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I was going through some photos and I found these.  This was the model of Thunderation set up in 1992 where the Show Lover's Booth is today.  It is currently located deep within Fire in the Hole, sorry for the bad lighting it is in a dark corner.

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Here is some fun that the City is extending to its former employees check it out here!
http://www.facebook.com/Silverdollarcity

Had to go to TN for a school thing and I stopped by Dollywood...


Dollywood Water Clock






This is the Inventor's Mansion our Grandfather's Mansion, but it closed a long time ago.


The Mystery Mine






Blazing Fury. Fire in the Hole!!!!!!!!!!






TN Tornado






Dollywood...




River Battle


Goodbye!

Ever since the Opera House opened in 1994 I have been a big fan of SDC's production shows. They are few and far between today, but I do appreciate them when they do them. Starting with Listen to the River and today's Headin' West. I have Listen to the River on a cassette and a video, the video is one my sister made on a visit. I have searched YouTube over and over again for other shows that may have been filmed, but no such luck. I know they sold vides of American Spirit and the Silver Dollar Jubilee shows, I have copies of those, but did any one ever record For the Glory. If you did I would love to have a copy!

I am a big fan of all things Herschend Family, maybe you too?

The Grand Palace theatre once a SDC property is being auctioned off in September. I was young, but I remember when they were building the theatre and its massive beams and wondering what the heck they were building. I also remember going with my family every year to see the Christmas Spectacular starring the Rocketts.  There are some that say a church might purchase the theatre and it will be a loss of tax revenue, such as the Remington and Mel Tillis Theatres. Who knows who will actually get the thing? A lot of money would have to be invested to restore it to its 1992 beauty. Hopefully something good will come of it. Watch the KY3 news clip it's interesting to see the Herschend family and Kenny Rogers. Rogers was once a partner in the Palace, Village and Showboat. A sex scandal helped him find his partnership over. A lot of people on this board have great imaginations what would you do with it.

I personally think it was built wrong. The auditorium is curved drastically and can make the sides a very bad choice to sit in. Also, the Grand Village should have been built surrounding the Palace on the sides, not across the street. Anyone else?

http://www.ky3.com/news/local/27295564.html

Does anyone know what this is?

http://traarchitects.com/silver_dollar_city

I found this site and have never heard about this.

What new coaster do you want to see for the 2009 season? Post what type you want, where should it be located and anything else you can think of...

Tommy and James have a great collection of Theme Park and Amusement park photos. Their Dollywood collection is one of the best. They are hilarious too. They have not been to SDC, but have talked about it. Maybe one day.

Enjoy!
//http://tommyandjames.net/index.html

I am not making money by telling you this, but if you are a crazy about Silver Dollar City as I am, you will enjoy these.

The Story of Silver Dollar City by Crystal Payton (a new 08 version now available)
A Pictorial Essay of Marvel Cave
Marvel Cave: The Jewel of the Ozarks
Marvel Cave the DVD

These are all available in the Hospitality House of Silver Dollar City. They are great and full of pictures and history.

If you have any of these what do you think about them?

They had a big opening day crowd today, over 15,000. This week will be a great week for SDC! With all the rain that the Ozarks got the cave is flooded, so they are doing half tours. Except for that and the Waterboggan being closed for the spring everything is doing well!

This year several thousand dollars were used for Marvel Cave. Lights and walk ways were improved and the cave received new handrails. The next step is to open the Mammoth Room up to the guests on the "Lantern Light Tour." What would you want to see be added, removed or improved in Marvel Cave in the future?

This is just something to write about...

Six Flags is in some financial trouble these days and there is talk of selling off more parks. If so, would it be wise for SDC to purchase some or would that be overextending HFE. Also would it possibly be wise to buy back White Water Atlanta? There are some draw backs to this; the south east has been in a drought... There are also some benefits; one of the best water parks, not having to build a water park at SMP... this discussion could go several ways, I thought it was interesting.

Here is something interesting...

