Month: November 2010

Branson Titanic is just one of the attractions that will be open Thanksgiving Day.

"Branson, Missouri will be bursting with food, fun, shopping and shows on Thanksgiving Day," said Tammy Johnson, the Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center. "The vast majority of Branson Attractions will be open not only on Thanksgiving Day, but during the weekend," she continued.

The following is a list of the major attractions that, except for those noted with an asterisk, will be open on Thanksgiving Day and over the Thanksgiving Weekend. It includes a brief description of the attraction and a link to more specific information, hours of operation and pricing:

*Adventure Ziplines of Branson – Your heart will leap as you zip through the air on our solid steel construction ziplines at speeds up to 50 mph. (Not open Thanksgiving Day, but is the rest of the weekend.)
Amazing Waltzing Waters – Music that is pre programmed to hundreds of fountains allow the waters dance across the stage as the colors explode in a choreographed exciting and enjoyable event for all ages.
Branson Auto Museum – Branson’s newest attraction, the Branson Auto Museum is located on the world famous "Strip" in Branson, Missouri in the former "Engler Block" crafts mall. The Branson Auto Museum features over 100 cool cars inside and 15-20 outside.
*Branson Landing Cruises Lake Queen – The Lake Queen is a modern day replica of the grand riverboats which used to ply the White River in Branson, Missouri. (Not open Thanksgiving Day, but is the rest of the weekend.)
Branson Landing Cruises Landing Princess – Branson Landing Cruises – Welcome Aboard!!! Cruises Daily Experience Branson’s beauty and charm while cruising aboard Branson Landing’s 100′ luxury yacht.
*Branson Scenic Railway – Ride with us on a 40-mile roundtrip excursion thru Ozark foothills and tunnels. You will learn the history of the area as you cross bridges and trestles. Experience the luxury of rail travel from yesteryear. ((Not open Thanksgiving Day, but is the rest of the weekend.)
Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure – At The Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure, guests can walk among over 1,000 live tropical butterflies from around the world!
Castle of Chaos – Enter the castle. Taste the chaos. Discover the fate of Carli and her crew. You will need every bit of adrenaline and stamina to join the battle against evil in the adventure of a lifetime.
Diana The People’s Princess – A fascinating, full-scale exhibition which gives an intimate glimpse at the life of Princess Diana" as told through her own personal objects and stories from every day life.
Dinosaur Museum – Come face-to-face with a Tyrannosaurus Rex! Count the spikes on a Stegosaurus tail. Stand next to one of the most common predators, the Allosaurus.
Dogwood Canyon Park Activities – Dogwood Canyon Nature Park sprawls across the Missouri Arkansas border just south of Branson, MO. Daily activities include biking, fishing, and tram tours.
Dogwood Canyon Tram Tours – The Wildlife Tour provides a comprehensive journey into this special property, taking about 2 hours. Our specially designed open-air trams allow guests to ride in comfort across our many custom bridges and low water crossings.
Hollywood Wax Museum – Branson’s finest small attraction with a tribute to Hollywood’s best-presenting a valuable, highly entertaining and memorable Hollywood Celebrity Encounter through a state of the art facility, with themed believable displays and prompt personal service.
Inspiration Tower – Branson’s "landmark on the horizon" — a massive 230′ tall structure located on Inspiration Point in The Shepherd of the Hills Homestead. (Is included on the Trail of Lights.)
*Mount Pleasant Winery Wine Class 101 – Our location in Branson is more than just a terrific place to enjoy great wines. It is a wine shop, art gallery and hands-on bottling experience all rolled into one.Enjoy the art of sipping several wines. (Available on Wed and Sat only.)
Ride the Ducks – Hwy 76. Experience Branson sightseeing fun from a duck’s eye view on Branson’s only duck tour. Travel on land and water in one amazing vehicle. Now Ride The Ducks has 2 fun-filled Branson Adventures.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum – You’re in control as you enjoy your self-guided tour of this truly amazing experience. Take as long as you like to view and examine some of the most odd and amazing collections ever assembled.
Silver Dollar City – Silver One of the most popular attractions in Branson, Missouri. Travel back in time to the simplicity of 1880s America, and enjoy family shows, events, and entertainment including: Six fabulous family festivals held April-December. (Old Time Christmas opens 4 pm Thanksgiving Day.)
Titanic Museum – With it’s bow slicing through water, Titanic soars 100 feet above Hwy 76, stopping traffic. Our Guests have expressed this as a this as a "must see" family attraction in Branson.It’s "Awesome" visitors say.
Trail of Lights – The Trail also includes millions of multi-colored Christmas lights. Every building on park is completely illuminated, and there are hundreds of lighted displays as well as the animated scenes. ( Includes Inspiration Tower.)
Veterans Memorial Museum – The Veterans Memorial Museum in Branson, Missouri is a national tribute to the brave men and women who defended our liberties during the 20th Century. A visit to the museum is a powerful, emotional experience.
Vigilante Zipline – An exciting new thrill ride! The ZipRider zip line cable is based on the familiar concept of the back yard zip line but then turns that fun experience into an exciting, no-worries ride.
World’s Largest Toy Museum – Remembering your childhood has never been so much fun! The World’s Largest Toy Museum (Antique Toy Museum) is like Christmas morning every day!

