Your top suggestions on making the park even better

[Junior]

OK, I've seen some of the recent trip reviews. Attendance is down this year, some attention to detail on park has slipped. Money is tight all around. But, what are your top suggestions to make the park a better place to visit? New rides, attractions, festivals? How about food or street shows, or arts and crafts? Come on...let's hear it from YOU!

[Harp]

I honestly do not know what would make the park better.  Here in Southern Oklahoma 108 degrees today, there is not a lot of motivation to go anywhere.  We have been going to the park for 20+ years and my 2 girls who are now 8 and 17 love it.  The pure economics of a family vacation can stall out many trips that may otherwise have been taken.  We go and always plan on spending a week 2-3 times a year, buy season passes early for the best benefits.  We go to relax and have fun, not stand in line for an hour at rides.  We enjoy the shows and the street performers in May were great.  I don't know the girl's name that seemed to always have a skillet in her hand, but she was a hoot.  We spend a lot of time visiting with the Homestead Pickers and make all of there shows.  We also visit with the shop employees and craftsmen who are always so pleasant.  Last trip we played checkers with some of the Citizen's and spun tops on the square.  Modernizing any part of the park would IMHO be a detriment to our enjoyment.  We absolutley loved CC and would without fail go in the evening after a day at the City. If they could create an evening or late night atmosphere consistent with the theme of the park, we would stay till closing. Moonlight Madness is simply not our style of enjoyment.  Without the themed element, we would not have any reason to return.  Of course we are country folk and fit right in, the draw we have may not fit at all to people that don't understand what this is all about.  As far as rides which we don't do a lot of, would love to see an awesome wood coaster.  Festivals? too many as it is. Food, don't think they could improve on that, it is all good! I love the street performers and characters and always make it a point to hunt Terry down and see what his get up is.  Anyway, long post and probably not very helpful, but honest observations just the same. We will be back in the Fall! 

[Ozark Outlaw]

You know me, my number one concern is more trees! I shouldn’t be able to see parking lots, and storage areas in the middle of the summer when the leaves are all out.

Also I am hoping they will start development in the southwest part of the park. The current area is already maxed out in space. Any additions would really ruin the wilderness mountain feel of the park.

To show you what I mean: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozarkbbq/5815353977/

[sanddunerider]

I like the city as is,,  mods from time to time are always good.  Dont have any real preference on big rides.

I would like to see there every day shows have some variance in them month to month or even year to year.

[Duelist]

Just got back from 2 and a half days at SDC.  For me the way to make it better is to make it more like it was.  My wife and I used to love to get a piece of pie each from Mary's Pie Shop to have for a mid-day snack.  That was when they used to have a whole lot of pies to choose from.  Now they have maybe 2 different choices: cheesecake of strawberry pie.  We used to love the cream and meringue pies!  Also, as I've said before, we really miss the old shows.  I got to talk to Terry Saunders yesterday and told him how much I miss the courthouse show, the Hatfield Haint, the old Saloon shows, etc.  He said he misses  those shows as well.  We managed to catch 2 of the street shows but even those aren't the productions they used to be.  We've watched the street shows the last couple of years and I haven't seen anyone pulled from the crowds to participate.  Of course, the main thing I hear from people standing in queue lines is that they'd like to see more rides.  SDC has survived for over 50 years now by providing quality family entertainment.  I just hope they keep trying to make sure it remains the magical place we all know it can be.

[Junior]

Those old in house produced shows were great...and it was fun to see my friends and coworkers perform in them. I miss the ad lib street entertainment...I remember baiting folks to look in the hole behind GM and then scolding them for doing so! Always got a big laugh. I remember Jim Waddell playing the deputy and he scolded me and another Dugan for some minor infraction of the law, then shot at us a couple of times as we ran away from him...the people witnessing it loved it! Rainmaker, Medicine Show, D.A. Calloway at his piano, ah, those were the days. I don't think SDC has to always produce giant over the top productions for the theaters, they could slip in a boxing show or lumber jack show and it would be well recieved today just as it was in the old days. Maybe Zephon or Copper or some of the other current citizens could chime in on this topic, we'd love to hear from ya'll!

[Ozark Outlaw]

or lumber jack show and it would be well recieved today just as it was in the old days.

Well, you are in luck as the lumber jack show is returning in the fall.

