SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City

I know that SDC has removed some rides over the years. Which attraction above would you like to see return. If there is an attraction that is not mentioned above, feel free to comment and tell us the name and why you want it to return.

Diving Bell for me!

Well I was gonna say Diving Bell, but since that was before my time I chose waterboggan. I LOVE Mountain Slidewinder at Dollywood. These rides are the best and Slidewinder and Waterboggan were the only two in the world. Sometimes it was rough, but I do miss waterboggan even though I thought Dollywood's version was/is better. lol

Ditto DWFAN>>>>>,,,,  sorry rube and junior

i'd say the diving bell because its been gone so long. i enjoyed the water boggan but the line was always too long for me.

My vote was for Jim Owens Float Trip and here's why:   As we are discussing this, all the long gone attractions hold special memories for almost everyone, but this one takes real estate that needs to be "spoken" for (or planned for if you will) assuming we aren't talking about tearing down the American Plunge.   For this reason, I would surmise in a theoretical discussion that I would petition to bring it back so we could speak for the land that it would take for a truly enjoyable recreation of it to go back in.

While Rube Dugan's Diving Bell holds just as special memories for me, the footprint for the attraction wouldn't be that hard to recreate somewhere and would be second on my list.

Either Jim Owens Float Trip or Rube Dugans Diving Bell. Wither would be a dandy because I was too young to ride/remember them and would like to parttake in their fun.

Diving Bell for me.

Tossup between the Float Trip and Diving Bell.

I finally voted for the Diving Bell because I think it would be more popular.

I have to go with the diving bell. With that you got a little more use out of lake silver

Every time we have this discussion I always ask why SDC hasn't already rebuilt the Diving Bell. Unless the many recollections are wrong, the attraction was pretty popular among a broad range of visitors, had a fairly high capacity, and had a fairly small footprint. With so many major parks like Disney, Europa Park, Eflting, etc. building all these new 4d theaters and such, the concept is still pretty popular, especially among the really nice parks.

I think SDC and HFEC in general is now stuck on this cycle of development where rides are developed and placed quickly almost every single season, save for the years where they can't spare any capital. They used to take more time and build really nice, custom attractions by themselves. I guess it's more streamlined to outsource all the development and engineering now.

Float Trip!  I only rode the Diving Bell once, and it nauseated me (I can't fly, either).  The Float Trip is representative of the real Ozarks.

But my first choice would be one not on the poll:  the Stagecoach.

Whew, this is tough! I went with the Diving Bell strictly because I never got the chance to experience it, and it seemed to be something that almost everyone loved. 

Quote from: Ozark BBQ on February 29, 2012, 11:35:23 AM
Whew, this is tough! I went with the Diving Bell strictly because I never got the chance to experience it, and it seemed to be something that almost everyone loved. 

Ozark BBQ, I had a similar reasoning. I hear stories from my parents all the time about the Diving Bell, and I would love to get to experience it for myself! But it really is hard, I feel like you can't have enough water rides (Waterboggan), and I would have loved to experience the Float Trip (now that I've read more about it on here).

I voted for the Diving Bell from the poll but I may be the only person in the world that wishes Buzz Saw Falls was back.

Quote from: Duelist on February 29, 2012, 08:38:49 PM
I voted for the Diving Bell from the poll but I may be the only person in the world that wishes Buzz Saw Falls was back.

You and I agree on the Diving Bell and BuzzSaw Falls!

Ah, yes Buzzsaw Falls! It was an interesting concept on paper, but I think it suffered a bit in execution. I prefer PowderKeg Over Buzzsaw Falls, but in a perfect world I would take both. ;D

I would like to see the old canals from the Float trip rejuvenated and used with the boats from the big splash and lift from CC.  ( not sure of the name)  American Plunge has really been dumbed down and could use a little freshening up.
It will never happen but would be a blast if they would.
SDC needs some more adventure rides, all the old rides were themed story rides.  Its funny those are the memories we hold with us much more than a off the shelf flat ride like the disk in the GE.  The only problem is they are expensive to build and need custom work to make them stand out.  I wish SDC would return to there roots.
You CAN tell a story and give a thrill at the same time.

Yes, I liked buzzsaw falls..

I just dont remember the diving bell. ???

I agree that you can tell a story and give thrill. Look at Disney World. There ride Kali River Rapids tells a story. If anyone hasn't watched the ride on Youtube I would suggest they do. They have a great rapids ride. http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/animal-kingdom/attractions/kali-river-rapids/

Thrill rides are great, and they serve their purpose. However, I too miss the original Diving Bell, and Jim Owns Float Trip, and even the American Plunge before the park gave up on it. Rides with atmosphere, and that take you on your own adventure are sorely missing from many theme parks.

ill vote for shantytown by lake silver. loved it

Quoteill vote for shantytown by lake silver. loved it

Refresh me. I forgot about shanty town......................But it does sound like a cool name for a themed ride!

Shantytown. Hmmm that sounds really dirty to me. Hehehehe. The dirty shanty...

it was a play area. it was a must to run through it a few times before getting on lost river. here it is first thing in this video   


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFeZOotKUL8

also the petting zoo was MUCH better than it is now

Quote from: orient express on March 02, 2012, 05:32:34 PM
also the petting zoo was MUCH better than it is now

Yes! I LOVED the old petting zoo!

As a little kid, I used to love going to the Petting Zoo. However, more than anything I miss the Balloon Ride! When I was a youngster I would spend all afternoon just "flying" above the tree tops. ;D

We have a video from when my sister was 3 or 4. We were in the petting zoo and she got head butted by a goat and it knocked her down. A she was getting up off the ground, she yelled at it, "Bad goat! That not nice!" And of course I'm in the background laughing my butt off.

