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[shavethewhales]

I basically took a year off this year. I only bought my season pass last month! I went ahead and got it because I expect my family will want to visit for a couple days over christmas and I went once for the pumpkin fest. Next year I will probably try to visit Branson a couple more times, but I'm not sure how much time I'll actually spend at SDC. More and more I find myself leaving when it gets crowded instead of sticking it out until the last dog goes home.

I was really hoping they'd announce a new or improved show for next year. It's basically all rides and lights now, and it's a long wait between new rides.

[Jesus4me]

I basically took a year off this year. I only bought my season pass last month! I went ahead and got it because I expect my family will want to visit for a couple days over christmas and I went once for the pumpkin fest. Next year I will probably try to visit Branson a couple more times, but I'm not sure how much time I'll actually spend at SDC. More and more I find myself leaving when it gets crowded instead of sticking it out until the last dog goes home.

I was really hoping they'd announce a new or improved show for next year. It's basically all rides and lights now, and it's a long wait between new rides.

The park should run a stage show in the Grand Exposition Hall all year. One for Spring. One for Summer and one for Christmas. The Old-Time Christmas shows are not the quality they once were. The Christmas Carol is BAD since they changed the songs because there too cheap to pay for the copyrights and the generic show that replaced It's a Wonderful life can be found anywhere on the strip. Whoever is in charge of the shows needs a new job.

[TheMilanTooner]

So a bit of a random question...

What's everyone's bets on Chuggington Adventure Depot potentially returning next year?

If not, given comments of it being a "touring experience" on the press release after the launch, where do you all feel it could be heading next?

[Lampie]

So a bit of a random question...

What's everyone's bets on Chuggington Adventure Depot potentially returning next year?

If not, given comments of it being a "touring experience" on the press release after the launch, where do you all feel it could be heading next?

I hope not. It was rather short underwhelming to me. At the very least they could have had some sensors on the "trains" and buildings so they would interact with each other a little.  It should really head back to the drawing board. I know by the end of the season the trains all needed some major tlc.

[Preachin_Bill]

I expected a new entrance for everyone - not some special season pass perk for the more expensive tiers.

Ugh....

Just noticed: "Priority Gate Entrance"

What is this?

Brad's video mentioned a revamped entry system, and there will be a different gate for those passholders who opt to pay the higher fee.  We've talked about the entry being remodeled for a couple of years, and it sounds like that might come in some form for 2023 - another vintage memory succumbing to progress - but we just can't be sure how intrusive the new system might be on the classic entrance.  It may be no more than a dedicated turnstile.

Ive never understood the complaints about the entrance.
It never takes more than five minutes from off the train to through the turnstyles. It usually moves pretty good.
I dont get it.

[chittlins]

Who killed Swoosh, lol

[shavethewhales]

I expected a new entrance for everyone - not some special season pass perk for the more expensive tiers.

Ugh....

Just noticed: "Priority Gate Entrance"

What is this?

Brad's video mentioned a revamped entry system, and there will be a different gate for those passholders who opt to pay the higher fee.  We've talked about the entry being remodeled for a couple of years, and it sounds like that might come in some form for 2023 - another vintage memory succumbing to progress - but we just can't be sure how intrusive the new system might be on the classic entrance.  It may be no more than a dedicated turnstile.

Ive never understood the complaints about the entrance.
It never takes more than five minutes from off the train to through the turnstyles. It usually moves pretty good.
I dont get it.

There have been times I have seen the line stretch to where people were getting off the trams. There are days when it takes half an hour or more to get through the turnstiles. That is fairly rare I guess, but getting more common as the park grows and holds special events.

I think the bigger issue is that the park has simply outgrown the current setup and it's just not that ideal for all the trams. It would be nice to have covered waiting and better spots for trams to stop so they don't have so much trouble navigating around each other. Plus they just simply need more room in the plaza, more turnstiles, and more of everything else as the park keeps growing.

[runner1960]

I expected a new entrance for everyone - not some special season pass perk for the more expensive tiers.

Ugh....

Just noticed: "Priority Gate Entrance"

What is this?

Brad's video mentioned a revamped entry system, and there will be a different gate for those passholders who opt to pay the higher fee.  We've talked about the entry being remodeled for a couple of years, and it sounds like that might come in some form for 2023 - another vintage memory succumbing to progress - but we just can't be sure how intrusive the new system might be on the classic entrance.  It may be no more than a dedicated turnstile.

Ive never understood the complaints about the entrance.
It never takes more than five minutes from off the train to through the turnstyles. It usually moves pretty good.
I dont get it.

There have been times I have seen the line stretch to where people were getting off the trams. There are days when it takes half an hour or more to get through the turnstiles. That is fairly rare I guess, but getting more common as the park grows and holds special events.

