Author Topic: Through the Decades  (Read 20709 times)

Eagle Rider

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Through the Decades
« on: August 17, 2007, 09:39:24 AM »
As a small kid I visited SDC twice in the 1970s.  I really only have 3 distinct memories.
1.  Fire in the hole was my first coaster and I loved it.  I was 4 years old.
2.  The flooded mine had a part where hundreds of styrofoam rocks fell from the ceiling and were stopped by a net before hitting guests.  It was very cool.
3.  There was a recorded message about root beer playing near the treehouse.

Last year was my first visit to the park since then.  I lived on the West coast for several years so no visits for me.  I've now been twice since moving back and will definitely go every year.  Of the 140 coasters I've ridden, PKeg is my #3 and the OzCat is in my top 10 woodies.

Coaster

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2007, 10:49:23 AM »
I really can't say much in this thread because....well, I wasn't even alive!! But Fire in the Hole was also one of my first roller coasters as was the Ore Cart.
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shavethewhales

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2007, 10:51:36 AM »
Eagle Rider, can you tell us anything about the caves, climbing rocks, and such that used to be in the landing around then? And what was the tree house like in it's prime?

Coaster

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2007, 10:55:27 AM »
In the nineties the treehouse used to be one of the prime attractions at the park. It was a great place for kids to play and parents to relax their feet. It was also in the middle of the park so almost everyone went through it. Now people just walk through to get to the ride down the road. Quite sad actually.
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Zephon

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2007, 11:59:30 PM »
Huck Finn's Treehouse and Tom Sawyer's Landing are actually two different places.  The Landing is the kid's play area which used to include the petting zoo.  It originally had some towers with rope netting for climbing in and around, a couple of ball rooms, a couple of man-made caves/rock tunnels, a mule drawn carousel, a cable slide, and places for parents to sit and relax.  Later a small and bumpy roller coaster was added, the carousel was replaced with the one from the carousel barn, and the cable slide was taken out.

The Treehouse is where you climbed up through the hollow tree and went across a short swinging bridge to enter it.  It had two rooms, the lower one being kind of a maze, and the upper one had a moonshine still, a self rocking rocker with a cat sitting next to it.  The cat's tail moved back and forth just in time to avoid being rocked on.  It had a mouse that ran around the room and a couple of other things.  You left the upper room via a stairway on the outside that led down to a cave and what was called the infinity room, a dark room with mirrors and lights that made it look like you were in outer space with stars all around.  When you exited that room you were back on the street. 
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Joy

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2007, 12:17:48 AM »
Man, I wish I could have seen the Treehouse "way back when". The star-strewn cave room sounds SOOOO awesome.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2007, 09:40:53 AM »
I remember all of that. My parents would sit down on a bench and send my sister and I on up the tree. It's where we spent a lot of our time in the park.
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sdcfan17

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2007, 11:56:40 AM »
yeah when i was about 3 or 4 I remember going therer alot and spending time at the petting zoo
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shavethewhales

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2007, 01:52:56 PM »
The Tree House must have gone through a phase between now and when everything else was in it, because I definitely remember there being a club house up there in the early nineties with fake guns hanging out the windows and a few games and such.

Joy

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #9 on: September 16, 2007, 04:21:29 PM »
All I can remember of the Treehouse from last year in March was the shadow room, where it flashed your shadow on the wall. I wasn't paying much attention to the the place 'cause I was taking my nephew through it, who was 2 at the time, so most of my attentions were on him.

I mainly just remember the ropes and ballpits in the Landing area.

What I remember is that little play area by Lake Silver called the Shanty Town. I've got a PICTURE.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2007, 08:10:42 PM »
I've never seen that before. They must've taken that out before my time.
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Joy

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2007, 09:55:32 PM »
Well, that picture was taken in '94... It wasn't long after that it was taken out, though I don't remember exactly when.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

Copper

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #12 on: September 19, 2007, 12:47:41 AM »
They built the basket shop (now the toy store) in the old Shanty Town’s location. I remember when they use to have little ore carts you would ride in, and manually pump. They moved them to the Landing, but abandoned them. You can still see the tracks if you ride the train. The ore cart’s tracks are located on the other side of the train depot.

They might have called the ore carts, gandy dancers; not sure though.

Also if you ride the balloons they still have a sign on it advertising the Ferris wheel.

shavethewhales

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #13 on: September 19, 2007, 04:00:54 PM »
Are the tracks tangled up in the woods? I thought I saw something like that once, but I've never known for sure.

For some reason, I don't really remember Shanty Town, what was it like?

Joy

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Re: Through the Decades
« Reply #14 on: September 19, 2007, 06:26:25 PM »
Truthfully, I don't remember much from Shanty Town. From what I recall, it was like your typical wooden kids play area with ropes, slides, and places to climb over and through.

Joy