I've been thinking about this and I think it would be awesome if they went in this direction for their 50th anniversary. First of all in 2009 I want a new coaster. I don't want any ride plans to be delayed at all.
Part One: For the 50th anniversary, I think they need to open a SDC museum of some type (like some of you have stated). This could offer history, never before seen pictures and designs. It would be an awesome addition to the park. And if HFE didn't want it to be a permenant attaction it could be used in only 2010 for the anniversary or maybe even for only two or three festivals during the year. The prime location for this would be located somewhere on Main Street or in the Midway area, if they wanted to keep it somewhat temporary. (Although they could also house it there permenantly). If they want to make it permenant maybe they could shorten the ThuNderaTion queue some so you don't have to walk back and forth down that long hill and they could put it there.
Part Two: I think they should bring back Rube Dugan's Diving Bell. Almost everyone and their brother wants to see this thing back. Although for a lot of us it wouldn't be "back" it would be there for the first time. They could update the ride to today's ride technology while keeping it the same as it was, and think of how amazing it would be. I don't know where they would put it though is the problem. I don't think they should take out The Lost River because then you'd just be replacing the original ride with the ride that replaced it in the first place! (Did that make sense)? Plus, Lost River is one of the most popular rides in the park and it flows a lot of people through per hour (which is the reason Rube Dugan was taken out in the first place). A lot of people (families mostly) would be mad if they took out the Lost River.
Part Three: For Part Three of the anniversary I think they should do what they need to do with Tom Sawyer's Landing. I would like them to move the balloons and the carousel to the Grand Exposition and turn Tom Sawyer's Landing into a SDC downtown area. Also in this area it would be cool if they could build a new theatre venue and bring back an old beloved SDC show from the past for one more season.
If this was all to happen in 2010 for the 50th think of how great a year that would be! This was an optimistic post in a lot of ways seeing that:
- This would all cost a LOT of money for one offseason. And seeing that we are supposed to be getting a new coaster in 2009 I can't imagine they'd spend this much money two years in a row.
- Rube Dugan's Diving Bell has little chance of every coming back.
- For some reason SDC is sometimes secretive about their history, seeing as we never hear of some things that have happened at the park.
If this were all to happen it'd be like SDC was embracing its history and offering it all to us for that one year. It would be an awesome time to visit the park wouldn't it?