SDC First Visit - Saturday/Sunday (Labor Day Weekend)

[photoboothe]

Hey everyone! Long time theme park forum poster/coaster lover here. Haven't had the need to post here until now!

Very excited to make a trip to a theme park I've never been to before and visit a part of the country I've never set foot in. Driving in from Chicago, making a stop in St. Louis for the City Museum and BBQ on Friday before getting into the Baymont Inn around 11PM Fri Night.

Visiting Labor Day weekend (Sat and Sun). Anyone been in the past? What were the queue times like? The group is for sure getting to the park the minute it opens both days.

How about restaurants/bars in the area outside of the park? I believe I'm staying at a hotel right across the street (Baymont Inn), as we got tickets/hotel in a package deal from Branson.com. I've been to Dollywood before so I know that taking the time to slow down and enjoy the scenery/arts and crafts is a must at the park. But I'm also looking to spend some time at local food spots/bars after the park closes. This is vacation baby!

If it's too crowded, honestly I'll buy their version of the fastpass. Seems like a good deal. But yeah, looking for any other tips - especially things to do outside of the park as far as bars and restaurants go since the park closes somewhat early.

Any tips on which rides to visit first, where to sit, and any tricks or tips for the park would be appreciated. I'm not the biggest fan of shows, but the Saloon show seemed really cool! Any others that are highly recommended?

Anyone else visiting the park this weekend?

Sorry for all the questions!
Thanks everyone!
-Zach

[Gilligan]

You know that Main Street opens at 8 right? That will allow you into a couple breakfast buffets, Delilah's Bakery, and shops that are on Main Street.  SDC is not in town and the Baymont is not across from it. Leaving early will help you prevent the lines into the parking lots. Southern Gospel weekend is going on then, so I expect it to be very crowded. Branson isn't really known for bars, but there are a few good bars/restaurants at the Landing. I think Waxy O'Sheas is still open (haven't been there in a while), Ernies Piano Bar, a new distillery place just opened there, and a couple more that I can't think of right now. Danna's BBQ is a must for us. Little Hacienda is in my opinion the best Mexican restaurant in town. The one on the Landing is great, also. Have fun!

[ithai]

For a busy weekend like this you will want to ride the train early. It usually gets to be a longer wait later in the day. Make sure you top in the taffy shop first thing in the morning to see what flavors of taffy they are making that day. If you are there for one of the demos you get a fresh pull of taffy. Its really good fresh off the machine. If you like caves the lantern tour is well work the 10.75 a person. You really get a feel for how big the cave is not to mention all the stories you get to hear. The candy shop is must to stop by. They do demos every hour and the samples are a sweet treat after seeing the cool demo. Two of may favorite places to eat in the mark is the mine buffet and the riverside ribhouse close to the lost river.

[sanddunerider]

Bars?   Little Hacienda, not a bar, but you can order drinks with your meal..(they have Killer Margaritas)
Drafts Bar and Grill,, full menu and a full bar.  (a little pricey)
Time Out-    Bar with kitchen onsite,  sports orientated,  nice bar..
The Cheeky Monkey, locate don the south edge of town, but out of city limits so they are not affected by the No Smoking Ban like everyone else in town is..
Club 56-  Located in the basement of Dick Clarks Bandstand building.
Old Chicago @ the Landing.

Just a few of the night spots in the area...

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

Wait....there are bars in Branson???   There is not a hotel/motel across the street as stated above. And I do expect it to be CROWDED! Get the SDC app. It shows ride wait times at the flick of a thumb. As for food, the skillets are really good. I have heard the ribs are superb but I have not shelled out for them. It is kinda pricey to eat there. You are able to bring in your own food and drink. Non alcoholic. If you smoke you have to watch for the smoking areas as it is a non smoking park. Also watcch for the fast pass. There are two. One only allows for 3 cuts and the other is unlimited? However it is really expensive!!! Outlaw Run is a must ride. The train wait will be from here to Chicago! But it is worth the wait. Hopefully you can get on it first thing. Branson is not a party town per se.  Its more family friendly. I hope you have a nice time.

