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Any best guesses of projected / anticipated crowd attendance numbers for this Saturday 11/17?

[sanddunerider]

Any best guesses of projected / anticipated crowd attendance numbers for this Saturday 11/17?

with predicted weather forecast, and looking at the numbers for the last couple of sat's...  I would guess 16-18,000 people..

[Okiebenz]

I  am planning on going out there tomorrow afternoon/evening. I would think it should be pretty light traffic, correct?

[sanddunerider]

I  am planning on going out there tomorrow afternoon/evening. I would think it should be pretty light traffic, correct?

I would think extremely light... 
friday wont be bad either......

[Okiebenz]

We arrived yesterday at about 3:30pm and stayed till close to 8pm.  All rides were walk on, including TT.  We watched the parade sitting on the new wall with the little tables on them over by the new restaurants.  There was very little crowd there and it was stress free.  When the parade ended, we headed over to the train and jumped in line just as they started letting people into the station for the next ride. They closed the gate at the group that was just ahead of us.  Once the train pulled in and everyone loaded, we ended up getting on that ride just fine but by this time the line behind us was pretty big.  After we got off the train we headed over to TT to ride it in the dark, which was cool.  Once again it was walk on. I had a couple of interesting observations about it that I will post in a separate thread.

[Gilligan]

I  am planning on going out there tomorrow afternoon/evening. I would think it should be pretty light traffic, correct?

I would think extremely light... 
friday wont be bad either......

That could change.  An hour ago (5:00), it was 63 degrees.

[Pudgy Jones]

I was at the city Saturday night. I was also there last year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which, if I remember correctly, was close to being a record-setter. IF you go into the City expecting these crowds, and IF you know where to go and what to do, it's still a great experience. Here are my tips:

1) Get there before rope drop and parking won't be an issue for you.
2) If you aren't a season pass holder, buy your tickets in advance.
3) Visit Midtown before dark OR after the parade.
4) Stay away from the depot while the train is running. Between people getting on and trains letting off, it's the most crowded point in the park.
5) Time your meals during non-peak meal times. For example, eat lunch at 11 or 1, not at noon.
6) Don't go with the expectation of riding a lot of rides. If you want to ride rides, come at a different time of year.
7) If you want to see the saloon show, be in line an hour in advance. (It's worth it, BTW).
8 ) If you absolutely must see IAWL or Christmas Carol, strongly consider the Show Lover's Pass. It's worth the money. 
9) Plan to stick around to enjoy the city AFTER the parades. Even on the busiest days, it becomes so serene after the parades. It makes fighting the crowds worth it. Plus, getting out of the parking lots will be so much easier.

[kbosch1]

I was at the city Saturday night. I was also there last year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which, if I remember correctly, was close to being a record-setter. IF you go into the City expecting these crowds, and IF you know where to go and what to do, it's still a great experience. Here are my tips:

1) Get there before rope drop and parking won't be an issue for you.
2) If you aren't a season pass holder, buy your tickets in advance.
3) Visit Midtown before dark OR after the parade.
4) Stay away from the depot while the train is running. Between people getting on and trains letting off, it's the most crowded point in the park.
5) Time your meals during non-peak meal times. For example, eat lunch at 11 or 1, not at noon.
6) Don't go with the expectation of riding a lot of rides. If you want to ride rides, come at a different time of year.
7) If you want to see the saloon show, be in line an hour in advance. (It's worth it, BTW).
8 ) If you absolutely must see IAWL or Christmas Carol, strongly consider the Show Lover's Pass. It's worth the money. 
9) Plan to stick around to enjoy the city AFTER the parades. Even on the busiest days, it becomes so serene after the parades. It makes fighting the crowds worth it. Plus, getting out of the parking lots will be so much easier.

Couldn't agree more!

I'd add, do NOT watch the parade in the Main Street area if you don't want to be 5 people deep. 

[sanddunerider]

I was at the city Saturday night. I was also there last year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which, if I remember correctly, was close to being a record-setter. IF you go into the City expecting these crowds, and IF you know where to go and what to do, it's still a great experience. Here are my tips:

1) Get there before rope drop and parking won't be an issue for you.
2) If you aren't a season pass holder, buy your tickets in advance.
3) Visit Midtown before dark OR after the parade.
4) Stay away from the depot while the train is running. Between people getting on and trains letting off, it's the most crowded point in the park.
5) Time your meals during non-peak meal times. For example, eat lunch at 11 or 1, not at noon.
6) Don't go with the expectation of riding a lot of rides. If you want to ride rides, come at a different time of year.
7) If you want to see the saloon show, be in line an hour in advance. (It's worth it, BTW).
8 ) If you absolutely must see IAWL or Christmas Carol, strongly consider the Show Lover's Pass. It's worth the money. 
9) Plan to stick around to enjoy the city AFTER the parades. Even on the busiest days, it becomes so serene after the parades. It makes fighting the crowds worth it. Plus, getting out of the parking lots will be so much easier.

Couldn't agree more!

I'd add, do NOT watch the parade in the Main Street area if you don't want to be 5 people deep.

5 ? people deep?   

