SDC's 2009/10 Project

[sdcforever]

^ couldnt agree more. i will be pretty upset if its not a coaster, but it would be cool if they updated the landing area......just not 2009 please

I have a feeling it's a Splash Battle, which disappoints me.  I was really looking forward to a new coaster (so was Coaster Con) for next year.  But I'm confused.  If it's a done deal, why a ride concept survey now?  Just to hash out details or something?  Is the survey being used mainly to choose the name of the ride?  I guess maybe they're saving the coaster for the 50th anniversary celebration.

I think the Tom and Huck themed river ride is a great idea and will be a lot of fun.  I also think a revamping of Tom Sawyer's Landing is long overdue.  I just think the timing is off.  With all the free press Coaster Con gives, why not take advantage of it with a new coaster?  Also, DW just got one of these this year.  Arrrrrgh!  That's what bugs me the most.  SDC is special to me, and it makes it seem like HFE doesn't feel that way, recycling rides like this.  It's like they said, "Well, both SDC and DW need a new ride the next couple of years.  Let's put in a splash battle at both parks, but separate them by a year that way people won't notice that we're recycling rides.  All right, that's done.  Where do you want to go for lunch?"  That's an exaggeration, but it seems like a lot of thought wasn't put into this.  As I said earlier, there'll be a lot of fanfare with the announcement, with HFE reps hoping no one will notice that they made a very similar announcement for DW less than a year ago.  Does anyone else feel a little cheated by this?

[shavethewhales]

^ couldnt agree more. i will be pretty upset if its not a coaster, but it would be cool if they updated the landing area......just not 2009 please

I have a feeling it's a Splash Battle, which disappoints me.  I was really looking forward to a new coaster (so was Coaster Con) for next year.  But I'm confused.  If it's a done deal, why a ride concept survey now?  Just to hash out details or something?  Is the survey being used mainly to choose the name of the ride?  I guess maybe they're saving the coaster for the 50th anniversary celebration.

That's what I was thinking - the timing of the surveys is way off if this is going down right now. But here's what else is strange: I've head that the board hasn't even voted on this thing! They're actually beginning work without knowing for sure what they are doing it seems... I guess they're positive that they will do something with this area, but the idea is still somewhat fluid at this point. It may just be the theme that they're really debating - if Huck Finn doesn't go over well with the kids I could see them throwing in the beavers again  .

I dunno though, I want to say that there's still a chance that the Splash Battle is coming at a later date just because of how late the decision seems to be, not to mention the fact that a Splash Battle would radically change the Landing. They'd have to level a LOT of stuff, probably everything from the carousel barns to the train tracks. Once this thing is in there, it'll extend the waterfront theme all the way up into the center of the city, which will feel a bit odd, unless this will be more of a pond or bog hidden away in the center of the park... There's so many ways this could swing... It just seems like it would be easier all around to put something else there instead and have the Splash Battle over by the Gulch.

I certainly don't feel cheated at all by it though, at least not at this point. This ride and especially the area around could be the coolest, most attractive and interactive place in the entire park. I mean, think of a bunch of cool make-shift-looking rafts floating around a hidden pond behind some of those old buildings, with a new ropes coarse sprawling around it and new, freshly-themed buildings with new shops and crafts. Not to mention all the random other goodies that SDC always throws in. This will be one area where Andyisms will flourish. All in all, this will probably put River Battle to shame - they're the ones who are being cheated here.
 
I wonder what will happen to the ropes course through all of this? I was hoping there would still be some form of playground left in the area, it will feel so empty without it.

EDIT: I just noticed that the concept artwork seems to show off the carousel barn as being the entrance to the ride, or at least right next to it. That puts this pond all they way up next to the path. I'm hoping it's pushed back farther in than that, I'm hoping this has more of a backwoods pond feel than a bay in the center of the city, but whatever.

EDIT2: Mmmm, I just remembered those construction markers that were out by the Grand Expo - I guess that tells us where the Balloons are headed. I could fill a magazine with this stuff.

[History Buff]

I'm also thinking they've done away with bringing out new things just at the beginning of the season.  We still don't have the major addition for the '08 season, you know, and now they're going to start building for '09.  They don't seem too worried about people seeing the building process anymore.  Maybe this is a way that they can create hype without actual advertising or press releases.  People visit the park, see the construction, and get excited.  The not knowing and the anticipation is part of what keeps us on the topic, kind of like a good line queue gets us excited about an actual ride.  Just as a ride without a line is not as satisfying, so is knowing for sure what we're getting.

