Branson with 3 year old?
Jul 6th, 2003, 07:40 PM
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Branson with 3 year old?
I'm jotting over to Branson with a group of friends this month. Most of them are older and will be enjoying the nightlife. What are good spots during the day with my child? Any Silver Dollar City tips?
Jul 7th, 2003, 05:27 AM
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Islandmom.....Silver Dollar City is a very nice amusement park, but will be crowded in July. There are enough shows that you can get in to some air conditioning and let the little one nap.
Table Rock Lake is beautiful...and if you really want to go to a beautiful place...check out Dogwood Canyon...it is just glorious. My husband trout fished while I just walked the trail and took in all of the beauty. After his fishing, he joined in on the walk also. They also have tram tours and chuck wagon dinners.
You might also drive over to Big Cedar Wilderness Club one day...or on the day you go to Dogwood Canyon.
You may want to ride the Ducks...the little one will enjoy that...and the shows in Branson are very good. Yakov Smirnoff has his shows in the morning and afternoon. If you have never been to The Dixie Stampede, it is quite entertaining as well.
Branson is a fun, family vacation spot!
islandmom, thanks for all of your good Hawaii advice. My prayers are with you and your family. I saw on another post that your grandmother is not doing well.
Table Rock Lake is beautiful...and if you really want to go to a beautiful place...check out Dogwood Canyon...it is just glorious. My husband trout fished while I just walked the trail and took in all of the beauty. After his fishing, he joined in on the walk also. They also have tram tours and chuck wagon dinners.
You might also drive over to Big Cedar Wilderness Club one day...or on the day you go to Dogwood Canyon.
You may want to ride the Ducks...the little one will enjoy that...and the shows in Branson are very good. Yakov Smirnoff has his shows in the morning and afternoon. If you have never been to The Dixie Stampede, it is quite entertaining as well.
Branson is a fun, family vacation spot!
islandmom, thanks for all of your good Hawaii advice. My prayers are with you and your family. I saw on another post that your grandmother is not doing well.
Jul 16th, 2003, 10:41 AM
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Our kids are 2, 3.5, and 17. We just spent the 4th of July week in Branson. Here are my suggestions: stay at Grand Country Inn which caters to families/kids...Indoor & outdoor waterparks are included in your stay. Their buffet is set up in islands rather than one long one, so you can zip around easier to load plates for the pickiest eaters without being gone from the table long. (I don't recommend Golden Corral if you have kids who can't stand in lines well). There are ice cream and pizza spots on site. Buy yourself some fudge while your there, too. The Ramada across from Dixie Stampede would be my second choice: 2 pools, nature trail, kids playground.
By 'Big Woody' go-carts, there is an area with kiddie rides. Look for 'Track' fliers with Buy1-Get1 coupons in most lobbies. These are good for the go-garts and the kiddie rides. My 3yo loved riding the two-seater carts with Daddy. It's just one extra ticket for two to ride. My 2 and 3 yo both loved riding the bumper boats which are also one extra ticket for them.
The Ducks are a must. Under 4 is free as long as they stay on your lap. Go earlier in the day away from nap time to avoid the heat and crankiness. Both my kids little fell asleep about 45 minutes into the ride until we drove into the lake. They give the kids a chance to pilot the Duck once it is in the lake...great photo op.
Silver Dollar City was not busy...most of Branson wasn't even busy...even for July. They weren't charging for parking, it was that bad. Under 4 is free. They don't do AAA discounts anymore. The passes you can buy online from the SDC website are the best deal pricewise.
The kids loved feeding the fish at the Hatchery, which is free to visit. Take quarters or exchange $ with the ranger at the front desk...they give out stickers to the kids, too.
Scenic Railway is not worth it unless it is Fall. Dick's 5 & 10 can be fun if you have well behaved kids. There is an ice cream parlor on the corner, the blackberry ice cream is wonderful.
Kids are free at a lot of the shows. The fireworks from Celebration City can be seen for miles away a half hour before the park closes, if your kids stay up that late.
If you go via 65 coming out of Springfield, Lambert's restaurant is a must. Only cash or checks though. Incredible Pizza next to Bass Pro in Springfield is also great for kids if you stop up that way.
