Messages

1051

Random Talk / Re: The SDCFans Lounge

« on: August 10, 2008, 12:08:16 PM »

Fair enough. I also encourage people to spend time at Reasons To Believe, a group of evangelical Christian scientists.

http://reasons.org/resources/apologetics/index.shtml#young_earth_vs_old_earth

1052

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Parking Prices On The Hike

« on: August 09, 2008, 11:38:51 PM »

I always thought the tram was the first ride of the day. 

1053

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: fire in the hole question

« on: August 09, 2008, 11:36:58 PM »

Wait... FitH cars aren't red?

I know I'm getting Sometimer's Disease, what with having first visited SDC over 35 years ago, but if anyone had asked me, I'd have told them the cars were red.

I understand the reasoning behind banning loose or handheld items. In an ideal world, each person would be responsible for keeping up with their own stuff (and any damage it caused if they didn't), but this isn't Galt's Gulch. In today's world, if someone's $2,500 pro-sumer HD camcorder flies out and gets smashed on the ground, they'll sue SDC over it. And if it gets smashed over someone else's noggin,they'll both sue SDC. "Because that's where the money is", to borrow a quote from Willie Sutton.

The answer for visitors who wish to actually take responsibility for their own stuff, is cargo pockets. "Nope, nothing loose on me. It's just as secure as my wallet and car keys!"

1054

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: employee costumes

« on: August 09, 2008, 11:16:18 PM »

Why 1880s what happened back then?

In short, this is a theme park, and the theme is that SDC is a mining town in the Ozarks in the 1880s.

1055

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: Through the Decades

« on: August 09, 2008, 11:08:56 PM »

I remember the rainmaker and the sprinklers.

When I saw the guns in the Flooded Mine c.1995 (after a 13 year absence), I was confused and disappointed. Seemed like they didn't know what else to do with a ride that was a bit dated, so they just threw in a cheezy nod to pre-schoolers of the video generation. It was never a thrill ride (except the avalanche was a bit exciting), but I think it was more interesting back when you had to pay attention to the projected faces, signs on the walls, and the dialog.

1056

Random Talk / Re: The SDCFans Lounge

« on: August 09, 2008, 11:01:35 PM »

It was awesome.  He proved a six day creation, the effects of the flood, and so much more.

Not to detract from your discussion, but I will only note that "convinced" does not equal "proved".

I like the version from Good Omens:

Current theories on the creation of the Universe state that, if it was created at all and didn't just start, as it were, unofficially, it came into being between ten and twenty thousand million years ago. By the same token the earth itself is generally supposed to be about four and a half thousand million years old.

These dates are incorrect.

Medieval Jewish scholars put the date of the Creation at 3760 B.C. Greek Orthodox theologians put Creation as far back as 5508 B.C.

These suggestions are also incorrect.

Archbishop James Usher (1580–1656) published Annales Veteris et Novi Testamenti in 1654, which suggested that the Heaven and the Earth were created in 4004 B.C. One of his aides took the calculation further, and was able to announce triumphantly that the Earth was created on Sunday the 21st of October, 4004 B.C., at exactly 9:00 A.M., because God liked to get work done early in the morning while he was feeling fresh.

This too was incorrect. By almost a quarter of an hour.

The whole business with the fossilized dinosaur skeletons was a joke the paleontologists haven't seen yet.

This proves two things:

Firstly, that God moves in extremely mysterious, not to say, circuitous ways. God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of any of the other players,* to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infi nite stakes, with a Dealer who won't tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time.

Secondly, the Earth's a Libra.


 

1057

Branson Talk / Re: Old cabin or maybe barn next to the construction at Branson West Wal-mart?

« on: August 09, 2008, 10:43:54 PM »

I remember the sign(s), but never heard much about the show. We frequently stayed in cabins at Kimberling City, and "Branson West" was just the 13/76 crossroads back then.

There was a supermarket and liquor store in Kimberling directly across 13 from the cabins. When I started college in '81, I dated a girl whose dorm suite-mates were sisters, and their family owned those stores. Small world! Man, wish I could think of their names, and the name of the store... one sister's name was Marla.

1058

Other Parks / Re: Ozland and Joplin Disney

« on: August 09, 2008, 10:04:29 PM »

I hope he grabbed the cash and ran!
 

1059

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: Old postcards

« on: July 20, 2008, 08:26:24 AM »

Wow, great find!

1060

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: american plunge question

« on: July 13, 2008, 11:05:09 AM »

"Welcome to the mine...welcome to the trouble, 'neath the earth and soil.  You'll sweat a little water, you'll sweat a little blood, and you might get out, if the mine don't flood!"

Ooooh, flashback! 

1061

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: fire in the hole question

« on: July 10, 2008, 10:37:19 AM »

I just wish I'd actually get wet on Fire In the Hole.  No matter where I sit I only get a few sprinkles of water.  Back in the day, did people actually get soaked?

The only way to not get wet was to sit in the first two seats, or at the very back. When the train hit the water, it splashed outwards, then off the walls and back onto the train. Rows 3-7 got really hosed.

1062

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: fire in the hole question

« on: July 10, 2008, 02:49:59 AM »

To increase ride capacity by making it shorter.

True. I recall hour-long lines for FItH, with zig-zag queues snaking through the firemen's cemetery and back around the corner. Of course, it was the only coaster-type ride in the park at the time, and it was very popular.

These days, when it's more of an iconic/cult classic ride, and there are much more exciting rides for the coaster fans, it makes sense to restore it to how it used to be. Complete with the full soak splashdown for everyone in the third row on back. 

1063

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: First SDC Memory

« on: July 09, 2008, 02:08:24 AM »

My first SDC memories start about 1970, and I remember the chance to buy cave photos (including the group photo) after riding the cable car out, plus postcards and various knick-knackery, but I don't remember it being a "cave store" as such.

Punch tickets were gone by my first visit. Or to be more accurate, I don't recall ever using them. Since I was all about the rides as a frantic 7 year old, I think I would remember being limited by punch tickets.

I remember the stagecoach being a "ride", but I didn't understand why anyone would bother. We never did. "Hey, I can run all over the place a lot faster than those horses move!" was our way of thinking.

1064

Random Talk / Re: The SDCFans Lounge

« on: July 08, 2008, 01:54:17 AM »

The National Treasure movies are great thriller/suspense movies, and I also hope they revive interest in history... so that people will learn how utterly full of cow patties the movies were! 

We spent the weekend watching the HBO series "John Adams" on DVD. I really enjoyed how the heroes' flaws aren't masked. The founding fathers had lumps, bumps, and warts -- there's nothing wrong with admitting it. They shouldn't be cleansed of their sins for having founded this nation, nor should they be burned at the stake for being less than perfect. They were what they were, and I appreciate that they left us something better than themselves.

As Dr. Franklin famously said, "...a republic, madam, if you can keep it."

I fear we've already lost it, but I continue to fight for it.

1065

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: Old Shows Remembered SDC Entertainment

« on: July 06, 2008, 12:10:21 PM »

Those spontaneous street scenes were a lot of fun. It made it feel like the staff really were "citizens", not just employees in costumes.