SDC's Character Meetups (a bit of a rant)

Ozark Outlaw · June 27, 2016, 09:15:15 AM

I was at the park on Saturday, and guess what I saw? Scooby Doo, and Shaggy being escorted through the park! Now, to be fair they were probably just walking from point A to point B, and I never saw them again throughout the day. However, Silver Dollar City officially "broke the fourth wall" on theme at that point.

Duelist · June 27, 2016, 09:23:46 AM

^Hopefully they were escorting them to the Flooded Mine and prison for breaking the theme- LOL

HumphreyHawk · June 27, 2016, 09:28:14 AM

The Huckleberry Finn character specifically has a very racial history....including using the 'N' work multiple times in the original writings. Of course....the book is also known for helping to 'humanize' the black characters he encounters to readers at the time. Huck was basically an escaped slave himself from his father. Huck has been one of the most banned books in school because of the tough themes. It basically has a group of people who says it is a positive book on race and a group that disagrees.

Personally.....Huck and Catcher in the Rye (the other largely banned book) are two of my favorite reads of all time....I read them both as a teen and I'll hand them to my kids when I think they are ready to read them. I'd rather live in a country where parents screen out these books for there kids then where they are banned. I'm also keenly aware that in today's world....our kids are one google search away from being exposed to a lot worse content than what these books have.

But.....a 'typical' SJW would find out that Huck used the 'N' word and automatically protest SDC. What I would call a SJW is someone who reacts with no understanding or regard of history to try to keep their own or someones else's feelings from getting hurt. SJW tend to want to take away opposing thoughts and opinions by any means. You can care about all peoples rights and lifestyles without being a SJW and people can/should hold different opinions about other lifestyles without being harassed or bullied by SJWs.

There has been many Tom and Huck shows and movies....including some recent 'big budget' ones. I just don't see them being a big attraction anymore....kids these days are reading harry potter, dumb dairies, watch really stupid Disney shows (with the standard dumb dad/parents), or are playing minecraft. Maybe SDC should talk to Minecraft about putting Tom and Huck in that game....lol

runner1960 · June 27, 2016, 12:59:10 PM

Sorry , But I just do not get the whole Tom and Huck thing at SDC. The characters are river rats from a river town. In the past SDC has done a great job of stealing characters from other parts of the country and using them. Hatfields and McCoys are Kentucky/West Virginia. Tom and Huck are northern Missouri. I say use what you have and quit stealing others ideas.

Joy · June 27, 2016, 08:02:43 PM

Quote from: Runner1960 on June 27, 2016, 12:59:10 PM
Sorry , But I just do not get the whole Tom and Huck thing at SDC. The characters are river rats from a river town. In the past SDC has done a great job of stealing characters from other parts of the country and using them. Hatfields and McCoys are Kentucky/West Virginia. Tom and Huck are northern Missouri. I say use what you have and quit stealing others ideas.

I think the Twain thing is because of the time period and generalized location. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in the US in February 1885, smack dab in the middle of the decade that SDC represents, and since HF and TS are set in Missouri, I guess SDC figured it was close enough to be used as a theme. It'd be pretty easy to have the characters say that they're visiting the City from Hannibal; that's what the princesses at Disney do ("Hi, I'm Elsa. I'm visiting from the Kingdom of Arendelle" etc.)

But I do agree - it'd be best if SDC could create its own characters/use the characters its got and just go from there.

In fact, I had actually been outlining some kids books that I'm still hoping to write that took place at SDC/Marmaros and featured different SDC characters (for example, one book would be about Doc Harris, another would feature the Saloon characters, etc).

Pudgy Jones · June 28, 2016, 09:33:30 AM

How about breakfast with Alfie and Ralphie Bolin? If done right, that could be a hoot!

Joy · June 28, 2016, 10:17:35 AM

Quote from: Pudgy Jones on June 28, 2016, 09:33:30 AM
How about breakfast with Alfie and Ralphie Bolin? If done right, that could be a hoot!

That would be SO fun!

sdcfan88 · June 28, 2016, 11:05:08 AM

I'd be afraid they would steal my food.

History Buff · June 28, 2016, 11:46:06 AM

Quote from: Pudgy Jones on June 28, 2016, 09:33:30 AM
How about breakfast with Alfie and Ralphie Bolin? If done right, that could be a hoot!

Breakfast with a murderer and his imaginary brother? Probably not.

Just think that they'll have ocean animals running around after their PBS show starting airing. They still won't fit theme, but at least they'll be HFE characters.

Joy · June 28, 2016, 11:48:44 AM

Well, they'd be the fictional SDC versions of Alfie and Ralphie...

I won't be surprised to see the Splash and Bubbles characters at SDC. At least fish are kinda timeless...

EDIT: Then again, I feel like S&B is going to show up more at the aquariums; that seems to be the idea presented by the Herschend CEO, Andrew Wexler, in this press release: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160518005157/en/PBS-KIDS-Announces-Premiere-Date-Animated-Series

runner1960 · June 28, 2016, 12:54:14 PM

I know what they are trying to do but lets be honest. This aint Disney and no matter what they try they are not going to have the appeal and draw of breakfast with Mickey and Minnie or the Princesses. I just wonder if they get that much business from it all ? My kids never asked to have a character breakfast at SDC but if we went to Disney it was a must do every time.

History Buff · June 28, 2016, 02:01:32 PM

I will give them this much: the character stuff at SDC is not shrouded in fakery.

However, the princess and pirate cruises on the lake are blatant copycatting - all the while even including the Disney songs. Nothing original there. Do they at least give a nod to the old pirate cruise on Taneycomo? I doubt it.

Joy · June 28, 2016, 02:27:38 PM

I've been wondering about that Pirates & Princesses cruise... I saw video of a family meeting the princesses, and those princesses were in blatantly Disney-inspired costumes. Like, they were definitely copied from the Disney face characters. It's made me wonder how on earth they can get by with doing that. I mean, I realize it wasn't within the park, but the Branson Belle is an attraction within its own right. How has Disney not sent them a cease & desist?

chittlins · June 28, 2016, 02:53:21 PM

Quote from: Duelist on June 26, 2016, 09:24:09 PM
^ Too bad- I'd go to breakfast with Tom, Huck and Becky! Not to mention a Mark Twain impersonator

A breakfast show would be cow udders

Jemmicat · June 29, 2016, 12:25:25 PM

When my daughter was younger, we really enjoyed the Veggie Tales shows. Their presence was mostly isolated to the Riverfront Playhouse, though (which was fine with me).

What really bothers me about it and how they are doing summers the last couple years is that the Opera house sits empty from the end of the Bluegrass and BBQ festival until Christmas. No summer shows. No fall show. They stopped being creative or even much trying and went with canned characters for kids to meet. Our family has had a blast at things like the physics show and we loved "Heading West" and the other shows... now it is limit the number of shows available and cram everyone into the Globetrotters, saloon show or magic show.