flooded mine question

[rubedugans]

Yes, the cave has opened up the Mammoth room. The lantern tour allowed us to enter this area last season. The room was on the tour, but that was last toured in the 1950s, The Mammoth Room is to the right of the guest trail in the Cathedral Room. "Highlights of the re-opened trail include the bat wall, the only known "Spanish ladder" left in the cave (circa 1541) and many colorful stories!" If you have toured the cave before, the $10 lantern tour is a great addition to your park visit. I have done it twice, and it does fill up early, so stop by the cave desk, and book your spot!

Now back to the flooded mine...we haven't stopped the leak yet!

[DaveInTulsa]

I tell my kids when we get on, how cool the ride was when I was a kid.  It was much better before the guns were added.  Wish they'd take them out.  I remember the saw blade coming at me, and the explosion of water, the dead canary and the other cool effects that made it kind of suspenseful.  It's just kind of lame now.

[Ozark Outlaw]

I can completely understand sentimental values when reflecting on how a ride used to be. However, some of those special effects you mentioned, plus the new ones they added with the guns, still work great. I think the guns make the ride so much more fun! It’s very interactive, and engaging to shoot at a target, and then to see the special effects you cause by it. Just my own opinion only.

By the way, welcome to SDCFans.com! It's good to have you onboard.

[mhguy77]

I am only really really partial to the rockslide, that was my altime favorite part of the flooded mine and it really took a hit when they lost that effect.

[dorsal]

Hey, betamike, could you be mistaken listening to the FM lyrics on your CD?  I could swear the word is tread, not sweat, as in "Tread a little water, tread a little blood".  Two other SDC fans I mentioned this to were of the same mind.

Also, does anyone remember a second verse?  I found this online elsewhere (but don't remember it):

Welcome to the Mine King, welcome to the toils, welcome to the trouble beneath the earth and soil. You sweat a little water, you sweat a little blood and you might get out if the mines don’t flood. We’re in a lot of trouble, the water’s rising fast, if a flood ever started here the pumps would never last. You sweat a little water, you sweat a little blood and you might get out if the mines don’t flood

Although, that first verse is sketchy, so I don't know how much faith I have in their second verse...

[Junior]

Sweat is the word...don't know about all the lyrics mentioned above. I was a "prisoner" at the flooded mine in '80 and '81 on a part time basis, heard all those songs over and over again all day, but as the old tapes wore out, they made new ones...and they may have altered the lyrics. I know for a fact that is what happened at Fire in the Hole.

[pintrader]

I am only really really partial to the rockslide, that was my altime favorite part of the flooded mine and it really took a hit when they lost that effect.

I would have to agree with you on that one.  That was probably the best effect the Flooded Mine ever had.  As I remember, when the foam rocks would fall there was a strobe light effect with explosions.  To me at the time it resembled thunder and lightning.

[mhguy77]

The foam rocks were large adn looked great falling with that strobe. I was 10 but it seemed like they fell a good distance.  It was simply what made the ride for me.

[DeweyBald]

Couldn't agree more.  I miss the rock slide!

[KBCraig]

Call my crazy, but I actually prefer the ride with the guns. The guns allow the ride to be much more interactive, and fun. It’s a blast to shoot at a target, and to see the gags, and special effects in action.

It's funny how we have different takes on it. I think the guns actually get in the way of the gags and special effects, and they certainly take away from enjoying the theme details. Riders are so focused on finding and shooting the next target, they miss all the "good stuff".

Pick a random 10 year old exiting the ride, and ask about the canaries. Chances are, you'll get a blank look, or maybe "What canaries?"

[rubedugans]

Nothing like a runaway sawblade to make you remember where you came from, and how precious life is to you at age 7 right? I prefer no guns, but I am a purist. Maybe just a trip through where all in the boats agree to NOT SHOOTwould be fun. Just enjoy what they have with the story line etc, despite the 1,000+ targets all over the place. Maybe they could trip that switch and turn them off for once.

[Ozark Outlaw]

Well the great thing about the Flooded Mine is that using the guns is completely voluntary. Each person who boards the ride has a choice as to whether they want to shoot at the targets, or if they just want to simply sit back, and enjoy the ride for what it is worth. So for all the purest out there the solution is quite simple; don't use the guns.

[Ozark Outlaw]

I think the real concern is that some of us are afraid the newer riders will miss all of the “good stuff” if they are distracted by shooting at the targets. While this may be true to an extent, give people credit. None of us caught everything on the very first ride. However, most people are quite intuitive, and pickup on stuff rather quickly.

I know we all want every first rider who boards the Flooded Mine to have that same magical experience as each one of us did, but just because they installed the guns, doesn't mean that the Flooded Mine will automatically be any less sentimental to a newer rider.

I can completely understand the passion, and fire burning inside of each one of us to have everyone experience the same feeling we had when we first rode the Flooded Mine, however I believe with, or without the guns, and even with some of the classic special effects gone, newer riders are still having that spark lit when they the ride the Flooded Mine.

[mhguy77]

I believe with, or without the guns, and even with some of the classic special effects gone, newer riders are still having that spark lit when they the ride the Flooded Mine

I will have to disagree with you.  Its lost its charm, they have removed the effects that made the ride and then given vasectomies to the effects that remain.
Its an ok ride, but apparently SDC has bigger things to tend to than maintaining a old classic.
It's a shame. But thats the way I feel about it.

[Ozark Outlaw]

I will have to disagree with you.  Its lost its charm, they have removed the effects that made the ride and then given vasectomies to the effects that remain.
Its an ok ride, but apparently SDC has bigger things to tend to than maintaining a old classic.
It's a shame. But thats the way I feel about it.

I think we both can agree that they should add some of the classic special effects back, and that the old special effects that remain could use a little touch up. However, I don't think the ride has lost its charm. Sure, we all miss the old gags, but for a newer rider, they will never realize the difference, and they can still have that spark for the ride within them just like we all do.