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If thurs-sun wasnt the busiest weekend, at least busiest non-holiday weekend the park has ever seen I'd be stunned. I couldnt believe how busy it was Thursday. We were there all day.

Friday we planned on going late as we always do on the friday of our winter trip. The line to get into the park was very long, and lots were full down Indian point. We stayed on indian point. We waited an hour and went back, got in fairly easily but the lines for everything were huge. (It's impressive how long people will wait for taters or hot chocolate.)

We decided to get in line for the train Friday since the lines were so long Thursday.  It went pretty fast as there were two trains....however, at 7:15 when our train rolled in we were told that train was going to be put back for the night and they would get us on the next one. This made us have to wait another 15 minutes, and much of the line was turned away after our train left. I thought this was a poor move by SDC. People were waiting a long time....they could have filled that train for one last 7:15 run and the next one at 7:30.

We were disappointed dickens was cancelled both first shows on Thursday so we didn't get to see it. They said technical difficulties. Lines for other shows were very long until the 6:00 saloon show which was surprisingly empty due to the parade starting.  This was really a great saloon show....too bad it wasnt in the actual saloon. But they did a great job.

Crowds like this with nothing really to do but wait in line make me question whether to go back next year. Seeing things sitting closed due to staffing furthers my belief that they need to take the money they'd spend on stuff and put it toward increasing pay and maintenance to attract workers. MRF was quite an expense to be unused half the year and not work anyway.

Flooded Mine was the highlight of the trip for the family. Everyone loves it. Living nativity was good as was the aformentioned saloon show.  Lights look good but I feel like I spent most of my time trying to navigate the crowd I couldnt really take it all in as usual. Theres just SO MANY people that it seems like people are all you see.
The tree show on the hill is impressive as always  but on a personal preference level I dont care for many of the songs they use.

We didnt go saturday but they were already filling the back lots down by indian point at 12. Seemed as though they were filling those lots first.

It might be time to increase prices.... for the Christmas season at least. Demand is simply too high for people to have an enjoyable experience. It doesnt feel like I even really went to SDC.

Before the pandemic hit we were discussing how the park unfortunately needs drastic change to accommodate even the current crowd levels. The past few years have seen them chipping away at what needs to be done with large pathway expansions around Time Traveler and Mystic River, not to mention the added holiday area.

The main square and entrance are unfortunately what needs to be addressed next. I say unfortunately because that will change a good bit of the nostalgia and atmosphere of the park. Perhaps why it's been avoided so far.

Parking is the other issue... they simply need to invest in a disney style parking deck at this point. So all in all, they need at least $100 million worth of infrastructure improvements just to handle crowds.

But for all that to be worth it, they need enough employees just to run the park as it currently stands! Lots of tricky issues for them to sort out, but this has been going on for years.

I don't understand this logic.

The problem has absolutely nothing to do with space. I have been to the park hundreds of times and have never felt like I couldn't get in or out. The entrance and exit has never been more than a minor inconvenience if someone stops right in front of me. Then I simply walk around them. You are too set on getting rid of the old SDC you are looking for excuses.

The problems are staffing. They need to hire more people and open everything up when they say the park is open. They need to have powder keg up and running before chain drop. They need to build rides that work, not rides like MRF. They need to use at least two trains on the rides. They need to open the mine back up. They need to be sure all snack stands, lemonade stands, etc are open when the park is open.

SDC needs to take the money they are going to invest in the next "NeW bIgGeSt SpIn DrOp omg!" ride that won't work, or the money they'd waste on expanding the entrance and invest it instead on staffing and overall park maintenance. 

My family is considering going to White Water on the next trip down this month.

Reviews online make it sound like it's always busy and hard to find chairs.

No way in heck I'm spending extra on a cabana, so what are the odds of getting chairs with umbrellas if we're there right at open?
Also, there's always different stuff online about bringing small coolers.  What is the policy, really?

Thanks

Between the aging FM and FiTH.  The issues they are having with the live shows (both legal and covid related)....it feels like SDC has to invest in either a new indoor attraction....or dump money in the old indoor rides.  If they redo the old rides they would have to be from scratch to get any of the general public to really care.  Which is really not unlike what happened to the raft ride.  So many possible options they could do if a new site/attraction is created.  Really like to see a true family ride with lots of tech.  Soaring like ride in the Ozarks?  FM 2.0 with 3D?

