Search

[Joy]

This is gonna have to be done in parts; it's pretty long and I apologize.

Hey all! I'm finally getting my trip report written and posted. I have to say that my trip on Wednesday was one of the most awesome, beautiful days I have EVER had at SDC.

HINT: All the photos are thumbnails that when clicked will take you to larger, clearer pics.

So, where to begin... Well, might as well begin at the beginning.

We got out of town (Indep MO) around 6:15am-ish. It was a nice, smooth drive. I really like how Hwy 13 has turned out with the lane expansions.

We stopped in Bolivar to fill up and managed to get gas for $3.32 a gallon (it was at $3.47 in Indep).

We actually got to Indian Point Rd. with a half hour 'til opening. The traffic, however, was very backed up.

The first sign to greet us was this:



I got a kick out of this one:



Here's the road as it currently looks:



And managed to get a few good pics of the parking lot project as well:



Once we got on the green tram (my favorite!), it was off to the entrance! As we pulled up, I noticed the first thing that was different from the last time I was there (April '07)--they now have metal fences set up to help organize the flow of people waiting for the trams to take them back to the parking lots. Pretty cool.

Terry Sanders was out there as the Prison Warden along with a couple other characters. They all greeted us with a loud, hearty, "Goooooood MORNING!" I of course geeked out seeing Terry in the Prison Warden costume, so I had my friend take a pic:



I got a good pic of the SDC logo; it's kinda funny to see the little "Rights Reserved" R hanging on the bottom... By the way, this is one of a few photos I made wallpaper size (1024X768).



More to come...

[Joy]

It was a beautiful, colorful, uncrowded day that greeted us:



The majority of the people at the park were non-riders, so I found that throughout the day the lines were REALLY short, even at the peak of the afternoon. I walked onto Giant Swing, Wildfire, and Lost River; Powderkeg, Fire in the Hole, and Thunderation were a one-train wait. American Plunge was closed at the time that we were in that area, so I didn't end up riding it; we also didn't go into the Grand Expo area.

After arriving in Main Street, we wandered into the Homestead area. We ooh'd and aah'd over the cute bunnies, and got a kick out of the chickens/roosters. I got a couple pics of the theming that I hadn't gotten before:





We went into the schoolhouse; I hadn't been in there in YEARS. The schoolmarm was really nice and I enjoyed seeing the chalk drawing she had in the window.





We went through Grandfather's Mansion, and it was SOOOO weird not hearing a single person in there besides my friend and I. Usually when I go through the Mansion, it's PACKED with kids. But we had it all to ourselves! I got a pic of the newly felted pool table, right as the 8 ball was making its rounds:



One thing I'd like to see fixed in the Mansion that hasn't yet is the glass-breaking sound in the little case with the nugget of gold. I remember when you would stick your hand in to touch the gold and the sound of glass breaking made it seem like you'd broken into the case. I'd like to see that brought back.



We took a few pics of Huck's Hideaway. This time I finally noticed the ghost trap that ties in with the kids book that I have (Zeke Hatfield and the Ghost Named Rocky):



We headed down the spiral path; before we descended, however, I took a couple pics of what I think someone had said was the old train depot (or at least, it looks like it on the vintage maps I have):







I had to get a couple pics of the Landing, just in case when they refurbish it it no longer has the Twain theme:





I got a pic of the Gone Fishin' fence that had been in one of the updates on this site that I'd never seen before; I know that the Gandy Dancer track is supposed to be somewhere near there, but I looked EVERYWHERE, behind the carousel, on the train, off the train... I'm imagining maybe it's hidden behind some foliage or something.



More to come...

[Joy]

The Wilson Farm was the first place we went. It was pretty much deserted. There was a handful of teens who looked to be from a school group, but there were so few people that they only had one of the two swings on the Giant Swing running. My friend and I sat and played 3/4 of a game of checkers (we got bored after a while). I can't remember if they were there last April or not, but they had a water-pumping rubber frog race thing over by the checkers.

After the Wilson Farm, we went over to the Lumberjack area, and decided to get in line for the Saloon Show. Another new thing going on is pictures with saloon girls. They had three girls standing at the entrance to the show queue with a photographer. They took pics with people as they entered (and with people just passing by who wanted a pic); the girls were not in the show. They seem to only have been there for the photo opp. When we got out of the show, everyone's pics were there to greet us. My friend and I split the cost of a $10 package that had a 6x8() in a nice cardboard frame (similar size and format of the Marvel Cave pics) and four wallets.



