Every year there are more and more shows in town not to mention resorts and other facilities. I've lived here 15 years and I've watched the town grow and develop. As the years have gone by, I've noticed more and more places selling themselves short to get a bigger piece of the pie. Discounts are everywhere and now it seems that everyone who comes to town is looking for the best bargain.

My concern is this: Branson is becoming a cheap bargain hunter's paradise instead of a premier vacation destination for travelers. I'm afraid our reputation is going to be that of a 'cheap' town that attracts bargain hunters who want to see $10 shows, stay in $20 per night hotels, and have a $3.99 buffet for every meal.

I love this area and I want to preserve the quality and the caliber of the various goods and services we offer those who vacation.

I hope the local hotel, restaurant, and theater owners will hold to quality and premier service as their service components instead of lowering them to meet a bargain hunter’s price.

My two cents.

woah I know how you feel fellow. i own and operate a business here and people have started to haggle with me over the prices. it was never like this before. i must say though, they are the minority.

I understand how you may feel, but as one of those bargain hunters I have to say that it is nice to FINALLY find a place that we can take the kids and grandkids & know that we are not going to shocked or offended by what their little ears may hear. But by the same token, without those bargains, we would not be able to enjoy sharing a place like this & having the time together as a family because most places are so outragious. We are planning on coming to Branson July 27-31 with 3 of our children & 6 grandkids and even with all the "BARGAINS" we will still be spending about Four Thousand Dollars.

What can you do? If people want a deal, and you're hungary enough, give it to them. I don't think the problem is people wanting a good deal--heck who doesn't want a good deal? If think the problem (since some of you see it as a problem) lies with the vendors. The vendors are the ones lowering prices and accepting bargaining offers. So, if it hurts them, it's their own fault.

Any more vendors who would like some cheese with their whine?

I must take issue with the comments I've just read on this subject. I too have lived here 15 years and (#1) the town has not grown and developed, it has grown and gone right down the toilet! (#2) There has NEVER been a time when our guests didn't want to pay a little for a heaping plate of whatever they were buying: Food, Lodging, Entertainment.
My perspective (in a nutshell): The reason we as a town are in such a bad state of affairs can be explained this way. In 1990, the year I moved here and started my Branson career, our guests would pay (as an example) $10.00 - $ 15.00 for a show ticket and get a "perceived value" of $ 30.00 - $ 45.00 in return. This example could be applied to anything in town.
Now, after all the changes we, as a town, have allowed to take place, the guest pays $ 30.00 for a show ticket and gets a "perceived value" of $ 10.00 to $40.00. In addition, this same guest (because prices have stayed light years ahead of inflation) will only see one, maybe two shows during their visit. In 1990 I never, ever talked to a guest who came to town and saw only one or two shows. It was always at least 3, the norm being closer to 6 - 8 shows. Motorcoach tours would bring guests to town for a week and attend 8 - 12 shows. This never happens now and yet there are more shows offerings than ever. This can be applied to any product or service we offer.
If we really want to fix the problems we are facing, the fundamental element that MUST be restored is "perceived value for the dollar". Whatever we as vendors charge for products/services, the guest paying for them must ALWAYS feel like they're spending a little for the heaping plate they're getting!

Fifteen years is a mere drop in the bucket, my dears. I personally began coming to Branson more than thirty years ago, my grandparents long before that. Branson then was a beautiful, peaceful, pastoral place where a lot of city folk came to escape the heat and other down sides of urban life.

I still come to Branson, now bringing a family of my own. Since most shows did or would cost my family (husband, wife, and three kids) fifty or more dollars to see, most attractions more than that, I would hardly call Branson the cheap discount headquarters of the world! I didn't see any $3.99 buffets either - paid $7.99 and more for buffets.

