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.
Oh, I'd be more than happy to do that. Unfortunately, you can't "not use" the sound effects. Even if no one in your boat is shooting, you'll still hear the noise from adjacent scenes.
And of course, that's only half the complaint. The other half is that much of the stuff that used to entertain us before the shootout, is either no longer there, or no longer working.
Here's the difference: before 1990, it was a slow spooky dark ride, with a few scenes where you absorbed everything you could (basic psychology), a few scenes that were amusing, and a couple that were scary. The slow pace
added to the atmosphere. Not being constantly engaged, while sloshing slowly along through the dark, let your mind add to the fun.
Since 1990, it's just slow and sloshy and not nearly as intriguing to the mind.
Edit to add: To draw a comparison, it's the difference between a classic Hitchcock thriller, and one of today's over-the-top action flicks. When deprived of normal sensations and only allowed limited input, your mind runs wild with speculation. When overwhelmed with sensation, your mind just shuts down.