Need Branson tips & discounts

[Juliee8]

We have decided to take the kids to Branson the end of July. We haven't been there in almost 10 years so I am looking for some tips from those of you who have been there recently. Also where is the best place to look for discounts for shows and for Silver Dollar City? Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[jackilvsmath]

We will be there at the end of July as well (for dance), so I will be watching this post for info also. Have a grea trip!

Jacki

 

[kkandaj]

If you want to go to SDC for 2 days, you can get two days for the price of one tickets at the local grocery stores (Price Cutters, Country Marts) or Welcome Centers. They are $60 for adults.

Also, if you go after 3pm, your next day is free, but that price would still be $60 for a one day ticket. In late July, I think the parks are open until 10.

SDC has really changed in the past 10 years and has a lot more to do for kids! We live in KC, but have season passes and go down a couple of times per year. You can also take in your own food and drinks.

 

[mom2alix]

Here's a groupon deal for the Outback Steakhouse in Branson...

http://www.groupon.com/springfield-mo

 

[VLee]

We, too, thought of taking a short trip up that way in July or early August. And like the OP, it has been a very long time since we were there. This time, I will have 3 GKs with me, 12, 9 and 5.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Whitewater has the same after 3, next day free deal and as it's owned by SDC, you can bundle WW & SDC tickets for a discount IIRC. Learn the "blue" routes around the main drag to avoid traffic.

 

[MissouriPrincess]

We live a couple hours away and go to Branson pretty frequently. A good message board is 1branson.com. It has up-to-date info. A fan site for Silver Dollar City is sdcfans.com.

It will be pretty hot when you go, so I would try to do mornings for sure. It sounds like you may be there during Moonlight Madness. The park and most attractions are open until 10:00. It will still be hot and humid, but at least the sun will not be out.

In the evening, it is fun to walk along Branson Landing. I don't know if that was open since you've been.

 

[bjscheel]

We went earlier this month. I got 2 days for the price of 1 Silver Dollar City tickets on reservebranson.com. That is also where I got Dixie Stampede tickets. At Ride the Ducks, I bought their Ducks/Titanic combo. When looking for discount tickets, you need to watch out for timeshare deals. I hear there is a purple building on the strip that has discount tickets with no timeshare sales. We of course avoided pitches by doing the above, but we did get a little pitch at the checkout of a store on the strip.

Here are the things we did:
Dogwood Canyon Nature Park (this is southwest of Branson but worth the trip! We rode bikes and then took the tram ride. The scenery is so beautiful! It is full of trout streams and waterfalls. A nice easy bike ride. The tram ride takes you out into the elk and bison pastures. My favorite activity of the trip)
Silver Dollar City (we spent two days and rode Thunderation several times...DD10 and DH loved the River Blast...the girls also enjoyed a little country school session...we did the free parking and rode the tram once, the other times we just walked to our vehicle instead of waiting on the tram)
Ride the Ducks (always a fun time. We did the one that takes off from the strip near Walmart- it looked more interesting than the Taneycomo one. Great scenery and silliness.)
Titanic Museum (very interesting. DD10 wanted to go after having learned about it some in school. You each get a card with info on a passenger, and at the end you see if you lived or died. LOTS to read and listen to. If your kids are younger they won't enjoy it as much)
Dixie Stampede (easily my kids' favorite activity. Get there an hour or more early to look at the horses and see the pre-show. Very entertaining throughout.)
National Tiger Sanctuary (DD10 has an interest in tigers. This is about 10 miles north of Branson so we did it on the way home. It was really neat to see them.)

We rented a cabin from vrbo that was near the lake. It was really nice to be out of the town. We were only in actual Branson one day. The bad thing about staying where we did (south side of Table Rock Lake) is the curvy roads. DD10 was really fighting the carsickness.

 

[bjscheel]

Also, if you haven't already, check out the Branson info on tripadvisor.com. I read the forum on Branson, and the reviews on attractions there.

 

[kkandaj]

In the evening, it is fun to walk along Branson Landing. I don't know if that was open since you've been.