We got into the show and decided to go upstairs so we could have a good view for taking pictures (and I took video of all but the first minute or so). My camera didn't work very well from that far away and in that lighting, but my camcorder got some good up-close shots, though not nearly as big and clear as my camera would have gotten.

The first thing I noticed was that there was a new actor playing Bart; strangely enough, the name of the show is still Choctaw Charlie's Frontier Follies, despite the absence of Charlie.

The show got started and Bart began to introduce the girls. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the older redhead in the orange dress (who seems to basically be the leader of the saloon girls), but she was there last year. The second girl introduced was also there last year--Bart's sister, the blonde in the blue dress who last year seemed to take Tilly's place as the goofy one.

The third and final introduction threw me for a loop. Last year, the third girl was in a red dress and I believe her name was "Rose". Well, she's not there. No, my friends, there must have been enough people who complained because none other than Miss Tilly herself is back in the Saloon show!!!







The show is pretty much the same as last year, with a few changes, a couple which I've highlighted above. Other changes were that the guy who played Bart last year is now playing one half of the goofy duo who comes from St. Louis to revamp the show.



The other half of the duo is no longer a guy but a gal, and I could almost swear that the actress might've been the one who played Rose last year.

Here's a good pic of the cast lineup...

From the left, there's last year's Bart who is now Fabian, I believe the name was. Then there's the gal who's name I can't recall who completes the duo from St. Louis. Next is Orange Dress, then Bart (whose actor is very cute, IMHO, LOL), then Bart's Sister, and then Miss Tilly.



After the show, I waded through the crowd of leaving people so I could get a pic with the girls; I was able to tell Miss Tilly how happy I was to see her back.



More to come...

[Joy]

We then headed over to the American Plunge area; the ride was closed, so I went on Wildfire while my friend watched (she's not much of a ride person). Got a pic of the Ozark Water Tree and the fortune that I got when I spun the Wheel of Fortune:





We wandered down and around and ended up taking the swinging bridge to get to the train depot. I got a pic of the large rock that was mentioned elsewhere in this forum as being the beginnings of a carving of an Indian:



After we took the train (they've taken out the dropping of the gun cartridge part of the skit), we went on Flooded Mine. We didn't end up really competing 'cause my friend was taking pics, so I tested out that whole "point the gun at another gun's read-out" and it does indeed work. I don't ever plan to use that tip when competing, though. LOL

We then headed back to Main Street, ate lunch from the lunchbox we kept in a locker by the Hospitality House, then managed to get in line for Marvel Cave just as the tour was leaving. Wanetta, who is featured on the DVD, was the one giving us the obligatory instructions then sent us down to catch up with the group just down past the "practice stairs".

There were a couple things I learned on the tour and neither was directly about the cave. First was something I've never heard mentioned before, and that is something about each tour guide getting a garden gnome that is then hidden in the cave and they have to find it. Our guide had hers placed last week and had us looking for it during the tour; no one found it.

Second was something that pleasantly surprised me. Apparently they are going to be having a wedding down in the Cathedral Room in the summer. I don't know who is the lucky bride and groom, but it definitely makes me hopeful that perhaps one day I, too, might be able to exchange my vows in front of The Sentinel.

Got a few good pics...

The Arrowhead Passage



What the guides call "athlete's foot" in the shoe room



The Cloud Room



The Wright Passage (I'm guessing the lower passage is flooded, though I couldn't tell with how dark it was in there)



And a cute baby bat; unfortunately, I thought I was getting clear pics, but alas, this was not so... This is the best one



More to come...

[Joy]

After the cave tour, we went back to the back of the park. It was now getting to be the hottest part of the day, so we first hung out for a bit at the toy store (and I went picture crazy with the awesome plastic figurines of medieval, fairy, and Old West people). Then we locked up our stuff in the lockers by the queue and went on Lost River. I managed to get the worst of it; the worst part of that was the water was ICE cold! And there was actually someone out there who blasted us with the water cannons.

Then I went on Powderkeg:



I now think I'm getting out of order, but oh well. Somehow, we ended up over by Thunderation. I rode and got a pic of the theming in the queue that we've been talking about on here:



They wouldn't let me take my camcorder with me on the ride (I do have video from '05 or '06, whenever we took my cousins down there), so I was unable to get any footage or images of the Gumbo Gang camp.

We headed toward the front of the park, and found that the line for Feet of Fire was all the way from the Red Gold Heritage Hall all the way up to the blown glass factory:



I believe this was actually earlier in the day; later in the day, they moved the line so that it went over by the tables for the skillet places so that it didn't impede traffic on the main street.

