Lightning strikes the AP

Ozark Outlaw · January 04, 2011, 11:20:39 AM

Quote from: Junior on November 30, 2010, 09:59:19 AM
If they'd just rebuild what was damaged and throw a few bucks toward theming the cave area, and perhaps throwing a few more atmosphere pieces along the plunge route, it would sure help pep things up. I hope they do.

I completely agree! The American Plunge is an old classic, but it still has a lot of life left in it if they would simply refurbish it. I hope this lightening strike was a “sign” of sorts to reinvigorate the ride. They could even rename it to The American Lightening Strike Plunge!

Junior · January 06, 2011, 09:24:15 PM

Anyone who made a trip to SDC in late December see any repair work going on at the plunge?

rubedugans · January 06, 2011, 09:34:20 PM

The damaged portion was removed, but no repairs. I knew they wouldn't touch it until the off season. I am pretty sure those replacement parts are going to be pretty hard to come by for a 1981 log flume!

Junior · January 06, 2011, 09:36:17 PM

I might be remembering wrong, but seems like the plunge was a SDC crafted ride. There was a time up until about the mid-80s they did a lot of the work on their rides...I don't think it was until the 1990's they started buying rides and customizing them for their park. I'm not 100 percent on this, but I think I am more right than wrong.

Ozark Outlaw · January 07, 2011, 01:01:18 AM

I'd say you are probably pretty close! Although the basic functions of the plunge may have been bought off site, but most of the plunge has that Silver Dollar City "homemade" feel to it.

The worst part about the off season is the unknown!

Since most of us have no access during the next couple of months it will be just a waiting game until more updates come through from on scene source.

shavethewhales · January 07, 2011, 02:31:31 AM

The American Plunge was built by Arrow Dynamics, the same people who built Thunderation, I believe. They were responsible for pretty much all the classic flume rides. A ton of Arrow flume rides still exist, though they are disappearing bit by bit. Parts are not an issue though.

The new control booth may be the most exciting addition of 2011.

rubedugans · January 07, 2011, 08:16:34 AM

I thought it was an Arrow, but I wasn't going to quote anything on that one.

Ozark Outlaw · January 07, 2011, 12:46:35 PM

Of course that is assuming that they rebuild the control booth at all. With technology these days, who knows what Silver Dollar City might do? I can remember a time when the booth above the Thunderation lift hill used to manned. I am not sure if there are actually controls there, or not, but it has certainly been unmanned for a several years now.

Like I mentioned before, I sure hope Silver Dollar City will take the initiative, and completely remodel the American Plunge. Sure, with over a million dollars already sunk into Half Dollar Holler my hopes are whimsical, but a guy can dream can't he?

rubedugans · January 07, 2011, 12:52:16 PM

I guess I never really payed attention to what exactly the worker in the booth was doing. I figured it was all a safety issue (standing, rocking boats etc...) I also had never really taken time to look at my photos of the structure...Here's one last look for you all.

Ozark Outlaw · January 07, 2011, 01:07:51 PM

Thanks for the picture Rube! This has been my biggest regret. During my last trip to Silver Dollar City I accidentally neglected to take even one photograph of the plunge. $:-\$

Hopefully, it will stand tall for a bit longer before anything too drastic happens.

rubedugans · January 07, 2011, 01:16:55 PM

As the resident archivist, I keep track of it all so you don't have to!

sanddunerider · January 07, 2011, 01:43:20 PM

AND we THANK YOU for that rube..

Zephon · January 07, 2011, 10:18:31 PM

I don't believe that AP was built by Arrow. I was on the construction crew for it and I believe it was an in-house project through and through. BTW, when it was built, the plunge itself had little bars/ribs on it that caught the water as it flowed down, causing it to spray up and into the boats after they passed. It was decided in testing that the spray got people too wet so they were removed.

I did hear the other day that they were doing some welding up there on the tower, so something is going on...I'm not sure what though.

Ozark Outlaw · January 08, 2011, 12:44:15 AM

Rube, you are definitely the archive master!

And thanks Zephon for the mini history lesson with your American Plunge trivia. I will say this, welding is a much better sign than say a wrecking ball.

sanddunerider · January 08, 2011, 05:06:05 PM

No doubt!! rube is one of the "Jedi masters" of this site....