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[Joy]

I guess it musta just been a fluke that there was no music on the park speakers last Sunday evening... Darn.

Gasp! Silver Dollar City just isn't Silver Dollar City without the ambience of bluegrass played throughout. However, I hope that was in fact just a fluke. Perhaps, the summer time heat is just too much for those hard working speakers. 

I probably should have been more precise. I meant that after normal closing time, instead of switching from bluegrass to "oldies," there was no music coming from the speakers for Moonlight Madness. It was awesome, really, as we were able to traverse the darkening park with only the cicadas and tree frogs to serenade us.

[shavethewhales]

Just got back from my first visit of the season. Since I'm always so busy and live so far away now, it's tough to get back to the park during the summer, but thanks to my parents I was able to make it once again. I'm a little late to the party for this season, but here's my thoughts anyway.

We got in about 4 o'clock on Saturday, and I headed for Cowboy Jepp's where I meet up for a few minutes with Duelist. Then I went down to check out the new River Blast. Wow, they really did do a great job with this thing! I have little to say about it except that it's awesome all the way around! I thought it would be something that I'd do once and pass up from now on, but after riding it I'd say it's definitely a must-do for hot days. The atmosphere surrounding this ride is astounding; it was good to hear people exclaim how nice it looked. All that having been said though, I still think the loss of Splash Harbor is a real shame... but this will make up for it I guess.

After that I went over to see what was left of the Waterboggin. I can't believe how many trees are in the area - they'll really have to log the place if they're going to put something else there. They did a great job of hiding it all too - it's hard to tell there used to be something there.

I didn't actually notice much KidsFest stuff going on. It seems like it has been much more muted this year due to the 50th celebration. Once you got off of main square there were no signs of it anywhere - although seeing Spongebob and Patrick show up to meet people at the wagon stage was a little surreal.

The rest of the day I ran around and hit up all the coasters. PK actually does eat people with all three trains running. I waited all the way through the queue a couple of times and I'm pretty sure it took less than a half hour each time. Wildfire is still a great, smooth, reliable, crowd-eating machine. FITH's new scenes and additions are awesome and really make the ride pop again - I just wish they could smooth out the drops. It felt like the back car was trying to jump the tracks on the bridge drop. ThuNderaTion actually held some massive lines, even with two train ops. That's why it surprised me so much that they went down to one train ops for MM! The queue stretched all the way out of the tunnel underneath the first drop and was moving ever so slowly that night. Not good for people who were new to the park and expected more of a ride...

The park after dark wasn't much to shout about. It was so crowded I basically just walked around for two hours and looked at everything. I didn't mind the music so much since so much was closed and it was only noticeable in the queue lines for some of the rides anyway. There were 20,500 people in the park that day, according to the bus driver on Sunday night.

Sunday was much better. I got the folks to hit up the Saloon show with me first thing, which I thought was spectacular all around. Then we hit up the train, then the flooded mine, then the buffet at the mine restaurant. We did all this in a little over a couple of hours without hardly waiting for anything except the saloon show. I spent the rest of the day riding stuff, without having to wait too much for anything. Once the sun dropped down I expected the crowds to swell again, so I took advantage of some of the special MM offers - buy one get one peanut brittle and $2 root beer floats, and I picked up the free hat with t-shirt purchase deal on the way out. The crowds didn't actually swell too much that night, but PK ended up closing early, so I just rode Wildfire over and over again in the dark. It's nice to be able to do that without catching a cold.

I came by myself for a few hours this morning (Monday) and was a little less entertained initially. At rope drop I headed straight for PK - closed all day. FITH wasn't opened yet either, so I walked to TGS and found it closed as well. Not wanting to ride Wildfire anymore at the time, I opted to take the cave tour, which was pretty neat as always. With PK down, some of the lines at the other rides were a bit larger, so I just rode Wildfire a few more times and then hit up TGS for one last ride. TGS is actually a pretty good people-eater when both sides are running, but with only run arm the line kind of inches along. Luckily, being a single rider pretty much lets you skip the entire last stretch of the queue.

So all in all, it was one of the better trips I've had to the city in a long time.

[betamike]

Sounds like a mirror of my trip this week.  I plan on being there on Sunday and again on Monday. 

Funny how we all are coming to the City around the same week(ish)

[rubedugans]

Here are a few of my long exposeres from Friday night Moonlight Madness. Each one was a 15 sec. long exposure.









And my favorite digital photo I think I have taken at SDC ever.....

[Ozark Outlaw]

Awesome photos Rube!

Perhaps it was just the angle of photography, but it almost looks like you had the entire city to yourself. The picture taken at Grandfather's Mansion definitely has a nice effect to it. All it needs now is a title card that says "Welcome to Grandfather's Mansion," or "Stand up straight in Grandfather's Masion," or something like that.

Nice job! 

[mhguy77]

What restaurant is that in the pic, the inside picture I mean.
They all look great.

