So there seems to be a lot of discussion on theming rides lately. I thought I would give my opinion and see how others feel about it in a new discussion.
I really do not think SDC does much with theming anything. Look at outlaw run for example. They put some elements in the line and made a depot, but the ride has zero theming. Same for wildfire. PK has a little more because of the launch. Now you really cannot theme a roller coaster much, but if you look at Disney they themed Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain throughout the rides. To me that is putting a theme in the rides not just some outdoor cosmetics. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
OR is supposed to be a runaway stagecoach, and the painting/design is supposed to duplicate that of an old stagecoach.
PK is based on the explosive component, saltpeter, which is used in the development of black powder. Saltpeter is mined from bat guano which is mined from Marvel and other caves.
Thunderation is a mining train.
Wildfire is the biggest stretch in theming, using a fictional character to "invent" a new fuel.
They all work for the purpose of SDC's purposes. I can't imagine they will build a mountain for any of their coasters to sail through, though it would make for some great iconic photos. Besides, it's more in theme for the tracks to hug the natural shape of the Ozarkian hills.
I would love to take a tour through the park with the PTB and give them an extensive list of ideas for more intensive theming throughout.
Theming is that which changes a basic ride or park into a full-bodied experience. True, a lot of SDC's coasters don't fly through sets like the Disney rides, but Disney is a tough level to meet. It would be awesome if they started playing more with that, and in fact HFEC sort of has with Mystery Mine, but it just isn't expected of them because coasters fly through their courses so quickly that it isn't worth the cost. Most regional parks just put up a basic open-air station for their rides and in some cases the track is slapped on top of a former parking lot. Compared to that SDC certainly does an exceptional job.
Look at some of the other recent rides: TGS revolutionized the way people look at Screamin' Swings, and River Blast is very intricately themed. The theming of these rides really contributes to the experience because patrons spend enough time near it to actually enjoy it.
Once upon a time the park was more or less keeping pace with Disney. I'd love to see them try to do that again, but in the meantime I'm more or less satisfied with their efforts. They've certainly done better than their closest competitors at least.
Ditto to what Shave says. He's on the money with this.
Speaking of money, did you know that Everest, at Animal Kingdom, is the worlds most expensive ride? It clocks in at a little over $100,000,000. $8,000,000of that is coaster related, the rest is theming! Just to put it into perspective, that one ride cost more than all of the current rides as SDC combined. TNT:7 WF:14 PK:10 OR:10 GE:8 GS:7 RB:8 AP,FM,LR,FITH,GG,FSDL:25-30? All added up that is roughly $94,000,000!
The main square, the stores, the different areas of the park (riverfront, hill street, and whatever that area by the blacksmith shop is called) all have theming. It takes quite a bit of theme to create an 1880s mining town and have the theme be fairly consistent throughout. Even GE with its cheezy out of theme rides is supposed to be like a turn of the century World's fair. Wish they would have themed those rides. Lose the elephants, etc. But SDC has always at least attempted to stick to a theme
Quote from: okiebluegrass on August 15, 2013, 10:58:32 AM
Even GE with its cheezy out of theme rides is supposed to be like a turn of the century World's fair. Wish they would have themed those rides. Lose the elephants, etc. But SDC has always at least attempted to stick to a theme
There is nothing cheesy about the GE theme. It is consistent with what it supposed to be. Read my post in the 2014 project thread for more explanation
The rides, such as Outlaw Run, stick with the theme of an 1880 Ozark Frontier Village. That's why so many of us don't like the idea of airplanes in a new concept of Geyser Gulch. GE is a representation from the Philadephia Expo from 1876. Sure Wildfire is a bit of a stretch but a fun one! And there were many inventions going on during that time period. If SDC is going to go with a "flying machine" ride then I'd much rather see Wildfire than airplanes! That's important to me. Hope you're feeling better Runner1960.
QuoteThere is nothing cheesy about the GE theme. It is consistent with what it supposed to be. Read my post in the 2014 project thread for more explanation
So your saying that the flying elephants are not a blatant rip off of Disney?
Elephants are the "off the shelf" version of that ride from Zamperla. Custom themes include the flying carpets, and dinosaurs inside Disney.
http://www.4shared.com/mp3/BqJPnz9n/07_When_I_See_an_Elephant_Fly_.html (http://www.4shared.com/mp3/BqJPnz9n/07_When_I_See_an_Elephant_Fly_.html)
I haven't done research on this, but I suspect there may have been elephant round-and-round rides before Disney's version with Dumbo. Still, I would like to have seen a more unique version at SDC.
smh. Really guys?
