Topics

61

Other Parks / Six Flags files banktuptcy

« on: June 13, 2009, 10:12:58 AM »

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090613/D98PQN882.html

Jun 13, 9:37 AM (ET)

NEW YORK (AP) - The amusement park company Six Flags is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, saying it needs to reorganize and shed $1.8 billion of debt.

Mark Shapiro, the New York-based company's chief executive officer, says the move won't affect the operation of its 20 theme parks in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

Six Flags says it actually had a great year in 2008. It saw 25 million visitors and posted record revenues. But executives are trying to lighten a $2.4 billion debt load that they say is unsustainable.

Saturday's bankruptcy filing came after earlier plan to negotiate an out-of-court deal with creditors failed.

Six Flags shares have traded below $1 since September. They closed at 26 cents on Friday.

62

Random Talk / Changing my vacation plans

« on: May 14, 2009, 06:33:52 PM »

We were awakened at 4:30 this morning by a pine tree deciding to redecorate our living room with a "limb" motif. Everyone is okay, the tree is removed, the roof is tarped, the damaged sheetrock has been removed, and we're surrounded by fans that make our house sound like an airport.

What a coincidence that our vacation budget and our homeowner's deductible are almost exactly the same. 

So, if we make our planned trip in June, it will be a quickie one-nighter with the three youngest (6, 13, 18), then later in the year we'll be back with the 6 year old and our 19 year old daughter.

63

General Silver Dollar City Talk / We need a Rodelbahn

« on: April 28, 2009, 03:28:59 PM »

These mountains are much taller, but this looks like a blast!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxh5TII1t1k

64

General Silver Dollar City Talk / SDC fans on Facebook

« on: January 26, 2009, 11:50:56 AM »

I finally joined the modern world and created a Facebook account. I signed up as a "fan" of SDC. Anyone else?

65

Other Parks / Mystic Caverns for sale

« on: November 05, 2008, 12:32:46 PM »

Just in time for Christmas! Minimum bid $899,900, plus you can use your new! eBay MasterCard!

 

Doc?

eBay listing

66

General Silver Dollar City Talk / What kind of fan are you?

« on: October 20, 2008, 02:58:27 PM »

Hmmm, the poll option isn't enabled, at least at my membership level. 

So, we'll make this a poll by reply: What kind of fan are you?

Are you a "Nostalgia Fan", who comes for the memories?

Or, are you an "Adventure Fan", who comes for new rides and new sights?

67

SDC Memories/ Park History / John Fullerton photos of SDC & SotH

« on: August 10, 2008, 03:14:39 PM »

Some great antique photos, plus a number of brochures that I remember.

http://www.johnfullerton.org/SOTHCPics.htm

The Plummer Family brochure is welcoming the Master's Four. I knew them when they were the Texans, and were singing to tracks in tiny podunk churches (like ours).

68

SDC Memories/ Park History / "As the World Turns" at SDC, 2007

« on: August 10, 2008, 03:11:33 PM »

Searching for photos, I came across this:

http://www.explorebranson.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=180

Quite a few pics of an episode being recorded at SDC last year.

69

Other Parks / Death at Six Flags over Georgia

« on: June 29, 2008, 09:07:28 AM »

Two teenagers hopped two fences and wandered into the path of the Batman ride. One 17 year old was struck by the ride and decapitated.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/06/28/six_flags_death.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

70

Branson Talk / How many are also Shepherd of the Hills fans?

« on: June 29, 2008, 01:06:49 AM »

From 1970-85(ish), Shepherd of the Hills was just as much a part of our Branson vacation as was SDC. We only missed it once or twice, because of weather. Our routine was to "arrive after 3 (next day free)" at SDC, go to SotH that night, then spend the next full day at SDC.

When I went back in '98, I made sure to take my boys for the tour and the show, using that same routine.

Over the years I fell in love with one Sammy Lane, looked up to (literally) a couple of different Young Matts, booed a few Wash Gibbs, and knew there was only one Old Matt and Shepherd (I really miss those actors from the '70s/'80s, whose voices I can still hear).

And no matter how many times I'd see the show, there was always the threat that Jim Lane was about to finally gun down Gibbs. (With his gun worn cross-draw for the stage, instead of inside his hickory shirt with the missing button, as in the book.)

When we went in '98, the actors were of course quite different, but also good. The only disappointment was Ollie, who was just too much of a caricature.

How many others here are fans of SotH?

I still think of Branson as SDC and SotH, with a side trip to the museum at School of the Ozarks/College of the Ozarks (they changed the name). The only music shows we ever saw were Baldknobbers (once, I think), the Presley Family, and another local family show whose name escapes me. I don't care about Branson for outlet malls, or Vegas/Nashville reviews. I've never been on a lake cruise, but I wouldn't object if I had enough time and money.

I think we went one time to Whitewater. Maybe caught a few go-karts and putt-putts. We seldom went that far east on 76, because for us "Branson" started at Kimberling City (where we usually stayed, when "Branson West" was just an empty crossroads) and ended at Shepherd of the Hills.

We admired that the two attractions bought up all the land between them. As an objectivist/libertarian/free-marketeer, I still admire that: ownership is the ultimate form of zoning. Better to own it, than demand the government restrict other owners.

Anyhoo, I only mentioned that, to mention this: do you remember the Shepherd of the Hills bookstore that was in the middle of nothing between SDC and SotH, on the north side of 76? When I was a kid, there was an elderly widow who owned the place, which was a fascinating bookstore. When I visited in '98, I could see the old building, which looked like it had fallen in.

Sorry for the rambling. SotH: big fan, or not?

Kevin

71

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Security, bag checks?

« on: June 29, 2008, 12:23:34 AM »

Has SDC gone to any kind of enhanced security or bag checks? Metal detectors or other silliness?

In law enforcement we call that "security theater", since it's all for show (and mostly to confiscate $0.50 bottles of water, so that customers have to pay $3-5 for the same thing once inside.) SDC has always been reasonably priced in my experience, so it would be a shame if they have gone that route.