Messages

1291

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Lockers and other stuff

« on: June 30, 2008, 02:22:25 PM »

Lockers are a great idea for guests' peace of mind, but there's no reason for them to be 50 cents. The mechanism works just as well with a single quarter as with two, and I've been to places (spas in Europe) where they don't take any coins at all -- just turn the key and take it, and your stuff is secure until you return.

Lockers aren't a high-dollar item. They can certainly be covered by the cost of admission.

1292

Branson Talk / Re: How many are also Shepherd of the Hills fans?

« on: June 30, 2008, 09:35:22 AM »

The John Wayne movie was horrible.

There was a 1919 version which Harold Bell Wright helped direct. Other versions were made in 1928 and 1964. I haven't seen any of these, but I keep an eye out for them.

1293

Branson Talk / Re: How many are also Shepherd of the Hills fans?

« on: June 29, 2008, 10:30:16 PM »

The tower is definitely strange and out of place. I was reminded of Oral Roberts' "prayer tower".

1294

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: Security, bag checks?

« on: June 29, 2008, 03:22:31 PM »

Thanks for the info. I was curious, because since the last time I visited, there have been two significant happenings. First was 9/11, and second was Missouri's passage of shall-issue concealed carry laws, which Pete Herschend fought vigorously (the ban on carry in gated amusement parks is attributed to him).

So, I asked because a lot of companies felt the need to "do something!" about security, no matter how ineffective.

1295

Branson Talk / Re: How many are also Shepherd of the Hills fans?

« on: June 29, 2008, 09:46:08 AM »

It's a shame about the road, but it did need to be done. I remember traffic backed up for miles as people tried to turn left, and the local folks with stickers on their front bumpers: "I'm a native, I'll help you turn left! <-----"

Dad had a rule of only turning right except at stoplights (there were only a couple of them back then), which helped a lot. We usually stayed at Kimberling City, so we had a right turn into SDC, then turned right to get to SotH.

1296

Other Parks / Death at Six Flags over Georgia

« on: June 29, 2008, 09:07:28 AM »

Two teenagers hopped two fences and wandered into the path of the Batman ride. One 17 year old was struck by the ride and decapitated.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/06/28/six_flags_death.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

1297

Branson Talk / How many are also Shepherd of the Hills fans?

« on: June 29, 2008, 01:06:49 AM »

From 1970-85(ish), Shepherd of the Hills was just as much a part of our Branson vacation as was SDC. We only missed it once or twice, because of weather. Our routine was to "arrive after 3 (next day free)" at SDC, go to SotH that night, then spend the next full day at SDC.

When I went back in '98, I made sure to take my boys for the tour and the show, using that same routine.

Over the years I fell in love with one Sammy Lane, looked up to (literally) a couple of different Young Matts, booed a few Wash Gibbs, and knew there was only one Old Matt and Shepherd (I really miss those actors from the '70s/'80s, whose voices I can still hear).

And no matter how many times I'd see the show, there was always the threat that Jim Lane was about to finally gun down Gibbs. (With his gun worn cross-draw for the stage, instead of inside his hickory shirt with the missing button, as in the book.)

When we went in '98, the actors were of course quite different, but also good. The only disappointment was Ollie, who was just too much of a caricature.

How many others here are fans of SotH?

I still think of Branson as SDC and SotH, with a side trip to the museum at School of the Ozarks/College of the Ozarks (they changed the name). The only music shows we ever saw were Baldknobbers (once, I think), the Presley Family, and another local family show whose name escapes me. I don't care about Branson for outlet malls, or Vegas/Nashville reviews. I've never been on a lake cruise, but I wouldn't object if I had enough time and money.

I think we went one time to Whitewater. Maybe caught a few go-karts and putt-putts. We seldom went that far east on 76, because for us "Branson" started at Kimberling City (where we usually stayed, when "Branson West" was just an empty crossroads) and ended at Shepherd of the Hills.

We admired that the two attractions bought up all the land between them. As an objectivist/libertarian/free-marketeer, I still admire that: ownership is the ultimate form of zoning. Better to own it, than demand the government restrict other owners.

Anyhoo, I only mentioned that, to mention this: do you remember the Shepherd of the Hills bookstore that was in the middle of nothing between SDC and SotH, on the north side of 76? When I was a kid, there was an elderly widow who owned the place, which was a fascinating bookstore. When I visited in '98, I could see the old building, which looked like it had fallen in.

Sorry for the rambling. SotH: big fan, or not?

Kevin

1298

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Security, bag checks?

« on: June 29, 2008, 12:23:34 AM »

Has SDC gone to any kind of enhanced security or bag checks? Metal detectors or other silliness?

In law enforcement we call that "security theater", since it's all for show (and mostly to confiscate $0.50 bottles of water, so that customers have to pay $3-5 for the same thing once inside.) SDC has always been reasonably priced in my experience, so it would be a shame if they have gone that route.

1299

Announcements / Re: New Editorial by Coaster

« on: June 28, 2008, 10:48:28 PM »

I was confused when you said "home page", then I figured out you meant the sdcfans.com home page, not the forum home. 

Direct link:

http://sdcfans.com/usrArt-entry.php?id=3

I liked your "why we keep coming back" editorial, too.

1300

Construction/Rumors / Re: SDC's 2009/10 Project

« on: June 28, 2008, 10:03:54 PM »

My thinking, as a nostalgic old fan, is that the next coaster, whether '09 or later, needs to be a woodie. The modern steel loops and corkscrews are fun, but they could fit at Six Flags just as well as SDC.

The exception is Thunderation, which fits the theme very well (and is a good coaster, just not extreme). One thing that's scary (good scary) about TNT is when you break over the top of the lift, and bank before gaining any speed. It feels like you're about to tip over sideways, then whooooosh, down you go!

1301

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: First SDC Memory

« on: June 28, 2008, 09:44:13 PM »

I do remember the logroll.

The "don't look in this hole" features are great, and quirky. I always loved the girl in the bathtub, who's not quite what she seems. 

1302

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: First SDC Memory

« on: June 24, 2008, 04:12:00 PM »

My first SDC memories are from 1970 or '71; I was 7 or 8 the first time we went, and I went with my family every summer until I was a sophomore in college, c.1983. I took my two sons in 1998, and now that I have a 5 year old, I'm eager to take the whole family again.

I like to say we discovered Branson when it was still Branson, before it became Nashville.

Because we went every year, some of the memories are muddled and out of order. One of the first years that we went, Dad whispered to one of the performers on Main Street, who then sought out my teenage sister, who was blushingly dragged into the middle of a fight between two would-be suitors. While Dad took pictures.

I remember Fire In The Hole being a brand-new exciting ride. I remember Rube's Diving Bell, which I thought was very well done. I was disappointed when it went away.

I remember the wonderful spaghetti at Molly's Mill. And the funnel cakes, of course. Having long conversations with Shad Heller while he worked at the forge. Grandfather's Mansion, which we always just called "the crazy house". The spooky projected faces in the Flooded Mine. The old fellow clog/jig dancing on a piece of plywood near the entrance. Yelling "rutabaga!" for the group photo at Marvel Cave. "The Rock of Many Names", and "domino staircase". The train robbery. Music at the gazebo, and everywhere else.

Man... I've really got to get back there soon. It's... ummm... for the kids, of course.