SDC's 2013 Project

[KBCraig]

I'm going to have to bite my tongue to some degree until construction is complete and this thing opens next year. Only then will we know the effect it will have on the park atmosphere that we cherish so much.

That, plus 3-10 years for vegetation to grow in.

[Swoosh]

It didn't take 3-10 years for it to grow in at Grand Expo.

[thelarsonsix]

I'm not sure I call the vegetation at GE "grown in". Established, maybe, but there's still a lot to be desired IMO.

[Swoosh]

Well IMO I'm not seeing the complaint.  Enlighten us.

[BackInTime]

I think GE was done very well with the exception of the thematic element feeling significantly removed from the period that SDC was developed around. In my personal opinion, the rides were a welcome addition, the landscaping was tastefully done, and the signage is beautiful. Unfortunately, the theme is more on par with the turn of the century World's Fair, than 19th century. And don't get me started on the midway games. At the very least, why could they not exist with a nod to the period? Have kids play for something reminiscent of the times? Or something that was handcrafted at SDC.  If there's anything at all that feels like a half a$$ed afterthought in the park, this is it. Playing ring toss for rubber basketballs at a theme park built around a period where electricity or plumbing didn't exist. Seriously? Sorry for the rant. It's way off topic and been echoed by many here, but I had to get it off my chest.

[KBCraig]

It didn't take 3-10 years for it to grow in at Grand Expo.

But we're talking trees here.

[chittlins]

I think GE was done very well with the exception of the thematic element feeling significantly removed from the period that SDC was developed around. In my personal opinion, the rides were a welcome addition, the landscaping was tastefully done, and the signage is beautiful. Unfortunately, the theme is more on par with the turn of the century World's Fair, than 19th century. And don't get me started on the midway games. At the very least, why could they not exist with a nod to the period? Have kids play for something reminiscent of the times? Or something that was handcrafted at SDC.  If there's anything at all that feels like a half a$$ed afterthought in the park, this is it. Playing ring toss for rubber basketballs at a theme park built around a period where electricity or plumbing didn't exist. Seriously? Sorry for the rant. It's way off topic and been echoed by many here, but I had to get it off my chest.

I get the theming. Silver Dollar City is set at the turn of the 20th century and at that time the World's Fair was seen as a place to check out the newest and greatest. Grand Exposition is meant to fill the curiosity of the people with modern wonders in amusements during that time. One glaring omission is a ferris wheel.

[Swoosh]

So am I. The family owns a nursery with mature trees. They did this for GE, they'll do it again at the Bull.

[Copper]

I personally laugh at the flying elephants and the swinging pirate ship, they are sore thumbs to me.  And I wish we could have had a unique wave swinger like Holiday World. They could have included Ozarks scenes on the Wave Carousel with Shad, Molly and others. 

I like pine/ceder trees in the Ozarks, they provide some color in the winter.

[shavethewhales]

^I totally agree. Most of the Grand Expo makes sense and is well done, but the backside is really jarring and totally breaks the atmosphere of the park. I also wish they did more to theme the area, because it's possible that only the visitors to this forum actually know what the theme is supposed to be.

Anyway, getting back to the discussion at hand, who will be onsite during the next two weeks? Given how fast they're going right now, I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of vertical construction start soon. In any case, I want to get a feel of where the footers are going. Can anyone make an overhead map with google maps and paint to show what has been done so far?

[chittlins]

The #1 thing Grand Expo did was provide more rides which the City was short on and help it's marketability to families with them. There's the three or four rides that are basically toddler rides and they step up from there. There's lots of busy time for kids in that area. We spend half our trips to the City back there it seems with the kids.

Our kids don't pester us every time they see a carnival either and we have piece of mind with them riding those type of rides at SDC with a more stable work/maintenance crew if you catch my drift.

[sanddunerider]

I will be there sunday, hoping for an easy day, but it is the last day of sprong braek and they have had rain...Sooooo  we will see..  IF i can get on the train I will get some pics..

[chittlins]

There's a couple of places here in Fayetteville where you can get 25 ft tall maples and oaks and a couple of others. Of course they want 500 bucks a pop.

[Swoosh]

...which is why they grow their own, like I said above.

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

I was trolling youtube for new SDC videos....yes I was just there but it seems like forever ago that I was  anyhow this link is to a video of the train ride condensed and shows footage of the construction....watch it all the way thru because it shows footage before the train robbery and post train robbery near the GS. The train robbery is almost all the way cut out of video....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtzmlVSB7OI