I loved the Balloons! I thought I was a cool kid because I always rode backwards. Everytime we walk past River Blast, my sister mumbles under her breath how she misses the balloons.

not to sound dumb but i go to sdc ALOT but i had no idea that there was still a petting zoo! How could i have missed this?

Quote from: SDC#1fan on March 03, 2012, 07:55:15 AM
not to sound dumb but i go to sdc ALOT but i had no idea that there was still a petting zoo! How could i have missed this?

The petting area is right behind the Homestead and is not very big, which makes it easy to miss.  The old petting area down by the riverfront seemed a little bigger with a few more animals.

How is it possible that no one has mentioned Huck Finn's Hideaway?  I'd like to see all the low dollar attractions that I remember from my childhood return.  Some like Shantytown, the old petting zoo and the Balloon Ride were already mentioned, but I'd like to add the Gandy Dancers, Tom Sawyer's Landing and the old mini-Zip line to the list.  When I was a kid we had more fun on these than anything else, and since they were mostly constructed of lumber and rope I find it hard to believe they cost a whole lot to build.  I'm glad they built HDH, but if memory serves that was a "$1 million dollar children's play area"...give me a million dollars worth of lumber, rope and mulch, toss in a few slides and we could put together a pretty good re-creation of the stuff I loved from when I was a kid.

I wanted to purchase a wooden play structure at walmart/lowes for the kiddo and have an at home HuckFinns but the cost for one small one was 2-300$$!!!! Yikes!

Quote from: Ozark BBQ on March 02, 2012, 11:24:00 PM
As a little kid, I used to love going to the Petting Zoo. However, more than anything I miss the Balloon Ride! When I was a youngster I would spend all afternoon just "flying" above the tree tops. ;D

Surely some day the balloon ride will resurface in the Grand Exposition area...My kids got to ride the balloons probably 1-2 years before they were removed. Seems like that was 5-6 years ago.

Oh Yeah...and the boys loved climbing up inside the tree to Huck's Hideway as well. We got to do that the first year we were there. When we went back, it was boarded up. I was so sad. I guess I sorta liked it to.

Tom Sawyers Landing in general is the attraction that I most miss. The area went through an awkward faze, then what some would say a revitalization with the addition of River Blast. I grew up as a kid in the 90's so TSL was my playground. The ballroom, the balloon ride, the carousel, the ropes, the petting zoo, and the runaway ore cart were all simple but beloved attractions.

Tom Sawyers Landing was great! It seemed more physically interactive, and intuitive than Geyser Gulch. Perhaps it just seems that way since I played at Tom Sawyers Landing as a kid, and visited Geyser Gulch as an adult. However, Tom Sawyers Landing had everything a kid could want - a playground, a petty zoo, and several rides. Thankfully, the Carousel is back in action, and who knows what the future holds for the Balloon Ride. I still miss the original Runaway Ore Cart mini coaster, and of course the foam slides, and ball pit. Next turn, Memory Lane. :P

I do not miss the ball pit. I did then but now, it kinda makes me wanna ralph. yucky. Other than that I do miss TSL.

Oh come on Trams, you know your favorite thing to do was to dive head first into the ball pit.  ;)

I would like to see Huck Finn's Hideaway return.  My son loved it, but only got a few times in it.  We miss Tom Sawyers Landing also - it was a nice place for the kids to play, easy enough to keep track of the kids unlike Geyser Gulch area.  Mind you I have nothing against Gyser Gulch - it's just big and can wear a parent out.

Being a former employee at the float trip and diving bell, those two top my list. But, I also worked at Tom Sawyer's Landing and the treehouse. The treehouse is at the top of the list, too. I do wish there was a real time machine to go back and enjoy all those "lost" attractions of  years past...like the stagecoach. Memories of those times are all we've got left!

Oh how could I forget about the tree house?! Yes, bring it back! Heck, it's even still standing there. I know, I know it probably won't happen. Actually, at this point I am just thankful that is hasn't been ripped out yet.

I miss Huck Finn's Hideaway a lot!! Everytime I walk passed it, I usually let the people around me know how much I really miss it.

I miss it too, Tiffany.  I had to rescue my kids from it several times when they were little, and I still liked it.  Having kids get stuck gave me an excuse to get up there and "be a kid again".

Reason number 53 to have a kid: You get to do the fun rides/attractions without looking like Merv the Perv and Chester Molester combined.

Quote from: MissinTheGreenTrams on March 06, 2012, 06:47:28 PM
Reason number 53 to have a kid: You get to do the fun rides/attractions without looking like Merv the Perv and Chester Molester combined.

That's why I love going with my cousin who has two little girls. They live in Springfield, so everytime they aren't busy and we are down that way, we meet up at SDC. Their mom loves the little kid rides, so I take either Ashlyn or Julia while their mom takes the other one because their dad/my cousin doesn't think Happy Frogs is very manly.

Quote from: MissinTheGreenTrams on March 06, 2012, 06:47:28 PM
Reason number 53 to have a kid: You get to do the fun rides/attractions without looking like Merv the Perv and Chester Molester combined.

I need some so I can ride the carousel.

I don't need kids, I just need another grown up riding partner. That way I don't look silly by myself, and we can both look silly together. ;D

i miss the rain maker.

Holy cow!  I love the Rainmaker!!  Maybe the Big Kahuna's will read this and bring back the Rainmaker!

i have an idea. i have some land, why don't we open up a silver dollar city west and use all the discontinued rides from silver dollar city? my land is in Oklahoma, there are no trees, it's in the middle of no place. never mind.

Bubba.

There are several OKies on here. I grew up in Pryor and it's way more hilly than OKC. The only problem with anything that way (NW) is you're getting too close to the real thing. I did see a couple venues pitching "Branson Style Shows" here lately.