What is up with Branson, Missouri

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

It is one of those places where we went out of curiosity but would never go again.

I agree with that. We went because at the time all we had to trade was a blue week on the NC beach. It was all we could get. I still get abused for taking my family there and it's been nearly 10 years!

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

I have family that lives in that area. I'm still trying to figure out the fascination.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I agree with that. We went because at the time all we had to trade was a blue week on the NC beach. It was all we could get. I still get abused for taking my family there and it's been nearly 10 years!

Ingrates!

[mas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mas]

I went to HS in southwest MO (Carthage, MO to be exact). I had my senior 'skip days' in Silver Dollar City back in 1970. That's about as close as I want to get to Branson these days, however, the Ozarks area really is beautiful.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Well, Branson has it's own way of limiting the crowd.

It has, from time to time, wrestled with perceptions such as expressed here, but it is no more likely to make itself over than is NYC, or SOCAL, or Vegas, or Mexico, or New Orelans, or any other place with a notorious niche.

Living here, we don't inundate ourselves with the things that those who only visit perceive to be Branson, but we don't avoid them, either. We do the things we like to do, and there are plenty of them.

The thing about Branson that keeps it going, I believe, is that there are a whole lot of common folks who like to be here, who would be uncomfortable in NYC, or Mexico, or Europe, et al.

So, it works for everyone.

[cshelz Member Find all posts View Profile Close cshelz]

Wow

Appears there are quite a few timeshare snobs here. We love Branson. My family who have traveled all over the US and Mexico find it a great place to visit. My kids are now 10&13 and we are in our 40's. There is plenty to do in and around Branson. Table Rock Lake is huge and has great fishing. Timeshares on the lake typically will rent you any type of boat you want to go for a ride or go fishing. You can go horseback riding, water parks, amusement parks, go cart tracks, mini golf, outlet malls, etc. The shows are diverse too. Lots of variety. If you find the right timeshare the activity centers and pools are very good. My kids love Silver Dollar City(an amusement park with lots of roller coasters). I guess you make your times good or bad wherever you go, that is each individuals choice. But dont be fooled, there is PLENTY to do in Branson.

[mdurette Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdurette]

I was going to suggest the Wisconsin Dells! We loved it there. Your 5yo would have a blast!

Now that is another one I haven't heard of!

Trying to research places for family vacations. Honestly I have had enough of Orlando - trying to explore the rest of the US - but still keep the plane ride to a minimum. (We live in Mass).

Did Williamsburg last June - liked it - but boy was it HOT - over 100 every day!!!

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

Appears there are quite a few timeshare snobs here. .

Just because some people don't like Branson doesn't make them snobs. Everybody has their own preferences. If you like it that is fine and well but that doesn't make those that don't snobs. Our favorite vacation destination is New York City but I don't expect everybody else to have the same opinion.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Appears there are quite a few timeshare snobs here. We love Branson. My family who have traveled all over the US and Mexico find it a great place to visit. My kids are now 10&13 and we are in our 40's. There is plenty to do in and around Branson. Table Rock Lake is huge and has great fishing. Timeshares on the lake typically will rent you any type of boat you want to go for a ride or go fishing. You can go horseback riding, water parks, amusement parks, go cart tracks, mini golf, outlet malls, etc. The shows are diverse too. Lots of variety. If you find the right timeshare the activity centers and pools are very good. My kids love Silver Dollar City(an amusement park with lots of roller coasters). I guess you make your times good or bad wherever you go, that is each individuals choice. But don't be fooled, there is PLENTY to do in Branson.

I was just pulling JLBs leg....it amazes me at times how different we all are and where we like to go - so many different places.
I love Las Vegas, the nightlife, the desert, the mountains - but know plenty of people who say they have gone once and will not go back.

I am a big beach person and know others that really do not enjoy laying on the beach looking at the ocean.

The "idea" of Branson does not appeal to me - but I would like to visit Bluegreens Big Cedar Resort....so one of these day, I will make it out there.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

I am a big beach person and know others that really do not enjoy laying on the beach looking at the ocean.

I am definitely one of those that does not enjoy laying on a beach.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Branson has some nice timeshares so if you want to just get away and stay in a decent cheap destination, then I guess Branson fits the bill. I thought it was good value for what you pay, just like Orlando.
Of course I'm partial to Orlando since I live in Florida, but if I lived out that way I'd consider visiting Branson in all seasons to get a quick getaway.

I'm not a TS snob because I'm open to going to anyplace at least once, and it doesn't have to be gold crown 5 stars to make me happy, but Branson ain't all that. It's nice, it's scenic, thanks to the Army Corp. who turned the area which was once a flood disaster area into something useful that can be marketed as a resort town. Now if that dam breaks then I can't see alot to draw me to the area.

I could see the draw of going for the Christmas season. Since it's an unashamedly Christian town, I'm sure the Christmas shows are nice.
I'd go back to see those.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I abhore folks who are not objective cuz they have a chicken in the fight (ozarks), like VickiTT OY, but . . . . . . during the time I/we were the unofficial Branson Welcome Wagon for OY, we met hundreds of people, many of them first-time visitors.

I recall one group from inner city east coast, two lady teachers and young, inner city kids, 10-12-ish. They had never known anything but big inner city east coast life. We actually had lunch together at Big Cedar Devil's Pool, about as different an environment from home as they could experience.

They were probably the most impressed, glazed-and-amazed folks I ever met. They thought this was the Wild Wild West.

Another young couple from St. Louis, new Wilderness Club owners on their first week there, sitting on the terrace at Devil's Pool, eating lunch (Yeah, that was my favorite meeting place!!!). He asked, "What can we expect when we start trading?" I paused, looked out over Big Cedar's property, and Big Cedar Cove, and said, "It won't get any better than this."

Still my position . . . and throw in more than 100 attractions a half hour away, that you can do or not do, and there are few places like it.

It serves a niche.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

OT, but I am a beach person (duh!) but don't like sitting.

I love the setting, all the nature, the crooks and nannies of the bays, creeks, canals, estuaries.

Here on the lake, I/we like the same things . . . the coves with the creeks feeding in to them.

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Go Branson

One of the pluses for Branson is that it is within a 6-8 hour drive for a lot of folks in the MidWest and MidSouth. That makes it a good vacation spot for families that don't want to fly for one reason or another. The first time was in Branson was 1969 and boy has it changed. There 5 million +/- visitors there each year and many of them seniors like myself. I lived in Missouri for 50+ years, now in Tennessee and still go about once every year or two. Like all of that part of the midwest, it can be hot and humid in July & August, but you can cool off at the pool, water park or at in the A/C at one of the many shows.

Like was said, different folks, like different things and that is what makes the world go round

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Hey, when it comes to opinionated, none are worse than the inner circle on the Branson forum. They pretty well ride herd on the naysayers.