So, being that I live so far away and have to work, I haven't been to the park now for 2 months, and it will be another 3 before I can go again. Thus, does anyone care to bring us up to date on the happenings of the park?
Are the crowds still strong, is Giant Swing still a hit, anything new?
Sadly, no, I've not been there since April. Living in Independence is a bit of a bummer, being so far away from Branson....
~ "Becky" Joy ~
I only live a couple hours away but sadly I haven't went lately. I should be going in the next couple months.
We will be taking a trip to Branson and SDC the last weekend in September. Should be fun!! Anything you guys want me to check out or watch for?
Be sure to take some photos for us! I would walk past the tree house once or twice if I were you, just to see if you can spot any evidence of them clearing it out or preparing it for a take-down. It's very unlikely you'll see anything, as they would wait for the off-season, but you just never know. Other than that, make sure you stop by the bakery in midtown for one of their cinnamon bread loafs.
^I always do! :D
My sister is going to the park tomorrow with a friend of hers. Sadly, I was not invited to go!
My sister got home from the park today and two rides were closed. She said American Plunge and Thunderation were both closed. She said Thunderation was having track problems or something. She didn't know any details.
Wow, other than when it rains heavily, I've never seen two rides be closed at SDC, and certainly not all day (or was it just for some of the day?).
Hmmm, track problems on ThuNderaTion? How did she hear about that?
They went to go ride Thunderation and there was an employee blocking the queue line to get in. She said that the worker said there was a problem with the steel on the track or something like that. She didn't know any details on it or American Plunge.
^Hmmm, very interesting, as that could potentially be a very serious problem.
Unless something is seriously wrong, they're probably just going through and tightening the bolts, as they do every 2 weeks on every coaster.
Or, least likely, they're just re-tracking, as was done last year on the big drop, but you'd think they'd wait till the off season unless it was really needing it.
Very odd though. Will anyone be making it to the park soon? Maybe they can check it out.
I might be able to go in September. Just depends on my school/football and my parent's work schedules.
Quote from: shavethewhales on August 19, 2007, 07:30:56 PM
Wow, other than when it rains heavily, I've never seen two rides be closed at SDC, and certainly not all day (or was it just for some of the day?).
You shoulda been there last year in December, the weekend before Christmas. It was just after dark and the entire park blew a fuse, plunging everyone into darkness. Sadly, the outage put every single ride out of order for the rest of the night. It was, like, 15 minutes to park close when they got the teacups up and running, but that was it. That was the only ride we got to ride that entire day (of course, we would have been on the rides earlier in the day, but that's another story).
~ "Becky" Joy ~
I also haven't had luck at SDC during December and the Old Time Christmas Festival. Last time I went it was so cold (single digit temperatures) no rides were running and they were giving out free hot chocolate. We left early because we were just miserable.
I've had luck on the weekend of December 16/17 (around that date). It always seems to be in at least the mid-50s. Back in '04, it was 57 for a high and every single ride was open (except, of course, the water rides).... I had my jacket with me, but never once put it on.
I can't wait to get back down there during the Christmas season. I'm excited about the extra hour on Saturday nights; it seems that after the 6pm-ish run of the light parade, 3/4 of the crowds leave the park, so it leaves hours for walk-on rides... and Wildfire is SOOOO awesome at night!
~ "Becky" Joy ~
^Ah, yes, I remember my last Christmas trip to the park, I rode Wildfire some 17 times or so without getting off, and it was cold... so cold... but so fun.
Sigh, it'll be Christmas before I can visit the park again.
My family and I are taking a trip down to SDC this weekend. We're driving up Saturday and we'll go to the park on Sunday. I'm pretty excited. I'm going to try to get a lot of pictures for you guys. I'd like to take the pictures with my cell phone but I don't have a cord for my phone to plug into my computer, so it looks like I'll be using my parent's camera. Is there anything in particular you guys want pics of??
Copper and SDCFan17: I think you guys said you live in Springfield. Are you guys going to be at the park this weekend?
The mansion and the tree house could be points of interest, but it's doubtful that much has happened since I was last there. Didn't someone say that the Mansion was closed last they were there though? Maybe they've started on it...
well i've got to work this sat. but my parents are going to the st. johns picknic at celebration city for my mom. i will be down there later around 9 to go through the best haunted house ever!!! bransons haunted adventure park, it sounds pretty cool this year!!
We're going to SDC on Sunday. We're going to get there a little later on Saturday so we'll probably ride go-karts or go mini golfing or something. Our favorite place to ride go-karts is the big wooden track. I think it's called The Lumberjack or something to that extent. Anybody else like that track?
yeah it is pretty fun
I've been to the Track once, and I remember how scandalous the pricing was. All-in-all, I never go to the mini-golf/go-kart places. I can get the same thing where I'm at. I do sometimes just walk from arcade to arcade though, just to see what's there.
Haha, I guess your the exact opposite of us. We don't go in the arcade places. We go go-karting. Branson is the closest mini-golf/go-kart place to us. Besides, Osage Beach but it doesn't have as much.
In case anyone didn't see, Copper has contributed a set of photos showing some of the park's fall decorations, Christmas lights being set up, the Flooded Mine, and the Gandy Dancer, which as it turns out, I didn't even know was there. When everyone talked about the old tracks in the landing, I was thinking of something else; these tracks are actually huge! I wonder if it's possible for them to be re-built again.
Never heard of the Gandy Dancer. What exactly was it?
I think it was that self-propelled rail way that used to be in Shanty Town. Apparently one or two people climbed into little carts and in some manner propelled the cart around the track at varying speeds. Now that I think about it, I can't imagine why they haven't re-built it. It would be cheap, fun, and a big hit with the younger crowd.
Hmmm, interesting. But those Christmas lights aren't just in the lesser known areas of the park. Their everywhere. They've been putting them up in a lot of places. Tom Sawyer's Landing, FITH, pretty much everywhere, but just at random spots.
Yeah, I know, but they usually start appearing in less-noticed areas before they really get everywhere, or at least that's how it used to be.
Here's my chance to show that I *don't* know everything about SDC:
In the "More Lights" picture that has the Gone Fishin painted on a fence..... Where in the world is that building?
And what landmark in the Landing are those tracks near, so I can try to find them myself whenever I go again...?
~ "Becky" Joy ~
The "Gone Fishin" is located in the Landing next to the Carousel. The barn you see in that picture was once the petting zoo. Behind the barn is the tracks for the ride that I think was called "Gandy Dancer" hopefully I can find someone to confirm.
Ah, okay, thanks! That's why I don't recognize it, 'cause I haven't been in that particular part of the Landing in *ages*.
~ "Becky" Joy ~
As I said in another thread I'll be in on Dec. 26'th and I was wondering if the construction (when it was happening) had progressed to the old remnanats of the gandy dancer? If anyone has visited, or anyone is a "citizen" of the park that knows, let me know! I'd love to get pictures when I am there.
It has. When I went in Sept it was all still there, but as of my November visit more had been cleared out and a trailer was sitting where the Gandy Dancer used to be. It's too bad, but at it means more space for the Splash Battle at least.
One last shot here: http://sdcfans.com/galleries/photos/gandy.jpg
Hey, at least the old car is still sitting near the entrance.
Thanks, I just didn't want to spend a lot of time searching for something that might not be there anymore. At Least I have the photos of me as a kid in them!