does anyone know if there was ever a reason given to change the cave/tunnel on this ride.
The tunnel was re-built for structural reasons during PK's construction. It needed to be sounder so that equipment could be parked above it, and so that eventually a pathway can go over it. Like everyone's said though, I sure wish they could have built in some new effects rather than just having a dark tunnel, but things like that were slashed for unknown reasons all around. PK's water effect still isn't working, is it?
I'm anything but a glass-half-empty kind of guy, but boy does that attraction just scream for major refurbishment now. With the tunnel section as it is now, the whole experience is sub par. You feel like you are doused with disappointment even before you get soaked with water.
the pk effect still isnt working, and as far as ap goes, i dont even ride the ride anymore. big time letdown now.
Quote from: betamike on June 05, 2008, 07:44:08 PM
I'm anything but a glass-half-empty kind of guy, but boy does that attraction just scream for major refurbishment now. With the tunnel section as it is now, the whole experience is sub par. You feel like you are doused with disappointment even before you get soaked with water.
Yeah, and there are some rumors flying around that this may very well happen soon.
It kind of scares me though, because I
love AP's theme, and any major re-furbishment project would probably do away with it in lieu of something more generic and modern. The whole Ozark daredevilry thing is very cute and fits in oh so well, and I really loved all the old effects they used to have to go along with it. Even without the awesome old tunnel, there's still a few old effects that are really well done like the boat that slides out and over riders and the classic whirlpool.
AP is one of my favorite rides. I love the theming. While I do miss the effects that were in the tunnel, I still love it because of the daredevil theming and the drop is still a rush no matter how many times I ride it! :o
What is PK's water effect? I've never heard of that before.
At one point PK is supposed to plunge into water - well, not really, but water is supposed to spray out from the plunge site to make it appear this way. I guess after the explosive take off, the water is supposed to extinguish any residual sparkage.
^I think if they were going to have the water effect working now it would've been done. I think they've probably tried to fix the effect but I'm guessing they stopped trying some time ago and that they are just going to leave the ride as is for now.
Quote from: Dale on June 06, 2008, 10:34:05 AM
At one point PK is supposed to plunge into water - well, not really, but water is supposed to spray out from the plunge site to make it appear this way. I guess after the explosive take off, the water is supposed to extinguish any residual sparkage.
Ah, that explains why they left the water effect area intact when they took out BuzzSaw Falls. I have to agree with Coaster, though. I think if PK is going to have this effect it would be done by now.
I have seen the water effect work once. its at the very end when u break. as soon as u break water jets shoot up and kind of get u wet but that was like a year ago, but as for when u go down the hill i havn't seen water even it ever.
I wonder if they wanted the water jets to look anything like Sheikra at Busch Gardens. (Of course on a much smaller scale)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXP-pnKJZ-Q
No, there were supposed to be two water effects on PK.
The one at the bottom of the "BuzzSaw Hill" has never worked.
The second one was on the brake run where "water bombs" would go off much like on Maverick at Cedar Point when it goes around Swan Lake.
I think the whirlpool was part of the old river ride. The plunge you take is one of the best around. I think it is a great ride just as it is.
I remember this ride when it was the float trip and it went in the cave right after the whirlpool. Upon entering the cave, on the right hand side, was a puppet in a mini rollercoaster? I want to say was only a slanted flat piece of toy track and when you entered it said something to the effect of "Hi boys and girls.. WHEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" as it slid down that little track... I could be wrong..but aren't I close??
I don't remember a roller coaster but you are correct in that the river flowed the same path as AP but in the opposite direction, so that the guy in the whirlpool (at the time just a hand holding a hat) was on your right, and then into the cave. I seem to recall some dwarves or something though.
Isn't there a mine car above the channel that looks like it's going to fall off the end of its track onto the log? Maybe that's what you're thinking about.
As soon as you entered the cave on the right hand side, within a small "cove" in the cave, was a little puppet in this "mini" coaster car? the little coaster car was only about a foot long, but it might have run on a slanted flat track only about 5 feet long...No twists or turns..just a small slanted straight track...As soon as you tripped the "sensor" it lit up and said "Hi boys and girls, WHEEEEEE" , and then it would glide down to the end of that piece of track..You then continued on to where up on the left hand side it seemed like it was a mini park setup that had, if I remember correctly a mini merry go round, and some other amusement type things playing cirucs type music. I thought it was all lit up by blacklight. Then a bit further up on the right hand side, a wall of water would then open up like it was gushing toward you but you never got wet. I swear I am losing it now...
