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I hope you enjoy this summer time video I compiled over many visits to the city in 2018 and 19.   might hold you over til the spring

thanks for watching

Kevin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBZreW6NbgQ&ab_channel=SteveCrosby789

[yeah I know "shut up and get over it.."]

I am gonna rant a bit and I am sure many will disagree.

before I start I want to say that I get that almost all of the ORIGINAL buildings ( older than 25 years or so) are becoming very worn, inefficient for heating and cooling and just generally falling apart in some cases, and I know that new construction is better in every way.

Having said that my feelings on the most very recent buildings(fried fancies, new FITH, new furniture store), are that thematically they suck. I think the new stuff, while keeping the style of time period, does not fit with the feel of the older sections of the park. I know a huge part is that the landscaping needs to catch up with buildings and once they are more filled in with trees and bushes etc  they will not stand out so much. I am attaching a couple pics of the old places and some new.

I think this change is the one that is so undefinable for me, I think the new FITH exterior looks like a "Disney version" for lack of a better descriptor. all perfect and new. For me the part of SDC I like is the fact that it doesn't look like a shopping mall. same with the fried dough stand.

The new furniture artist renderings look like it would fit in a strip mall anywhere. I think this is the part of SDC that is slowly vanishing and that's a shame, because the charm of SDC to me is it IS NOT DISNEY.

look at the photos and tell me what you think..    ( yeah I know "shut up and get over it..")

my two cents..
Kevin 

I just visited the park Mon and Tuesday and I gotta say it pretty obvious that the park is really leaning into the "Ozarks Mountain" angle and leaving "Branson" in the dust. All new merchandise has this brand now as well as a ton of signage. Does anyone know the actual reason for this change? Distancing from the " OLD folks"- Branson image?
Quarrels with the Branson Chamber of Commerce? At one point it was an easy way to let people know where you were regionally, do they think they have been around long enough now to make the break from Branson?

With so much of the old style of the park being replaced with updated, simulated 1860's theming and flat out destruction of the ambience of the original. I am just curious if this is a move to just recreate the entire park using updated amusement park standards and practices -- IE wider paths, more vending and merchandising sales, larger and more intrusive food court seating areas.

my two cents...

Kevin 

I used to stay all the time at White Wing for many obvious reasons, price, location, free shuttle. After COVID they went VACASA rental and the quality dropped like a stone and the price sky rocketed, so I moved on. its a shame it was a good place. anyway I got this in my e mail ( i suppose I got on some list from my vacasa rental.)

anyway it seems they are trying to unload some of the bigger rooms into sales as CONDO"S??.
The price seems very high for the quality of the building and the rooms IE everything is still late 90's.

Not sure how you can call a hotel room a condo.

Just though any of you who used to stay there might find this interesting.   https://mailchi.mp/44e31a832f40/white-wing-lodge-condo-units-for-sale-starting-at-84500-income-producing-vacation-rental-investment-537397?e=83d6cbfc28

my two cents.
Kevin

I am probably just getting to be a an old grump, but there may be a solution someone has figured out.

I was in the park this week- wed 28th, and upon arrival I witnessed the arrival of MANY MANY school buses from various High schools around the region. I ran smack into at least several hundred students milling about the entrance to the park, with more flowing off buses still arriving. I spent most of the day, getting run over (hyperbole I know) by large groups of students and overhearing some of the foulest language and witnessing idiotic behavior.

I am no prude - I swear with the best of them - and I know that kid are kids. I also realize I have no business being in amongst them, I have no patience.

There are many events at the City I avoid because I know they do not appeal to me and I have no business being there ( Christmas, Southern Gospel Picnic, Country Music Days, Young Christians weekend) - its easy enough to avoid them and there is room for everyone's favorite event. 

This brings me to my Question... Is there any rhyme or reason to theses school trips?. I usually attend early in the week to avoid any crowds and I have had this experience a couple times this year.  Are there specific days these visits happen? Does anyone know?. Is there anyway to find out in advance of these large group outings.?

Any advice would be helpful, and I know it may be impossible to guess or figure out. Thanks for reading.

the old grump.
Kevin

I have been considering getting my season pass back next year after stopping for the covid these last two years. Can anyone tell me 'best guess" if the park should be back to normal (pre covid) full operations by next spring. I just prefer the 1880's atmosphere. All the masks and distancing signs, closed attractions and shows etc take me out of that place. Can't bring myself to walk around there with it looking like a hospital.

I know its hard to predict but with the current surge have they boosted precautions again?

I have no frame of reference, any opinions would help. thanks

Kevin

I wonder if it is just me, but I attended a standard evenings performance of the show in echo hollow and I found it very unsatisfactory. There were many reasons, not the least of which was that the audience never seemed to actually stop arriving and actually sit down and watch the show. I was constantly disturbed by people walking past me or getting up and moving around.

If you add that distraction to the fact that the audio quality was quite poor for a venue of that size and for as long as its been around, I ended up leaving about 1/4 of the way into the show. I did move twice thinking I was in high traffic areas, each time further and further from the exit's /entrances. There was a magic act as an opener and I could barely hear anything being said onstage.

I thought it might be better managed, if they funneled the crowd all into single sections at the lower area and filled it up from the bottom. but then I remembered how huge the place is and the fact that I have trouble with stairs myself and would never go all the way to the bottom. it can be quite a climb out of the hollow.

Does anyone have any tips for enjoying the show - maybe I am being too critical. Is the show better with a marquee entertainer? should I just skip the regular show and attend the headline acts?  Thanks

Kevin

Hope you like this - it was made using clips taken from 2018 and 2019. I shot it specifically to eliminate as many people as possible and really get a feel for the park atmosphere. It shows most things and I hope it can make you happy. I watch in the off season to remind me of the park in summer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBZreW6NbgQ

After attending moonlight madness a few times as well as the pumpkin festival - I quickly learned that there is almost no ambient "Period"  General lighting anywhere in the park. There are "porch" lights and such from most shops and food stands but general "see things around you" lighting. there is none - I think this is a great missed opportunity.

The park is amazing during the day at keeping the 1800's alive but at night it looks like you are wandering through some dark neighborhood where 1/2 the lights are off. You totally lose the feel of the time period. I realize that in the past the park closed early enough that night lighting was unneeded in the summer. Now with Christmas, Halloween, new year, and moonlight madness, I think they should upgrade the entire park and put in substantial lighting to make the nights look as good as the day.

Does anyone know if this is in the plans anywhere?.

With advances in LED lighting it would not be difficult to make the buildings stand out without huge floodlights or intrusive fixtures -  example - the newer lanterns placed in the flooded mine - they added a ton to the look. and fit in perfectly.  Similar lamps could be placed all over and and really bring beauty and excitement to the nights in the park.     anyone feel differently?