We hung out in the candy factory for a while then headed to Main Street. We saw Terry again, in a different costume this time. I was going to ask for a picture, but a lady started talking to him and I didn't want to interrupt. So after a few minutes of waiting, we went ahead and went up to the restrooms.

I definitely know that I'm out of order now, but whatever. By around 5pm we ended up sitting over by the fire tower on Main Street. And then someone dropped by to say hello:



We put our friend on a tree and went into the taffy store. They had samples of the chocolate taffy out. Needless to say, I used a few quarters to buy some pieces. I plan on getting a pound or two of taffy next time I'm there; probably of the chocolate, the peppermint, and the candy corn. (in fact, I'm chewing on my last piece of chocolate taffy as I write this)

As we headed into the Hospitality House, Terry was there in the costume we'd seen him in earlier, so we stopped to get a pic. I confirmed with him that he was now Doc Harris (who I'd never had the chance to see when Wildfire first opened). There was a gal in a very colorful patched skirt with a matching umbrella that was with Terry each time we saw him; I'm not sure what character she was meant to be.



We went through the Hospitality House (where earlier, as we exited from Marvel Cave, I noticed that even SDC has been invaded by Indy Jones mania, with a nice rack of licensed caps and fedoras hanging around) and got our stuff from the lockers. As we organized ourselves, another friend said hello:



Yup, for the second time, a caterpillar decided to suddenly show up on my friend (first time on her arm, this time on her leg). One second they're not there, the next they are. We put Friend #2 on a tree and headed out. I grabbed a Pathfinder for my collection, we changed our wet clothes in the bathrooms by the ticket booths, then caught a green tram to our parking lot.

Here are a couple more wallpaper-sized (1024x768) images, showing the beauty of the day.





It was honestly the most unrushed, uncrowded, beautiful, colorful, fun day I've ever had at SDC. I definitely know now that Wednesdays before school lets out are the best time to go.

Well, talk at ya'll later.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

[sdcforever]

Great trip report, Becky!  Maybe sometime soon they'll be able to really work on the parking lot once it stops raining so frequently; it still looks like a big hole.  On the SDC log sign not only does it have a registered trademark below the log, but also just below "Silver Dollar City" on the log, because both are registered trademarks (the name and the log design).

Don't feel bad about getting hit with water from a gun on the Lost River; the last time I rode it somebody got me right in the face!

It's nice to see pics of the old train depot.  Also good to see how the road project is coming along.  Have they made any more progress on the Culinary & Craft School?

[Joy]

I really couldn't tell you about the Culinary school as we never went into that area. I saw quick glimpses while walking down the queue of TnT, and it looked the same as the last photos we've seen, but I can't be sure if they've made any more progress or not.

Oh, and something I forgot to put in my report...

When I got off Powderkeg, I went over to the photo booth to check out my photo. The guy in the booth asked me if I was 18 or older. I was caught off guard, wondering why they'd need to know this, but when I told him I was almost 23, he asked me if I'd like to be on a poster. I said sure and he gave me a release form to sign. So my picture is going to be on a poster in the Powderkeg photo booth; he said it'll be up there in a couple weeks.

So if anyone goes in a few weeks, could you get a picture of it for me? I'm not sure when I'll make it down there again.

Oh, and I just checked the entry on the Inside Track from last year showing pics of the Saloon show rehearsal, and I was right--the actress who played the saloon girl Rose last year is now the gal who is part of the St. Louis duo.

And I also looked up our caterpillar friends and learned that they were Eastern Tent caterpillars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_tent_caterpillar

~ "Becky" Joy ~

[Coaster]

Wow! Great pictures Joy! Thanks. So whenever you go to Marvel Cave do they still have the whole group stand and take a photo? I have a picture from like 1999 from the Marvel Cave tour but the last time we went into Marvel Cave (Sept. '07?) I don't think we stopped to take the picture.

Do you know if they stopped doing that?

[Joy]

There are no more group photos before you go into the cave, but when you get to the bottom of the Cathedral Room, they take pictures of individual groups (or singles).

~ "Becky" Joy ~

[Coaster]

^Yeah I knew they did that. Thanks for the info.

[sdcforever]

^^I miss the group photos, actually.  It was cool to get them and see who was on the tour with you, and also to see your guide.  It's bittersweet to stand there now where the group photo was taken for a short explanation of the tour from the guide, but it does bring back memories.