2021 Crowds/Trip Reports

[palallin]

We were able to go to the city on Thursday, 9/30.  The day began very wet, but, by the time we finished breakfast at Mollie's, the rain was stopping.  Soon, it has ended altogether. 
We saw the Pickers at the Gazebo and the Saloon show at the Boatworks.  The Saloon show tries very hard to maintain continuity with its previous iterations, and the performers have all the necessary energy and talent.  I miss Dave and Rachel, but the current how is well worth the time.
We ate at the Rivertown Smokehouse for the first time.  The food was good and no more expensive than at many restaurants in town--in fact, probably less so.  Theming is nearly non-existent, but this we knew going in.  there did not seem to be a good way to get my wife in the door on her cart, so my son and I got the food while she found a table.  If we must have a modern building, why can it not have ADA accessibility?  The worst aspect of the meal was the noise from the show at the Dockside. 
In fact, probably the most disappointing aspect of the entire visit is the wretched pop being played all over the place.  We go to the city for traditional music, not hyper-electric pounding. 
We did dot he Pumpkin Stroll and saw the opening of the Party--and then escaped ASAP because of the noise there.
We caught up with several citizens whom we have missed much, but some others have retired in the interim, and we will miss seeing them even more.  The crafters were reduced in number, but the ones there were producing quality products.  We did get to chat with Buck Taylor for a good while--great guy!
We picked up a number of household items that we were out of or nearly out of, including spices and soap.  We replaced my wife's deep dish pie plate--her previous one had broken.  And we bought a rack to help keep them safer ;-)
We were pretty tired when we left--it was about as long a day at the city as we have ever spent--and happy that we didn't have to drive home immediately afterwards.  We enjoyed the day very much.

Related;  we went to see the sons the next day at the IMAX, and enjoyed their show quite a bit.  If you liked them at the city, you'll love them in the new venue.

[Pudgy Jones]

For the life of me, I'll never understand the pop music.

Does SDC's marketing department have data somewhere that says people enjoy their visit to an 1880's theme park more with 1990's pop music being played in the background?

Makes absolutely no sense.

[shavethewhales]

The music sets a feel for younger audiences the same way bluegrass sets a feel for us. They are going for a super lively feeling for pumpkin fest. It does kind of clash with the harvest fest, and I think the kidsbob songs are super annoying, but I understand what they are going for.

Anyway, I had a great visit Friday-Sat. Really enjoyed the crafts on the main square, and the weather was unexpectedly great. This was my first time seeing the pumpkin stuff actually since I never managed to make it down during fall the last couple of years. The dance square was very lively, but kind of a hodge-podge of stuff going on. I was surprised by how many enjoyed the corny DJs and dance party. It really looked and sounded like a group zumba exercise. Still, very fun and lively, and obviously it is brining in the crowds because Saturday was PACKED.

Only negatives were one train/one side operation on basically everything but Wildfire, which managed to break down for a good part of Friday. Outlaw Run appears to have a train in pieces that was being worked on. I don't know what the excuse is for everything else. They used one train on TNT friday, and then the other on Saturday, so clearly both work. Saturday was so packed there was no excuse for using one train unless they have serious parts and labor shortages. The line for TNT was through the tunnel. One train on Time Traveler is always ridiculous. Still can't believe they sold one.

FITH and Flooded Mine were running decently though! Some sound effects still missing in both, but that is a constant battle.

[sdcfan88]

Wait... they sold off a train for TT? Or was that a typo? I know PK has been down a train for quite some time now. (2 instead of 3)

[shavethewhales]

I have been told by several people that one of TT's trains was sold to Plopsaland for ride to Happiness. Not sure what they were thinking, but perhaps they were offered a bunch of money for it and will replace it later? I feel like supply chain issues probably had something to do with it.

[legoerosion]

Didn't TT have three trains though? I could've sworn I saw two trains running a few weeks ago.

Anyways, yesterday the park had around 19,000 people there and it was PACKED. Pumpkin Plaza was busy the entire night.

[Okiebenz]

That does not seem to make any sense to sell off one of the TT trains, but wow, who knows.

