2012 Trip Reviews

[sanddunerider]

TRams THANKS!! And might I say I agree with you.................  IF your cranky on day 3 ...................... MOVE ON!!

[SDC#1fan]

we are leaving the house in 15 minutes to head to SDC!

[How-doFolks]

great review Trams!!

i need to get my brother to write his review..

[oldsdcer]

This is my birthday weekend trip to Branson and the City. Left with our neighbors who haven't bee to Branson in years.  Stopped at several flea markets and yard sale along the way on Friday and got to Branson about noon.  Entered down the Strip to see the damage and was amaz at the many familar places that were torn up. Especially at the one strip mall that held the laundary mat and flea market that we would go to over the years that was flatten and the owener put out the sign is front that read " This is not a disaster."  Got to Homestead Inn and meet Paige who gave us a very nice greeting.  The rooms were nice and comfortable for just sleeping since we were not in them that much.  Meet up with the Kids and the Grandkids and went to the fish hatchery to let grandkids feed the fish, then worked our way to the Landing.  Walked half it is before tiring out and deciding to go eat at Golden Corral. Good meal but the second time in two days that my family had waitresses sing Happy Birthday to me.

Saturday started with us going to the City Haul indoor yard sale held at the $1 Shoppes warehouse out by the HIgh School. My neighbors wished they had brought a trailer with them because of all the things they found that they could of got cheap and resold.   Got to the City about 9:45 and stopped at the bakery on the way in for cream cheese danish.  Worked our way to TNT for my 4 year old grandson's first ride. I had shown him the Youtube video and he was hesitate but after he rode it, he said he like it but didn't want to go a second time. Went to HDH and the grandkids love riding the merry-go-round, swings, and the play area.  (Continued)   

[oldsdcer]

Attempted to get on the train but it deveoped a pressure leak and they had to switch out trains that would take and hour. Lines for TGS were backed up and well as all the people rejected from the train filled TFM, so had to skip them, but had no problem on RB, really no one on it. My 2 year old granddaughter cried because she did not like getting all that wet.  But they did like playing in the balls at GG.  They loved the elephants and the frogs at GE. The line at FITH and WF weren't to bad but PK was backed down the hill, so had to skip it. Being opening weekend and the weather being so nice they were alot of people in the park. We got tired around 3:45 and went back to hotel to rest, have
dinner and take the grandkids to the Track for Video games.

Sunday was the Academy Sports and Bass Pro in Springfield, then home.  Great time, City was great, except most of the shows and shoppes were closed. Not seeing how the new ride is really go to run but its early and my picture are not good. Otherwise was a prefect weekend.   

[StaceySue]

We went in today (Sunday, March 18). We didn't get there for rope drop as we usually do.  No one set an alarm, so we just slept in a little.  We did arrive about 10:15, and the park opened at 9:30 today.

We went to the Grand Expo first.  Our toddler was tall enough to ride her first roller coaster over there.  She loved it.  We rode a few other rides, and then we went to see what else we could find.

The crowds began to show up as the morning progressed.  I think the park seemed even busier because there are no major shows right now to suck up some of the crowds.  Wildfire and Powderkeg were running the whole time we were there, but we didn't try to ride.  We will save those for a "grown-up" trip.

We rode the carousel and did the tree house in Half Dollar Holler.  To our delight, the slide has been removed.  Our toddler got stuck in it twice last year.  We headed over to the train, but we were told by the train personnel that they were taking a lunch break, so we didn't make it on the train this trip.  Every time we checked out the Flooded Mine, the line was visible, so we skipped it.

We had some kettle potato chips, and DH had a frozen lemonade.  Besides that, we really didn't eat.  We refilled out cups once.  There really seemed to be people everywhere, so we left about 2:30.  We did walk up to a tram loading, so that was nice since we parked at Stop 3.

We came back to town and rested a little.  We are staying at Grand Country this trip.  We did the water park yesterday.  It was a little crowded, but the toddler area was nearly empty.  Tonight, we did the Fun Spot on the property.  The Ball City for little ones is totally worth $3.00.  My older DD and DH did the laser tag, and they said it was fun.  We will head home sometime tomorrow.  I wish SDC was open tomorrow, but we will just have to wait until World Fest.

[sanddunerider]

sounds like a good initial trip so far. 

i agree with you on the monday thing, we have talked about that before, since i am alwasy there on sunday/monday.... I would lover to see them open fri-sat-sun-mon...

Keep having fun Stacey..

[DougFromTulsa]

Nice reviews.  We're headed down (or is it up?) from Tulsa this week.  Will be there Thursday - Sunday. 

Just curious, we have never been during the Spring Break weeks...  is it busy?  (Not that it really matters)

The family gets really excited when we load up the car... Can't wait for tomorrow night.  That's when the "buzz" really sets in.

[saloongal]

We rode the carousel and did the tree house in Half Dollar Holler.  To our delight, the slide has been removed.  Our toddler got stuck in it twice last year.  We headed over to the train, but we were told by the train personnel that they were taking a lunch break, so we didn't make it on the train this trip.  Every time we checked out the Flooded Mine, the line was visible, so we skipped it.

How did they re-structure the HDH? Is the net thing the only way down now?

[StaceySue]

How did they re-structure the HDH? Is the net thing the only way down now?



You can take some steps to exit.  They must have always been there, but my excited toddler never made it past the slide that she would inevitably get stuck in.

[Joy]

Yeah, there are steps down from the platform that the slide was attached to. They had "exit only" signs on them, but one can get up and down that way to get in or out of the complex. My niece had to have gone down the slide at least five times last Christmas. The stairs were useful for watching her at the top and then going down to film her coming down. She'll be disappointed to see the slide gone.

[StaceySue]

Yeah, there are steps down from the platform that the slide was attached to. They had "exit only" signs on them, but one can get up and down that way to get in or out of the complex. My niece had to have gone down the slide at least five times last Christmas. The stairs were useful for watching her at the top and then going down to film her coming down. She'll be disappointed to see the slide gone.

Maybe they could install a new slide that doesn't have that weird horizontal part.  My daughter didn't have enough momentum to get through there, and then she didn't understand why she wasn't moving.  A normal curly slide would be cool, though!

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

They need something more at HDH. The two climbing nets I noticed were a little crowded. I cant imagine what they look like during the summer kidsfest style. And more shade for the adults watching the kids. I know I have said it before. Put up some sort of relief from the sun yall. Baking in the sun with no relief isnt fun......I vote for mist fans too.

[Joy]

Yeah, a regular curly slide would be cool. There was a slide over at Splash Harbor that my nephew loved to PIECES. Something like that would be cool.

As for the climbing nets, my niece refused to go on them alone. She wouldn't go out there until my sister went with her.

[sanddunerider]

I just wanted to check in today.  i talked to a couple of SDC employees tonite at The Haygood show, and was told they had over 19,000 people there today!1  WOW!!!  said there long lines EVRYWHERE,

We will be going out early tomorrow, see what happens and will check back in sunday nite!