Author Topic: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments  (Read 180339 times)

History Buff

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #120 on: April 03, 2015, 10:13:20 PM »
The themes:

1880s
Christian Values
Family
Patriotism
Service
Ozarks

Anything else?  I know I put a list together somewhere on the forum, and it was better than this one.  More and more the theme might just be, "Hey!  We found this old 1880s town; now what can we do with it?"
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Dewayne

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #121 on: April 04, 2015, 12:49:22 PM »
What do you mean by HB? Who is that?

Yes. Back in the 1880s, neither the Ozarks nor America was a very "patriotic" place. There were brutal battles going on and most people were not happy. Adding the American theme to an 1880s park makes me feel like theyre just going along with a fictional story that they wrote. Im sure Marmaros and the Ozarks were not a very patriotic place back then. I think we need to step back and get back to the real Non-Fictional 1880s theme.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2015, 01:00:15 PM by Laroy »

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #122 on: April 04, 2015, 01:30:43 PM »
Clearly, history is portrayed as a romanticized theme.  You wouldn't want to stay very long if the theme was real.  Life in the hills was not easy...

...but we would enjoy the prices!
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Joy

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #123 on: April 12, 2015, 12:57:17 PM »
2. The patriotic theme at SDC really turns me the wrong way also. The bunting distracts from the theme and almost looks cartoonish. But that just might be me because i am not a big wave the flag god bless the military person.

3. Ap, Fm, and FITH need some love. If it requires destruction and rebuilding to their former glory so be it. I would love to see what they could do with modern 3D/4D technology.

4. Never thought about HB's thought on a multi themed park. It does look like they are heading in that direction though. The question is. Is it intentional?

RE: #2 -- Oh man, you have no idea how happy I am to see you say that; I thought I was the only one!

RE: #3 -- Agreed on all counts.

RE: #4 -- I do agree that it looks like it's trying to be multi-theme (and has been for a while: Geyser Gulch was kind of its own "land", as is Grand Exposition, and the Wilson's Farm area, and now Fireman's Landing); I wouldn't mind the patriotic stuff if maybe they just kept it to the Main Street Square and just basically made it into "Main Street America" or something, as its own unique "land".

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #124 on: April 12, 2015, 01:38:38 PM »
I was talking with some other posters yesterday at the park and while don't read too much into this - this is "our take" on what is happening with the park.

When the park originally opened it was a craft demonstration park.  The 1880's theme was just a by product of what they were trying to accomplish - demonstrating lost craft skills of a bygone era.

Eventually, the park started adding rides to "plus" the original mission.  The original mission still existed but the rides were just icing.

The park realized after awhile, that in order for it to remain relevant, a mission change would have to occur.  The focus shifted from craft demonstrations to activities and rides that the whole family could do together.  The two existed in harmony during this golden era.

Now we are in the next evolution of the park.  The park is no longer having craft demonstrations as the main focus.  We have moved from a park that had an 1880's theme as a happy coincidence due to the time frame they were wanting to show with the crafts to a theme park that has an 1880s theme.  There is nothing wrong with this, but I do feel that some posters need to come to terms with this.

Now the good part about this, is that the park is leaving the square are areas up to Midtown Road/Bridges practically untouched to the main mission.  I refer to this area as the "Legacy area" -- we still have numerous craft demonstrations in this area and honestly I would love for their presence to be beefed up a little more.  As in all of the boutiques be required to have a resident artist in them (even if for show).  The homestead is still there, Shad's shack is still there and honestly the area still looks very nice.

Now to the whole "it don't fit" argument about the new areas.  I think the park has started to realize that while the 1880s theme is a fun theme, at times it can prove to be shackles when expanding.  I personally find all of the new sections to work with the 1880s theme, Grand Expo excluded (and I'll get to that here in a bit).  There were farms in the 1880s and I think the Wilson's Farm area is well done.  The Outlaw Run area is also well done.  I find its placement a little weird by the farm, but in order to fit a large coaster in the area they had to do what they had to do.  I just find the transition from the farm to the depot very jarring.  Fireman's Landing fits in just fine.  All of those areas I mentioned are well done.

Now let's get to Grand Expo.  Believe it or not, that area is quickly coming up on 10 years.  Now I am not sure how many of you have noticed things, I have mainly because I have been well acquainted with the area since the beginning.  But the theme to the area has slowly but surely started to disappear.  You'll notice that the main marquee for the area is gone.  A lot of the signs for the different sections have disappeared (shoot a whole section that used to be by the RGHH is gone now).  I have a theory on this -- I think this is our next area to get made over... just going off the signs that I am seeing.

Now the next part is complete speculation, but this is what I would do.  I would remove the elephants completely (send them to Wild Adventures).  I would move Ladybugs, Flight of Fantasy and Happy Frogs to Half Dollar Holler. -- let's touch on that now before I go into other details on Grand Expo.  I would put Flight where Lil Swings was and then the other two rides where the story time and sand place is currently in HDH.  That area could become the half pint ride area of the park and I think would really benefit from that move.

Now back to GE.  Remove the elephants, move the kiddie rides, now retheme the remaining rides to the new theme of the area that goes with this redo.  Oh and all carny games go away with this retheme.  I want actual food stands and not the ODV carts that are currently in there.  Probably need a shop as there is (surprisingly) not one in this area. 

Ok so you are probably wondering what will go where the kiddie rides were.... this is where the station for the next coaster will go.  I will just leave it at that.  You can choose your own breed of coaster, but I think that's what will happen.

