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[runner1960]

^What? I don't even...


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. 

Sorry that some of us are less than thrilled and do not buy into everything HFE throws out there. I sure did not know that criticism or disappointment in something was a offense on this site to be banned for. Guess I better line up like a good little sheep. Everyone has there own ideas and hopes for the parks improvement.   

[History Buff]

Nothing wrong with disagreeing and saying it, but the tone is in question.  This is a fan site and the tone needs to be generally positive and certainly civil, but it's understandable that we may not agree with everything.

ICYMI: 

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 own imaginary worlds - then we will have something worth keeping and a memory worth repeating.

[shavethewhales]

^^I've been one of HFEC's most vocal and persistent critics online for the past decade. I definitely don't "buy into everything HFE throws out there".

My whole point is, we've been vocal about so much over the past years, and when the park finally seems to start responding to that as best they can and our boards are STILL full of bitching and complaining, then what's the point? They might as well cheap out on us if we're going to be "disappointed" and "let down" no matter what. Seriously, we've been watching this for a year now, we knew almost exactly what was going to be announced, the hope was that the area would still look good and contribute to the park's fabric and excellent atmosphere. And we got that.

Sure, there's still some constructive criticism to be made even on this addition, and I'm fine with that, but just throwing the park under the bus when they are going way beyond the standard of any other park within a 1000 mile radius is just bonkers, and it makes this site useless as a fan medium.

SO, if you're going to complain - do it constructively and make sure it makes sense!!!

[Mountain Man]

^^I've been one of HFEC's most vocal and persistent critics online for the past decade. I definitely don't "buy into everything HFE throws out there".

My whole point is, we've been vocal about so much over the past years, and when the park finally seems to start responding to that as best they can and our boards are STILL full of bitching and complaining, then what's the point? They might as well cheap out on us if we're going to be "disappointed" and "let down" no matter what. Seriously, we've been watching this for a year now, we knew almost exactly what was going to be announced, the hope was that the area would still look good and contribute to the park's fabric and excellent atmosphere. And we got that.

Sure, there's still some constructive criticism to be made even on this addition, and I'm fine with that, but just throwing the park under the bus when they are going way beyond the standard of any other park within a 1000 mile radius is just bonkers, and it makes this site useless as a fan medium.

SO, if you're going to complain - do it constructively and make sure it makes sense!!!

I'm simply stating that I believe the park could of done better on this new addition.  Its nothing new as stated before.  It's just an opinion and if opinions can not be said than what is the point of a discussion.  I have opinions as you do.  I'm not saying anything bad about what you have said.  I respect your comments.  That said, I do not have to agree with them.  As many of the people I have talked to and work there express my thoughts.  I'm sure it will be nice and our kids will enjoy going to see it.  But are we overly excited about it and can't wait for next year? No.  Its not something that has us counting down the day's.  I hope their vision in the future will expand past the norm and blow us away as most of their new attractions have.  We are looking forward to what comes in 2017 maybe it will be something new.

[Preachin_Bill]

^^I've been one of HFEC's most vocal and persistent critics online for the past decade. I definitely don't "buy into everything HFE throws out there".

My whole point is, we've been vocal about so much over the past years, and when the park finally seems to start responding to that as best they can and our boards are STILL full of bitching and complaining, then what's the point? They might as well cheap out on us if we're going to be "disappointed" and "let down" no matter what. Seriously, we've been watching this for a year now, we knew almost exactly what was going to be announced, the hope was that the area would still look good and contribute to the park's fabric and excellent atmosphere. And we got that.

Sure, there's still some constructive criticism to be made even on this addition, and I'm fine with that, but just throwing the park under the bus when they are going way beyond the standard of any other park within a 1000 mile radius is just bonkers, and it makes this site useless as a fan medium.

SO, if you're going to complain - do it constructively and make sure it makes sense!!!

I'm simply stating that I believe the park could of done better on this new addition.  Its nothing new as stated before.  It's just an opinion and if opinions can not be said than what is the point of a discussion.  I have opinions as you do.  I'm not saying anything bad about what you have said.  I respect your comments.  That said, I do not have to agree with them.  As many of the people I have talked to and work there express my thoughts.  I'm sure it will be nice and our kids will enjoy going to see it.  But are we overly excited about it and can't wait for next year? No.  Its not something that has us counting down the day's.  I hope their vision in the future will expand past the norm and blow us away as most of their new attractions have.  We are looking forward to what comes in 2017 maybe it will be something new.