They have bigger worries than the aging FM and FITH.  I understand that FITH has been down at times this year, but whenever I have gone it has never been down and unless the park is empty, it usually has a decent to long line.  Flooded Mine never breaks down and my kids love it.
They better be worrying about Powderkeg being down mutliptle times a week, OR being down, Wildfire being down, and that terrible new ride they constantly advertise being down more than it's open. 
Considering they never advertise flooded mine and it barely has a sign and new people have no idea how to even find it, maybe they should invest in some signage and advertising for it to distract people from the other rides not being open and keep people cool.  It's a great ride, it really doesn't need changed other than maybe changing the exit.

I do agree with the others.  Pay people legit money to come be entertaining.  Pay people really good money to come to their crafts or learn crafts.

I'm not against a new indoor ride, so it's not that I totally disagree with you.  I disagree that FITH and FM are problems and need removed/replaced, however, or that rides in general should be the priority.

Good to hear they are going to give it a try.  Still strange to see them let go of David and Rachel...I always liked Tom Johnson as well, but as was said his big thing was Sons of the Silver Dollar.
As far as the copywrite stuff goes, I highly doubt pressure was felt from every single song they use.  It shouldn't be difficult to keep the show the same and change out a problematic song or to, so I'm glad they are doing it.  But getting rid of David and Rachel still doesn't make sense.

I have contacted SDC and will post if there is a response. I encourage other fans of the show to let your voices be heard as well in a respectable manner.

We were at City on Friday June 4th all day and Saturday June 5th until about 2:30.  Friday was more crowded than I thought it would be but not too bad.  We rode MRF early and only had to wait about 30 minutes.  It did get to a 2 hour wait later on.  We rode the train and I saw my first ever snake at SDC.  It was a black snake that must have been 5 - 6 feet long.  I saw it just after the train was passing the square roundhouse and it was slithering as fast as it could toward the grass and away from the City (the snake not the train).  Fire in the Hole had at least a 45 minute wait all day so that still remains wildly popular.  I also heard from reliable sources that the Rainmaker show will return during the Summer Fest!  That is great news for us purists that prefer our entertainment a little less Globetrottery  .

Disclaimer:  I am one of the strongest proponents for the 1870s/1880s theme of the park- it is the reason we keep coming back again and again.  Having said that, our main reason for attending this past Friday was to watch the Classical Mystery Tour Beatles tribute concert at Echo Hollow.  We had seen them a couple of years ago here in Little Rock and were blown away with how good they were.  They look and sound like the Beatles.  The show was in Echo Hollow and to be honest you couldn't hear the music unless you were close to the Hollow so it wasn't like they were blasting rock/pop music all over the park.  And no, I do not want SDC to replace the piped Bluegrass/Rockin the Grass music they have been playing throughout the park with Beatles music.  I would love to see the regular ongoing Echo Hollow show with Bluegrass songs/Mountain music like the old Dillards show from the 80s.  I'll get off my soapbox now 

Stay on your soapbox, dont be ashamed. 1880 ozark hillbilly old mining town theme is what built this theme park and made memories worth repeating. That includes the traditional shows and music. Sure,  not everything fit the theme of 1880s ozarks but everything was at least "historical" or old-time. Thats why we go to SDC and not six flags. God, country, history. Feels like you are someWHEN else, not just somewhere else.

I love the globetrotters. I went twice when they travelled to gyms nearby and bought basketballs, got autographs, etc. While I love them, they arent why I go to SDC.
Glad to hear the rainmaker is coming back. I'm too young to really remember it.

^Thanks!  We did go see the Down by the Riverside show on Friday.  It was pretty good.  They do mainly songs related to water.  They did a "Come Sail Away" by Styx/"Carry on My Wayward Son" by Kansas medley that was good.  They also did a faster version of the Talking Heads "Take Me to the River" as well as some more period songs such as 'Shennandoah".  The musicians were also very good including a guitar player from Rome Italy.  It wasn't the best show I've ever seen at SDC but I would go see it again.  By the way with the Sons of the Silver Dollar no longer at the park is the long-haired guy from that group still with the City?  He also played Bob Cratchitt in A Christmas Carol.  Just curious.

See my post about dickens. He wasnt the only one let go. Wallace was as well.

As far as this new show, I am happy to see the musicians play their own instruments and they are doing some "old traditional" songs. I like the way SDC promoted them on their facebook page. I will definitely check out this new show.

Well, I have not seen this posted yet so if I missed it my apologies.

