Messages

3466

Construction/Rumors / Re: How long will the Jack Rabbit last?

« on: August 09, 2007, 10:50:28 PM »

Has anyone been to CC recently? If anyone is going soon, be sure to look at the footers of the Jack Rabbit. If the ride is set up on wood, it's more likely that the ride is indeed temporary, but if it's stapled in, they may want to keep it longer.

I think I remember it being up on wooden blocks, but I didn't think to look before.

3467

Construction/Rumors / Re: The next coaster (SDC)

« on: August 09, 2007, 10:48:33 PM »

So I've been wondering: Both S&S and GCII are in really good relations with the park, and both S&S and GCII make good wooden coasters, so which would SDC trust for a woodie? I would think GCII since they focus on woodies, but S&S has the environmental edge, and SDC may want something a little different from Ozark Wildcat...

3468

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Anyone been to the park lately?

« on: August 09, 2007, 10:45:30 PM »

So, being that I live so far away and have to work, I haven't been to the park now for 2 months, and it will be another 3 before I can go again. Thus, does anyone care to bring us up to date on the happenings of the park?

Are the crowds still strong, is Giant Swing still a hit, anything new?

3469

Construction/Rumors / Re: 2008 survey out

« on: August 03, 2007, 02:01:13 PM »

^Well, my bets are still on the Midtown/Landing re-hab. I'm sure this isn't all we'll see for 2008.

3470

Construction/Rumors / 2008 survey out

« on: August 01, 2007, 05:48:30 PM »

Well, it looks like SDC is going for something different this year. The yearly survey is reportedly out according to posts on 1Branson, and instead of polling different thrill ride possibilities, the concepts are: A new wedding chapel, a craft house, and a cooking seminar attraction.

Meh, none of those strike my fancy, and it's not because they don't involve rides. I'd rather they just put in a few new shops before anything else, but there are plenty of others who are excited about these possibilities.

I don't think this is all SDC has in store for 2008 though. It was said that they would be spending several million on park improvements, so I expect to see more. Anyone else get this survey, or any thing else like it?

3471

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Big Christmas Announcement Coming

« on: July 31, 2007, 01:34:43 PM »

Go here for the article -> http://www.sdcfans.com/sdcnews.php

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the new 7-story Christmas tree is what they are talking about... but this is the Herschends we are talking about, so it could be any number of things.

3472

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Giant Swing Downtime

« on: July 30, 2007, 03:18:29 PM »

It seems the Giant Swing has fallen prey to the usual Screamin Swing problems, but luckily it isn't as bad as what the other swings are going through (especially at Kennywood). I've been hearing several reports stating that TGS has been down for entire days lately, and at other times it tests for hours with no riders. Come to think of it, it was down for most of the day when I was there on Memorial weekend.

Now, Screamin Swings have a history of problems, especially the large early models, but TGS was supposed to be the first swing to implement a series of upgrades meant to fix all of that. Even with upgrades though, it seems that while TGS has had a fair bit of uptime, it isn't living up to expectations as far as operations go.

I'm sure everything will be fixed eventually though; just be glad we didn't have to go through what DW did with Timberrrr Tower.

Anyone know just how much TGS has been down lately?

3473

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: Your Most Memorable SDC Trip

« on: July 30, 2007, 12:45:41 PM »

It's hard to say what my most memorable SDC trip was, as I've been on so many of them, and most of them have been pretty similar.

I do remember once I went in early May, and it rained torrentiously (new word?) all day. Not being able to ride any rides, I walked the park over and over again with a friend, eating heaps of food and talking to various employees. Even though we weren't able to ride much, we still had a great time - truly a show of what a great park SDC is.

Another memorable trip I had was in 2005 during the spring break season. SDC's website stated that Powderkeg would not be open until April, so we grudgingly had to pass it up and head to Wildfire first thing in the morning. It was while we were walking up the bridge past the American Plunge that we heard it: Powderkeg's whooshing blast, coupled with screaming riders. We jogged over to PK immediately, to find it open, over a month early. We got loads of rides in before everyone else found out.

It's funny though, out of all the SDC trips I've been on, I can't remember one I haven't enjoyed - and I've been there when every single parking lot was crammed, during snow storms, and during torrential rains. 

3474

Construction/Rumors / Possible Huss Ride Coming

« on: July 28, 2007, 10:27:48 PM »

This is a little far-fetched, at least for the near future, but I thought I'd throw it in to the mix of possibilities.

