Branson Travel Reviews: Part 4

3 Redneck Tenors

Hands down, my favorite show EVER!!!  This show started in my area and I know some of the people involved with it.  They were on America's Got Talent and the wives of one of the tenors runs a children's theater a few miles away from me.  I don't even know how many times I've seen this show, but it never gets old.  When I saw they were going to be in Branson the same time we were, I couldn't wait to take my kids to see it for their first time.

These 3 men are all classically trained tenors, performing at opera houses around the world, and have THE most amazing voices.  The show is full of silly humor, but the singing is phenomenal!

We sat in the 3rd row to the left of the stage, but had a great view.  I don't even know how many costume changes they go through, but it's hilarious.  Can you guess what song they are singing with these outfits?

Long live the King, even through Rednecks.

My daughter's favorite part of the show.  They are singing "You Light Up My Life".

And then, it went dark.  In the theater world, when you hear the expression "Broadway goes dark", it means there are no shows playing for whatever reason (weather, political reasons, in honor of someone).  Well, the Wednesday night we saw this show, the Branson strip went dark and not on purpose.  Just before intermission, all the power went out in the theater.  At first, we thought it was something new to the show, but all techies started coming out with flashlights and telling us the generator that had been running because of a storm had a hose bust.  Just so happened the storm affected most of the other shows in the area as well.

The great thing about these actors is they're great ad-libbers.  The guy in the orange is the writer and creator of the show.  He came out and talked to us, joked with us, told stories, and said they would do some a capella singing for us.  We actually turned the flashlights on our phones and shined them their direction so they could kind of see us.  They still sounded phenomenal!

We were told we could come back and see the show another night for free or see any other show playing in the theater.  That was a very easy decision for us.  We came back the next night for free and sat second row in the center.  Great seats!!!!

This is the narrator of the show.

Love the short shorts.

Doesn't this just look funny?

My son's favorite part of the show.

At the end of the second act, they come out as themselves and sing.  I get chills every time.

They tour all over the place and is a must see!!!

Showboat Branson Belle
This paddleboat dinner and show is a family favorite.  It's the one thing the kids talked about doing again since we were on it 2 years ago.  Once again, we got front row seats (thank you to our Welk reservationist!) and enjoyed our close-up view.

The dinner was delicious.  This is the kids meal:  chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and green beans.

This is the adult meal:  chicken with cream sauce, beef tips, mashed potatoes, and green beans.  Plus, everyone got a corn roll, salad, and unlimited lemonade, tea, water, or coffee.

The kids dessert:  vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate syrup, chocolate cookie crumbs, and gummy bears.

The adult dessert:  key lime pie with a layer of raspberry filling, whipped topping, and drizzled with caramel sauce.  It was all soooo good!!!

There was a pre-show during dinner and then we were free to roam the boat until the  main show started.  The views were amazing.

The kids loved watching the big paddle.

The main show was very entertaining with the Showboat Band...

...a jazz piano player...

...a violinist...

...and the Showmen Singers.

Great food, great entertainment, and we enjoyed it all.

Montana Mike's
We asked the concierge at our resort for her recommendations on a great steakhouse and this is the name she said immediately.  So, we thought we'd try it out.  I wish I got pictures of the food because it was so good.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  The portions were very generous, the food was fantastic, and the restaurant had a great atmosphere.  Craig got the 8 oz sirloin and said it was tender and juicy.  Kaitlyn and I shared chicken smothered with bacon, mushrooms, cheese, and a honey mustard sauce.  So delicious and we were so full!  But you'll have to do a long workout to burn off all those calories.

Branson Travel Reviews: Part 3

Buckets N Boards

For a really fun afternoon show, we decided to check out Buckets N Boards.  It's 2 guys that have their own percussion routine and it was A-MAY-ZING!!!!  We were lucky enough to get front row tickets so we got to see everything up close.  They were entertaining, funny, and so talented.  I really hope they tour in Texas.  It's something we all want to see again.

They played on buckets (hence the name)...