I went on a tour of Marvel Cave that was being lead by Jack Herschend and his son Bruce. It was very interesting. Jack talked about moving to the Ozarks from Chicago. It was quite an adventure for him and his brother Pete. His mother Mary Herschend wasn't so excited. She had a hard time transitioning and it was Miriam and Genevieve Lynch that helped her ease into the mountain lifestyle. Mary was the first to have indoor plumbing in Stone County, this was in the 1950s, that wasn't long ago. The cabin that is in the cave was originally in the Mammoth Room, Jack moved it to the Harold Bell Wright Passage when they took the tour out of the Mammoth Room. (Here is a possibility: the Lantern Tour this next season may start going back there soon) Jack also told us stories of building the walkways and the cable train. Engineers told Jack that the train couldn't be done. The tracks would have to make too tight of a turn and the train wouldn't make it. Jack and the family chanced it, with successful results. If it didn't work he said that there wouldn't be a Silver Dollar City, they literally put every penny they could find in the project. He spoke about riding the train up the hill for the first time and how it wasn't a triumph. They tied two different sizes of cable together and it didn't work out. The train went rushing backwards crashing into the cave tunnel. Jack survived with several broken bones and a stay in the hospital. (If you have ever been on the trains the seats use to go from the top of the cars to the bottom rather than side by side) He laid down in the middle of the seats and held on tight. There are more stories to tell that I will share with you later.

Oh, and Bruce Herschend told me a funny story about Thunderation. When they were planning the ride they asked him to survey and check out the possibilities of making the ride do a helix into the cathedral room. This is for reel and very funny. Can you imagine a rock, even a small one falling while the coaster flew through? Obviously it never happened.

[Bridge Climb May Be Back]

I thought you might get a laugh out of this...

Bridge Climb May Be Back
Purple span seeks new operator
BY MIKE RUTLEDGE

NEWPORT - Operators of the Purple People Bridge that spans the Ohio River from Newport to Cincinnati hope to have people climbing the bridge again this spring.

Wally Pagan, president of Newport Southbank Bridge Co., said his non-profit organization has enough funding to keep maintaining the pedestrian bridge at least five years. But it wants to increase revenues so it can afford long-term maintenance, such as painting. The former L&N Railroad Bridge once conveyed trains and automobiles.

Pagan denied a rumor that Herschend Family Entertainment, which is performing due diligence for a possible purchase of the nearby Newport Aquarium, hopes to erect a roller coaster on the bridge.

Herschend operates Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and other attractions, including several in Branson, Mo.

"We're still going through some due-diligence work, and it's still proceeding as it was," said Herschend spokeswoman Valerie McCarty. McCarty said she had not heard about plans to build a roller coaster on the bridge.

Pagan said he didn't see how a roller coaster could fit on the span. The possibility of putting shops on the bridge also has been mentioned, but it would be difficult to get utilities out to the center of the narrow span, he said.

[I don't know if this has been posted yet, but if not, enjoy!]

I don't know if this has been posted yet, but if not, enjoy!
Main Street will be covered with 720,000 lights. Guests will be literally surrounded by the spirit of Christmas.

-5 story main Christmas Tree- redecorated and redesigned

-Approximately 250,000 lights on main tree

-230 cut Blue Spruce trees fill the Town Square planters

-Approximately 250,000 on Blue Spruce Trees

-Approximately 250,000 lights on Main Street Buildings

-The building facades, the cut trees, the festoon lights, as well as the up lit trees, will all be a part of the new "show" that the "5five story tree" performs

The tree will be programmed to six different songs:

-Carol of the Bells (David Foster: The Christmas Album)

-Interlude (Steven Curtis Chapman: The Music of Christmas)

-Joy to the World (Boston Pops Orchestra: Sleigh Ride)

-Suite from Polar Express (Polar Express Motion Picture Soundtrack)

-Sleigh Ride (Boston Pops Orchestra: Sleigh Ride)

Something I have searched for is pictures of Dollywoods 1977 Flooded Mine ride. When I went to Dollywood it had already been turned into Daredevil Falls. Is there anyone out there that might have some pictures of Silver Dollar City Tennessee?

I am wondering why HFE is looking into buying aquariums. I know that CEO Joel Mamby had the company purchase small water parks to create a sustainable income, but an aquarium is hardly a themed attraction. The reason they opened White Waters in Oklahoma, Texas and Georgia was to create constant revenue; the parks being located in large cities.

This is a little known fact...
In the early 1980s they partnered with a Mexican restaurant chain out of Colorado, I don't remember then name of that restaurant chain, but that was also to create revenue that wasn't reliant on tourist's dollars.

They also sold The Grand Palace Theatre, Branson, MO, and Music Mansion in Pigeon Forge, TN. They claimed they wanted to get out of the theatre business and to stay in the themed environment business. 

Alright, I know I rambled, but does anyone have a clue why they would be looking into this venture?