Opening Day March 18th...

Junior · March 19, 2010, 08:23:13 AM

THANKS FOR THE PHOTOS! RiverBlast looks VERY GOOD. The landscaping at the old apple butter cabin was also done nicely. The new apple butter location looks good, too. How about some photos of the area around Lake Silver? Let's see how those areas that were "cleared" look now. I'm divided about how the General Store location looks...could we have a few more shots of how the building was revamped over the winter? Thanks again for the photos!

slow_walker · March 19, 2010, 09:02:11 AM

Okay guys, I was so exhausted and dehydrated and sunburnt from opening day yesterday that I didn't have the energy to work with my pictures last night. But I've got a good start on them now. Here's a link to my Flickr set http://www.flickr.com/photos/roseykrh/sets/72157623523178877/detail/ - Ive still got a couple dozen more to add.

For the record, I didn't make it to the park at all last year and only 1 Christmas visit in 2008 so I didn't realize there were no more green trams. When did that happen?

And I LOVE the characters running around. The Undertaker was creepy (creepy = awesome) and all the various other characters were simply cracking me up. There was a jazz band from Bethany College out of Kansas playing in the gazebo on the square before opening ceremonies. As I came through the hospitality house first thing yesterday morning I was behind one of the saxaphone players. She had her sax around her neck and one of the characters came rushing right over. "That is the biggest peace pipe I've ever seen. Did u get that from the Cherokees? Oh the Osage, yeah they do have the dirtier stuff." Cracked us all up.

PastorDon · March 19, 2010, 09:31:50 AM

^No more green trams??? This was a surprise to me too, as I haven't been to SDC since '07. So did they replace them with purple ones or what?

Ozark Outlaw · March 19, 2010, 10:23:05 AM

I am sure someone will chime in with specifics, but our beloved green trams have been updated to new white trams. I am going to barrow one of Tin Man's great pictures as an example.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30708145@N02/3925563531/

slow_walker · March 19, 2010, 10:35:12 AM

Yeah, they're totally different trams and they're white now. Yesterday as I was boarding the tram to leave the city I had my camera dangling from my neck and like 3 shopping bags in my hand and I did not find it easy to get on the tram. There is not enough room between seats to "walk" to the inside of the row and I was banging my camera and bags into everything. Also I thought it was a little harder to step into and out of. But it could be just me since I'm a big girl.

History Buff · March 19, 2010, 11:16:45 AM

Quote from: Copper on March 19, 2010, 12:15:31 AM
QuoteWhat is the significance, if any to the Miller and Sons/Forsythe sign?

I was wondering if this could be a nod to Andy Miller, the man who is responsible for so much of the theme at SDC.

QuoteAnd the boat's name Ricky Phalen?

I believe Rick was an employee who passed away this winter.

Wow. I really didn't think anyone could answer this without some research. Was Andy from Forsythe? Is that also why the swinging bridge is Miller's Bridge? I hadn't thought about that.

History Buff · March 19, 2010, 11:30:53 AM

The white "trams" were a part of the new parking lot process. What they don't do: speed up the process between parking and entering.

Observations:
I notice in slow walker's pictures that signage has been added to point out the corkscrew overpass. That will be nice for guests who have not found it before.

The quote sign in the smoking area has been repainted and looks bright. Oh well, I suppose the smoke will soon restain it to its aged perfection.

I hope the fog continues. I know it was a planned feature for RB, but things like this tend to go by the wayside. The "steam" doesn't always work at the launch of Wildfire, and need I point out the water feature for PK that never was activated.

I missed that that the general store was redone. I'm going to have to reexamine that one.

PastorDon · March 19, 2010, 01:26:25 PM

Those new trams look nice (Thanks for the pics) and one good change is that they appear to have plenty of headroom unlike the old green ones. I seem to remember me or one of my boys getting quite a whack on the head getting into one of the old ones.

Junior · March 19, 2010, 01:47:20 PM

Slow-walker, EXCELLENT pictures! Thanks so much. The park really looks good. Glad to see at the 50th anniversary signage. The whole park looks spruced up. Nice to see the shots of the characters...especially my old pal Terry Sanders! I was glad to see the shots from around the lake. I'm surprised they left the sign on the waterboggan building. It will be interesting to see what they put down in that area in the next year or so.

shavethewhales · March 19, 2010, 01:47:43 PM

Did they ever finish the new parking lot? Seems pretty weird that people pay to park in an unfinished lot, that they still have to wait for trams in.

sdcforever · March 19, 2010, 01:48:44 PM

Quote from: PastorDon on March 19, 2010, 01:26:25 PM
Those new trams look nice (Thanks for the pics) and one good change is that they appear to have plenty of headroom unlike the old green ones. I seem to remember me or one of my boys getting quite a whack on the head getting into one of the old ones.

That was my only problem with the green trams. One time I stood up too fast and too soon and really smacked my head on the roof! The new trams do look nice.

Thanks everyone for the pics from yesterday! RB looks even better than I thought it would (and I had high expectations to begin with)!

PastorDon · March 19, 2010, 02:09:26 PM

Quote from: shavethewhales on March 19, 2010, 01:47:43 PM
Did they ever finish the new parking lot? Seems pretty weird that people pay to park in an unfinished lot, that they still have to wait for trams in.

"Pay to park?" This is another surprise. What's the deal? Also, do season pass holders still get to park closer for a small fee?

shavethewhales · March 19, 2010, 02:23:00 PM

^Most of the parking is still free, but the new lot is all paid parking I think - got to recoup the costs of building the darn thing I guess. Season pass holders still get a discount on 'Premium" parking

orient express · March 19, 2010, 05:35:16 PM

here is a photo i took of the awesome fog

tinmann620 · March 19, 2010, 08:08:41 PM

Wooo! What a Day! I still have 200+ pics, from yesterday, and took 500 more, today, on my visit with Joy! The lines were long at all rides, except Wildfire, and most food places. Even Lost River had a line out to the theatre. They've hired a bunch of new people for the street troupe, but all seem to be character nameless. They do wander around the whole park, helping guests. (We even heard 3 sing "Happy Birthday" to a guest). Sadly, both days, there were no "goodbye" greeters at the hospitality house. No more Ada Mae.

I'll start adding to the new trip report post, after today.

Opening Day March 18th...

sdcforever