How/When did SDC get connected to Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn? My childhood visits predated them. I have never understood how they are supposed to related to the 1880s Ozarks.
It is a stretch, but SDC has had a Finn connection for quite a while with the treehouse and climbing nets in the Riverside area. It's more of a Missouri connection than an Ozarks one. SDC has stretched it even further by placing the characters on the White River.
Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn...it is more of a Missouri thing. The Ozarks, to some degree, also depended on the Mississippi River. Steamboats during high water would come off the Mississippi, and go up the Arkansas to the White River, and all the way to Forsyth!
I just don't think it's realistic for any non-Disney park to build something to the level of Big Thunder Mountain or Everest. As stated the cost is prohibitive and I don't think it makes that much of a difference for most guests. Non-coaster rides? Absolutely. Theme 'em to the hilt. Go nuts. But when you're hurtling down a drop or going through a loop, are you really going to focus your attention on the themed object that's only in your line of sight for a few seconds, or what's coming up ahead? If Silver Dollar City themed it's coasters like that, there would be perhaps one coaster that wasn't Fire in the Hole (although I'm sure some people would be ok with that).
I think they do a fine job for the type of park that they are.
I agree that it is not necessary for SDC to spend out the $$$ to theme their roller coasters more than they do. But like ThemeParkFan just said, other rides should be heavily themed. Like we have all said a hundred times over, FITH/AP/FM all need some love and could use some better theming.
One thing I would like SDC to take from Disney is the Omni-mover style rides. I have always wanted to see a heavily-themed completed immersive Omni-mover built at SDC.
I don't question the Missouri connection for Twain's characters but the ERA. By 1884 (this season), both boys would have been middle-aged men, about my current age. ;D
Quote from: palallin on March 04, 2014, 09:53:10 AM
I don't question the Missouri connection for Twain's characters but the ERA. By 1884 (this season), both boys would have been middle-aged men, about my current age. ;D
But what about the Hatfields and mccoys who are original to Kentucky and West Virginia?
Well, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was published in 1876 and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885 in the US (1884 in the UK), so I imagine that they're basing the connection on the general time period of the publication of the books rather than the time period represented within the books.
In Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, we see the Grangerford/Sheperdson feud, which was patterned from the actual Darnell/Watson feud, in fact fought in the Mississippi River bottoms on the TN/KY border.
Joy may be right about the publication dates being the more influential.
I'm sure the Hatfield/McCoy thing dates back to the 1960's when hillbillies, Hatfield/McCoy, were popular in culture. Remember, prior to a strict adherence to Ozarks culture, the park was a "frontier town" with a sign on the general store that stated they had "supplies for wagon trains heading west," and early special guests to the park as added attractions were from TV westerns of the day. I think Gabby Hayes was featured at one time, I think cast members from "Wagon Train" TV show were there, too.
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In regards to the Huck/Tom thing, it previously was stated by another that they are part of Missouri history/folklore/literature and more than likely shooting for a general time period thing there that is still recognizable by today's audience.
Speaking of Disney theming. The theming on the new Snow White and the 7 dwarves mine triangle coaster is amazing. It's complete with a faux rock bed under the tracks
(http://yourfirstvisit.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Seven-Dwarfs-Mine-Train-1-2-22-from-yourfirstvisit.net_.jpg)
If a park like SDC ever went to that much detail I would think it would be part of a complex that had multiple attractions sharing the same super structure like a coaster and flume ride with a flat or two that took advantage of the same back drop.
Much better than a cement box to float through!
Disney does things right, but they also have the moolah to work with. I sure wish every theme park attraction had the detail that Disney does. Also, they do not let things deteriorate like other places. If it has a feature when it is built it is usually there 20 years later.
Quote from: History Buff on March 05, 2014, 05:34:59 PM
Much better than a cement box to float through!
If they ever redo American Plunge(concrete tunnel I think you are referring to) with features found on newer ones, I'd hope they consider adding a bobsled type coaster to interact and share the footprint and use some of the same theming elements and working the waterfall in with the coaster.
Here's another photo of the detail of the ties and rail bed
(http://i1.wp.com/damouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/DSC08065.jpg?zoom=2&resize=307%2C204)