Wow, long post, but yeah....
Oh and don't look for anything major in 2016 at SDC... and maybe not even 2017
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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #125 on: April 12, 2015, 01:56:26 PM »
^ Why wait so long for something new?  Sure some of us buy season passes every year and go anyway but they're not going to generate a lot of new customers with the same old stuff.  I'm not even sure if the redo of some of the classic rides will accomplish that.  As much as I'd like to see it "Come ride the American Plunge with the cave brought back to it's themed glory!" is not going to create general excitement.


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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #126 on: April 12, 2015, 02:00:29 PM »
I'm just going off conversations that I have had with people.  Things change (and do quite a lot at SDC).  I don't remember who said it but it's pretty telling that (counting next year) Dollywood has received 3 coasters in the same amount of time that SDC has received one.  I think you can tell where the priority is with the chain right now. 

I see 2016 being an infrastructure year.  There are some thing that need to be taken care of -- and then WW should get something. 
SWOOSH

Dewayne

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #127 on: April 12, 2015, 02:10:30 PM »
Right swoosh. I have been seeing places empty like the old lil swings area. Something needs to go here. Im tired of seeing bare spots. Something has to be done. We cant just waste space.

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #128 on: April 12, 2015, 03:12:11 PM »
It's going to be hard to wait that long.....

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #129 on: April 12, 2015, 03:16:49 PM »
The elephant vehicles will have to be completely replaced.  The fiberglass is peeling and they have been patched up too many times.  They do not meet park standards.  I haven't looked at the frogs lately, but they are more in the shade.  The dalmatians will face the same weathering issues in time.

I like putting those three rides in HDH, Swoosh, and I'm OK with the fair theme in the area, but I wish they could focus more on innovations.  With creative thinking the area could immerse visitors with the fair, rather than just sit there as a collection of disjointed attractions.  As I said, the Music Man feel would be awesome to experience, with entertainment and not just rides.  Make the whole GE area like this.  Hang lights like they did with FL, and constantly be in city park festival/fair mode.  Traveling salesmen, brass bands, and comical barbershop quartets throughout the summer.
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Dewayne

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #130 on: April 12, 2015, 03:49:54 PM »
^^ I like that. Maybe RainMaker/medicine man show could be the traveling salesman. I dont like that the rides are starting to look old. They need to do something with that. They shouldve put something on them to make them not peel. Like maybe that polish stuff, I think its called MinWax. They did that on the Wooden Handrails 2-3 years ago at Powder Keg.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2015, 03:51:53 PM by Laroy »

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #131 on: April 12, 2015, 04:02:28 PM »
^^^^^ I guess i shouldn't complain so much and be grateful that there is a park as wonderful and close by to me as SDC!  And like you said, things change at SDC and usually for the better.  Isn't it great that we are so in love with this place that we can get very passionate about it?

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #132 on: April 12, 2015, 05:03:14 PM »
I really cannot comment on GE since I have not been inside in years. But a total retheme of the area and relocation of some rides to make room for the next big thing sound appropriate.

I really hate it that SDC has become the second class citizen to Dollywood, but the bigger revenue generators will get the most attention. We have not bought season passes the last 2 years because of lack of new investments that interest us. Hopefully the tide will turn and HFE will put more love into the park.

Swoosh has some good ideas in his post. Maybe the infrastructure improvements will include some love for older attractions.

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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #133 on: April 12, 2015, 05:47:14 PM »
I'm just going off conversations that I have had with people.  Things change (and do quite a lot at SDC).  I don't remember who said it but it's pretty telling that (counting next year) Dollywood has received 3 coasters in the same amount of time that SDC has received one.  I think you can tell where the priority is with the chain right now. 

I see 2016 being an infrastructure year.  There are some thing that need to be taken care of -- and then WW should get something. 

Notice that not only are they getting another coaster but look at those coasters budgets. I get it, the area is getting more tourists than Branson and it's closer to the mess that is Atlanta and truth be told there is more comp in the area. Carowinds seem to be getting serious these days.

They can retheme GE is they want and move the rides around. The half dollar idea isn't bad at all.

As for major rides, they'll need one by 2018 or they will see lack of interest build for repeaters. They still need two more coasters in my book. Well themed, butthey don't have to be massive footprint ones. They don't even need to be 20 million dollar jobs.

Back to the Dollywood thing, while they got new coasters, kinda catch up to SDC in way. A B&M, the wing riders were the latest thing they were pushing to even out Wildfire and this new one to even out powder keg. Thunderhead was there Oz Cat but we got Oulaw Run for a woodie.  That leaves Tornado but we had a solid mine train coaster i'd just as soon have as an Arrow looper.  The only thing I really feel cheated over is Mystery Mine. That's  why I pine for another solid non inverting coaster.


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Re: SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments
« Reply #134 on: April 12, 2015, 07:56:46 PM »
I'm just going off conversations that I have had with people.  Things change (and do quite a lot at SDC).  I don't remember who said it but it's pretty telling that (counting next year) Dollywood has received 3 coasters in the same amount of time that SDC has received one.  I think you can tell where the priority is with the chain right now. 

I see 2016 being an infrastructure year.  There are some thing that need to be taken care of -- and then WW should get something. 

 The only thing I really feel cheated over is Mystery Mine. That's  why I pine for another solid non inverting coaster.


You want a non-inverting coaster to balance out Mystery Mine?