First SDC Memory

[shavethewhales]

^^Rather than a conveyor belt, they use a set of rising and lowering metal bars that actually pick the cars out of the water enough to be stable, so there shouldn't be anything like that anymore.

Funny though, I never noticed this conversion before.

[sdcforever]

^I remember the tiny drop, which did cause a little jolt.  I also remember the "talking heads" (the warden, etc.); however, I didn't find them creepy.  I loved being in the queue so I could see them.  I thought they were cool.

The pop guns in the tree house were fun, too.  Man, I loved the tree house when I was a kid!

These are even more of my first SDC memories.  (It's amazing what a little prompting can cause you to remember).

[OzarkBred]

Betamike, I just spent way too much time going through your Silver Dollar City photoset on Flickr. (And your Disney photosets, and your NW Arkansas photo sets, and...) The photos are fabulous, as is your sense of humor. For anyone who hasn't checked out his Flickr goodies: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skinnytie/

[betamike]

Thanks Ozarkbred.  I appreciate the comment!  I am adding photos from my personal SDC collection little by little each day as not to overload my Flickr group.  Keep checking back in for more surprises! 

Please feel free to come on over to Flickr and add your own comments!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skinnytie/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/silverdollarcity/

[History Buff]

You're right about the bars lifting the cars to stabilize them.  When they release(d) the mine car, you would immediately think the thing was going to sink all the way.  I never considered it to be a real drop, though - like Pirates of the Carribean.  As for the talking heads, one is still there telling people to "keep movin'!"  The short lines really mess up some of these effects, and people never seem to understand why I stop to enjoy the theming in the queue.

[KBCraig]

My first SDC memories are from 1970 or '71; I was 7 or 8 the first time we went, and I went with my family every summer until I was a sophomore in college, c.1983. I took my two sons in 1998, and now that I have a 5 year old, I'm eager to take the whole family again.

I like to say we discovered Branson when it was still Branson, before it became Nashville.

Because we went every year, some of the memories are muddled and out of order. One of the first years that we went, Dad whispered to one of the performers on Main Street, who then sought out my teenage sister, who was blushingly dragged into the middle of a fight between two would-be suitors. While Dad took pictures.

I remember Fire In The Hole being a brand-new exciting ride. I remember Rube's Diving Bell, which I thought was very well done. I was disappointed when it went away.

I remember the wonderful spaghetti at Molly's Mill. And the funnel cakes, of course. Having long conversations with Shad Heller while he worked at the forge. Grandfather's Mansion, which we always just called "the crazy house". The spooky projected faces in the Flooded Mine. The old fellow clog/jig dancing on a piece of plywood near the entrance. Yelling "rutabaga!" for the group photo at Marvel Cave. "The Rock of Many Names", and "domino staircase". The train robbery. Music at the gazebo, and everywhere else.

Man... I've really got to get back there soon. It's... ummm... for the kids, of course.

[sdcforever]

^Welcome to the forums!

I had forgotten about yelling "rutabaga!" for the Marvel Cave group photo.  That was fun, and definitely SDC-quirky.

You should take your kids soon.  It's mean to deny them the fun of SDC when they're practically begging for it.

[History Buff]

Not my first memory, but something that happened around that same time:

Does anyone remember when they did log rolling at the waterfall pool?  I never got to see it, but it was another theming element for the lumberjack area.  I had always wondered about the purpose of the waterfall since it looks so fake - a waterfall that starts above ground level???  I guess people used to stand around the waterfall for viewing the event, and they may even have brought volunteers out of the audience to joing in, but I'm not sure (I know that wouldn't happen today.).  That's why there is a small pier in that pool.  When Wildfire was being built, they crashed one of Doc's flying contraptions in the pool as a very subtle teaser for the ride.

[sdcforever]

^I don't remember log rolling in the waterfall pool.  In fact, I've never heard of that before (I guess I'm too young).  That would've been fun to do.  I do remember when we first started visiting SDC when I was about five one of my favorite things to do was to walk (or run!) the path behind the waterfall, stick my hand in the water as it fell, and get splashed as some of the water hit the log railing.  Now they've closed off the path so you can't even walk back there anymore.

This is a little off topic, but I heard they might be removing the waterfall in the near future.  Any truth to this?  Also, does anyone remember the log rolling?  Better yet, any past participants have any memories?

[Coaster]

This is a little off topic, but I heard they might be removing the waterfall in the near future.  Any truth to this?  Also, does anyone remember the log rolling?  Better yet, any past participants have any memories?

Grrr! Why would they even consider that? It's practically a landmark in SDC! If its giving the park troubles I can understand that (sort of) but my gosh. I hate some of these changes.

[orient express]

^ i couldnt agree more. this park keeps moving towards being just a regular park. seems like all the new changes and attractions they are wanting to put in are moving further and further away from an 1800's theme.im all for new things and expantion as long as the theme is kept. they should repair the landmarks(such as the waterfall) if they are causing a prob instead of spending money on things such as new menus at the eateries( any one notice how lame these new menus are)

[sdcforever]

^Just to clarify, it's been two or three years since I heard the rumor that the waterfall might be on the way out.  I haven't heard anything since then.  It's so nice to sit on the second floor of the Lumberjack Camp dining area and look out at the waterfall.  I hope there's no truth to the rumor.

[Coaster]

^Still, just the fact that it's a rumor really gets on my nerves.

[betamike]

Closing off the waterfall makes sense in relation to the rumor (not that I am excited about that idea either).  Remember when the waterfall was re-purposed to be the gateway to the "Land of Forgotten Crafts"?

I also had a memory from my childhood that I swear was at Silver Dollar City.  Over at Lake Silver, I vaguely remember animals that would dive from a high platform into the water...in particular, a pig?

[Coaster]

I also had a memory from my childhood that I swear was at Silver Dollar City.  Over at Lake Silver, I vaguely remember animals that would dive from a high platform into the water...in particular, a pig?

Lol, I couldn't tell ya. I've never heard anything like this. Who knows..