Believe it or Not, Ripley’s buys Ducks
BRANSON MO NEWS: The folks at Ripley Entertainment, owners of the Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Odditorium in Branson, as well as more than 100 other attractions and museums worldwide, recently announced the company acquired Ride The Ducks in Branson.
“Ripley’s is incredibly excited about this new acquisition and the opportunity for new partnerships and continued growth in the Branson market,” Jim Pattison Jr., President of Ripley Entertainment, said in a release. “Ride The Ducks has been around for 40 years, and Ripley’s is proud to add them to the Ripley Entertainment growing roster of family-friendly attractions.”
Ride the Ducks began in 1977 in Branson and was owned by the McDowell family. In 2001, Ride the Ducks partnered with Herschend Family Entertainment. In 2004, Herschend Family Entertainment became the sole owners.
Since opening 40 years ago, Ride the Ducks has been one of the most popular attractions in Branson.
The DUKW, or “Duck,” as they are known, were developed by General Motors in 1942 to give the Allied forces an edge during WWII. Despite early skepticism, it became a vital asset to military operations during that war. As amphibious vehicles, which means they have the ability to operate on land and in water, Ducks were valuable for transporting U.S. troops and supplies to hard-to-reach areas.
The vehicle’s technical title is DUKW, which is a military equipment code representing the features of the vehicle. D is military code for the year 1942, U is code for amphibian, K is code for front wheel drive and W is code for rear wheel drive.
An American entrepreneur recognized their commercial value in the 1950s and began off-road land and water tours. Today, the vehicles are built from the ground up, using the latest in marine design and safety. They are U.S. Coast Guard certified and tested regularly.
The …
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