We love Branson Landing. It is a shopping area along a river (?). There are several restaurants and a small play area for young kids. There is also a water fountain/fire show set to music, that plays on the hour, I think.

The College of the Ozarks is a really neat place to visit. It is maybe a 30 min (?) drive, but the kids can watch the cows get milked and then feed the baby calves with the bottles, for free. There is a tractor museum. You can eat at the Keeter Center on the grounds, which is a beautiful lodge that overlooks the college--it is not what I would consider cheap but is very nice. It is so peaceful there.

My kids love to visit the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. It is also free to visit, but you can buy fish food for like .50 or $1, I don't remember which. There are fish tanks and if I remember correctly some snakes/turtles in aquariums. Then outside are where the trout are being raised. My kids love it!

ETA: We usually do both of these activites on the same day, since they are in the same general area. We go to the hatchery first, then to the college--look around there before eating at the Keeter Center.

 

[JayhawkFans]

Sounds like we need to plan a Dis Meet in Branson for late July. I live in Branson and can be available most any evening after 6:00 p.m.

A previous poster did mention a purple building on the strip and yes .. that is accurate .. it's Branson 2 for 1 tickets and to my knowledge it is not tied to any timeshare presentations whatsoever.

If you have any specific questions or need more information feel free to email me at crz4mickey@gmail.com.

Definitely learn the back roads through town .. and DEFINITELY check a map before coming if you are needing to take Hwy 65 South from Springfield, MO to Branson. They are in the midst of road construction and traffic backs up for many many miles (especially going North out of Branson on your way home). That would be enough to sour anyone's great vacation.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Both Six and the Haygoods offer really good shows. My dd just asked to see both of them again this year.

There are 3 new zip lines and also a 4 wheel drive excursion.

http://www.bransonzipline.com/

http://www.adventureziplinesofbranson.com/

http://www.goziplineusa.com/

http://triplegatv.com/

http://www.thehaygoods.com/

http://www.thesixshow.com/

 

[smphbear]

If you are going to zipline, I recommend the first one listed in the post above. They are just north of town. The land is an eco-preserve. We zipped there last June. We had so much fun that next time we go to Branson, we plan to do the whole course and the Blue Streak zipline.

 

[BensDaddy]

We live in NW Arkansas and usually visit Branson 2 or 3 times a year to go to Silver Dollar City (although we've never bought season passes).

We're headed back next week and I was surprised to find out that SDC doesn't have any kind of Halloween celebration or any Halloween themeing whatsoever. You would think that that park would lend itself to a "Halloween Horror Nights" kind of theme very well...

 

[rusty4]

This forum has alot of info on Branson and local deals.

http://www.1branson.com/

 

[BensDaddy]

SDC says no Halloween events this year. :-(

 

[tinkerbelletreasure]

I usually google Branson tourism center and they have a ton of discounts on tickets and lodging and stuff.

 

[BensDaddy]

Yeah we are headed up Friday for the weekend. Bummed about SDC being the Halloween Grinch, but we'll have fun no matter.

 

[jedijill]

If Buckets and Boards is appearing, go watch them! Just saw them on the Fantasy and they were hilarious! They said during their show that they perform in Branson in spring/summer and then cruise ships during fall/winter.

Make sure you eat at Lambert's Cafe in Ozark...fantastic down home cooking and you will be stuffed for a week! Home of the throwed rolls.

Jill in CO

 

[DLW8]

If Buckets and Boards is appearing, go watch them! Just saw them on the Fantasy and they were hilarious! They said during their show that they perform in Branson in spring/summer and then cruise ships during fall/winter.

Make sure you eat at Lambert's Cafe in Ozark...fantastic down home cooking and you will be stuffed for a week! Home of the throwed rolls.

Jill in CO

I was going to post the same thing! Buckets and Boards was fantastic - my kids (10, almost 11) as well as DH and I loved the show. I would love to see them again and if we ever make it out to Branson, we will be checking them out.