It's been speculated that another major flat is on it's way to SDC in the next 5 years, and that it will be most likely furnished by Huss. Huss has already supplied at least one ride for the Herschends with Timberrrr Tower, the infamous topple tower at DW, and was almost chosen to supply a similar model at SDC in 2007. Since the recent major problems of the Timberrr Tower at DW, the Herschends have likely turned their backs to Huss, but there aren't that many manufacturers to go to for large flats. Huss has a good following generally, but Timberrrr Tower had been a rare blemish on their name.

During the 2007 new ride survey, a Huss Frisbee concept was featured alongside a topple tower similar to TT and the Screamin Swing which ended up as the chosen ride for 2007. Here's how the Frisbee was described:

Silver Dollar City’s new Grand Exposition has just gotten bigger. Standing behind the Red Gold Exposition Hall is the Exposition’s newest ride, one of the most exciting rides ever built at Silver Dollar City, The Amazing Pendulum Swing. This new ride is the featured attraction at the Grand Exposition of 1882, standing nearly 75 feet tall, with a giant pendulum arm that swings riders back in forth while rotating over 110 degrees. This unique attraction is not for the faint-of-heart as it reaches speeds of nearly 60 miles per hour as it swings back and forth, high above the grounds of Silver Dollar City’s new Grand Exposition. The ride soars out over cascading water and shooting fountains that spray bursts of water onto some of the riders, adding yet another element of thrill and suspense to the attraction.

So it seems like it could be a strong possibility that SDC will go back to this concept, as it was definitely an attractive one. I personally hope they do, as Huss Frisbees are excellent rides, and are usually regarded as favorites among enthusiasts. The only problem standing in the way of such a ride would be the Herschends distrust of Huss. If it came down to it, the Herschends could always go to Intamin for a similar ride, but they don't make frisbees as well as Huss. Really, Huss has only ever had major problems with their topple towers, and they do have a good reputation, especially for their frisbees, but will the Herschends see this?

3475

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Silver Dollars and Simple Prayers

« on: July 26, 2007, 11:25:12 AM »

^Yeah, but that stems more from strict training and hiring standards, coupled with good pay and motivation. The Herschends have all of that as well, but even if they didn't, I don't think there would be a whole lot of difference.

3476

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: CC Fall Family FUNFest Announced

« on: July 26, 2007, 09:18:01 AM »

^If you're in to amusement parks, CC is worth a night. Seriously, it may be smallish, but it's really well done, and Ozark Wildcat is absolutely kick-ass.

I like how they're still running after the young families, but it seems to me that CC has lost it's original face as a 'night theme park'.

3477

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Silver Dollars and Simple Prayers

« on: July 26, 2007, 09:15:58 AM »

Yeah, I've always been blown away by the Herschends and their spot. Very few places on this earth will you find people such as these, whom really know what it is to be a great entertainer and host. They really care about the guests themselves, and everything else that they do so well springs from that.

You know they're doing something right when over half their employees have been there for over 15 years.

3478

General Silver Dollar City Talk / CC Fall Family FUNFest Announced

« on: July 25, 2007, 04:10:07 PM »

Celebration City will debut their answer to the usual Halloween horrorfests for the first time this year with the new 'Fall Family FUNFest'. Included in this festival are hay rides, a maze, games, and loads of free candy, all set in a warm, family-friendly environment.

It sounds cheesy, but hey, if the candy's free, I'm in. Besides, who here hasn't had the fantasy of riding roller coasters in a giant dinosaur costume? It'll be fun.

I've been wondering though, where will the hay ride go? They say it'll wind through some woods, but I didn't think CC owned any woods, at least not any that are accessible.

3479

Dollywood Discussion / Re: Dollywood Annouces New Splash Battle Ride

« on: July 25, 2007, 12:22:04 PM »

^Yes, and arguably, that's the better of the two additions (and I'm not putting the splash battle down or anything).

I'm sure having to go all the way down one valley, only to have to go all the way back up it so you can go up and down another one was ridiculous, so this path is a necessity.

3480

Construction/Rumors / Re: The next coaster (SDC)

« on: July 25, 2007, 12:19:33 PM »

Eh, no one really makes coasters like Vekoma anymore, and even if someone did, they'd still be a very unlikely possibility.

Heres an idea though: maybe S&S submitted a crazy new proposal to SDC that resembles something like a Vekoma Thrill Lift. It's a stretch, especially when S&S is wrapped up with other projects right now, but it could theoretically happen.

S&S, if you aren't aware, is the firm responsible for the Giant Swing and Powderkeg. They also own what's left of Arrow Dynamics, the firm responsible for ThuNderaTion and Tennessee Tornado. While it's very unlikely that S&S would ever try anything resembling a thrill lift, it's not completely out of the question, at least if you really want to daydream about it. After all, they went out of their way to do something new when they built Powderkeg... but that was more of a standard coaster.