Ya know fellas, I think HDH will be OK. It's compact, by design, to allow parents to keep an eye on their kids without actually having to hold their hands, yet it doesn't seem crammed. I really think it blends in as well as Tom Sawyers Landing did, or the Tree House, or any number of attractions that have been built over the years. For those of you who don't think it fits...well it's certainly not nearly as out of place as GG. That place, IMO, is an absolute eyesore.
And I don't really think the swinging bridge looks out of place there. To me, it's almost like it serves a purpose again. Here's why...back when it was first built, it did serve a purpose...that being the way into the park. Back then, crossing the swinging bridge through a wooded valley seemed a viable "time tunnel" taking one a hundred years back in time. But as the city grew around it, it more or less just became a "lost" pathway. You guys may have found enjoyment in the "peaceful" nature of the woods as you crossed it, but in truth, not that many people walk across it or even realize its there anymore. And most of those that do take advantage of it, do so only for the bouncy effect it affords...it's only a "fun" way to get from here to there, and not even a "shortcut" really. What I'm saying is that the "peace of the woods" that some of you have mentioned is largely lost on the majority of our guests. But...I think, with the new setting around it, new life has been given the swinging bridge as people will be able to gaze down from it right into the heart of HDH.
I know that HDH will not be the favorite place of a lot of you, but my grandkids will enjoy the heck out of it...and we'll have a great time watching them. It's not just the "kiddie ride," it's the whole experience of running around through the structures and nets. I think it will beat GE hands down.