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[Tmboote]

Here's my thought though. Will it add or take away interest in FITH. Since there is a new Fireman theme going on will they put any of that love into Fire station No.1
No one has talked about the impact it may or may not have on FITH.

I don't think people will lose interest in FITH because FITH and FL are two different things. I don't think added family rides and a drop tower will take interest away from a classic roller coaster.

[Mountain Man]

What a let down!

[History Buff]

Yes, there are many "let downs":  ride operators will let you down after shooting you skyward on the two towers, they will let you down after letting you soar at tree level in a hot air balloon, and they will let you come down from the upper levels of the Fire Drill ballroom.  Silver Dollar City is all about letting people down.

[chittlins]

Isn't the smaller drop tower just the same ride rethemed that was at CC as well.

[History Buff]

^That's what I thought.

[HeyWheatBread]

SWOOSH: The water splash area will be very similar in design to what is in Flik's Fun Fair at Disney California Adventure.  There will be "hoses" that go overhead that squirt and many other activities.  While there will not be water cannons to shoot targets, there might be interactive elements that you can squirt people with.

Here's a video of what Swoosh is talking about:
http://youtu.be/zLcbDCAbNfE

Also, I noticed that on the SDC site it says that the Firehouse Splash Yard will have "Squirting water jets AND pump hoses", which makes me think that there probably will be interactive elements.

[Injun Joe]

To those complaining about riding dalmatians... how is this any different than riding frogs and insects in the Grand Expo?

I think this works much better....I mean, when you were a kid who didn't try to ride on the back of the family dog?

Jay

Really I don't like any of them, but the way I figure, back in the expo, anything can kinda go.  I'd like a freakshow back in the expo though, for historical accuracy (and to scare the tykes!) 

[Swoosh]

Isn't the smaller drop tower just the same ride rethemed that was at CC as well.

In hindsight they probably wish they would have kept that ride, but the one that was at CC was sold.  This is a different one.

[Mountain Man]

Our kids were looking forward to something more original.  This is the same song different verse as their last expansion.  These rides that they have pick are very similar to what they already have on park.  I'm just really surprised they could not come up with something a little better.  They need to start thinking outside the box and come up with something more original.

[shavethewhales]

^What? I don't even...

This is an incredibly original and thoughtful addition. Few other parks on this planet outside of Orlando and Hollywood do this kind of thing, most just plop down a few cookie-cutter rides. What 'last expansion' are you referring to? Outlaw Run, the massive wooden coaster from last year? HDH, the toddler area that was added before that? Riverblast? The Giant Swing? Grand Expo was added back in 2006 and was the last addition to feature a collection of rides. I'll grant that the two smaller kiddie rides are similar to some in GE, but there's not a lot of variance with kiddie rides. SDC does not have any tower rides until this addition, and the Zamperla Crazy Bus is an entirely new motion. The Balloons are also a unique experience that you have to try out to appreciate. The theming, atmosphere, and total area experience being created here is phenomenal and unheard of for most parks this size.

Honestly, when stuff like this gets posted I feel like pulling a Robb Alvey and just banning people. I finally understand where his attitude comes from. After almost a decade of following this park through this site and outlining our hopes and wishes for how the park should be developed, here is a development that responds to a lot of that while also meeting the park's need to appeal to a broad range of visitors. I'm not asking anyone to "love" the addition, or even be happy about it, but if you are going to criticize it at least be constructive and use basic common sense. 

[shavethewhales]

Back to the real discussion,

I'm still a little confused about what's happening with the shot tower. Now that I look at it carefully, it does sound like it will be running a drop tower program instead of the double shot. That would be a little disappointing and make it less appealing to thrill seekers, but it would definitely make it fit the area better. As a drop tower it would be a pretty meager family ride, but the double shot program gave a lot of intense air at the top that was really fun. As a junior drop tower the issue of capacity would go down significantly though, so it all makes sense.

I also thought they were adding a bigger carriage to the tower at first, but it looks like the concept artwork is just warped so you see three sides at once.