You meant to say 50 people deep? didnt you.?

[sdcfan88]

So as I mentioned in another post, I went on Sunday and to my surprise (and to the parks surprise) they were unexpectedly busy and staff were commenting that they have never have seen a Sunday (even at Christmas) this busy. It was like a Friday or Saturday night there. All the lots were near full and they rerouted the entrance to the back lot walkway (where the cave tour begins) and you enter the park by Browns Candy Factory. Got some rare views of TNT in operation seeing the trains run the lift hill and the final drop. Didn't get down to the construction/demo site by Lost River this trip though it was already dark when I arrived and couldn't see much down there anyways.

The Time Traveler & TNT area.








The "Alternate" entrance used by the park on Sunday night with TNT operating just to our right in the pitch blackness.









Flooded Mine as seen from the patio of the skillet restaurants.



Christmas in Midtown in its 2nd year.







And of course the Trains with engines #504 and #76 running rounds thru the night.
(1 hour wait time, so I skipped out this time)





Was short on time for this trip so I am gonna try to head back up again just before or just after Christmas to close out the season.

[Tmboote]

Was at the park today and just wanted to mention a few things I noticed/found interesting:

1. I liked Christmas in Midtown, but I definitely understand why some people say it's too much

2. The Lost River area looks really different with the ride gone. I was not able to get any pictures, the fence doesn't have many gaps or holes in it, but it doesn't look like much has changed from the last pictures posted. The Barn Swing provides a great view of the site.

3. Outlaw Run had two trains running today, while Wildfire only had one which seemed weird to me. In July when I was at SDC, Wildfire ran two trains the whole time while Outlaw Run ran one, and I hadn't seen Outlaw Run use both trains in a while.

4. My phone said it was 36° out tonight before Time Traveler closed and 35° before Powder Keg And Wildfire closed. So, either my phone's temperature was five degrees off what SDC thought the temperature was or they don't actually close the rides at the posted temperature guidelines.

5. Time Traveler was running two trains but wasn't using the last two rows of either of them so I wonder what was wrong there.

Ride totals from 5 hours in the park (1-3:30 and 6:30-9):
2x Wildfire
2x Thunderation
2x Fire in the Hole
1x Powder Keg
1x Time Traveler
1x Outlaw Run
1x Barn Swing
1x Flooded Mine

I'll see what I can all manage to get done with the crowds tomorrow

[KBCraig]

4. My phone said it was 36° out tonight before Time Traveler closed and 35° before Powder Keg And Wildfire closed. So, either my phone's temperature was five degrees off what SDC thought the temperature was or they don't actually close the rides at the posted temperature guidelines.

Your phone doesn't measure the temperature. It tells you what your weather app thinks the temperature probably is, based on your location.

[Swoosh]

Tanner, the fences in Wilson's Farm don't go all the way to the ground. Shoot under them.  Then you can see "around the corner" in the Giant Barn queue.  In Fireman's Landing there is a door in the fence near dog ride with big gaps all around it.  Between shops across from White River Mercantile the fence is lower. 

[Tmboote]

4. My phone said it was 36° out tonight before Time Traveler closed and 35° before Powder Keg And Wildfire closed. So, either my phone's temperature was five degrees off what SDC thought the temperature was or they don't actually close the rides at the posted temperature guidelines.

Your phone doesn't measure the temperature. It tells you what your weather app thinks the temperature probably is, based on your location.

But considering my phone almost always is within a degree or two of my car thermometer or other thermometers I see, I don't think it would've been five degrees off.

[sirwillow]

Was at the park today and just wanted to mention a few things I noticed/found interesting:

1. I liked Christmas in Midtown, but I definitely understand why some people say it's too much

3. Outlaw Run had two trains running today, while Wildfire only had one which seemed weird to me. In July when I was at SDC, Wildfire ran two trains the whole time while Outlaw Run ran one, and I hadn't seen Outlaw Run use both trains in a while.

4. My phone said it was 36° out tonight before Time Traveler closed and 35° before Powder Keg And Wildfire closed. So, either my phone's temperature was five degrees off what SDC thought the temperature was or they don't actually close the rides at the posted temperature guidelines.

5. Time Traveler was running two trains but wasn't using the last two rows of either of them so I wonder what was wrong there.

1.  I love it, but I can see how it could be overwhelming to some.  But if you're coming for lights- and many are- there isn't anything better in the country.

3.  It could have been a maintenance issue with one train- maybe needing a bit of work done or something else.  The number of trains running isn't always dependent on the crowds, often it depends on which trains are available from maintenance due to what they are working on with them.

4. As others have said, the temp your phone shows is based on weather information from a station that the app relays to you.  Different apps will even show different temperatures, depending on which station they are getting their info from.  Sounds like they may have been getting info from either Springfield, or even the Branson airport, which can vary quite a bit from the park.

5.  I've heard various theories on why the sometimes leave back cars empty on the ride.  Honestly not a clue.  But last night when we were watching it run from the porch it looked like they were running full trains on it.  Other times I've seen them leave the last car empty.  Not a clue on it.  I gotta remember to ask a couple of my friends who have worked on it, but never remember when I see them.