What Would You Do?

[U Smell Smoke]

If the powers that be at SDC came to you and asked what one thing you would do to improve the park, what would your answer be?

[History Buff]

Good question.  The first thing I would do would be to make a list of things to do.

Of course, I'm the guy who would wish for three more wishes if I found a genie.

[shavethewhales]

It's hard to improve on such a job well done, but I would take out the air-brush t-shirt booth. I can deal with the other games as long as they're kept up nicely and stay in the areas that work for them, but air-brush t-shirts are too far even for me.

[Joy]

Oh geez. Just one thing? Well, I suppose if they asked each and every one of us one thing, we could put together a list and split it amongst us. LOL

I would add more face characters to walk around the park and interact with people. Terry does, like, five or six characters just himself; talk about dedication! They need more people out there!

Joy

[History Buff]

It's hard to improve on such a job well done, but I would push an intamin catalog in front of them.  

I would also take out the air-brush t-shirt booth. I can deal with the other games as long as they're kept up nicely and stay in the areas that work for them, but air-brush t-shirts are too far even for me.

OK, first on my list:  have a totally non-green bonfire for the tattoos, air-brush items (as mentioned) and every last BASKETBALL - everything that's not well-disguised as being in-theme would go in the fire or be fired (as in discount, catalog-selected theme park acts brought in, etc.), and SDCFans would be invited to have a big party!  That's just the first thing on my list.

[U Smell Smoke]

I agree regarding the basketballs, air brush shirts and tattoos. They all need to go.  I would add to that list the glow in the dark light sabres kids were running around the park with when I was at Moonlight Madness last week. I felt trapped in a movie that featured Star Wars going back to the Old West.  I kept waiting for Terry to show up dressed as Darth Vader. I love 70's music, but when I heard Firefall playing over the park's sound system I about passed out. I realize it was part of their effort to change the mood for MM but it just didn't feel right.  My family left early because it was kind of depressing to see SDC making a half hearted effort.  So many things were closed or not operating.  They need to do Moonlight Madness up right or not do it at all.

[Joy]

Yeah, you can see my rant about the music at Moonlight Madness in the "How was your trip?" thread... LOL

Maybe I'll finally get myself sat down and write an article for the site. Even though this is a fansite, I think part of the best thing about fandom is that we can be constructively critical, and I think I may write a kind of treatise listing all the things that I like and am not entirely crazy about concerning the park. Maybe the higher ups will come across it and get some ideas out of it...

Joy

[sdcforever]

I'd have to do two things.  Bring back interactive face characters to reinforce the theming around the park (i.e. Geyser Gulch, Wildfire, FiTH, ThuNderaTion).  I'd also bring back the street shows (the rainmaker, the mayoral election, Hatfields and McCoys, and the sheriff).

[themeparkguy]

There is great theming around wildfire but without charcter interaction I believe the story has been lost.

[Copper]

I agree with many of your comments about staying true to theme. In fact I try my best to have a Far Cheef in front of FITH on the weekends. I have a budget and have to stick to it after all. Yes, the MM music is strange. I don’t agree that MM is a half hearted attempt. It is still in experimental faze. Last year we tried it for a short period and this year for a longer one. The reason why so many shops are closed is: they wouldn’t make the money that it would cost to keep the employees. MM is all about attractions, it’s a rides night. I can see it getting better the more they learn about it.

I do think that we can have an 1880s evening themed event!

[Joy]

I wonder... Maybe they should be taking exit surveys of the people who come for Moonlight Madness, to ask them what shops they missed and what merchandise/food in particular it is that they missed from those shops. Then they could possibly put those things in one of the open shops next year...

Joy

[StaceySue]

I would agree about taking out the basketballs!!  Most things I can ignore if I don't care for it, but it's hard to avoid a line of kids bouncing basketballs coming at ya.

In fact, my husband hasn't been to WoF for years because he hated the basketballs.  Imagine the disappointment when he first saw them at SDC.  But, so far, it's not a deal breaker for him.

I love the idea of SDC staying open later.  I guess I'm weird, but I really didn't miss anything that wasn't open, and I wasn't even riding rides that night!  I still got my BBQ and my daughter got taffy from the taffy shop.  I did think the music was a little weird, like they brought over the CC soundtrack or something, but it didn't ruin the experience for me.  We were in SDC at night in the summer, after all!!  How cool is that!!

[Firstvisit1967]

Everything that is not 1880's themed needs to go.  Basketball need to go you say........
Mr. Naismith invented basketball in 1891.  So it needs to be themed........basketballs need to look like the ones they used in 1981.  The line jump passes need to go away.  If people want to buy seats to see free shows ok??  Live jump passes are not SDC.........
Air brush needs to go.  If that is what is keeping the gates open.......raise prices of everything .10.
Make sure that the people who work at the city know their jobs and the history of the park.  The train skit needs to be fixed, and the staff needs to get back to being overly friendly.  The reason that SDC was the best place to go for years was the people who worked there.  I am not sure you can say that anymore. 
Late night.....if SDC wants to stay open then do it.  Stop doing everything on the cheap.  Want to be the best......be the best.   This place is one of the very best (dollar friendly) memory makers in the world.  The people who run it need to take the time to see what they have.  "You have a great past ahead of you."  Both guest and staff need to read this sign daily.

[StaceySue]

Everything that is not 1880's themed needs to go.  Basketball need to go you say........
Mr. Naismith invented basketball in 1891.  So it needs to be themed........basketballs need to look like the ones they used in 1981. 

I guess they can have basketballs, just don't give them as prizes to the guests--people bouncing basketballs while walking through the park make me crazy. 

[rubedugans]

I ABOUT LOST IT   is how I will preface this story...

Picture this, bright sunny 72 degree Saturday about 9:15am (last week-Aug 1) standing in a line about 5 deep to get into the park, the man behind me stating

"well if they don't let me in I'll call Pete Herschend, I used to work here, and he'll get us in, When life hands you lemons you don't always have to make lemonade (to his young daughter-or granddaughter) Huff Puff blah blah blah"

That was the bearable part, the next thing that happened is when I ABOUT LOST IT. A boy about 12-13 yrs old came up behind us in line to enter the park WHILE bouncing a basketball. WHY WOULD YOU BRING a basketball to a theme park such as SDC? Babies-yes, guide dogs-yes, umbrellas-yes, grandma-yes -all logical things to bring...basketballs NO!!! It is bad enough they give them out as prizes but I must have missed that it was bring your ball to the park day.