The lead character as Scrooge for Dickens (Dave Wallace I believe his name is?) has apparently been fired by SDC (or "let go" as they say to make it sound nice) due to budget cuts. His girlfriend was also let go. These are two faces who have been there for awhile and of course incredibly talented.

This coupled with the news of the Sons means that Dickens must be on the chopping block, since one of the Sons was always Bob Cratchet, wasnt he?

SDC must not like a packed house for dang near every show. Makes no sense.

Hopefully I'm wrong as that was such a great production, pound for pound the best stage show I've seen.

Anyone else hear this?

They arent actually getting rid of dickens are they??? Its an outstanding show and the first thing we do every visit...always packed. No way.

I'd also agree some places in Branson strip have seen better days.
Branson just has a surplus of hotels, they have for years. Now you add all the new condos and homeaway, airbnb, etc. and the market for places to stay is oversaturated. I never understood staying on the strip myself with a lake so close by and I think more people are doing that now along with less visitors, but I usually stay in a hotel one night over christmas before moving out to a condo for a few more nights.

Quality went way downhill on a few hotels, too. Theres a few hotels I miss that deserved to stay and more than a few that should have gone bye bye.

Some of the eyesores in branson are so easy to fix. Parking lots full of cracks and weeds at active theaters. Heck give me five bucks and I'll go spray those weeds for ya and pull stuff and be done quick. Take some pride in where you perform!
Also it doesnt take much to pour asphalt over the lot.

Theres good too so it isnt like its all bad.

Dannas is good. Really good. I do wish they had some wait staff walking around asking if you'd like another beer though. Their process is fast and efficient but not conductive for 2-3 beers. Only go to branson west location.

Gettin basted was good when I tried it but it's not like it took my breath away. I'd go back.

Havent tried Big Ds.

Pickin porch grill is somewhere I'd like to get back to soon.

I absolutely cannot believe someone put branson center stage as their favorite. Ugh. Horrible service and rank establishment.

As far as SDC, their prices on actual meals are really reasonable, especially considering you can get icewater free. In a theme park their prices are pretty good. I too believe quality at times lacks, it seems it's hit or miss. One sad thing is the wagon works grill. Maybe its just bad luck, but the last three times I've been there the burgers and fries have been blah. They used to have delicious burgers hot off the grill. Didn't have a bad meal there for 20 years and then BAM the last three times have been burnt and blah.

I won't do cinnamon bread again because of the new place and price. Treats will be at eva and delilahs or hannahs ice cream.

Hey guys,

A Buddy of mine and I are planning a weekend trip to SDC in late July - Go to the park one day, and explore some of the strip the other day. We did the exact same thing last July as well. I was wondering if there were any major additions/subtractions from the strip since last July? Last year we did both mountain coasters, as well as the BigFoot Drop Tower. But is there anything new that would be worthy of trying out? Right now, the plan is to ride the Ferris Wheel and do the Heavy Metal HighRise go kart track.

I am also open to suggestions for things that may not be new, but are things I should check out while I am down there. The 3 things me and my buddy did last year are really the only things i have done on the Branson Strip aside from the Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum.

Thanks guys!

Wonderworks was cool, but much of it is for kids.
Titanic is good.
veterans memorial museum is vastly underrated.
Pirates Cove if you're into putt putt.
Cheeky Monkey if youre into bars and bbq.

Also at the Opera House was "For The Glory".  90's I think.  Good show with some memorable moments and a decent cast.

I absolutely loved For The Glory as a kid.
I also bought my first of what is probably 50 Civil War books at Silver Dollar City's bookstore in like fifth grade. I still read it every other year. "Civil War Stories" by Ambrose Bierce.
Bought a few others there later as well.

I don't equate not staying at least six feet (arbitrary #) apart from others at all times with stealing or cutting lines, etc., since it is literally impossible to do in a theme park with thousands of people everywhere.

I think their comparison is that there will always be someone that breaks the rules or pushes them to the brink.  In this case a few that will not even try to social distance even if possible.

I've now been to Frontier City, Alabama Adventure, The Park at OWA, Six Flags over Georgia, Six Flags St. Louis, Silver Dollar City and Worlds of Fun this season.  Every single park had guests who refused to adhere to social distancing.  These guests, with a few outliers, were all from one particular group.  I'm hoping that this was a coincidence but the parks I visited represent a decent sampling of different areas.

Ok, you obviously know we're going to ask for what group you're talking about so I'll do the honors. 

What group?