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[shavethewhales]

Hmmm, so the loop will go over the tunnel? Interesting, I'd have thought they'd extend it along where the road is now in more of a circular fashion.

Yeah though, I kinda hope they get a few of the old AP thematics back in soon. They did a good job a couple of years ago when they got the animatronics back in.

[Coaster]

Yeah the concrete tunnel needs to go. Get some theming in there.

[Copper]

"Hmmm, so the loop will go over the tunnel? Interesting, I'd have thought they'd extend it along where the road is now in more of a circular fashion."

I think they are planning on doing more than just a pathway with the loop. When they first installed Buzzsaw Falls they were going to build that section up with coasters and "adult" (non little kid-friendly) centered rides. I am not sure if all is scratched, but I think they did meet some opposition with the board.
They have also talked about removing the waterfall and connecting Wildfire and Powderkeg that way too. So, the concrete tunnel must have been done so that they could do whichever scenario they went with.

All they would have to do is make the American Plunge cave tunnel walls textured to look like rock. Add the loud waterfall that would start falling when a sensor was triggered. Put the creepy breathing sounds back into the cave as well. I mean I could do it all for them real cheap and it would be better then what they did.

[Coaster]

Yeah, I hope it does get fixed up better soon. I'm glad that the idea to put all the thrill rides in one area was scrapped. Who knows if that rumor was even true though? They always need to spread out the rides. It builds on the park and keeps people circulating through all the areas and their not all congested to one spot.

EDIT: Copper, I think you meant to quote Steve's post there but you didn't really do it or maybe you didn't know how. To quote a post click the button with the two green squares on it.

[shavethewhales]

Yes, before the Grand Expo and TGS, there were many complaints of having to make long walks between Wildfire and ThuNderaTion. Putting all of one type of attraction in one place is no good, as you not only get less flow-through for many shops and eateries, but families have to rove from area to area of the park. I think they've realized this to some point, seeing as they built Electro Spin in with all the kiddie rides, and are planning on eventually expanding that area with more thrill rides.

[Coaster]

Yeah, I think they've been going in a pretty good direction for the past few years. I would love to see Grandfather's Mansion and American Plunge refurbished for the '08 season. And then in '09 we get a woodie without taking out Echo Hollow. Then I'll be really excited!

[History Buff]

This was the first year I've ridden AP in a long time.  I share your disappointment with the shortened ride and lack of theming.  This was the best flume ride I've ever ridden, but now it's more like a Shoot-the-Chute ride (just up and down and it's over).  The most glaring problem to most people may be the tunnel, but the thing I missed most was the lack of the theme music.  What happened to the great catchy song about getting things accomplished together?  That's what the ride has always been about.

[Copper]

That is new to me; I don't remember the theme music. Did you ever ride Jim Owens' Float Trip? Can you describe any of the scenes to us? The video shows some, but it is hard to make them out.

[History Buff]

The Float Trip must have been before my time.  I remember seeing a sign advertising it along the AP route, and I've always been curious about it myself.  The music on the AP was one of those things that ran in the background.  Most people probably didn't notice it.  It was almost as infectious as "It's a Small World" or "Yo ho, Yo ho, the pirate's life for me...".

[Old Guy]

1970s home video from SDC... It shows the mural in the Hospitality House being painted
The mural in question is (or was) located at the tram exit from the Ozark Marketplace. The artist is the same one who painted the H.H. murals and died soon after  that vidio was shot if I am correct.....
The Marketplace was a two story shop at the time with wide stairs going up where the dulcimer shop is now. upstairs was an artist gallery featuring about a dozen artists at work and an observation deck that looked out over the valley. It's all offices now.

As to the float trip cave, I worked on winter construction on the conversion from float trip to plunge. the channel  was wider for the float trip so the new channel  was pored in the old one. and rane backwards from the old ride. The theme chainged over the years from a search for Bill Jones who after passing sunken rescue boats ladden with turtle soup, tipping outhouses and grampas still, was found frozen in the cave covered in ice cicles. and concluded by drifting past tombstones of a dozon people found frozen, none of whome were Bill Jones.
Next speakers were placed in the boat so the ghost of Matilda Jones looking for her husband Puddgy would tell you the tail.  It was then that the River Gang Club House and the Camping scene were added We pased the ghosts dancing in the cave one of whom was Puddgy dancing with another woman! You then passed a mirror showing Matilda in your boat with you brandishing a rolling pin. We found her still walled up in the cave durring the transition. Also in the cave were glowing blinking eyeballs, and a rushing torrent of water which almost swamps the boat.
the last change was durring the kid friendly era when all the ghosts went away and were replaced with singing gnomes. It was horrid!

[Copper]

Now the cave is just a black cement box.

Love these stories!