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[Parson B Ready]

You all are really blessed with a beautiful property, and reading some posts in these threads really shows how much you take it for granted.

I disagree. I think most of the people who visit this forum care deeply about the park.  I know I do.

[Gilligan]

I will have to agree with you, Parson. I've never gotten the feeling that anyone on this forum takes the park for granted. That being said, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and we don't always agree. I would consider that a healthy discussion - not "taking the park for granted!" Personally, I wouldn't waste my time on here if I didn't have a love for the park. I assume most members feel the same way.

[Junior]

Here's my two cents worth...I love the place. Was thrilled to work there, and now I have a season pass for the third year in a row. I have really enjoyed escorting family to the park in the last few years, and taking most of the grandkids for their first trips. The magic has lasted over 50 years, and here's my wish it lasts for at least another 50 years to come!

[Swoosh]

You all are really blessed with a beautiful property, and reading some posts in these threads really shows how much you take it for granted.

You think the posts here by "fans" are bad?  Do yourself a favor and never visit a "Disney fan page/forum"  the "rants" here are mere child's play compared to full out meltdowns that occur on those pages/boards on any given day.

[Duelist]

No place this side of Heaven is perfect but I trully believe SDC tries harder than most.  Sure there are some things I'd like to see change but the beauty of it is most of the things I have asked them to change or bring back (such as the Mean Murphy Show and the Salute to the Great American Cowboy) they have done!  I think most big corporations do different things and will only change if it ends up costing them too much money not too.  As my signature line says I've been enjoying SDC since 1969.  We have made multiple visit trips there almost every year since then and have not missed a year since 1988 and have been SDC Season Pass Holders since 1990.  So we definitely don't take our City for granted.

[Joy]

Swoosh is SO right. The Disney forums are CRAZY.

We may disagree on here about what changes are too much or too little, but we do it politely and often SDC ends up listening to feedback. I mean, Mean Murphy came back!

[qwed94]

We may disagree on here about what changes are too much or too little, but we do it politely and often SDC ends up listening to feedback. I mean, Mean Murphy came back!

I completely agree. Most posts on here are polite and generous.  That is one of the things I really like about forums in general. Everyone has an opinion!!! Everyone is different by design, therefore our ideas/likes/dislikes/OPINIONS/ETC are going to be different and unique to us.

The main thing about THIS forum that I like is the POLITENESS.

Now from a owners point of view (from basically any company, but especially a place like SDC). They have to try to please everybody.  We all know that is impossible. But as a whole-older folks like different things than teens, teens like things that most young young kids dont. Girls like things that alot of boys dont, ETC.  It would be very hard to decide (at what point) to say "OK lets build something for this specific Genre/age group/ETC" and ignore the others till we decide to build again.

I think a forum like this is very important - if not VITAL - to SDC. Im willing to bet the PTB reads these posts. You can tell because they listen to them. Unfortunetly, the readers/posters to this forum is very small compared to the # of people that visit SDC, but a small amount of input is certainly better than zero input.  Keep it up!!! I think this is working.

[mhguy77]

Checked in to the Homestay and had a nice chat with Page before unloading and heading to Tanger.  I had a day to squeeze in B&B so I drove up Saturday night and hit the park half a day on Sunday.  We started the weekend shopping and a run by Best buy to see what new shiny things they had to tempt me with.  We had some Freddys Chili Cheese Fries and went back to the room. My travel mate hit the bed and I took my dog and drove down to the Pizza World near Andys, from there we walked the strip.  Looked at White Water through the fence, peeked in the doors at Riplies.  We really enjoyed just walking at night looking at all the lights.
Up Sunday at 8 am and a quick shower we were off to the city.  We got there just after the chain dropped and made it down to OR with a 15 min wait, I was happy with this.  After the ride I bumped into a buddy of mine that is a  citizen and we chatted.  As we did a guy walks by carrying a toy poodle.  I am thinking to myself ( why didn't I bring my dog?).  I know it s against the rules and I completely understand service animals but before someone jumps to this dudes defense telling me that maybe it was a psychological assistance dog or some garbage like that I saw the same dog 10 minutes later standing on a dining table at Crossroads Pizza with 2 women sitting at the same table talking.
ON THE TABLE  !!!!!!   I would love to be able to bring my little dog in for a walk on a Christmas season evening but I know there are rules.  Things like this make me want to go to ebay and buy a service animal vest for my dog and walk her on in.  ( stepping carefully down from the soap box now)  YOU DONT PUT YOUR DOG ON TOP OF A TABLE!!!!!    Now I am really stepping down.......

