Portal needed between "modern" and "theme" areas?

[KBCraig]

I hadn't thought about the lakefront condos through the Wilderness Church window. Probably because the idea of a picture window in a log building is already such an anachronism, that I hadn't thought past that.

The lake itself isn't "1880s"... construction on the dam ended in 1958, so the lake probably wasn't even full enough to be visible when the park opened. The actual "stuff" at KidsFest, such as the sand tables and what-not on the Square, could be done in-theme as easily as not. But, SpongeBob and friends really need to go. Scooby Doo? Seriously? They might as well convert the Butterfield Stage to a horse-drawn Mystery Machine.

With a little more care, Grand Expo could really fulfill its basic theme of "Worlds Fair". But, it falls short of that as it's currently done. Shame, because it would make a great contrast between the "rustic" and the "modern" as they actually co-existed during the theme time period.

[KBCraig]

One ancient memory just rattled my brain: do they still sell hoops for rolling? When I was a kid, we would see young Citizens, and lots of visitors, trundling along a small barrel hoop with a wrought iron "leash" (for lack of a better word).

Think of a rustic version of this:



I don't recall seeing any of those on our last visit. I always wanted one as a kid, but I think even then the park prices brought out my parents' Scottish blood. 

[betamike]

I agree with most everyone about the angst some of the festivals cause.  I was there for the first KidsFest and it was pretty fun, but that wore off when things began to become a little more "contemporary" with the atmosphere.  It was originally relegated to inside of the theaters and barn back then.

But as an aside, they replaced the original dirt roads with black tar and I haven't complained once about that.  I guess there's always something that each generation just accepts.  Maybe the newer generations will look back on KidsFest and the like with fondness.

[PastorDon]

Speaking of festivals...does anyone know why they stopped doing the Salute to the Great American Cowboy!  I made a special 5 hour trip down there one weekend to see the Sons of the San Joaquin perform!  That was one festival that certainly fit the 1880's theme, but it didn't last.  Wonder why?

When I read the comments about being able to see outside things from inside the park, I recalled that Disney solved that by building a high earthen berm around Disneyland, but how would you build one big enough to hide the view from the top of WF???

[Joy]

I would SO rather see kids walking around playing with hoops than bouncing basketballs.

As for the characters/shows for KidsFest...

Really, I'd be more than happy having only VeggieTales there. Sure, it isn't 1880s (although they could easily create a VeggieTales show that is set as a western, like some of their adorable Old West-themed bible stories), but at least they are known for their good educational value. Spongebob... ugh. No. Just... no.

From the list on their site of characters that will be visiting the park this year--

VeggieTales ; The Flintstones; Dexter & Dee Dee; Dora & Diego; Powerpuff Girls; Shaggy & Scooby Doo; Tom & Jerry; The Jetsons; SpongeBob & Patrick; Backyardigans

--just keep Veggietales and possibly Backyardigans and Dora & Diego. Backyardigans is pretty good and they could easily be costumed to fit the 1880s; same with Dora & Diego. Flintstones, Powerpuff Girls, and Dexter & Dee Dee just make me go, "HUH?" (btw, is Dexter's Laboratory even still on the air? Do kids these days even watch it anymore?) The rest, too, just don't fit (though one could try to fit Scooby and Tom & Jerry into the western theme).

So, yeah. I understand that SDC doesn't have its own animation house to draw on like Disney does for walk-around characters. But if they got more street characters out and about, they could easily become recognizable, like Whoops E. Daisy and Deputy Birdy Tweedle, like the Undertaker and (if only they'd bring him back) the Rainmaker. Bring Rube Dugan and his gang back. I don't know that I ever got to see Rube himself, but I do remember when Geyser Gulch was new seeing characters walking around the area and interacting with the kids.

Get Tom, Huck, and Becky, as well as Mark Twain, for Tom Sawyer's Landing. Have Doc Harris out more at Wildfire. Get a couple all-American daredevils for American Plunge. There are so many opportunities for characters in more areas of the park than just at the front gate and Main Street.

And now I think I've rambled to the point of going off-topic... maybe. To bring myself around, I don't think there should be a need for a "portal" because they need to just think outside the box more in order to come up with activities, shows, and characters that will still follow the theme.

As for World Fest... meh, that's never really grated on me like KidsFest has increasingly come to do. Most of the World Fest shows are all about tradition and folklore, so I imagine what they do in their shows now probably aren't all that different from what it'd look like in the 1880s.