I think the bigger issue is that the park has simply outgrown the current setup and it's just not that ideal for all the trams. It would be nice to have covered waiting and better spots for trams to stop so they don't have so much trouble navigating around each other. Plus they just simply need more room in the plaza, more turnstiles, and more of everything else as the park keeps growing.

I agree with Shave. Then you add Christmas when the first parade is over and hundred are exiting the park just as new latecomers are coming in and the narrow path up to hospitality house is at a standstill. Hospitality house seems to be the big bottleneck.

[chittlins]

They wanted you to pass thru the marketplace for last minute buys but the Christmas rushes to the gates overwhem it. I assume it's getting to be the same with the Pumpkin thing. It is like they need an overflow exit for these events.

[Jemmicat]

Although I haven't been this year and only went once last year when I came back from the UK to visit, I personally have had major issues with the entrance area for years.

For example:

The little doorway through on the left for season pass holders or people with tickets down to a max of 2 people to pass through at once... then you are hit immeditately with the "island" that you then have to go around to funnel again into the crowd heading towards the entrance gate. People walk through the gate and almost immediately stop. Which grinds the entire line to a halt. The scooter and stroller rental area being right there along with most people just being comepletely clueless (sometimes even long time visitors) just wreaks havoc. Once you get past that necked down clusterF&CK you are limited by the width of the pathway and people again walking loosely and cluelessly up the small hill to the hospitality house. Which had gotten better with clogging the main aisles with items at least but a few years ago was just packed with souvenirs so much it was hard to move through.

I am a mechanical engineer. I like to look at things from an engineering perspective. I have been saying for years that SDC should have an industrial engineer on staff. There are tons of forumulas and rules of thumbs to use for capacity on things like walkway widths and things like that. Disney and larger parks have a person on staff who looks at these things and makes ingress and egress less of a mess. But I will say, if they used proper analysis, it would show that the entrance area is woefully lacking for the capacity. The problem is that the entrance area is not the only problem area. Anyplace that chokes the walkway down from wide to narrower causes issues... think the bridge heading down to the right by the candy company. And many other places. Every one of these choke points leads to slowdowns and chaos... think about traffic on the highway and when a lane is closed and the backup this causes... These are the things that should be looked at with a critical eye... but never seem to be

[KevinLong]

Why not just shut down the park for a year and fix all these problems. they could make all the pathways 30 feet wide, bulldoze all the trees, shrink the flowerbeds. build a roof over marvel cave and make a straight entrance right from the tram drop off.

There will soon come a tipping point where they will decide to transition from a dedicated 1870's theme Park to an amusement park with a 1870's theme. It happens little by little each year. Money Talks and as more folks from the old days fall away the charm and feel of the place fades as well. SDC is unique I hope it stays that way - it should never want to be or try to be Disneyland.

My cynical 2 cents
Kevin

[shavethewhales]

Yeah a lot of the old meandering pathways and tree/planter islands were by design. In the old days SDC didn't even have hard top and just put down wood chips everywhere. They were so intent on keeping as many trees as possible they literally built buildings and pathways around them and had them growing up through buildings. You couldn't even see the park flying over it in the summer. That was back when the visitor counts were a tiny fraction of what they are now though. They eventually started adding black top with tree islands. Then they started removing the islands as trees died or they needed more space. Now they are completely reworking large areas of the park with wide concrete pathways for the huge modern crowds. Such is progress.

I agree that little door on the left side of the entrance for season pass holders needs to go. It used to be quaint back when there was all the theming around it on the other side, but they took that all away and left the little door! Just take the wall down at this point.

[mg]

Anyplace that chokes the walkway down from wide to narrower causes issues... think the bridge heading down to the right by the candy company...

This was fixed a few years ago and the "bridge" is now the same width as the the path.

[Okiebenz]

Yes, I do agree about the folks who find it necessary to complete stop and congregate after the gates.  Or they walk thru the park side by side talking taking up the whole walk way and nobody can get past them.

[Jemmicat]

You absolutely do NOT have to shut down for a year to make most improvements and I never said or implied that. What I said is that they need to be looking at things like this. Honestly, if they would address the entrance area, it would go a long way towards the biggest problem. One other area that would never have happened had they had the proper staff is the fried goods building by the saloon. Or the line for the kettle chips there in same area that goes right into the walkway. The fried goods stand should have never happened... but the kettle chip line issue could be addressed for very little cost... just have a small ordering area that runs parallel with the ordering station only long enough to force the line naturally in a direction...

Making ingress and egress better does NOT require massive construction and park shutdown and the other nonsense that has been spouted. It is just looking at things critically with an engineering (and logical) eye and making the slight changes to make "traffic" flow better.