And what exactly do you think that should be?  Just curious.  I guess I, like many others, don't really understand what you thought this was going to be?  It's a huge area and an upgrade to what was there before.  Did you expect another Outlaw Run?

[History Buff]

Welcome to the forum, Mountain Man.

Now can we all get back to discussing the actual addition?  All of this is getting in the way of the real discussion.

[shavethewhales]

I'm simply stating that I believe the park could of done better on this new addition.  Its nothing new as stated before.  It's just an opinion and if opinions can not be said than what is the point of a discussion.  I have opinions as you do.  I'm not saying anything bad about what you have said.  I respect your comments.  That said, I do not have to agree with them.  As many of the people I have talked to and work there express my thoughts.  I'm sure it will be nice and our kids will enjoy going to see it.  But are we overly excited about it and can't wait for next year? No.  Its not something that has us counting down the day's.  I hope their vision in the future will expand past the norm and blow us away as most of their new attractions have.  We are looking forward to what comes in 2017 maybe it will be something new.

That's fine, that's a much more reasonable way to put it than you had before.


Anyway, back to the discussion at hand:

What is the fire wagon that is parked in front of the new building? Will it be the same one that is currently on the main square? What will happen to the classic fire station structure that has been on the main square for so long? I'm hoping they keep it in place, it's a classic piece of old Herschend charm in the heart of the city. They can build a new fire wagon for FL.

[cowboy]

What is the fire wagon that is parked in front of the new building? Will it be the same one that is currently on the main square? What will happen to the classic fire station structure that has been on the main square for so long? I'm hoping they keep it in place, it's a classic piece of old Herschend charm in the heart of the city. They can build a new fire wagon for FL.

I'm not sure what they have parked in front of the new building, but maybe this is why it is called Fire Station 3? Fire Station Structure on main is #1 and Fire in the Hole #2?

Jay

[History Buff]

It looks like the same type of vehicle.  The one on the square is No. 1, as is FitH.  This is a mystery.

It would free up needed space on the square if they moved it.

[Ozarks Gal]

It looks like the same type of vehicle.  The one on the square is No. 1, as is FitH.  This is a mystery.

No one ever said hillbillies were the best at counting

[History Buff]

Well then, how do you explain the song - 99 bottles of moonshine on the wall...?

[Hollwood]

My wife and I were having the same discussion about the Firehouse Number. Dollywood named theirs a Firehouse Number 7, signifying their 7th rollercoaster. In the past, numbers at SDC signified the year things were built/made, with 18 put in front of it. This has to have some Signifigance, as almost everything in SDC does. Here are my speculations; it is the third Firehouse/Firefighting structure with FITH sporting the Number 1 above its entrance. I have never seen a number on the Firetower on the square. This will also be the third area constructed in the, what I would like to call, the Planet Snoopy/Lonely Toons fashion. (GE and HDH being the first two). This will be the third makeover of the area, if you count Greedy Brothers. Jesus rose on the third day. That's all I have...

[History Buff]

it is the third Firehouse/Firefighting structure with FITH sporting the Number 1 above its entrance

If that is true, then I think this is the most likely explanation.  I can't fathom the display on the square as being a "station" though.  I don't think the number is on the structure, but there is a No. 1 on back of the pump itself.

I just don't buy the "third incarnation of the area" reasoning.  Greedy Brothers has nothing to do with that shoreline; it only interacted with the island structure in the lake.

[tinmann620]

Oddly enough, the first actual fire station is still standing, with it's lookout tower, next to FM.  Cowboy Jepp's is now located there...

[psychosaw13]

Thats what I wanted to get into. The histories & the significance of The "Themed" fire stations.
As far back as I can remember (early 80's) FITH had always been Fire station #1 though it may be off topic a bit.

Also about the complaining. Hey its not what I wanted to see either but ya know what?
Its all about memories created.
My daughter is 11 now & shes been coming to SDC since she was a baby. Her memories are going to involve GE & GG & now OR & FL.
Just as mine were the Diving Bell & The original AP & Tom Sawyers Tree house & infinity room.

Things Change we just got to accept it & have fun. I was never crazy about GG when First saw it but my daughter had a blast in it that's all that matters to me.

SDC will always be my park. I've only been to WOF twice. & no other theme parks & I don't care because SDC is my home lol
So cheers to HFE.