...they played recorders, with their noses (BTW, the one in the blue offered me one of his recorders after sticking it in his nose-I declined)...

...they played a neon drum set, in the dark, while wearing a neon wig and glasses...

...they played an entire song using squeaky dog toys...

...they got serious and played guitars and sang some sentimental songs...

...and they danced.

This review does not do the show justice.  Go to their site or Facebook page and see if they are touring to your city.  It is a must see!!!!

Grand Village Shops
More shopping!  Branson is full of unique little shopping areas and this one is my favorite.  It's a bunch of little specialty shops that surround a beautiful, quiet courtyard.  Right in the middle is the Big Rocking Chair.  So cute!

My favorite store is Kringle's Christmas Shop.  It takes up 3 store spaces and has every kind of Christmas decor that you can imagine.

They had a clearance table (YES!) and I found 4 of these black and silver striped ornaments.  They were originally $3 each and marked down to $1.50 each.  I snatched them up because they would go great with my white Christmas tree.  When we go to the register, they were marked down another 80%!!!  I bought all 4 ornaments for $3.  I love great deals like that!

Mel's Hard Luck Diner
One of the restaurants in the Grand Village Shops is Mel's Hard Luck Diner.  A 50's inspired diner, it offers something very unique as you enjoy your meal.

The servers sing!  And not just walk around singing for fun, whatever song comes to mind.  An instrumental track starts playing and they all take turns walking around, with a mic, singing a song.  They've all recorded their own CD's, so it's a way to promote their music.  Some sing just show tunes, another sings Disney classics, and lots of them sing Christian or Gospel songs.  My favorite part is when one female server started singing "Amazing Grace/My Chains Are Gone", 2 more servers sang harmony, and they would stand still and just praise God while singing.  In the restaurant!  With customers watching!  I love seeing people boldly sharing their faith like that.

There's a fun gift shop full of unique antique and 50's items, as well as CD's from all the servers.  It's something definitely worth checking out.

Branson Travel Reviews: Part 1

We spent 5 days in Branson, MO recently and enjoyed the time away.  I've had lots of people tell me that they have either been to Branson or would like to go someday.  Hopefully, over these next few postings, your mind will be swayed even more one way or the other.

We stayed at the Welk Resort, named for Lawrence Welk.  There are several locations across the country.  We always get a package that includes a breakfast buffet for each morning of our stay, tickets to a show of choice for each night of our stay, a $25 gift card to be used at the resort restaurant, and a Welcome package.  It is a great deal and you can customize it how you choose.

This is the outdoor walkway that leads to the restaurant.  Across from the restaurant is the Welk Theater that is currently playing a live version of The Price Is Right.

There's an onsite miniature golf course.  We didn't get a chance to play this time, but it is fun.

This was our welcome package:  an insulated cooler full of lots of goodies.

There's a Splash-a-torium that is indoor/outdoor.  The kids love spraying water everywhere.

This picture of the indoor waterslide doesn't do it justice.  The indoor swimming area is beautiful with a pool that connects to a lazy river that goes to the indoor pool.  There's also a hot tub inside and a hot tub outside.  Different times of the day, the Splash-a-torium is full of families participating in water games, scavenger hunts, snacks, crafts, and various activities.

We opted for just a regular room with 2 queen beds, but lodges are another option too.  Preston liked to build a fort using all the pillows.

Dixie Stampede
The Dixie Stampede is one of three locations and was founded by Dolly Parton.  It's a family friendly country show with lots of singing, dancing, animals, and a four course meal.

As you walk into the building, you pass by all the stables full of gorgeous horses.  Preston loves waving at animals.   The show also had buffalo, pigs, longhorns, and doves.

One of the show's performers is grooming her horse before showtime.

No, these 3 are not part of the show.  :)

Here's a peek of what it looks like inside.  It's similar to Medieval Times, if you've ever visited one of those places.  You get a great view no matter where you sit, you eat while watching the show, and no utensils are used.  Plus, if you arrive early, there's a very entertaining pre-show.

We were very entertained and had very full tummies by the time we left.