I believe all of us on here are SDC's biggist fans. But when we all go on our lil' trips to the park, what is the most important part of ya'r trip?
The shopping?
Watching the craftsman?
The shows?
The food?
The rides?
Relaxing, & just being in the aura of the park?
Or, if there is anything else, just mention it. Mine? As i get older, i find that just relaxing in the aura of the park & having a good time is most important to me. My 2 trips this year so far haven't gone the way i planned. But i made sure & had a good time, wheather everything went as planned or not.
good question how-do.
i think u covered all the options at the park, we all enjoy the park as a whole,,,, Lets modify your question.....; you listed the attractions. NOW what is your priorty. make your list..... here's mine.....
Relaxing, & just being in the aura of the park
Craftsman
food
shows
shopping
rides
I would like to add, IF the PTB would update their shows, i would move shows up 1 notch, but until they do...
I like being in the aura of the park. It gives me a "welcome home" feeling.
the smell and feeling the park emits. It has a very unique smell and feeling that ya just cant get anywhere else. The shows are fantastic and the people couldnt be better!But number one the feel and smelll....
I think its the experience. You can hand craft different trips every time and make each one unique. I'm taking a couple of years off after this year to let more change and evolve. I did that for five years before getting season passes 2 years ago and I enjoyed it very much. I'm looking forward to doing it again. and creating more fresh memories as well.
Good question, indeed. Good topic. For me it's all the above but ithai said it very well "the experience". I just love the atmosphere which I think is a combination of all the things you listed. There's also a certain peace of mind I get there. We let the teenagers run (with a cell phone and some rules of course) and me the wife and the 5 year old take all the rest in knowing I don't have to worry about what the older kids might be exposed to. This relates to another thread also but more than once I've been surprised by how quickly sometimes they will meet back up with us and say they're tired of rides, they just want to look around, watch the crafts and look in the stores.
The most important part of my trip is the quality family time I spend with my family doing all of the above...It seems like I get so busy in the day to day life, that I don't spend the quality family time with my family engaged in wholesome fun filled family activity...when the family travels the 12 hours to Branson, we get away from the hustle and bustle of life and for that 3 weeks it's just us, enjoying each other in the aura of what is SDC and for us, the aura of The Wilderness Campground...
Stepping through the grape arbor is like seeing home for the first time in years, and heading down past the blacksmith shop, the hills and trees give me a big strong hug, welcoming me home.
After the atmosphere, I would rank my priorities as:
Citizens giving street performances
Craftsmen
Classic rides, and Marvel Cave
Music
Shows
Food
Shopping
Keeping the continuity of the history of the park. Hardcore 1880s theme, plenty of arts and crafts, plenty of friendly citizens that interact with guests, keeping the "traditional" aspects of the park while moving forward to serve the newest generation of park goer.
For me its the atmosphere and remembering my childhood vacations down there. and taking my kids down where i once was a child and watch them enjoy the same things i enjoyed as a child.
I love just being in the park and people watching, followed by craftsman, food and musical shows(I'm not much for the stage acts other than the Christmas carol). I really enjoy the rides (mostly the old one), but not for the thrill factor, more for the nostalgia. I love FITH, AP, FM, Thunderation, etc. I'm shocked by the number of people who DIDN'T list "multi million dollar ride expansions" as their top thing that's most important to them. It's seems like the PTB are focused on building new rides (and spending major $) to draw people in, when the stuff that brings me back year after year doesn't include new rides.
Quote from: Kentucky Optimist on October 29, 2011, 11:32:38 AMI love just being in the park and people watching,
One of my favorite pastimes! I enjoy getting a funnel cake, finding a shaded bench, and just watch as everyone enjoys, and experiences the park in their own unique ways. It's interesting, because families, and groups all walk around the park in their own little bubble so to speak, and it's always fun to watch everyone's "bubbles" bump into each other, and to interact with each other, and for two bubbles to become one, and then split into two again. Everyone is in their own world, yet we all experience it together. :)
I like the 1880's theme, sitting on the front porch of the cabin in one of the rockers, relaxing and listening to the Homestead Pickers. All of the street people are great especially Terry Sanders are entertaining.
Eating ice cream at Hannas, funnel cakes and riding the train. I don't go on vacation to shop so that aspect of the park isn't a draw for me. Neither are the rides..guessI'm getting old.
My priorities as I see them on your list...
Relaxing, & just being in the aura of the park
Watching the craftsman
The food
The rides
The shopping
The shows
SDC kind of reminds me of westerns (my favorite movie genre). Maybe because they are basically set in the same time period.
I really like the stepping back to when times were simpler, people cared about people and took time to do things the right way. Unlike now, people are all for money, themselves, everything is "mine, mine, mine!" all the time.
This song sums it up!
http://50.silverdollarcity.com/contests-extras/music_downloads/SDClong.mp3
Very thoughtful & sincere responses everyone! Thank You. I really like OzarkBBQ's post. To watch all of us "bubble" together is priceless. To be able to talk to complete strangers while at the park, & see & feel everyones fun, is very heart warming for the soul & mind.
I feel my throat getting tight.. ;)