*jumps up & down and waves excitedly*
WELCOME, Frances!!! Glad you joined us here! Nice to have a bit more crossover between here and the sadly-quiet SDCFans Yahoogroup.
You'll love it here, I'm sure.
*****
My first visit to SDC was in 1994, at the age of 9. So for me, SDC hasn't changed as much from my first visit to now as it has for many of you between *your* first visits and present-day.
However, I do remember a few things fondly that are no longer around, such as actually getting to walk behind the waterfall, and the Greedy Bros play area on the Riverfront.
And of course must give a moment of silence for the Balloon Chase and Becky's Carousel. The Balloon Chase was my nephew's favorite ride at SDC, and I'm sad that it seems I'll never get to share it with my little niece. Hopefully they'll bring back the carousel, in some form or another (*crosses fingers for Carousel of Seasons*).
Also a quick remembrance for the kiddie mining coaster; I knew ye well. And the original petting zoo area; the new location just doesn't seem as alive as the one in the Landing.
I really don't remember much about that first visit to SDC, as the memories of my childhood and pre-teen years spent there have kind of melted together.
My most vivid memories come from a year or two later, when we went for opening day (which back then was still in April and the first day of World Fest). I remember sitting near the Gazebo Stage on Main Street, watching Buzz Aldrin give his opening day speech.
Later, our family ran into the Hughes Brothers at Geyser Gulch and we all had a fun time shooting at each other (by that point in time, we'd fast become HUGE fans of the Hughes Brothers, and every time we'd go to their show, we were always the last to leave, as my parents would get into deep conversations with them [most commonly between my dad and Marty]).
A lot of great memories have been made and shared at SDC, and I am SOOOOO excited about the upcoming year, a year especially special for remembering all the good times (because there really ARE no bad times--I've only had one or two not-as-great times at SDC, and it has never been because of the park and more about personal issues amongst the people I've been with; gotta love family. LOL).
Joy