Have fun.
By 'Big Woody' go-carts, there is an area with kiddie rides. Look for 'Track' fliers with Buy1-Get1 coupons in most lobbies. These are good for the go-garts and the kiddie rides. My 3yo loved riding the two-seater carts with Daddy. It's just one extra ticket for two to ride. My 2 and 3 yo both loved riding the bumper boats which are also one extra ticket for them.
The Ducks are a must. Under 4 is free as long as they stay on your lap. Go earlier in the day away from nap time to avoid the heat and crankiness. Both my kids little fell asleep about 45 minutes into the ride until we drove into the lake. They give the kids a chance to pilot the Duck once it is in the lake...great photo op.
Silver Dollar City was not busy...most of Branson wasn't even busy...even for July. They weren't charging for parking, it was that bad. Under 4 is free. They don't do AAA discounts anymore. The passes you can buy online from the SDC website are the best deal pricewise.
The kids loved feeding the fish at the Hatchery, which is free to visit. Take quarters or exchange $ with the ranger at the front desk...they give out stickers to the kids, too.
Scenic Railway is not worth it unless it is Fall. Dick's 5 & 10 can be fun if you have well behaved kids. There is an ice cream parlor on the corner, the blackberry ice cream is wonderful.
Kids are free at a lot of the shows. The fireworks from Celebration City can be seen for miles away a half hour before the park closes, if your kids stay up that late.
If you go via 65 coming out of Springfield, Lambert's restaurant is a must. Only cash or checks though. Incredible Pizza next to Bass Pro in Springfield is also great for kids if you stop up that way.
Have fun.
Jul 17th, 2003, 01:24 AM
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It is certainly possible to have a well-behavced 3 year old and travel with a 3 year old - as long as no one expects the 3 year old to keep to the same schedule of time and activities as a 30 year old. Many 3 year olds if kept to schedule of eating and sleeping that they are accustomed to and spend some time at kid-oriented activites and smaller chunks of time at more adult-oriented activities will be perfectly happy to tag along with parents. It is when you take an over-tired, over-hungry 3 year old to a fancy restaurant at 9 PM that you have problems,
That said, some kids by temperment or up=bringing are not civilized at age 3 or any other age (as with some 30 year olds)
That said, some kids by temperment or up=bringing are not civilized at age 3 or any other age (as with some 30 year olds)
Jul 21st, 2003, 07:40 AM
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So we are back and here is my review.
We arrived at Lamberts on our drive in at 7:30pm on Thursday. The line wrapped around the front of the building so no one wanted to wait. We tried Bob Evans instead. The service was slow and the food poor.
Everyone was tired so the first night we picked one of the first Inn we saw. Four Season's Inn. It was a basic, budget place. Three rooms at $39 each. It looked new and clean. One room had a/c trouble so they switched us quickly. In the morning my phone didn't work correctly. One bummer was when I called for an iron they wanted me to walk all the way to the front desk in my jammies. We were way in the back down the hill. They have golf carts so I thought they would help out.
The next morning my brother and sil had their old time photos taken across the street. They turned out well yet most expensive. $40 for an 8x10 tin.
At 2:00pm we saw the Kirby Vanbuch show. I always buy photos with wild animals if I get a chance. This was the worst rip-off ever. I can understand we weren't allowed to touch the baby tiger. However, the photo was awful. A blind granny could have done a better job. My eyes are closed and my daughter is looking away. They had a digital camera and previewed it. They just printed it out on a cheap computer - $15 for a 4x6! I'm so glad I didn't buy the $30 8x10.
Only half of the first section was full for the show. It was clear the entertainers were insulted or did not care about the show until the second half. It was cute. One comedian was very entertaining with his fake raccoon. A man from China balanced vases. By the end of the show we were all into it and liked Kirby. I wish we could have seen more of the animals. They just flash them for a second. This was a great time of day for us because it was all kids. FREEZing cold in there though. I'm just hoping my daughter isn't traumatized from seeing a woman cut in half and put together wrong - LOL!
We arrived at Lamberts on our drive in at 7:30pm on Thursday. The line wrapped around the front of the building so no one wanted to wait. We tried Bob Evans instead. The service was slow and the food poor.