[History Buff]

Theme parks and vacation spots hold special places in our hearts.  We visit, and we have experiences that stay with us all our lives.  With fondness, we remember the rides, the shows, the historical significance, the beauty, and we pass the experiences generationally.

Because of this, we often take ownership of a place or a thing that does not belong to us.  We come to think we can insult the true managers of a place or thing because it is ours.  After all, it was our experiences that brought us to a place - and back to the same place.  We see changes, and we think, I would have done it differently, or if only they had asked me for my ideas...  Call it "armchair vacation design" if you will.

Sitting back, however, we must realize that the property, the investment in capital and the employment of personnel is not really ours.  Thus, the decisions made are not ours.  We were not privy to the process of deciding to change this or add that.  We were not in the conversation of deciding to solve a problem or issue in a particular manner.  We might want to be, but most of us would not have the skills or the know-how to make such choices, weighing the opportunity cost, designing the marketing, meeting the needs and demands of management, increasing public attraction, all while balancing the checkbook.

We own it solely in our imaginations, and in our imaginations there is no criticism - just our own vision, just our own desires, just our own experiences...and an unlimited budget without risk of failure.  In our imaginations, we see only happy faces; we fail so see the physics, the economics, and the rule of law.  But that's OK because we do own our imaginations.

We make the same harsh criticism on highway design, restaurants, and television programs.  We question the store that puts display in the aisle.  We wonder why a car does not have certain amenities.  But that's different.  Those things are not like our childhood memories of a vacation getaway.  Those things do not hold the same level of nostalgia for us.  We don't "own" those things like we do our experiences.

So the next time we visit a national park, state-of-the-art museum, or theme park, we must remind ourselves that we have purchased a ticket to someone else's imagination.  We have crossed the turnstile to someone else's pocketbook.  We have visited someone else's property.  But that does not remove our ability to experience it and pass it to the next generation.  If we still enjoy the rides, the shows, the historical significance, and the beauty that is there - and not worry about what it looks like in our imaginary worlds - then we will have something worth keeping and a memory worth repeating.

[History Buff]

^^Either way would be fine.  I think it's interesting that it looks like loading the tower will occur inside the building and riders will be suddenly, or slowly pulled into full sunlight.  That can only enhance the ride.

I also wonder about the "shade" structures for the lineage.  It appears that they may be constructing a number of "ladders" for this, though that may just be the way it appears in the artwork.

[Mountain Man]

^What? I don't even...

This is an incredibly original and thoughtful addition. Few other parks on this planet outside of Orlando and Hollywood do this kind of thing, most just plop down a few cookie-cutter rides. What 'last expansion' are you referring to? Outlaw Run, the massive wooden coaster from last year? HDH, the toddler area that was added before that? Riverblast? The Giant Swing? Grand Expo was added back in 2006 and was the last addition to feature a collection of rides. I'll grant that the two smaller kiddie rides are similar to some in GE, but there's not a lot of variance with kiddie rides. SDC does not have any tower rides until this addition, and the Zamperla Crazy Bus is an entirely new motion. The Balloons are also a unique experience that you have to try out to appreciate. The theming, atmosphere, and total area experience being created here is phenomenal and unheard of for most parks this size.

Honestly, when stuff like this gets posted I feel like pulling a Robb Alvey and just banning people. I finally understand where his attitude comes from. After almost a decade of following this park through this site and outlining our hopes and wishes for how the park should be developed, here is a development that responds to a lot of that while also meeting the park's need to appeal to a broad range of visitors. I'm not asking anyone to "love" the addition, or even be happy about it, but if you are going to criticize it at least be constructive and use basic common sense. 

[Ozarks Gal]

There's a piece in the News Leader about a DIY Network show that's taking pieces from GG and turning it into a Fireman's memorial art piece to be installed at the new FL:
http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2014/08/13/tv-stars-salvaging-parts-geyser-gulch/14025177/