You all bring up very good points. Silver Dollar City used to be very creative back in the old days, and I think I know why. It all goes back to how society in general has changed thanks to electronic communication, and the internet. Years ago, Silver Dollar City was isolated so to speak, and they had to come up with all of their own ideas, and shows, and rides in house right there at the park.

Today, that is not required anymore. In fact as we all know, the headquarters isn't in Branson, or even in Missouri for that matter. So now instead of the locals brainstorming on a unique entertainment idea, the executives just plop in a new ride, and call it a day.

[Andymeets1880s]

Great topic!

As I have said before (and everyone is probably rolloing their eyes right now because they know what I am about to say)....TWEAK FM and FITH!! I dont think it would be that big of a deal to make things a little more lifelike and real. Flooded Mine could get new, improved heads for their "convicts" (they look their age) and maybe change the voice tape just a little. Maybe make it a tad louder. Have the warden saying more comical things like "Alright boys! Let's get a move on! This aint no garden party!"
And FITH, make a cave or brush landscape for the baldknobber that stands with the cannon. Just little things that give them more "umph!"

[Andymeets1880s]

I dont remember from years ago if SDC had a gunfight or not. I dont believe they did, but they could do something like that or have a shotgun wedding confrontation. Some skit where the "Pa" confronts the boyfriend of his jilted daughter and he chases him a few feet shooting him in the rump.

Or a hillbilly feud? Yeah, I know the whole "redneck, hillbilly" thing. But I think a couple of hillbillies coming from one direction and a couple from another direction, they run into each other and they "commence to a' fussin' and a' feudin'" right there.

[Duelist]

I dont remember from years ago if SDC had a gunfight or not. I dont believe they did, but they could do something like that or have a shotgun wedding confrontation. Some skit where the "Pa" confronts the boyfriend of his jilted daughter and he chases him a few feet shooting him in the rump.

Or a hillbilly feud? Yeah, I know the whole "redneck, hillbilly" thing. But I think a couple of hillbillies coming from one direction and a couple from another direction, they run into each other and they "commence to a' fussin' and a' feudin'" right there.

Those are the kind of old street shows I'm hoping for.

[joshblakebran]

I like the city as is,,  mods from time to time are always good.  Dont have any real preference on big rides.

I would like to see there every day shows have some variance in them month to month or even year to year.

Variance to the shows would be great...bring back some of the shows that used to be in place as was mentioned in another thread.

[joshblakebran]

Not to beat a dead horse and I know many of your feelings on this, but I still say making the park a non-smoking park would make it better. There is just no way to watch your family on the ol' Powder Keg without choking on the cigarette smoke as the blast off area is a smoking area. There is no way to get to the Grand Exposition without walking past a smoking area in which you can smell the cigarette smoke. When Fire In the Hole has a line, you smell the cigarette smoke. When walking to Fire In the Hole, you smell the cigarette smoke. When walking through the graveyard there is no way not to smell the smoke. These are just the few examples that come to mind. Again, nothing against smokers but the smell of the cigarettes gives a person a headache, especially on a hot day, and second hand smoke is damaging to a person's health. There is no reason a person can't wear a patch for the day or why the powers to be couldn't set up a smoking area outside the actual park. With that said, I really like the park as it is, but would like to see a variety of shows as already mentioned and another major ride on the old waterboggin side of the park to spread out the crowds on the PK and WF side of things.

[Ozark Outlaw]

While I echo your concerns about the smell, and safety of second hand smoke, I would be shocked if they removed the Smoking Areas. After all, smokers are paying customers too. 

Another idea is to simply set up the Smoking Areas in such a way that the second hand smoke is confined to that area. Perhaps they could move the Smoking Areas to better locations, or provide some type of barrier to isolate the smoke.

[Junior]

They did, in the early 70s, have a Hatfield/McCoy thing where a mail order bride arrived on the steam train, and there was a big scuffle and shoot out in front of the depot. In the mid 70s, they had a fellow who was the hanging judge, and he would throw a noose over a tree limb and have kids and adults put their head into the noose for a snapshot. My aunt shot a 8mm film in 1978 of the hanging judge and me down by the tintype shop. Yup, my head was in the noose. All that fun, ad libbed stuff could be brought back...I think todays generation would love it.

[DollarCityBoy]

I'm just thankful they have the Smoking Area's period. This is somewhat of a new thing; use to you could smoke anywhere in the park (outside of course).