Theming elements are usually the little "tweaks". The tongue-in-cheek. They invite slaps to the forehead and comments like "I can't believe it actually says that," or "somebody actually had that idea and they did it!" Theming elements are the inexpensive additions to an area that amusement parks don't have. They may include things like trash can covers and line railing, but they also include creative signage (like a creative poem telling you not to look over a rail when the train is passing underneath the bridge you're standing on), sidewalk prints (like the original haybale design inside the Giant Swing), and other items that the average visitor might walk right on by without noticing. Many times the theme sets the stage for the ride you're standing in line for - like all the inventor's sketches and the small laboratory in the corner of the queue for Wildfire (It's almost disappointing when the line moves too fast for you to read all there is - and there's even more upstairs when the line gets really long!). Oft times, the theming is actually educational (like in the lines at ThuNderaTion, Fire-in-the-Hole, and the Lost River).
Silver Dollar City is at its best when it floods areas with the 1880s Ozarkian themes - I think we can all agree on this point. The talk in one of the coaster threads, however, has inspired me to move the discussion here.
So, what are your favorite theme elements?
Where do the themes work and where do they fall flat?
Are there theming elements that most people miss if they're not looking for them?
Do you have any ideas for new items that could be added?
I consider the every trip to SDC worth my time as long as I can spot at least one theme element I haven't noticed before, and I've been successful almost every visit.