~"Becky" Joy~

PS: Moonlight Madness -- great idea, HORRIBLE playlist. I don't wanna walk around SDC listening to golden oldies! That's what the radio in the car is for. If you want upbeat, modern music, at the very least just put stuff like Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain, Rascal Flatts, etc on the playlist.

[Swoosh]

I think for Moonlight Madness they should have dance mixes with pounding bass and dance lights there in the intersection by the Saloon since that is where most people are

[StaceySue]

But as an aside, they replaced the original dirt roads with black tar and I haven't complained once about that.  I guess there's always something that each generation just accepts.  Maybe the newer generations will look back on KidsFest and the like with fondness.

I think you're right about newer generations.  My 12 year-old daughter loves Worldfest.  I really like it, too.  There's always something new to see.  If Worldfest "went away," she'd be pining for "the way it used to be."

I have great childhood memories of SDC, but some of my favorite moments have been in recent years during the National Harvest Festival and Old Time Christmas.  Heck, my husband and I were married in Wilderness Church during the fall of 2005, and we spent the evening of our wedding having a great time with friends and family at Celebration City. 

I guess my point (if I have one) is that I've come to love what SDC is today as well as the SDC of my childhood.  Is it perfect?  Of course not.  But what SDC is today also shapes my memories, such as taking turns riding Wildfire at about 6:00 with my cousin while our kids play in the colored sand, making tie-dyed shirts with the kids that they've all outgrown now, standing with the kids while we watched the Circus of Dreams parade.  (I miss that parade--catchy song!)

I love most of the additions SDC has made.  I miss Celebration City very much.  I get nervous when people want things to "go away." Some of those things are what make up other people's memories.

Ok, I'll go back to lurking now...

[StaceySue]

I think for Moonlight Madness they should have dance mixes with pounding bass and dance lights there in the intersection by the Saloon since that is where most people are

I guess that's where the "wild women" would be...

[Swoosh]

^All we needs is some Festivus Poles there and we'd REALLY have some WILD WOMEN there. 

[Coaster]

If the fine folks at SDC read one thing off these forums, I hope it is Becky's post. They need to utilize the theme and just get a little more creative.   

[saloongal]

We planned our summer trip (with a couple extra days rather than just a down and back) for the weekend Spongbob is going to be there.  And if it works out we will probably be there for Dora and Diego.  My kids dont know about theme, but they know those characters.  I would love to be able to have SDC characters to have my kids get fired up about, but since they don't have any that are recognizable enough for my kids to remember... We haven't even seen the Sheriif for my daughter to get "deputized".  Do they still do that? 

And I very much dislike the "crafts" they have for kids fest.  Anyone else remember leather stamping and making necklaces with painted beads?  Now we make yak (at a premium).  Let them stamp leather, string beads, etch glass (with the cream), dip candles, make clay pinch pots.  Get rid of the sales pitches.

[mhguy77]

Amen to the retiring or floam  and such.
I loved the old stuff.
One memory of mine is going to the old toy store next to the tree and there were 2 older folks there that made Yo-Yo's and they would stamp in your name and have you oil them up so they were shiny.
I miss that.
Seems to me a Yo-Yo would work today as well.
Bring back a little class to the city.

[mjenkins]

I can make some allowances for the festivals but the stuff that always breaks the theme bothers me.

The Basketballs I find downright repulsive right up there with the Dippin' Dots.
(although I suppose the Dots could be worked into the theme over by Wildfire)
I also miss the old toy store where they had all the wooden toys that they actually made there instead of all the plastic imported toys.

Heh, I thought I was the only one that missed the deputizing that used to happen.  I had a whole bunch of those badges from the 80's and wish I still had one as silly as that is.

[Firstvisit1967]

With regards to the basketballs.  The game was invented in 1891.  It was added as an exhibition sport in the 1904 Olympics.  The basketball could stay and be part of SDC  IF they would theme the balls to look like the ones from 1891. 

The Grand Expedition needs quite a bit of work to fit with the rest of the park.  It could really use some theme work.   Waffle cones being sold.  Hot dogs being sold.  Fresh tea and lemonade being sold.  The costumes the citizens wear need to fit the theme. 

[Copper]

I thought I was the only one that missed the deputizing that used to happen.

They still deputize children up on the square all the time.

I have suggested that the basketballs have the old collage logos on them, just to give them the appearance of something older. They should also have some fun with a peach basket hoop. Again they just need to use their imagination rather than settling for easy.