wasn't an Ozarks custom in the late 19th century, and those immigrant communities such as the Germans that did engage making beer and spirits generally kept to themselves due to some anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant feelings on the part some of "the natives". The German communities generally kept to themselves and kept their own traditions, although over time, they were assimilated into the general community, especially after WWI, when many Germans lost their identity as a response to the anti-German hysteria that began in 1917.

There is a great discussion of moonshining in Robert Gilmore's "Ozarks Baptizings, Hangings and Other Diversions"; Gilmore believes that the majority of moonshiners in the Ozarks did so out of economic necessity, and that moonshining was never as "popular" among folks here as it was in Appalachia.

Sorry for the somehwat pedantic lecture there.  ::) And from a newbie no less!

Regards,

Todd

welcome Todd! and your not the first to hollar from the soap box and I am sure you wont be the last. We all love a good learnin session. Thanks for adding your thoughts. and I 'specially love a good moonshine lesson. Its neat that nascar came from moonshine running. You get poor prices on your corn crops scratch your head and think what you can do with all this corn so as to feed family make the white lightening and poof nascar.....Im not a huge fan of nascar but its really cool how it started. See I get off on a soapbox hollar and its had to stop. Again welcome todd, many happy posts!

Clancomyn: Enjoyed reading your posts and the references to ozarks area literature. I've got a big collection of books on ozarks topics myself, and will have to look through them regarding the comments you made on your posts. All the books mentioned are in my library. Sounds like you have really read up on your ozarks history! Welcome to the forums, hope to hear more from you soon.

welcome clancomyn! 

sounds like you and rube will have lots of discussions, he is very well versed on ozark history, and has in depth history on SDC!

enjoy the site.

I agree on all the recent posts in reference to clancomyn. Great to have you and look forward to more of your knowledge.

Quote from: Junior on October 03, 2011, 04:24:41 PM
Clancomyn: Enjoyed reading your posts and the references to ozarks area literature. I've got a big collection of books on ozarks topics myself, and will have to look through them regarding the comments you made on your posts. All the books mentioned are in my library. Sounds like you have really read up on your ozarks history! Welcome to the forums, hope to hear more from you soon.

Many thanks for the welcome, Junior. I've viewed your Rube Dugan collection before, although my memories of the diving bell are nowhere that detailed, as I was a "wee bairn" when it was still running.

I have taught Ozarks history and culture at OTC in Springfield, although technically, I am not a true Ozarks native, as my mom's family are Iowans (since the 1850s) and my dad is from Arizona.

I also "worked" one day at SDC back in 2001 when "For the Glory" was playing. I was a park ranger at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield at that time, and we had an exhibit of items from the battlefield in the hall near the Riverfront Theater, and several of us got the chance to "meet & greet" folks and promote the battlefield. It was a lot of fun to see SDC behind the scenes.

Todd

Forgive me, OTC? What is OTC?

OTC=Old Time Christmas

"I have taught Ozarks history and culture at OTC in Springfield? (Thanks Rube, but I mean THAT OTC. :))

It stands for Ozarks Technical Community College.

Ahhh, thanks!

Quote from: Pintrader on October 04, 2011, 03:18:41 PM
It stands for Ozarks Technical Community College.

Sorry 'bout that. I'm used to typing it without thinking...

::)

T.

I kew that.... ;) I just being caught up in the Holiday PLanning did not think to place the Technical College here!