It was a guy in his flying machine or something like that, and he was going to "jump" the river, but would never get up enough speed.
QuoteIt was a guy in his flying machine or something like that, and he was going to "jump" the river, but would never get up enough speed.
Yeah, but isn't that an update to what I'm talking about?
Wow! That Jim Owen must have seen a lot on his float trips LOL!
That was during the late "70s" when the kid friendly era changed the tree house still to the root beer factory. The goasts were taken out of the cave and replaced by singing and yodeling knomes in the cave. they sang Yodel-o tee hee tee hee I kid you not. There were a few on a teater toter as well. It had nothing to do with the rest of the ride and was an attemped to make it less scarry. But aside from things like a whirlpool which is inherently scarry, so is a dark cave no matter what you put in it. It stayed that way tell the ride was converted to the plunge.
Back to American Plunge: For the longest time, there was song that would play just before the lift hill. It was something in the line of "We can do it....etc..." and had a very Mamas and Papas sound to it.
Just curious if this was anyone else remembers this song and if it was an original song or one that was from the mainstream.
It was the song that held the ride to the theme of the queue. Not only was it about accomplishing things, but it was about doing things together. All the examples in the queue are about pairs of people doing impossible, daredevil things. I always loved that song, and I've rarely ridden since the song has gone. It had to be an original.
Anyone know the name of it? I still have a record from when I was a kid with SDC music on it including the song to the Flooded Mine
"Welcome to the mine...welcome to the trouble, 'neath the earth and soil. You'll sweat a little water, you'll sweat a little blood, and you might get out, if the mine don't flood!"
I would sing that thing from the time we left home to the time we got to the gates of the city.
I also liked the bluegrass song that Fire in the Hole played.
Isn't the song from Fire in the Hole from a documentary called "Fire on the Mountain" or something like? I was thinking that I read that somewhere.
I really wish that they would release a CD of all the theme songs from the rides, much like what Disney does with their "theme songs" from the rides... of I would also like them to make a CD of all the Christmas music from the park as well (i.e. Dickens, Gifts of Christmas Parade, etc)
The Fire in the Hole theme was written for SDC by the same company that wrote the Fooded Mine theme. "We'll make it Together Me and You", the theme for the Plunge was also contracted from outside for SDC.
Quote from: betamike on July 12, 2008, 09:59:02 PM
"Welcome to the mine...welcome to the trouble, 'neath the earth and soil. You'll sweat a little water, you'll sweat a little blood, and you might get out, if the mine don't flood!"
Ooooh, flashback! ;D
Quote from: Old Guy on July 13, 2008, 10:22:41 AM
The Fire in the Hole theme was written for SDC by the same company that wrote the Fooded Mine theme. "We'll make it Together Me and You", the theme for the Plunge was also contracted from outside for SDC.
Thanks for the answer Old Guy!
I don't see why they don't bring the old theme songs back, even if it was on a CD. They ought to have some sort of special attraction theme rememberance or something like that during Moonlight Madness where they play all the old songs.
Last time I rode the plunge, I was so sad to see that the outhouse and the guy yelling "Ohhhhhh nooooo" was either gone or not working. I also remember when they added the plunge theme, I loved its cheesiness as a teenager.
^same with powder keg....i love all the songs. sdc should really make more mention of its past in my opinion. a cd of all of these songs would be great for sell.
this might have already been stated, but what if all us fans got together an petitioned for a refurbishment of the AP? We are all contributers every year to the park (as best we can) and I think we should have a voice. Ya know if we see these things year after year,notice them enough to be botherd and think this needs a make over, what about the non yearly guests thoughts???
SDC has a corporate planning process, and it takes about three years to see a project go from drawing board to opening to the public. In these days of hard financial times, we have seen planned projects shelved or not built for a year or two until money is saved up for completion. If you turned in a petition today, you would not see anything happen until 2013 or '14. Don't worry, though, because they are well aware of those things that need refurbished. The American Plunge has been in service since 1981, they've done upgrades when needed, and they will again.
^ one caan dream though right!
Oh, yeah! ;D
New thought while reading an old thread........what if someone had a revamp-the-american-plunge bake sale???Or a Help-us-renew-scenes-in-Fire-In-The-Hole bake sale???? I will make the Pecan, Pumpkin and Rubarb pies!!
I will buy some Rubarb pie.......
Key Lime anyone?
I'm partial to pecan or pumpkin pie.