Messages

4156

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: Rube Dugin's Diving Bell

« on: December 12, 2007, 03:41:30 PM »

I want to say it was the Greedy Brothers who helped you row the boats.  It was a little dock somewhere between the Lost River and Fiddlesticks, and you just rowed around the lake and around that stuff in the middle.  Water shot out of that thing and it soaked the whole boat.  It was the wettest ride of all until the Waterboggen was built.  I forget what the premise of the ride was, but it seems like the Greedy Brothers were the villains of that area.

The Diving Bell was still one of the best attractions in park history (I love the rides that tell stories.).  I was too young to appreciate it when it was there, but I remember the floors flooding with water and thinking that we really were under the water.

Does anyone else think the last room of the Lost River has never been completed?  All along the lines there have been signs about Ponce de Leon searching for the Fountain of Youth, and I always expected some kind of fountain at the end, maybe with some characters around it in some humorous scene.

There's no mention of it here that I've seen, but the collapse of the bridgeway to the Lost River a few years back is a part of SDC history, too.

4157

Construction/Rumors / Re: Kidsfest

« on: December 12, 2007, 03:30:08 PM »

Truth be told the tattoo booth and the bouncing basketballs confuse me.  SDC should hire some of us from these forums as an advisory committee for present and future projects.  I know we could walk through and scrutinize some of the easy-to-fix things in the park, and we all know we could come up with some creative additions and concepts for the future.  None of this would be a complaint about the park - just a road to discovery for ways to improve the park and expand revenue.  After attending this park for the past 40 years, I feel like I've made somewhat of an investment in the place, and I want it to be the best it can be.  That's what it seems these forums are about.

4158

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: Rube Dugin's Diving Bell

« on: December 10, 2007, 10:35:07 PM »

The contraption where you shoot targets was also a part of a paddle-your-own-canoe-type ride where riders ended up getting drenched when they rounded the corner and rowed past the stuff.  I believe this was the replacement for the Diving Bell before the Lost River was installed.

4159

Construction/Rumors / Kidsfest

« on: December 10, 2007, 10:20:15 PM »

Yes, Kidsfest gets the park off its theme.  The 1800s didn't see very many Extreme bikes and skateboarders with their thumping music (or singing vegetables for that matter).  I can buy the Circus on Ice thing as a passing-through-town attraction of the day, but they should really be careful about breaking with the theme.  Keeping it fresh while keeping on-theme is the challenge that makes SDC fun.  Are you reading all these posts, Conductor Sam?  Just say no to tacky.

4160

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC's 2008 Project

« on: December 08, 2007, 03:20:57 PM »

Grand Expo is just BEGGING for a nostalgic band stand where some Dixieland jazz or small bands could perform.  It would add an authentic festival feeling to the area and mask some of the sounds of the rides.

4161

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC's 2008 Project

« on: December 01, 2007, 07:29:26 PM »

OK, fellas and gals, they're doing some work between Echo Hollow and the Frisco Barn.  There is a wood fence there blocking the view down the hill and into Echo Hollow (Of course, you can't usually see through the trees there anyway.).  Looking through the knot holes, you can see some earth-moving equipment and that an area has been cleared.  Are they merely widening the walkway to Red Gold Hall and the Grand Exposition, or are they putting the "New for '08" Craft Barn in that location?  It seems odd that it would be the latter.  This area is a narrow trail and would just be more congested with people coming in and out of a new structure.

Also, the road re-route is going to be extensive and expensive.  One can definately see how millions are going to be spent on this for next year.  It looks like the parking is going to be much more organized.  We're just hoping they're not setting things up for pay parking in the future.