I'm sure we can meet half way way on this FITH subject... Lets look at Blazing Furry, Dollywood's version of FITH. It has an almost identical layout (after the FITH revamp of 1982) and theming, but is a much better ride IMHO. A couple of things give BF an advantage. The first and foremost thing is the fact that it was built 6 years after FITH (1972 & 1978 respectively), so there was time to work out the kinks. BF was a shorter ride with larger capacity due to the third car on each train. The second thing that gives BF an advantage is the fact that it is much smother. The first drop on BF is large enough to get the train to the other side where FITH has to use an accelerator belt (1972 version of a launch!). This not only creates a rough ride for the passengers, but tears the trains apart, which is why they are always overhauling one in the maintenance area. The third advantage is all the MOVING figures. Not quite , but not stone cold, lifeless mannequins. In no way do these take away from the charm and uniqueness of this ride, and it actually enhances the story. Let me paint a couple of pictures for you... What if the man carring the lady could actually barge out the saloon door and "run" in between the saloon and the jail to escape the fire and the gunfire? (This and any other "running" motion would be created by simply mounting the figures to a cart on a small gauge track that could be electronically powered to run its course as trains pass. this could be triggered by the trip wire sensors already in place throughout the ride). At the same time the new addition of the lady chasing the baldknobber with the frying pan could be fashioned the same way. Most people would have to choose what scene to look at since they are right next to each other, making the ride repeatable in the first ten seconds! The next "motion" scene could be the wagon next to the bridge. Does anyone know what they are doing to the captured folks in the back? Well I do! They are taking them to the be hung in the next scene... How cool would in be to be ridding next to that wagon as it comes out of the old volcano scene, rounds the bend, and takes a shortcut through the woods as you plunge down the bridge that they burned! And that "same" wagon could pull up next to the lynching post in the next scene. It's almost like a action scene out of an old western! The wagon could be fitted with spinning wheels and everything, maybe even some new gunshots aimed at the volunteer fire fighters (the riders for those of you who might not know the actual story line of FITH). This could be capped off with a heroes welcome at the splash pool. DW has taken out their water and is slowing down their trains with magnetic plates and if FITH stands the chance of making it another 5 years, SDC will need to do the same. The trains carry water all over the building and the water finds its way out through various places in the train causing the building to rot. before they can put any big money into FITH they will take the water out. So you can use this as a tool to speculate any further FITH development, if the water disappears, big things are to come! The last thing that gives BF an advantage is its location. They built it into a culdesac, this allows the theme to encompass you and your perifials do not catch another rides theme. Don't get me wrong, I love FITH, but it could learn a thing or two from it's younger sibling.