*photo of MariLee Parrish, Christian author and CEO of Mommy Bag Marketing, Inc and Martha Hoy Bohner, Sr. Publicist for Silver Dollar City and Herschend Family Entertainment. MariLee is holidng a Silver Dollar City 50th anniversary bag given to her from Martha; and Martha is holding a Mommy Resource Bag given to her from MariLee.

MariLee:  I’m delighted to know that the SDC founders are believers! The respect for God and country is evident throughout the park and even while we were on board the Branson Belle. Have visitors ever reacted negatively to this? If so, how does SDC respond in situations like that?

Martha: We get very few negative responses on such issues. We survey guests on their likes and dislikes, and we receive many comments thanking us for providing a positive, family-friendly atmosphere. It’s hard to be critical about that.

MariLee: Visiting with a toddler was more fun that I had expected! There are a lot of rides and areas that my 3 year old found entertaining. Have you ever had, or considered having, a permanent stage show specific to children ages 3 and under?

Martha: We’ve partnered with brands including VeggieTales and Nickelodeon to produce shows for younger kids, and we focus on entertainment/shows for kids during KidsFest June – August, when the percentage of families visiting with small kids is highest. We change the entertainment, along with the food and décor, with the different festivals, and also change shows after a run of a few years to keep the entertainment fresh.

MariLee: We enjoyed the “down-home” feel of the park and the food choices were yummy. However, the menus were often full of fried foods and “not-so-good-for-you” carbs. We found 1 or 2 food vendors that offered some fruit and healthier choices…will SDC be pursuing more healthful options in the future?

Martha: There are healthy options all over the park, and every restaurant has healthy foods available. We have veggie sticks and dips, fresh fruit cups, entrée salads at 3 restaurants, a 30-item salad bar at 2 restaurants, grilled chicken sandwiches, etc. Plus all of our cooking oils are trans-fat free. Additionally, our foods team is always looking for menu items that incorporate healthy items such as whole grains into the menus and are flavorful too.

MariLee:  Most of our readers are families that have to budget for vacations months in advance. What is the best time to come to SDC? Is there a value season? How could families find out about deals or discounts?

Martha: As a destination, Branson is always a great value, and Silver Dollar City offers multi-park tickets and get-away packages with lodging that provide an extra day free. Such offers are on the website, www.silverdollarcity.com, and go to special offers and packages. Plus, a season pass at SDC is less than the cost of two one-day tickets, so it’s a great value, especially with 6 festivals throughout the year. That’s why we have such a huge season pass base – 250,000, which is very large in the industry.

MariLee:  And my last (and most important question of all, if you ask my son…) When will Veggie Tales be returning for a stage show?

Martha: While we have nothing in the plans for the immediate future, we have had enjoyed a long-time affiliation with VeggieTales. During KidsFest, which starts June 5, we have meet-and-greet appearances by Bob and Larry June 5-6, as well as character breakfasts with Bob and Larry June 5, part of Silver Dollar City’s Famous Friends series for the summer. The character schedule is at: http://festivals.bransonsilverdollarcity.com/mini-section/default.aspx?id=21

Thank you, Martha!

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