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[pintrader]

not to sound dumb but i go to sdc ALOT but i had no idea that there was still a petting zoo! How could i have missed this?

The petting area is right behind the Homestead and is not very big, which makes it easy to miss.  The old petting area down by the riverfront seemed a little bigger with a few more animals.

[Kentucky Optimist]

How is it possible that no one has mentioned Huck Finn's Hideaway?  I'd like to see all the low dollar attractions that I remember from my childhood return.  Some like Shantytown, the old petting zoo and the Balloon Ride were already mentioned, but I'd like to add the Gandy Dancers, Tom Sawyer's Landing and the old mini-Zip line to the list.  When I was a kid we had more fun on these than anything else, and since they were mostly constructed of lumber and rope I find it hard to believe they cost a whole lot to build.  I'm glad they built HDH, but if memory serves that was a "$1 million dollar children's play area"...give me a million dollars worth of lumber, rope and mulch, toss in a few slides and we could put together a pretty good re-creation of the stuff I loved from when I was a kid.

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

I wanted to purchase a wooden play structure at walmart/lowes for the kiddo and have an at home HuckFinns but the cost for one small one was 2-300$$!!!! Yikes!

[joshblakebran]

As a little kid, I used to love going to the Petting Zoo. However, more than anything I miss the Balloon Ride! When I was a youngster I would spend all afternoon just "flying" above the tree tops.

Surely some day the balloon ride will resurface in the Grand Exposition area...My kids got to ride the balloons probably 1-2 years before they were removed. Seems like that was 5-6 years ago.

[joshblakebran]

Oh Yeah...and the boys loved climbing up inside the tree to Huck's Hideway as well. We got to do that the first year we were there. When we went back, it was boarded up. I was so sad. I guess I sorta liked it to.

[DollarCityBoy]

Tom Sawyers Landing in general is the attraction that I most miss. The area went through an awkward faze, then what some would say a revitalization with the addition of River Blast. I grew up as a kid in the 90's so TSL was my playground. The ballroom, the balloon ride, the carousel, the ropes, the petting zoo, and the runaway ore cart were all simple but beloved attractions.

[Ozark Outlaw]

Tom Sawyers Landing was great! It seemed more physically interactive, and intuitive than Geyser Gulch. Perhaps it just seems that way since I played at Tom Sawyers Landing as a kid, and visited Geyser Gulch as an adult. However, Tom Sawyers Landing had everything a kid could want - a playground, a petty zoo, and several rides. Thankfully, the Carousel is back in action, and who knows what the future holds for the Balloon Ride. I still miss the original Runaway Ore Cart mini coaster, and of course the foam slides, and ball pit. Next turn, Memory Lane.

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

I do not miss the ball pit. I did then but now, it kinda makes me wanna ralph. yucky. Other than that I do miss TSL.

[Ozark Outlaw]

Oh come on Trams, you know your favorite thing to do was to dive head first into the ball pit. 

[Destination SDC]

I would like to see Huck Finn's Hideaway return.  My son loved it, but only got a few times in it.  We miss Tom Sawyers Landing also - it was a nice place for the kids to play, easy enough to keep track of the kids unlike Geyser Gulch area.  Mind you I have nothing against Gyser Gulch - it's just big and can wear a parent out.

[Junior]

Being a former employee at the float trip and diving bell, those two top my list. But, I also worked at Tom Sawyer's Landing and the treehouse. The treehouse is at the top of the list, too. I do wish there was a real time machine to go back and enjoy all those "lost" attractions of  years past...like the stagecoach. Memories of those times are all we've got left!

[Ozark Outlaw]

Oh how could I forget about the tree house?! Yes, bring it back! Heck, it's even still standing there. I know, I know it probably won't happen. Actually, at this point I am just thankful that is hasn't been ripped out yet.

[tiffanylynnt]

I miss Huck Finn's Hideaway a lot!! Everytime I walk passed it, I usually let the people around me know how much I really miss it.

[Gilligan]

I miss it too, Tiffany.  I had to rescue my kids from it several times when they were little, and I still liked it.  Having kids get stuck gave me an excuse to get up there and "be a kid again".

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

Reason number 53 to have a kid: You get to do the fun rides/attractions without looking like Merv the Perv and Chester Molester combined.