I do wish, if a Splash Battle is the choice, that they can put the track in the water and not have it so conspicuously above the surface.  Why do they do that?

[Swoosh]

^Is it a buzz bar system?  If it is, that might have something to do with it.

[sdcforever]

Let me try to further explain my views.  I don't feel cheated by what they're doing necessarily, but how they're doing it.  I think they'll go all out and do some great theming with this (hopefully Tom and Huck theming, if the concept survey goes well).  I just hate how they're recycling splash battle concepts back to back.  I know several rides are recycled among HFE properties (like the plunge for example), but not in back-to-back seasons (as far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong).  I mean, if this was the plan all along (and apparently it has been), why didn't HFE announce the splash battles in the same press conference?  Why pretend that it's something really unique with a SDC press conference, fanfare and all, when you've announced pretty much the same thing less than a year ago for DW?

I like that they're putting up a fence and theming it with clues.  I'm just trying to figure out logistics if this is going in right now.  The concept survey says a 500 foot channel, and it looks as if there will be two rafts at a time with the ability to shoot spectators outside of the ride, inside the ride between the rafts, and those in the other raft.  So the channel will be one and two-thirds of a football field in length (not sure how wide).  I think it's safe to assume the channel will circle back around so you load and unload the rafts at the same point; so the space it would occupy would be 250 feet in length (since it's a 500 foot channel in a circle).  If the entrance is by the carousel barn, that's still a lot of space.  Logistically, how are they getting supplies in and out of the construction area?  It's in the middle of the park.  If they're planning some major construction right now, I guess they'll have to try to move supplies when the park is closed (like late night or early morning).  Are they building the ride among the existing buildings?  Hmmmm...I'll be interested in seeing the pictures of the construction.

I agree, Steve, I think the markers by the Expo is where the Balloon Chase is being moved.  This raises another question, that's slightly off-topic.  I think this is the only new ride we're getting for next season.  And with a complete revamping of the Landing (I think the ropes/playground area is on the way out) with new crafts and shops, this would classify as the biggest capital investment to date; they weren't lying.  Is the new ride going to be open for next year, with the revamping of the Landing complete for 2010?  This makes too much sense to me.  Big question:  are they putting in a new coaster any time soon?  I think we made a matter-of-fact assumption about a new coaster, with no evidence to back our assumption up.  A brand new Landing is what we're getting the next couple of seasons.  I don't think a new coaster is in our near future.

EDIT:  Actually, I could be wrong.  A coaster could be in the near future if it is part of the new Landing/Center City area where the splash battle ride is being constructed.  Oh the possibilities!

[Swoosh]

I just hate how they're recycling splash battle concepts back to back.  I know several rides are recycled among HFE properties (like the plunge for example), but not in back-to-back seasons (as far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong). 

County Fair @ Dollywood / Grand Expo @ SDC

[History Buff]

I know everyone projects or projected that a Mystery-Mine-type attraction would be coming (since they've been using ideas in both parks (probably to get a BOGO deal or something), and I would like that since I'm not a fan of wooden coasters, but I always assumed the next coaster would be more like Thunderhead with its "famous" fly-through-the-queue.  It would have a different theme if located in GE, though.

[Swoosh]

The only reason I don't ever see a wooden coaster in the Grand Expo is the fact that the Expo is themed to a moving Exposition -- as in it goes from town to town.  A wooden coaster cannot exactly be moved from town to town so there in lies a problem.

[sdcforever]

^If there's any truth to the rumors about a new area going out beyond TGS, maybe the coaster will go out there.  I just don't think there's enough room for one in the Landing area.

[Swoosh]

I don't either.  I imagine there is a lot of truth to the rumors about the park eventually expanding that way.  My source that told me that was the same one that told me about TGS, GE and PK before they came to be... so who knows.

[shavethewhales]

We've got some photos up on the main site, thanks once again to Copper: http://www.sdcfans.com/gallery.php?id=8

I guess this confirms any remaining suspicions that this could be anything else; it's pretty obvious by the water splash on the signage. Good to see Tom making a scene at the park again after a couple of decades of gradual succession into memory though.

[Swoosh]

?: Are they still using the other side of the rope climb area for the roses/wax hands thing or is that area boarded up as well?

[Copper]

It's still open. The Carousel Barn and Aunt Polly's are open too.

Guess I should have turned around and took a picture as well.

[Swoosh]

Kid Concoctions is in the Carousel Barn right now for Kids Fest, correct?

[Copper]

Yes and I don't think they can close it for the season. Santa needs a home.