With gas prices rising and not likely to go down soon, increasing numbers of hotels/motels, more restaurants, more attractions, etc., it's my thought that Branson needs to lower some of the prices to get more tourists. It was obvious in my most recent visit (less than a week ago) that the numbers that once flocked to Branson are not coming. Comments I heard time after time from other visitors were high prices for entertainment and the oft found mentality among "locals" (most of which transplanted from somewhere else) to screw the tourist today because he/she will be gone tomorrow.

Thirty years from now? Less mountains, less scenery, more traffic, or else a ghost town that was once a vacation hot spot. It can happen that way - I've seen it in other places. Just for one near Branson, think Rockaway Beach. It was once far larger, better known, and more popular than Branson.

I can understand why people visiting Branson are looking for cheap or discounted deals. Every day normal living expenses are growing each year, and it becomes harder to find vacation money each year. Although I rarely ever haggle for a good "deal" on anything, I do get excited when I believe I have gotten a good discount for something I'm going to purchase with my hard earned money. I believe that some Branson vacationers are willing to haggle with motels, shows, and other vendors so that they can get the maximum entertainment experiences for their vacation dollars. Is that the right thing to do? Not for me, but I know a lot of people who have no shame in trying to get a bargain for their buck.

I was in Branson last week, and my husband and I were amazed at the lack of people at the shows. Theater parking lots sitting half empty during prime show time. I thought it was sad. But, I have seen the cost of show tickets, and those prices scare me away from attending the shows. Honestly, I like to spend my money in Branson on things other than the shows. Also, as a 30-something, there are only a handful of shows in Branson that even interest me. With two small children in tow, that is also another reason why I don't attend the shows in Branson. We spent our money on family fun activities - SDC, CC, The Tracks, IMAX, Ride the Ducks. We used coupons whenever possible, but still it cost us a lot of money. Our one big splurge was a night at Dixie Stampede, and that was with a 20% discount using my Entertainment coupon book card. With trying to manage our money for a family of 4, we used the advertised coupons and discounts where they were available. I never asked for any more, or asked if one was available where it was not advertised.

I believe that Branson is a GREAT vacation spot in the midwest. I love it, my husband loves it, and my kids love it. But, I don't think it will, or can, ever be a PREMIER vacation spot. When you say premier, I think Disney Land, Disney World, Las Vegas. These are places that are extremely expensive, and for a lot of people are a once-in-a-lifetime trip - because of the cost. Branson is a great family vacation spot that you can visit over and over, because you can find affordable accommodations, affordable attractions, and affordable shows. For those who think that Branson is a cheap vacation destination, obviously didn't do their homework very well. Branson is affordable, but not cheap. There's a big difference. These visitors who didn't do their homework get to Branson with X amount of money in their pockets, and find out that things aren't as cheap as the they thought. That's when the haggling begins. They are trying to make a vacation out of what money they have with them.

Another thing I believe that makes people think Branson is a cheap vacation destination are all of the advertised vacation specials from the timeshare companies. 3 nights hotel/motel, 4 SDC tickets, 8 show tickets, breakfasts, and dinners for $399. Yeah, this looks like a bargain, until you find out you have to sit thru the 90 minute to 3 hours timeshare presentation. But, a lot of these people sit thru the presentation, don't buy into the timeshare, get their freebies and have a great time, and they have gotten a cheap vacation.

I agree with labpup. Branson was never meant to be a Las Vegas, a Disneyland, or a New York. Branson is Branson--a nice tourist town in the central U.S. with friendly people and things to do. It is in a different class but that doesn't make it 'cheap.' I know some shows in town charge over $40 a ticket. I dont' know about Mr. Moneybags out there but $40 aint cheap to me.

Branson has a lot to offer at an affordable price. If anything, some of the shows in town are too expensive (for what they offer). I guess it really depends on what they offer. If I pay $20 for a show, I expect to see a $20 show. If I pay $50, I expect to see of $50 show. Some shows in town have surprised me. Others have let me down. Anyway, I'm getting off about the shows but the bottom line is this: Branson is an affordable vacation spot that has many levels of service to meet any vacationer's needs.