Branson Tourism Center’s Johnson reminds everyone that Thanksgiving Weekend in Branson is the busiest weekend of the Branson season and recommends making advance reservations for shows and lodging. For additional information or tickets for the attractions mentioned in this article or any of Branson’s other shows and attractions or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center (BTC), one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.

"The most recent ‘Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB Fact Sheet,’ indicates just why Branson Missouri is the unique and special travel destination it is," said Tammy Johnson, the Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center. "From live shows to attractions, shopping, natural beauty, lakes, choices of hotels and lodging, family friendliness and customer service, Branson has a synergy that virtually ensures that its visitors have a wonderful experience that will bring them back time and time again," she continued.

Johnson said that according to the Fact Sheet, compiled under the auspices and the financing of the Branson Lakes Area Tourism Community Enhancement District (TCED), a large part of that experience, for about 85 percent of the people who come to Branson, is attending one or more of Branson’s great live shows. It said, "Branson offers 50 theaters and more than 100 shows with 64,057 seats (more than Broadway)" and that audiences can see shows throughout the day from morning shows to matinees and evening shows.

"That’s easy to do," said Johnson, "Branson has a choice of live shows that is the envy of any destination city of a similar size and is called by some, ‘The live music show capital of the world.’" She emphasizes that it’s not just that there are a number of live shows available just about any time of the day during Branson’s season, but the variety and quality of the entertainment experience those show offer that makes Branson such a great place for show goers.

Johnson points out that The Official Branson.Com Shows Schedule indicates a choice of shows covering every genre of music from Broadway and country to opera, swing, gospel, blue grass pop and rock n roll and says, "But that’s just the beginning. Branson’ live show also include drama, comedy, acrobatics and a variety of comedy."

For additional information or tickets for any of Branson’s other shows and attractions or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center (BTC), one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.

The entire Fact Sheet referred to in this article is reproduced below in its entirety:

Fact Sheet for the Branson Lakes Area

OVERVIEW: Branson, Missouri is situated in Southwest Missouri, 35 miles south of Springfield, and is ranked 25th among all overnight leisure vacation destinations in the country.

2009 TOURISM IMPACT:

*An estimated 7.8 million visitors in 2009
*Tourism is the Branson/Lakes Area’s chief industry, with an estimated $3.0 billion in tourism-related spending in Taney and Stone counties in 2009

2009 VISITOR INFORMATION:

* 38.5% of visitors were families
* 61.5% of visitors were adults
* 90.1% travelled to Branson via personal vehicle
* 6.9% travelled to Branson by air
* 4.3% travelled to Branson via RV/Camper
* 6.6% were groups
* Average adult age was 57 years
* Average length of stay was 4.54 nights
* Average party size was 4.06 persons
* Average amount spent per party was $961 per trip
* 14.4% of visitors came from 100 miles or less
* 25.7% of visitors came from 101-300 miles away
* 26.3% of visitors came from 301-650 miles away
* 33.5% of visitors came from 650+ miles away
* On a 1 to 5 rating scale, visitor satisfaction measured 4.51

ACTIVITIES:

* 85.5% – Shopping
* 85.1% – Shows
* 53.7% – Lake/Outdoor Activities
* 31.3% – Museums
* 26.6% – Theme Parks
* 4.1% – Fishing
* 3.8% – Golf

THEATERS/SHOWS: The Branson/Lakes Area offers 50 theaters and more than 100 shows with 64,057 seats (more than Broadway). Audiences can see shows throughout the day – breakfast shows, matinees and evening performances. Country, pop, swing, rock n" roll, gospel, classical and Broadway-style music and productions join comedy, acrobatics and magic shows to provide visitors a wide array of entertainment choices.

LAKES: Table Rock, Taneycomo and Bull Shoals — 3 pristine lakes with 1,200 miles of shoreline offering fishing, boating, parasailing, jet skiing and swimming. While the lakes all offer great fishing, each has its specialty. Table Rock Lake offers world-class bass fishing; Lake Taneycomo with its cold waters offers superb trout fishing; and Bull Shoals Lake is a warm water angler’s paradise, especially for tournament bass fishing.

LODGING: 208 facilities with 22,000 rooms

RV/CAMPGROUNDS: 26 parks with 2,870 sites

RESTAURANTS: 242 restaurants with 37,048 seats

GOLF COURSES: 12 courses (7 Championship)

SHOPPING: 300+ shops — Branson is home to three outlet shopping malls with more than 200 retailers. Visitors can find contemporary clothing, gift items, house wares, designer shoes, luggage and other treasures at reduced prices throughout the year at Tanger Outlets, Branson Meadows, or Factory Merchants. Historic Downtown Branson is also a shopper and diner’s delight — Dick’s Old-Fashioned 5 & 10, countless boutiques and specialty stores combined with quaint eateries make the downtown area truly special. The new Branson Landing’s 100+ retail shops and lakefront dining establishments are just minutes away.

DEMOGRAPHICS:

* 7,435 – Branson Population
* 75,152 – Taney and Stone County Population
* 19 square miles – Branson’s incorporated area
* $468,546,090 – Total assessed Branson property values