OR is a great ride but as I age I find once is enough.  We walked around to a few stores.  The candle shop was having a great sale I took advantage of and we stopped in the bakery for some cookies.  Up next was Thunderation, this was my first ride of the year but it felt smoother than usual, if they have done something they have done it right!  We looked around the Christmas store ( standard stuff there) and made our way down to the BBQ.  The brisket was just nothing to get excited about, it wasn't bad, it wasn't good, it kind of tasted like pot-roast and I think it fell off the back of the truck headed to Ryans or the Golden corral.  But I ate it anyway.  The beans were spicy and good, the potato salad was the mustard type.  I was a little let down by the entertainment, or the lack of it.  We ate at noon-12:45 and  Pure heart was the entertainment, they played maybe 3 songs while I was there.  I drove to hear the bluegrass, in all the years past while you ate they had little groups playing for you.  This year they put in one of the standard SDC groups.  One that I do not associate with bluegrass.   I was disappointed, I did not hear a fiddle or any tenor bluegrass as usual.  I think its more about the BBQ and less about the bluegrass this year.  Basically more about what they can charge you for and less about what they do not see direct revenue from.  I have always thought the magic of the festival was happening upon a set or a band and not sitting down in a theater to hear a show.  There is a spontaneity that is lost when it becomes too structured.
I decided that we had had enough for the day so we hit the candy shop and went back to pick up my little dog that was waiting in the room, NOT standing on a table at Crossroads Pizza where there would be someone eating soon.
Some people just slay me............  Overall a great day, temps were just right, no crowds I found unmanageable, they were 2 trains on OR.  BTW I found it interesting that it takes longer to unload and load a train than it does to actually make the loop.  Watch next time you are there.
Had the BBQ, didn't hear the Bluegrass still had a good time but I am adaptable.  Not everyone is.......   
BTW, cheap key chains that say SDC on them in the hospitality house on the way out.  I grabbled a few for those extra keys I make just in case I need to loan on out.

[palallin]

I don't think any of us take SDC for granted, but what we are somewhat guilty of is a sense of ownership.  ("Guilty" is not here being used in a pejorative sense.)  We may over do it at times, and we are usually passionate, and we feel that SDC is "our" liitle slice of heaven in the Ozarks. 

My first trip to SDC was in 1966, and it has been my ideal of recreation ever since, even during those years when I could not go.  I'd pay to go to SDC before I would be paid to go to SF or Disney-Anywhere. 

That doesn't mean I can't quibble about some of the details!  Changes and breaks in theme trouble me because they interfere with my idealized recollections of childhood visits, but I understand that the ideal isn't practical.  I understand that SDC has to appeal to a broader audience than me.  If I note minor disappointments and lament changes that eliminate some of my favorite activities--I miss the stagecoaches!--it's because I care.  If I didn't care, I wouldn't bother.  And if my tendancy to think it "my" place looks like taking it for granted, what I really take for granted is the sense that the PTB might even listen to us here because they know that we are passionate, even if we sometimes overdo it.

There will come a time when either the City or I will no longer be around.  But, until then, I'm going to do my best to enjoy every minute of it I can get and constantly remind myself how important each visit to the Great Past Ahead of me is.

[Junior]

Made a quick, unexpected trip to Branson today. No SDC visit, but here are a few observations: town was busy! Saturday, holiday time, go figure! We tried to go to Joe's Crab Shack at the landing about 7:30pm this evening, but there was an hour and a half wait! We took the side roads to Starvin' Marvin's and enjoyed the seafood buffet there. No lines, but the place was packed. Traffic was heavy all over town, and did  notice the "Ozarkland" sign was now above the building that has been erected there post tornado. Saw a huge crane on the scene at Branson Inn where they are currently demolishing the buildings to make way for a new Mercy Clinic complex. Music shows seemed busy, all the tracks and putt putt golf places were filled with families. After eating, we moved westward toward Branson West and out of the area to head home. Traffic fell off significantly after passing Shepherd of the Hills Expressway intersection with Hwy. 76. It is that time of the year when Branson booms, and boy, it was today! Anyone hear how SDC park capacity was today?

[sanddunerider]

I am in branson this weekend also...an YES their seem to be  a LOT of people in town! Lots of traffic..  LOTS of kids!!??  wow

Saturdays attendence.  13,000.  I am sure the PTB were hoping for bigger numbers with the nice weather and the 3 day weekend... we will see what sunday brings.

[sanddunerider]

Extended hours today (sunday) to 7:30,  @ 1:00 there were a little over 12,000 people in the gate.!

[sanddunerider]

Hit the city early today before heading home! WOW!! what a line of cars for early in the day.. any way in picked up a couple of things, listened to sons of silver dollar and out of there about 10:45..  traffic was backed up to 465 at that point!...

I checked and they had 10,000 people in there by 12 today..  expecting about 10 for the day...,  had ,13,000 @ 3:00 today....  So the park finally got a full weekend in..

sat 13,500 and extended hours
sun 13,500
mon 13,500

[Ozarks Gal]

We also hit the park for a bit on Memorial Day. Came in just before 9:30; we were glad to be coming in from 13, because what we could see of 76 looked crazy. Stop 2 was practically full when we came in (we parked in what I would call "upper 2") and they were already sending to 3. The place seemed full but not crowded when we left at 1. I'm glad the park had what sounds like good attendance this weekend for once.

[Swoosh]

Here is our PTR from Bluegrass & BBQ
http://midwestinfoguide.com/migcrew/2013/SDCbbq/