[rubedugans]

The Wagonworks grill right off of the square

[Junior]

Got a question about your photos here, Rube. The restaurant dining area pictured with the fireplace. Where is that at? Is this the Wagon Works Restaurant on Main Street next to the General Store? If so, this would be the old location for the Welch's Vineyard Restaurant...later the Basket Shop for a few years...before being made into another restaurant. Is this right? It appears to be the lower level of the three levels? Even though heavily remodeled since 1979, I think that's got to be it! I swept and mopped and bussed tables in that location for parts of two summers. (78-79)

[StaceySue]

Well, I returned yesterday from a one-night stay in Branson.  I just want to say that I am finished visiting for the summer this season.  I am finished with 100 degree days and extreme humidity--until next year, I'm sure.  

Anyway, we arrived in Branson on Monday.  We checked into Southern Oaks, and my cousin and her kids met us there.  We went swimming in the indoor pool for a couple of hours.  We then had dinner at IHOP before heading to SDC for MM.  

I think we arrived at the parking lot at about 7:10.  I did go to preferred parking, especially since I had my youngest and a stroller this time.  We went to the expo first, and it was just busy enough for the kids to wait through one ride cycle for everything they rode.  My cousin and the big kids rode RiverBlast with a pretty short wait.  Since I had just been, I didn't ride much.  I just entertained the baby.

I sent my cousin to ride the coasters, and I took the kids to the dance party.  We did that for awhile, and then I took the kids back to the expo.  From 9-10, my cousin managed to get one ride on Wildfire and PowderKeg, which was the goal since she had never ridden them at night.

We got up early the next morning and got to SDC at about 9:15.  It was already pretty hot and muggy.  My cousin and her daughter did Thunderation, and then we rode Flooded Mine.  My cousin did the Giant Swing, and the kids did the Hi-Lo Silos.  We took in a Saloon Show, and then had lunch at Riverside Rib House.  The baby went to sleep, so we hit the Kid Concoctions at the Carousel Barn.  It was nice and cool in there.  I found a rocking chair; they could use a few more of those.

I don't know how many ice waters we got during the day in addition to the drinks we got our mugs.  We'd drink some of the water, and I would put a cup of ice water in the baby's cup holder in the stroller, and she would play in it.  She'd push ice cubes around the tray.  We had our mister fans.  I can't stress how hot it was.  I'd let the baby play in the sprinklers around the park, but she isn't sure about them.  She let the water hit her feet, at least.

Fire in the Hole had been down earlier in the day, so we checked it.  It was open, but the line was a lot longer than what we usually wait for, so we skipped it.  My cousin took the older girls to the cave.  I was going to go, but the baby was getting fussy.  After the cave, we headed home, but my cousin and her kids stayed.  I don't know what else they did, but my family was finished--lol.

I'm looking forward to our next trip which should be in October.  

[rubedugans]

It is indeed the old Welch's Junior.

[History Buff]

Perhaps it was just the angle of photography, but it almost looks like you had the entire city to yourself. The picture taken at Grandfather's Mansion definitely has a nice effect to it. All it needs now is a title card that says "Welcome to Grandfather's Mansion," or "Stand up straight in Grandfather's Masion," or something like that.

Walk erect.

[History Buff]

Got a question about your photos here, Rube. The restaurant dining area pictured with the fireplace. Where is that at? Is this the Wagon Works Restaurant on Main Street next to the General Store? If so, this would be the old location for the Welch's Vineyard Restaurant...later the Basket Shop for a few years...before being made into another restaurant. Is this right? It appears to be the lower level of the three levels? Even though heavily remodeled since 1979, I think that's got to be it! I swept and mopped and bussed tables in that location for parts of two summers. (78-79)

Wagonworks is a great place to squeeze in by the fire with their amazing potato soup in a bread bowl in the winter.

[Junior]

Back when it was the Vineyard, the menu was simple...burger, cheesburger, steak sandwich, fries, onion rings, fried pies, soft drinks, coffee, and Welch's grape juice (3 varieties)   And SDCFans.com favorite OLD GUY (John Goldsberry) would perform the Wally Welch Review puppet show for the kiddies, or play his hammer dulcimer. Later, a magic show for kids was performed on stage there.

[betamike]

Yep...one of my first memories of SDC as a kid (been going since I was in the womb) was of the puppet show there.

[mhguy77]

Thursday 10:18 PM  Just back from Midnight Madness.
I drove 1.5 hours to SDC tonight to see what Midnight Madness was all about.
I spoke with a employee at a ride tonight and they gave me the number of people to be 12000.
Arrived at 6:00. found a parking spot at stop 4, all lots with the exception of stop 6 were used.
They had 1 tram running at 6. Wait for the tram about 13 min.
Used my coupon for 15 admittance on a stranger I thought looked like they needed to save some money ( they didn't know what to say when I offered)
Walked in to the square with the Ghost Busters theme playing.
The place was swarming, I walked down to Thunderation, Line was up the zig zag ( kept on walking). Down to try a tater twist and on to the GE, I am thinking a David Bowie tune was playing at the time, rides in the GE were loaded up. Moved on.  The Lost river area was full as well with a fair crowd at the River BBQ, I had a ft long sausage with 1 side for 7.99, I thought this was a good deal we split it. Walked up to the great swing, the line is coming out of the q into the walkway, 1 arm in action. Moved on.   Fire in the hole lines well to .75 of Q.
Powder Keg, line through the ride out to the entrance with an hour wait 1 car being used.
Stopped an employee and asked what the deal was they said "12000 here with no shops open what do you think is happening? They are trying to run a Six Flags over Branson"
Cont next post.