Been There, Done That and DID NOT like it: #Ghost Town in the Sky (Maggie Valley)

How disappointing it is to write this message but it has to be done. We visited Ghost Town in the Sky (Maggie Valley, NC) this past weekend (on Fri 18OCT2013) and paid $24.95 each to get in. A total of 6 adults and 2 children. We were told at the bottom that there were "a few rides no operational for the adults, but that the kids rides were still open and the shows and attractions were still going.'" We should have second guessed our decision at that point, but we were so excited to visit once again for the first time in many years and as a whole family. Once we got to the top, we realized the true defintion of GHOST TOWN. NO ONE was there, not even majority of the employees. At 12 noon on Friday, only 3 of the souvenir shops were open with very limited staffing; no chapel services were scheduled; no restaurants were operational; the fudge shoppe keeper wasn't even in the shop and only 2 half pans of fudge that were several days old were avaialble (btw.... anyone could have helped themselves to the goods because the shop wasn't secured!!!); only 4 of the street crew/gun fighters were at work plus the martial (and they stood around in corners smoking cigarettes talking and laughing with one another); the saloon show only included 3 ladies, the piano player, and the host of the show; the bartender didn't even have drinks on tap, just canned drinks for $2.00 each. No kiddie rides were open, even though the signs posted in the gift shop stated that there were 3 kiddie rides available that day (the operator didn't come to work!!!) The T-shirt salesman told us that no one on the property even knew they were supposed to be open that day. They had to call their friends to come into work, IF they even showed up at all. The place was filthy! The bathrooms looked like they had not been attended to in MONTHS. There were rust and stains in all of the commodes, spider webs in the corners of the rooms (even the INSIDE bathroom), spider webs lining the staircases in the gift shop. It was the epitomy of a run down 'has been'. Once complaining at the bottom back in the gift shop, we were informed that we got to see what was advertised and that no refunds would be given. It's sad to see an establishment with this much history go down in shame, but I'm afraid that's what is going to happen and very quickly.