SDC's 2016 Project(s) and Park Developments

[Tmboote]

The signs?
May I say the theme really does appear to be gone.

They're entrance signs outside of the park and I don't think it really matters if they closely follow the theme. How would you theme a sign to the 1880s Ozarks anyways?

[Preachin_Bill]

They are horrible. Honestly there is no effort being given here.
Also may I say I hate all the new signs they put up in the park these days. It's so obvious it's a computer animated graphic that's supposed to look old timey that it just looks cheap and generic and so obviously digital.
Anyway, this entrance sucks and it is a big deal. These things happen one after another and it's just another park.

[sdcfan88]

Yeah I have a pretty good feeling that this is a preview of what the new entrance/ticket area will look like that is supposed to come next year.

[runner1960]

I really do not see that much wrong with the sign itself. Things move forward and the old design looked a little 80ish to me. Like I said before though why stick that electrical box right in the middle?

Isn't the electrical box for the stop lights?   That would be county's doing not SDC

I guess the big box could be traffic lights. But I have never seen a meter at traffic lights before. Just looks out of place. The design team could have worked around it somehow either way.

[DollarCityBoy]

I wish SDC would have taken a cue to Big Cedar Lodge's entrance sign.

[HumphreyHawk]

They are horrible. Honestly there is no effort being given here.
Also may I say I hate all the new signs they put up in the park these days. It's so obvious it's a computer animated graphic that's supposed to look old timey that it just looks cheap and generic and so obviously digital.
Anyway, this entrance sucks and it is a big deal. These things happen one after another and it's just another park.

Just wait till the wing coaster track is flying over and around that corner and over the gate.....maybe above the gate they can put up the flags from the 6 states that most visitors are from? 

[Pudgy Jones]

I know that Johnny Morris is a controversial figure (for reasons I don't fully understand), but his people know how to design. I guarantee that his people could have designed a sign that fits the theme. I hate to say it, but I would prefer that his designers be in charge of the new entrance area (and resort?) rather than SDC's designers. Don't get me wrong...I love SDC. It's like a second home to my family and me. But it's slowly becoming Dollywood West.

[Joy]

I was at SDC on Friday (23rd). I got to see the new 76/Indian Pt Rd. sign(s). I like them.

I just went through Google's Street View timeline for that intersection. I really feel like the reason they made these signs white is because they stand out more; they catch your attention instead of fading into the background. The older signs were unpainted wood with dark green accents, so they kinda blended in with the forest around them. The white-painted new signs pop against the browns and greens of the trees behind them. Also, the billboards on the back of the sign were there on the older sign, too.

As for the electrical box, that definitely seems to be the street light box. It's the only one on any of the corners at that intersection; if it was for the signs, there'd probably be one on the other side near the other sign. Also, it's been there since at least 2007, which is the oldest time period Google had on Street View of the intersection.

Someone mentioned the old version of the logo with the waterfall. That is still there at the entrance to the preferred parking.

So, personally, I love the new signs. I'm excited to see what they do with them for the Christmas season. Having the logo be the newer version (which has been around for at least SIX years now and nothing bad has happened due to it being updated) so that they can light it up at night is a cool idea. Can't wait to see it at night!

I'm attaching a pic I put together using caps from Google Street View and Swoosh's pic of the new sign (I wasn't able to get a pic myself). I'm also attaching a picture I took back in May 2005 of what the sign looked like then.

[shavethewhales]

Yeah I have a pretty good feeling that this is a preview of what the new entrance/ticket area will look like that is supposed to come next year.

Probably so... I prefer the rustic look, but think about it this way: SDC has trends just like anywhere else. The PTB are really into this "cleaned-up pop-rustic" look for lack of a better descriptor, rather than the old school rough-hewn look, but in 5-10 years there will be a new CEO again and who knows what will be in style. I think this type of design ages badly so it will probably get updated again before we know it.

But again, the 76 sign isn't exactly an experience-breaking thing. The old sign wasn't anything special either... The lazy design of the "new" logo is the only thing I can be arsed to nit-pick.

[mhguy77@yahoo.com]

I think this type of design ages badly so it will probably get updated again before we know it.

That was one of the great things about SDC décor, it aged well or maybe you just didn't notice because of the materials and paints used.  This "new" look will most certainly take a lot more upkeep considering.

[Coaster]

Speaking of modernizing, someone posted on the "You Know You're From" Facebook page saying that there's a rumor going around that SDC is going to do away with the costumes and just go to wearing polo shirts.

I can't possibly see this being true....but maybe that is just my heart talking. This would be an absolute travesty and go against the true spirit of the park moreso than the new entrance sign. I really hope this isn't true and I am just overreacting.

[Gilligan]

Speaking of modernizing, someone posted on the "You Know You're From" Facebook page saying that there's a rumor going around that SDC is going to do away with the costumes and just go to wearing polo shirts.

I can't possibly see this being true....but maybe that is just my heart talking. This would be an absolute travesty and go against the true spirit of the park moreso than the new entrance sign. I really hope this isn't true and I am just overreacting.

I saw that, also.  Agreed, it would be a travesty!  Heart talking or not, I'll admit that would really lower my interest in the park.  Hoping it's not true...

[History Buff]

Speaking of modernizing, someone posted on the "You Know You're From" Facebook page saying that there's a rumor going around that SDC is going to do away with the costumes and just go to wearing polo shirts.

I can't possibly see this being true....but maybe that is just my heart talking. This would be an absolute travesty and go against the true spirit of the park moreso than the new entrance sign. I really hope this isn't true and I am just overreacting.

I saw that, also.  Agreed, it would be a travesty!  Heart talking or not, I'll admit that would really lower my interest in the park.  Hoping it's not true...

 

[mhguy77]

Speaking of modernizing, someone posted on the "You Know You're From" Facebook page saying that there's a rumor going around that SDC is going to do away with the costumes and just go to wearing polo shirts.

I can't possibly see this being true....but maybe that is just my heart talking. This would be an absolute travesty and go against the true spirit of the park moreso than the new entrance sign. I really hope this isn't true and I am just overreacting.

Talk about the kiss of death......

[Preachin_Bill]

Has to be a rumor.  That's a main part of the entire theme