[Gilligan]

You know that Main Street opens at 8 right? That will allow you into a couple breakfast buffets, Delilah's Bakery, and shops that are on Main Street.  SDC is not in town and the Baymont is not across from it. Leaving early will help you prevent the lines into the parking lots. Southern Gospel weekend is going on then, so I expect it to be very crowded. Branson isn't really known for bars, but there are a few good bars/restaurants at the Landing. I think Waxy O'Sheas is still open (haven't been there in a while), Ernies Piano Bar, a new distillery place just opened there, and a couple more that I can't think of right now. Danna's BBQ is a must for us. Little Hacienda is in my opinion the best Mexican restaurant in town. The one on the Landing is great, also. Have fun!

Cantina Laredo!  That's the name of the mexican restaurant at the Landing I was thinking of.  It has a nice little patio area that is next to the fountain.  Good drinks, food, and salsa!

[Tmboote]

I would recommend riding Powder Keg earlier in the day, possibly right at opening, as lines are always longer for that ride. However, you will be lucky if it opens at 9:30 as it is closed often. Lines for Thunderation usually don't get that long throughout the day, if they have both trains running. Wildfire lines can get long even with two trains because, when we were there, the crew is slow and doesn't seem motivated to get the trains moving out of the station as quick as possible.

I don't think Branson has many bars (not that I would know), I never see any when we drive through town.

[shavethewhales]

Branson is actually very different from Pigeon Forge in terms of getting around. Pigeon forge is easy to manuever around, but Branson can be a nightmare if you don't know where you are going and if you hit the traffic wrong. Look into the alternate routes around the Branson strip ESPECIALLY THE YELLOW ROUTE.

The road out to SDC can get backed up around opening time, and the parking situation is ridiculous because they'll send you around all kinds of loops and detours to park you out in the boonies so they fill up the outer lots first. All of SDC and it's parking lots are built on ridgelines, so it's a logistical nightmare. The way to get around it, as others have pointed out, is to get to the park an hour early and eat breakfast in the mill restaurant on the main square. They'll drop the chains to the rest of the park at opening time and you'll be first in line for the big rides.

If you have extra time and get tired of the crowds, don't forget about the cave under the park. It's pretty cool and offers a nice retreat from the craziness.

Branson doesn't have many good bars. A lot of them actually close by like 10-11pm even on the weekends. There's one decent one in Branson Landing near Bass Pro though I think.

[mhguy77]

If you are at the Hampton near 76 you are actually a good drive from SDC ( meaning 6 miles maybe).  You definitely want to figure out where the routes are when you get there the night before.  I would not drive down 76 to the city either coming or going.  If you want to see the strip then go down it at 11 when you get in to town it will be empty.
Enjoy your trip and take your time.  Check out Big Cedar and Top of the Rock.  They are very impressive.  First class resort,  luxury Ozarks style and a good place to keep in mind for future trips..

[photoboothe]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I must have been misinformed about the location of the Baymont Inn. Oh well! I'm sure we will get there early as advised to check out the square and possibly breakfast. I will starve myself for dozens of cinnamon bread!

I'll probably end up buying the Trailblazer pass on either Saturday or Sunday, just so I can guarantee 8 rides on Outlaw Run. (You could guess where my priorities are )But of course I'm going to check out Marvel Cave and the other attractions the park has to offer. Very excited about Powder Keg as I've never been on a S&S launch coaster.

Appreciate the advice on food/restaurants outside of the park as well! No worries about the bars then..I'll just come prepared with a bottle of Bulleit Bourbon #hotelparty

It's going to be a HOT weekend! Ready to do lots of walking and sweat. I'm assuming the park will be running all trains to maximize capacity. Hopefully most of the crowds will be there for the Southern Gospel shows...or go to WhiteWater.