Dec. 6 Mishaps

[shavethewhales]

So now that 1Branson is accessible again I've been hearing a lot more about the freak crowds on Dec. 6. If you haven't heard yet, 20,000 people showed up on Dec. 6, a day that's usually not all that crowded. Exiting the park was a sight: people were lined up for several hours and many had toddlers with them. It sounds like there's a whole lot of lasting anger over this experience.

I do have to say though, that the park really couldn't have seen this coming. Freak crowds are pretty much impossible to prepare for when attendance has been down all year. Also, you really shouldn't ever drag your infants out to places like SDC when the temperatures are set to be below freezing for much of the time - amazing how many people forget that.

Hopefully this has been a learning experience for the park. I know they learn from their mistakes, so I don't think we'll see a situation that bad at the park again.

I know some of you were there from mentions on other topics. Care to elaborate?

[marolinesdad]

As I said in my other thread I really saw no problems with the large crowds.  I had no waiting really all evening.

Had a Great time at SDC this weekend.  With over 21,000 people in the park there were no bad lines to wait in unless you wanted to see a Christmas Carol but even that line I only waited 20 min.  I had heard people complain about the parking and the new roads but I really never had any problems with that.  We parked in Lot C and had no real waiting for even a Tram.  They were so ready for the crowd that they had the Frisco Silver Dollar Line leaving every 10 min.   We rode every ride we wanted several times.  Heck I think we rode FITH 20 times.  Thanks Copper for the last ride....  It was the highlight of my trip.

[DocSpeleo]

Just wanted to say that Yesterday we had more people than Dec 6 and the crowds moved through smoothly in and out..
As far as I know there was not a repeat of the Dec 6 crowd issues.

So it doesn't take long to find alternative plans and update our park procedures to have a happy park experience.

[shavethewhales]

Good to know. Sounds like the park made up at least some of its attendance just in the last two weeks, so maybe they won't be so overly-cautious next season.

[the insider]

we are still down a bunch for the year, a whole bunch, so i think you will see a very careful conservative company for the next few years

[mike_kelly87]

I have to disagree about anything being smooth with the way they have scrwed up parking so bad. As a matter of fact I am drfting a letter to HFE to get my money back on the season passes I purchased for next year. It's really simple.

1. As parking lot C & D and Lower C empty, put cars there. Yuor biggest people mover can only goto the C turn around?? Stupid stupid stupid.
2. If you are going to have to spend the money to alter parking make sure the trams can get there. Parking lot F is a JOKE!!!!!
        First, using school busses is too slow a difficult for loading and unloading, they are NOT made for adults especially older people. Then you throw the strollers and small kids in.
        Second the trams load fast and haul tons of people maybe they should be able to goto parking lot F alas someone at SDC isn't smart enough to figure this out.
        Finally if you are going to build a parking lot, park people in it only, and not be able to 1000 people to thier cars in a timely fashon it would make sense to me to make it SAFE to WALK to. Talk about a negligent liability.


I am going to put my money toward CF Plat pass for next year. You know the high price pass that lets you into all the CF properties for free that never cost that much more than the all cities passes. Oh and I forgot, WOF and KI are getting new coaters next year... NOT SDC...

[marolinesdad]

I am so happy that you are asking for your money back from SDC.  That way when my family and I are enjoying that park next year we do not have to deal with people like you whining and complaining about every little thing.  Some of us are truly fans of SDC and appreciate what the Herschends do.  Some parks around the country are expanding this year but that does not make them better parks. 

[cheesehead57]

We also agree that SDC is the BEST or we wouldn't travel 900 miles down from Wisconsin  several times a year. Sure there were some inconveniences thia past year. not enough to whine about.Hope  we can visit  3 or 4   different weeks this year, yes we go to SDC  every day weeks at a time.(Have grown to become great friends with the HOMESTEAD PICKERS, on and off the park).

[marolinesdad]

There again....  What other park than SDC would have the cool things like the Homestead and the Homestead Pickers. http://www.angelfire.com/mo3/pickers/

[shavethewhales]

Actually, I agree fully that more needs to be done to drastically change the parking lot system. I still plan to visit regularly, but it's obviously a work in progress for the park. It's very tricky for the park though. It's not like the SF's where they just buy up more land to fill with asphalt, they have to plan around steep gradients and utilize the tops of ridges. They can't extend the tram system much farther simply because it can't get up the hills. School busses are pretty much the only realistic transport that has the horsepower to climb around the terrain.

[mike_kelly87]

Thier parking problems are not a work in progress they are a tradition.

To be honest if they had been responsible and made the new lots safe to walk to I wouldn't be so angry. To force customers to wait in an hour long line to get to thier cars in my opinion is bad business.

[History Buff]

Perhaps you were not aware of the molecular transport booths that are located in the center of each lot.  The lines are never long, and if you have a season pass you have a choice of areas in which to rematerialize - 1.  in the Harold Bell Wright room of Marvel Cave; 2.  in a special welcome room underneath the teacup ride; or 3.  behind the waterfall.  You have to sign a waiver the first time you use the MTs, but it gets you back and forth to the parking lot and can move you from one corner of the park to another without fighting all the crowds.  Let's see the competition do that!

[Swoosh]

  BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!

[SteamFreak]

Well I have to admit that half way through the post I was thinking...hmmm when did they get those...just glad no one can hear my thoughts..

[saladdays]

Thier parking problems are not a work in progress they are a tradition.

To be honest if they had been responsible and made the new lots safe to walk to I wouldn't be so angry. To force customers to wait in an hour long line to get to thier cars in my opinion is bad business.

Funny, I don't really remember many parking problems before they started the new construction...