Everyone was tired so the first night we picked one of the first Inn we saw. Four Season's Inn. It was a basic, budget place. Three rooms at $39 each. It looked new and clean. One room had a/c trouble so they switched us quickly. In the morning my phone didn't work correctly. One bummer was when I called for an iron they wanted me to walk all the way to the front desk in my jammies. We were way in the back down the hill. They have golf carts so I thought they would help out.
The next morning my brother and sil had their old time photos taken across the street. They turned out well yet most expensive. $40 for an 8x10 tin.
At 2:00pm we saw the Kirby Vanbuch show. I always buy photos with wild animals if I get a chance. This was the worst rip-off ever. I can understand we weren't allowed to touch the baby tiger. However, the photo was awful. A blind granny could have done a better job. My eyes are closed and my daughter is looking away. They had a digital camera and previewed it. They just printed it out on a cheap computer - $15 for a 4x6! I'm so glad I didn't buy the $30 8x10.
Only half of the first section was full for the show. It was clear the entertainers were insulted or did not care about the show until the second half. It was cute. One comedian was very entertaining with his fake raccoon. A man from China balanced vases. By the end of the show we were all into it and liked Kirby. I wish we could have seen more of the animals. They just flash them for a second. This was a great time of day for us because it was all kids. FREEZing cold in there though. I'm just hoping my daughter isn't traumatized from seeing a woman cut in half and put together wrong - LOL!
Jul 21st, 2003, 07:47 AM
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The outlet mall had good sales.
We moved over to the timeshares- World Mark the Club at Branson. VERY nice- perfect condition. New, beautiful furniture and rooms. Pools, game room, golf, playground, etc.... Our friends had the penthouse with a hottub on the balcony, icemakers in the door, etc. There were also new grills.
Ruby Tuesdays was the only place we went out and had good food. A mexican place- La Hacienda or something was bad too.
My daughter and I took old time photos at Coffelt's Craft Village with a coupon in one of the magazines. I got two 8x10's on paper, one framed for $20. The guy was obnoxious, but good.
We moved over to the timeshares- World Mark the Club at Branson. VERY nice- perfect condition. New, beautiful furniture and rooms. Pools, game room, golf, playground, etc.... Our friends had the penthouse with a hottub on the balcony, icemakers in the door, etc. There were also new grills.
Ruby Tuesdays was the only place we went out and had good food. A mexican place- La Hacienda or something was bad too.
My daughter and I took old time photos at Coffelt's Craft Village with a coupon in one of the magazines. I got two 8x10's on paper, one framed for $20. The guy was obnoxious, but good.
Jul 21st, 2003, 07:50 AM
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We explored the amazing Chateau (spelling?) on the Lake. I would pick this place next time. Beautiful place and view. They will even have a teddy bear bring milk and cookies to your child at bedtime.
Jul 21st, 2003, 07:58 AM
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We LOVED The Butterfly Place and took several rolls of film. This was a great stop for kids. I purchased her an educational bug exploring jar and we will go on a bug hunt soon.
Walmart and fastfoods were handy. The traffic was always backed up. Where did all the people traveling to Branson in 100 degree weather come from???
Walmart and fastfoods were handy. The traffic was always backed up. Where did all the people traveling to Branson in 100 degree weather come from???
Jul 21st, 2003, 08:01 AM
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The 5 and 10 was interesting. Nothing we couldn't live without. Things weren't mostly under a $1. It was like a mom and pop walmart packed with nick knacks. We enjoyed the quaintness of that part of town.
Jul 21st, 2003, 08:08 AM
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Silver Dollar City was very enjoyable. Free parking and tram ride to gate. Amazing food! Skillet cooked foods, funnel cakes with blackberry, homemade chips! YUM!! I just wish it wasn't so hot that we couldn't eat much. We watched candy making, glass blowing, baking etc. We even saw an extreme sports stunt show. A group of 15 of us had our old time photos done. The sitting fee was $14 then one color 8x10 on tin and framed plus one 5x7 black and white on paper cost me $49. I found cookbooks and gifts to take home at fair prices.
Jul 21st, 2003, 09:05 AM
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kerikeri
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Nov 11th, 2004 11:28 AM
