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[Ozark Outlaw]

Again they just need to use their imagination rather than settling for easy.

That's it exactly! We all know, and understand that this is just a theme park. Of course there were no such things as multiple looping steel roller coasters back in the 1880's. However, when their creative team designs the attractions to look like they would have existed in the 1880's then that's where the magic happens. Just throwing in a store bought basket ball, or a Disney copied elephant ride, or a mechanical frog, and lady bug ride with no imagination is what causes the eye sores.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for as many children's rides as possible! However, let's keep them with the theme. My opinion only. 

[saladdays]

Some of these kinds of feelings are similar to what people probably had in the past every time there's been change in the park... 

[Junior]

I guess this is something I should have mentioned on this thread before, but I have not. It was my understanding from conversations I had while an employee back in the early 80's that part of the reason the land between Shepherd of the Hills Farm and SDC was never developed was because SH Farm and SDC owners had bought it all up. especially SDC. It was intentionally NOT DEVELOPED so that as visitors drove to SDC from Branson all they would be surrounded by was big, shady trees. (IT MADE YOU FEEL LIKE  YOU WERE GOING BACK IN TIME) Especially after leaving all that modern development in Branson. The route in front of the Wilderness (Campground and water slide in my days) was also very undeveloped, except for one small mom and pop motel, and two other campgrounds. Indian point road was undeveloped as well, until you started getting past the parking lots at SDC. Then, as you got on park, you passed the Harvey water Clock, went up the path to the hospitality house, and passed through the doors on the other side...and you were in the 1880s. Honestly, don't know if what I just explained above is true, but I did have conversations with fellow SDC employees who appeared to be "in the know" about this, so I've always assumed it was true.

[Junior]

Keep in mind the route I'm talking about above is the OLD ROUTE of Hwy. 76. That was the area where the only thing you saw between SH Farm and SDC was the Old Shepherd's Book Store and the Shepherd of the Hills Cemetery.

[History Buff]

Honestly, in my over three decades of visits, I have never seen a deputizing - either for myself as a kid, or for my daughter.

As for the basketballs, I've offered my huge criticism many times.  I really would like to have a new game in the area in which I get to kick every remaining ball as hard as I can into Echo Hollow.  Then we can all sing around a nasty, noxious basketball campfire after the park closes.  It would be nice if they would simply hand out deflated balls instead of allowing them to be bounced all through the city.  One of these days, when I am old, I will use my senility as an excuse for grabbing those balls from people and chucking them into Marvel Cave.

[saloongal]

HB-Can you be young and senile?  I am ready to throw them myself.

As kids I think that we got deputized every day we were in the park.  This is our third year of taking our daughter and now our second year with our son, and we havent gotten them deputized yet.

Although for the first time this last weekend my daughter asked for one of the cork rifles...I knew it was just a matter of time! 

[rubedugans]

Heck I almost asked this year to be deputized! It was such a thrill as a kid to have it happen. I don't think we had to prod, or anything, I remember we would walk up and ask the sheriff to deputize us and TA DA....we were deputies!

[Copper]

Maybe because I am there more often, but I have seen Chuck deputize kids practically each day.

[PastorDon]

I think one of my kids got deputized by Depity Tweedle several years ago.  When I saw the badge I REALLY wanted one so just went up to him and asked if he would deputize me too.  As I recall, he kind of rolled his eyes in a good natured kind of a way, as if to say "You're kinda old for this aren't you?", and handed me my very own Silver Dollar City Deputy Badge which I proudly display in my office. 

[Joy]

I'm pretty sure Deputy Tweedle deputized my sis and I, too. Unfortunately, if that's the case, I have absolutely no clue where our badges went... Then again, my mom's the one who also has our old tintype (back when they actually printed on metal), so maybe the badges are stuck in her stuff, too.

[Ozark Outlaw]

These are such great stories about being deputized! See this is where the real magic of Silver Dollar City comes from! Call me crazy, but there's so much more to all of these issues than just simply breaking the theme.

The atmosphere at Silver Dollar City is unique. It's warm. It's inviting. It's comforting. It's the one place where you can set foot into the town square, and literally let all of the problems that we face each day just melt away. I don't want to loose that excitement over cookie cutter, machined attractions that I can find at any theme park. Sure we can nick pick over the little things. However, it's important to stop a leak when it's just one drop at a time rather than waiting for the whole room to flood so to speak.  

Sorry, I let my passion about Silver Dollar City take over me.

[Junior]

Ozark BBQ, that passion drives most of us regarding SDC...guests...employees...former employees. Don't lighten up, keep the fire burning! (FITH?) Ha!