Your top suggestions on making the park even better

[MagnoliaWhisper]

Oh sorry, but one more PS on the food.

Is it just my husband and I, or does any one else notice a huge quality change, and quantity change on the succatash? It seems to my husband and I we used to get more meat, and the veggies we liked (like okra for instance) and now it's very little meat (like the last time I bet I only had two pieces at most in mine!) and mainly the cheap veggies, like corn and onions! (not that I don't like corn and onions, but I also loooove okra!). Any way...not only did the quality and quantity seem to go down, but at the same time the prices raised! The last few years we didn't even get it cause we knew would have to buy something else too to get full and still be disappointed in the lack of ingredients that used to be in there, and just full of the cheapest stuff!

and personally the price change wouldn't bother us so bad if the quantity and the quality was still there. It was just a double whammy when both were done at the same time! I am sure both my husband and I would be willing to pay the extra price change IF the quantity and quality had stayed up to par.

[Duelist]

Welcome to the site, Magnolia Whisper!  I agree with you about the pies; I've ranted about them too.  My wife and I visited Mary's Pie Shop quite often for an afternoon treat of the lemon and choclate meringue pies.  We checked out Mary's in July and they only had two kinds of pie, neither of which was meringue.  But you're right about the City listening to their guests and making changes for the better.   Maybe they'll bring back the pies...

[jmc75]

Is chef Zader still at the city I had though he had left?

[shavethewhales]

Ah yes, I don't know if I remembered to include this in my last trip report or not, but the food situation at SDC  has continued to go downhill this year. I wouldn't even suggest that people eat in the park these days, it's gotten that bad. I saw many complaints from guests about the food, which used to be unheard of.

I had lunch at the Springhouse that day. Ordered the spaghetti in a bread bowl and received a water bunch of noodles in a plastic bowl instead. I was pretty mad. I had some cinnamon bread later that day too, and even it seemed more mass produced and in lower quality. When I ordered it they actually stuck it in a microwave for a few seconds... not like the old days when they were fresh out of the oven and a microwave would certainly NEVER be used in front of guests.

It's pretty sad, because SDC used to be one of my favorite places to eat. There used to be so many places I enjoyed - I could have spent a whole day just eating my way around the park.

If there's one improvement the park should be making during the upcoming "improvements" year, it's in their food service and production.

[Ozark Outlaw]

I had some cinnamon bread later that day too, and even it seemed more mass produced and in lower quality. When I ordered it they actually stuck it in a microwave for a few seconds... not like the old days when they were fresh out of the oven and a microwave would certainly NEVER be used in front of guests.

You mentioned that you had the cinnamon bread later in the day, specifically after lunch. I wonder if they bake the cinnamon bread for breakfast, and then simply reheat the unsold ones in the afternoon?

[pintrader]

The last two times I have visited the park 8/9 - 9/2, the Lumbercamp was out of tomatoes.  Not a big deal, but you do like to receive what you pay your hard earned money for (No Discount).  I don't know if they were out for the entire month or it was just coincidental they were out the last two days I had visited.  If this was late in the day I might understand but we were the first in line on 9/2.  You would think someone might stop at the grocery store on the way to work.

[MagnoliaWhisper]

I'm not sure if Chef Zadar is still there or not, this has been some years, since they took out the Cajun Food, I called guest relations about it, and they said that Chef Zadar was on the park at the time I called and asked if I would like to speak to him and I said yes. This has been at least 7 or 8 years and possibly longer ago. They still had the pies at the time, 2 years ago was the first time I noticed that the merignue pies were gone, they used to sell them every where, The Springhouse, the BBQ place by the riverboat theater, and the ice cream shops restaurant as well as the Sandwich shop.

The Springhouse spaghetti quality went down some years ago, it started with the meatballs started tasting like the kind you get from Sam's club (even though they are supposed to be home made and are larger then Sam's club, they just weren't like they used to be), then taking away the breadbowls too.

And wow I haven't heard of them doing the  microwave with the breads, there is a time in the day they make the last of stuff, but still a microwave, really? I HATE bread out of a microwave, wouldn't a toaster oven be just as convenient but with better quality results? UHG! I NEVER put bread in the microwave at home!

[cheesehead57]

We always used to eat in SDC, but now we bring in something......the Bakery must use the same kind of mixes that most grocery and other bake shops use.... I used to like the cinnamon rolls, but now they are just like any other stores bakery only bigger.....I'm a baker that makes everything from scratch, so it's hard to find REAL BAKERY these days. Most of the other places to eat have only so-so food....the portions are smaller and of poorer quality than they used to be. SDC ian't the only place that food quality has gone down and prices gone up......most restaurants have the same problems. I guess a lot of people don't notice ,because   most people eat out and don't know what home cooked food tastes like.

[MagnoliaWhisper]

You are right Cheesehead, that has happened to most of our favorite restaurants, quality and quantity down and price up. We have had to give up a lot of our favorite restaurants cause it just wasn't worth it any more.

[okiebluegrass]

10) Find a way to rebuild the treehouse.
  9) Do something with the waterboggan tower.
  More street shows
  7) Get rid of (or at least try to hide) all the stuff that Miss Mary wouldn't like
  6) Make all the food from scratch like they used to
  5) Restore FITH to it's original layout
  4) Build a wooden roller coaster
  3) Carry Nation show at the Saloon
  2) Bring back the old wooden toys they used to sell in the toystore
  1) More Bluegrass - you can never go wrong with more bluegrass

[cheesehead57]

Ditto....OKIE.....your suggestions are right on!

[crsjrr]

I agree okiebluegrass!  Other then the wooden coaster idea, nothing else on the list would be too cost prohibitive.  Does anyone know if anyone from SDC reads or posts here?   The free market research available here costs them nothing!

[DollarCityBoy]

Yes, there are several SDC employee's (better known as Citizens) on these forums. Some are present, some are past, but ALL are appreciated!
And you can be certain that there are Higher Ups that read these post.

[Duelist]

10) Find a way to rebuild the treehouse.
  9) Do something with the waterboggan tower.
  More street shows
  7) Get rid of (or at least try to hide) all the stuff that Miss Mary wouldn't like
  6) Make all the food from scratch like they used to
  5) Restore FITH to it's original layout
  4) Build a wooden roller coaster
  3) Carry Nation show at the Saloon
  2) Bring back the old wooden toys they used to sell in the toystore
  1) More Bluegrass - you can never go wrong with more bluegrass

Excellent list, okiebluegrass!  The only thing I would add is let the members of SDCFans in free for all the publicty we give 'em! 

[jmc75]

I agree with some of the thoughts with the food like at big Jacks sandwhich shop where the sandwhichs are premade. I even emailed SDC customer service about it. I think the biggest problem is not completely SDC's. I was told by one of the citizens that there have been complaints about the time people have to wait for their food. Wether it is a sandwhich or cinnamon bread. I unfortunately think that sometimes they have to conform to the masses and as much as WE do not like that our voice are smaller compared to the millions that go everyyear.