Time can be harsh on everyone and everything; we get wrinkles, buildings get blistering paint, our seats get wider, and the theater seats get threadbare and worn.  We need glasses, and the Branson IMAX and Dixie Stampede get whole new sound and light systems – it’s just a part of the circle of life!  Both the IMAX and Dixie Stampede are Branson hometown favorites, and the entire town (as well as tourists from all over) is excited to see the refurbishments.  Planning to reopen in time for the 2016 season, the renovations promise to be exciting and state of the art.

Dixie Stampede

Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, a dinner theater, has been in Branson since 1995, and most of its changes will be technical ones rather than cosmetic ones.  They’ve added a cave, a waterfall, and an amazing LED wall with 12 million lights.  The original setting was a plantation home, straight out of Dixie, but that’s been changed to an Ozarks setting, more appropriate for our beautiful surroundings here in Branson.  With sets that drop down from the ceiling and sound systems so sensitive, guests will forget they are in a dinner theater in the middle of Branson, Missouri and will feel like they are a part of the show! John Richardson, who is director of marketing, says all the changes will have first time customers wanting to come back again and again, and their repeat customers will be so impressed with the new features they will continue to come back as well.  Dixie Stampede is scheduled to reopen the first week of March.

Branson IMAX

Our IMAX theatre will have both cosmetic and technical upgrades.  People today want to be comfortable when sitting for a couple of hours, and as such, they are planning on replacing their 20-year-old standard movie seats with larger recliners and gliders that are both comfortable and luxurious.  This change will lower the capacity somewhat, 500 seats will be replaced with 400, but this change is worth it.  The big upgrade, however, will be in the projection system.  Today’s digital 70-millimeter projector is being replaced with the latest and greatest of Laser systems, which is much brighter and is so new that only a few are in use throughout the world.  People can witness the changes as they happen by checking the Branson IMAX Facebook page.  The big reopen date for IMAX is tentatively scheduled for the 3rd or 4th week of March.  Whichever date they choose, it will be just in time to see the new Batman movie, “Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice” thrilling fans of the Batman franchise the world over!