Messages

316

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Top spinning record attempt

« on: August 09, 2009, 12:22:48 PM »

Great idea.  Maybe the group could get some ERT and some behind the scenes looks at things. Some meeting time with the higher ups would be fun too.

317

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: When were they there last?

« on: August 09, 2009, 12:16:29 PM »

I bet any of us would love to get just 30 minutes with one of the brothers to share our thoughts, ideas and concerns. Has anyone received a survey lately?  I didn't see anyone taking down names and e-mail addresses when we were at the park last week. I wonder what concepts and ideas they are thinking about for the future.  Does anyone know, do the folks at SDC use any focus groups or do they stick mainly to the surveys?

318

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Kidsfest: Stay or Go?

« on: August 09, 2009, 12:11:42 PM »

Anyone know where Johnny Lonestar is?  I always enjoyed his trick roping.

319

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: The Train Holdup Skit

« on: August 09, 2009, 11:07:45 AM »

After just getting married, Steam Freak is probably learning that no one can put their foot down like a lady can!

320

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: WHY DO THEY CALL 'EM WIIIIIIIILD WOMEN?

« on: August 08, 2009, 10:08:25 PM »

I agree wholeheartedly oklaSDCfan.  The guys and gals in the saloon give it their all every single performance.  You can tell they take pride in giving a good show and really want each person to have a great time. I think the show is great this year!! They've tweaked it a bit from last year and really made it a good time. My wife and I love it and my daughters (7 and 12) love it. I wish they could share some of their enthusiasm with the train robbery folks.

321

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC's 2009/10 Project

« on: August 08, 2009, 09:48:59 PM »

Answering SDC Rules question....Dollywood opens their Splash Battle ride when the park opens in the spring. We were down there for spring break in April this year and it was running...not many people were on it but it was running. Which brings me to my next thought of why SDC wanted to go with another water ride in the first place.  As a park that stays open until Christmas you would think they would want to put things in that would help increase capacity even in times of cooler weather.  You look at that area now with the Lost River, Geyser Gulch, the waterboggans and soon to be River Battle and there's not a lot in that area from October through Christmas. I realize the Barn Swing is that direction and there are a couple of theatre venues but it can get pretty slow in that area in colder weather.  As far as building the new ride, I always say make hay while the sun is shining.  Might as well get busy on it and git-r-done.  It may rain all fall or get really cold early. 

322

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: When were they there last?

« on: August 08, 2009, 09:35:27 PM »

That's an excellent question. I would love to know how often the Herschends are on park and what they do when they are there.  Do they stay in the administrative offices or do they get out and walk the streets, ride some rides and watch some shows?  You would think they more than anyone would have a great feel for something that's just not right or drifting away from theme.

We were at Dollywood a few years back the summer before they built the Mystery Mine. I was approached by a lady taking a survey. She seemed ready to talk so I started asking questions.  She told me all about the Mystery Mine--and this was before D'wood had announced anything about the new ride.  She also told me how involved one of the brothers (I can't remember if she said Pete or Jack) was in the planning and development of the Thunderhead Gap area. She said he would come down and walk through the area with other staff members laying out his vision of what ride would go here and what ride would go there.  She said he was very hands-on and very firm in what he wanted.  She seemed very impressed with his vision and ability to see the potential in a new area. I can't help but wonder if their attention and creative juices have been focused a bit much on Dollywood and the acquisition of Wild Adventures the past few years while SDC (and Whitewater for that matter) has been left on auto pilot.

323

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: The Train Holdup Skit

« on: August 08, 2009, 08:52:15 PM »

I would love to get a report from Steam Freak on how the new job is going.

324

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Trailblazer Pass Announced

« on: August 08, 2009, 08:47:59 PM »

When we were at the park last week I noticed a family that had them.  I think at that point in the day they had used five of their six rides. I didn't really think they were necessary that day because the lines were not that bad.  The only lengthy wait was for Powderkeg and FITH for part of the day.

325

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Kidsfest: Stay or Go?

« on: August 08, 2009, 08:41:28 PM »

I realize Kidsfest is the most attended festival. But, is that a result of the festival or is it simply a result of the fact that it's in the summer when kids are out of school and people are vacationing anyway? I realize summer is the only logical time to do it but would there be something better that still involves kids but ties in better with the theme and cuts down on the commercialism.

326

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: What Would You Do?

« on: August 07, 2009, 10:28:12 PM »

Echo Hollow does get filled up during the Southern Gospel Picnic. But that's only for evening shows and the festival only lasts a couple of weeks.  If they want to keep Echo Hollow, they need to figure out a way to utilize it more during daytime hours rather than just using it for the evening show when the park closes. I agree, that is some prime real estate.

327

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Kidsfest: Stay or Go?

« on: August 07, 2009, 10:11:08 PM »

Another Kidsfest is almost over. I wonder if this festival has run its course and exhausted all avenues, or is it just in need of a makeover. What does everyone think? Does Kidsfest need to stay or should it go away? Should it be replaced with another festival during the summer or should SDC not have a special theme and just focus on making the park the best it can be? I would like to see them focus on the park and not feel the need for a gimmick.  I didn't think the shows during this Kidsfest were all that great. Jeerk was ok, just not the kind of show you would expect at SDC. Maybe that's what they wanted.  The magic show was alright but don't get me started on the Veggie Tales. Maybe do away with Kidsfest, expand Moonlight Madness and really do the summer up right. Then they could bring the laser light show over from CC like Swoosh wants and cap the evening off with that. I realize Kidsfest is good business for SDC, but it's my least favorite festival.

(Admin edit: changed title to clarify topic  )

328

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: The Train Holdup Skit

« on: August 07, 2009, 09:23:06 PM »

I agree, they should give their very best effort every time the train stops at that shack. The day they don't want to do it is the day they need to find a different job in the park. I hate to think how many people are taking their first ride on the train only to witness a less than stellar effort by the parties involved. That's too bad.

329

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC's 2009/10 Project

« on: August 07, 2009, 09:08:02 PM »

Was at the City four times last week and never really saw any work activity going on at the new ride area. One day while walking through the Landing I did hear a single piece of heavy equipment operating. But when passing back through the area it had stopped. Not much going on there last week.

330

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: What Would You Do?

« on: August 07, 2009, 08:52:17 PM »

I'm sure a lot of folks will disagree with me but, (assuming they fill in the big hole with the new Splash Battle ride) I would like to see them complete the loop between Wildfire and Powderkeg. Linking the two areas would open some space for some new things and also ease the traffic congestion that happens often near the Saloon, FITH and Opera House.  The crown jewel of the area would be a new wooden roller coaster between the two existing ones. The new woodie would make great use of the terrain out in that area and would be themed (as would the entire new loop area) to the highest SDC standards and traditions. If a wooden coaster is not in the cards, a Mystery Mine type coaster would work although I still think a wood coaster themed well would work best between the two steel ones.  To cap off the redo of the area I would refurbish American Plunge and restore it to its former glory, maybe even lengthening the ride if possible and figure out a way to make better use of the waterfall.  I know there are lots of components but I'm still calling it one project.