[shavethewhales]

TT originally had three trains and was setup to have a separate unload station from the loading area. That's part of why it has that long bridge. I don't know why they have never operated it as designed after the first season. I guess someone crunched the numbers and realized how much they get from Trailblazers due to the long lines... what we always said would happen. Once a park starts making profit off of lines, the park is actually incentivized to create and sustain them...

Anyway, I wish we could get the numbers for last Saturday. I'm being told they used all the lots and maybe even one of the satellite parking lots? That would make it similar to Christmas season crowds. It definitely felt a little uncomfortably busy, but not quite the actual crushing crowds of Christmas. Part of that may have been the fact that all the pumpkin fest stuff directs people to the back of the park where there's more room rather than bunching everyone up in the main square. Still think the park is in for some real struggles once November hits.

[cowboy]

Expect HUGE crowds this weekend. It's Oklahoma's Fall Break and I'm doing a last minute search for hotels, rentals, etc. for my family and there are not many options left (especially Friday night). Thousand Hills will not let you search for rooms this weekend...I did find some things for $4000+ a night (I do not have that kind of cash).

Anyway, should be a big crowd in Branson this weekend.

Jay

[sanddunerider]

Expect HUGE crowds this weekend. It's Oklahoma's Fall Break and I'm doing a last minute search for hotels, rentals, etc. for my family and there are not many options left (especially Friday night). Thousand Hills will not let you search for rooms this weekend...I did find some things for $4000+ a night (I do not have that kind of cash).

Anyway, should be a big crowd in Branson this weekend.

Jay

Jay, call michelle or Lori at 417-332-2121, they may have a lead to rooms available...  thats their business..

tell them your with me and SDCfans...   that will either save you some money or cost you double!!!

[pintrader]

Thousand Hills will not let you search for rooms this weekend...I did find some things for $4000+ a night (I do not have that kind of cash).

Jay

That's alright cowboy...I probably could squeeze you in at my house for $3000 a night and 2 nights for $5000 

[Pudgy Jones]

We visited on Saturday and Sunday (10/9 & 10/10). My family and I have been coming Columbus Day weekend for years. When we first started coming, the crowds were relatively light on that weekend. This weekend was NUTS!

The highlight of my weekend came during the Homestead Pickers' 3:15 show on Saturday. A kindly gentleman walked up and said, "Danny, can you all do Arlington? These folks look like they are having too much fun, and you need to do something serious." I looked up, and saw Jack Herschend himself watching the Homestead Pickers. After the show, I got the opportunity to thank him for what Silver Dollar City has meant to my family and me for the past 61 years. I met Pete several years ago, and always wanted to meet Jack. It's amazing that the founder of the park and the man who literally built everything can walk around unnoticed by vast majority of the people there. I've had the opportunity to meet a lot of famous people in my career, but none excited me more than getting to thank Jack Herschend for Silver Dollar City.

Another thing of note, I overheard one of the craft vendors tell another park visitor to enjoy Fire in the Hole because this was the last year for it. I'm sure the PTB wouldn't be thrilled that one of the vendors was telling people that.

[shavethewhales]

Expect HUGE crowds this weekend. It's Oklahoma's Fall Break and I'm doing a last minute search for hotels, rentals, etc. for my family and there are not many options left (especially Friday night). Thousand Hills will not let you search for rooms this weekend...I did find some things for $4000+ a night (I do not have that kind of cash).

Anyway, should be a big crowd in Branson this weekend.

Jay

Wow, what on earth would justify 4 grand a night in branson? Sounds like a drug laundering scheme, lol. Nothing in Branson is THAT fancy.


Pudgy, we must have just missed each other! I came to the picking shed just before they started playing, but left early to go ride stuff with my nephew. It's great to hear that Jack still gets out there.

[cowboy]

There were only two cabins left at Big Cedar (no rooms) each cabin is $4,765 / day. I have found some other places…but need multiple rooms (so it adds up). Friday is really booked solid, things open up a bit on Saturday. It’s going to be a busy weekend.

I’ll probably be giving Michelle or Lori a call…see if they know a house or condo somewhere.

Jay

[Pudgy Jones]

One thing I noticed this weekend was that a couple of the nicer water features were turned off. The stream that flows down hill toward the gun/knife shop wasn't running, and the small water wheel by Powderkeg wasn't running. I am used to seeing them off during Christmas, but not during the fall. I hope this is temporary...those little features add a lot to the park.