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[sanddunerider]

OK, I have been holding back...

my "1" thing would be to bring the whole park back to "theme", signs,building,people,,,
revamp/repair ALL of the rides/attractions. 

Update where needed...

LOL, Simple list.  HUH??

[Injun Joe]

Hmmm...one ride, entity, or show with no funding limits.

Well, since everyone seems to be a relatively conservative bunch here considering the lack of restraint in the funding requirements, I am going to suggest a world record length "family coaster" with Disney-killing theming.  It will bring to bear the power of the full 350 meters of elevation from the city down to the lake, in order to present 3 full sections of 100, 100, and finally 200 meters of drop, each interrupted by 45 seconds to 2 minutes of slow moving storytelling sections, with possibilities being in a tunnel, in a building, and/or outdoors, with the downhill part of the ride culminating in a (50m?) splashdown (BF style) into Table Rock.

G forces will be mostly limited to TNT-like levels, although a secondary more extreme track for the final 200 meter descent, utilizing an FE inspired track switching element, and every other or every third train operation (depending on demand) is a possibility.  The ascent back to the top will be swift and accomplished via a cable system, with the alternate extreme choice featuring a LIM launch to approximately 300 mph in order to make the climb back up (haven't determined whether it should be vertical or not, heck, why not both,...nah, not quite pure enough, I'd leave that to a vote or settle on 65 degrees or so).

Additionally, there could be a stop at the bottom for optional loading and unloading at a lakeside expansion village with crafts, although now we may be crossing the single ride, entity, or show line.  From this point you could use alternate methods to return to the top, including but not limited to cable car, inclined railway (possibly an extension of the cave line), Heart Attack Hill: Deux, and tethered (simulated?) hot air balloon.

The theme will feature any number of the following and quite likely more:  fires, baldknobbers, mining (and prisoners), crazy old coots, and lots and lots of bluegrass, live and piped.

If I missed anything, please feel free to expand and correct as you wish.

[History Buff]

^^Exactly my thinking sdr.  With a no-limit budget, I'd love to be in charge of this project.  I'll bring a few of you along to be on my team.

[Gilligan]

I don't know if this is my "one thing", but it hasn't been mentioned yet, and I think it would make a pleasant difference:

Train all employees and contractors to remain in character!  Give them a constantly-tweeked list of ad libs.  Teach them to be more than 21st Century people in 19th Century costume.  This includes ride operators, shop clerks, custodial staff, and everybody else.  Practice with them ways in which they may greet one another when passing in the City, ways to publicly interact with peers, visitors (adults, kids, teens, elderly).  Give them permission to have a little fun on their way from one place to another.  There's no need for a scheduled show with characters on the square when little interactions like these are allowed all the time everywhere.

YES! YES!  Good point, HB!  What a difference that would make!

[Gilligan]

OK, I have been holding back...

my "1" thing would be to bring the whole park back to "theme", signs,building,people,,,
revamp/repair ALL of the rides/attractions. 

Update where needed...

LOL, Simple list.  HUH??

And, YES AGAIN!  Best thread that's been on here in a long time!!

[mhguy77]

Bluegrass was always the music playing until the last few years.  I wish it was still that way.  There seems to be a surge among young people to listen to bluegrass this past year or so.

Amen to the Bluegrass, I think this was very important to the entire mood.  It was the soundtrack to the park.  A staple of the SDC experience.  Without it feels cold.

[MoOzark]

Well, you-all may think this is kind'a of the wall but what I would change is the Hospitality House and I'll start with a story. Once I was at SDC and a man, with his wife and small child came up to me. He looked somewhat confused and he said, "Sir, Could you tell me where the exit is to this park? We have been wondering around here for a long time and I can't find the place where we came in."

Wow, that is an odd question.  Then it dawned on me that for a first time visitor it could be really confusing. So, I asked the man, "Do you remember coming through a building that looked like a large gift shop?" Then he remembered it.

Another thing I have noticed about the Hospitality House is that it seems to be a bottleneck—especially when it rains and people tend to pile up at the entrance and exit. Every other theme park I have been to has had a very large, obvious, open air place of entrance and exit. I would hate to suggest tearing down the Hospitality House. However, it would seem more practical to simply have a wide walkway, lined by a rail fence, leading all the way into the park.

The Hospitality House was built before there was a SDC. It wasn't really designed for large crowds moving through from both directions. I believe it would be more practical to open it up through the middle and widen the path. I would like to see a new entrance building for Marvel Cave that has a larger waiting area. It should also house a small museum about the cave. The front of this building could have large signs letting people know that this is a real, fantastic cave tour.

Then the other side of the Hospitality House could be left in place with Marvel Cave souvenirs. (But now I'm thinking it might be confusing to the first time cave tour visitors who end up in a different building than they started it.)

[wascator]

In character: that's a good idea. At least tell the younger ones to keep the tattoos covered. Young ladies used to not do that.
They could have been making some lye soap; also I would like to see a sawmill, but that's impractical: too dangerous and noisy, but that's how people lived "back then".

[lindseytoni]

I would like to see a redo of Fire in the hole, not a teardown but a revamp of the ride leaving a lot of old but adding more new,  including a new drop even.  Close all the incoming light and turn up the theme music.  Add the old track back in and show the ride some love without taking away the history.  Add a gift shop to the exit with some neat fire related stuff ( I like my shirt I got this year).  Rekindle the theming instead of dumbing it down.  I am afraid if they tore it down and started again the character of the ride would be lost so just a revamp would be great.

I absolutely love this idea. Fire in the hole has always been my very favorite ride because of nostalgia. My dad and I have always ridden it together. I think those older rides are very special to people, but they seem to need to be spruced up! So I would like to revamp all of the older rides. I've seen a lot of complaints about the paint and stuff from AP. I think it would be amazing if the whole park could just be completely revamp and make sure everything fits into the theme! Along with what someone said about the employees. I've also thought about how maybe they could do something about the checkout computers in the stores to make them look kinda like steampunk so it would at least kinda go with the theme.   

[chittlins]

I would tear out AP and construct a new mountain type flume attraction. Similar to Splash Mountain at WDW, but it would also have a coaster in addition to the flume. I am talking a huge mountain.

You and mhguy77 are on my wavelength.

Same footprint, new highly themed flume with multidrops and even a float backwards section. Side by side seating for capacity issues plus a coaster in the mack/gerstlauer bobsled hybrid mouse style with a good bunny hop run at the end that shared the same space as the flume, have a few tunnels and it would run along the flume in a spot or two and it would have a bridge that crossed really close to a splash zone that could  get the coaster riders a bit wet with the right timing and that would be my one thing if I had to chose right now, but this would the next thing in short order.......

A new ride system for FITH with the same story lines with modern tech selling the show instead of half a centry old stuff. Throw in some more 4D effects like more water drops, wind and heat and redo the dark coaster finale with a vertical drop track at the burning bridge that leads to a firechaser express like launch, some dips and twists and the same type of drop at the end with splash.

Someone said more shows, I'd just wish for more street entertainment like the old days that doesn't eat up 45 or more minutes.  Especially in queue's of rides with long lines on busy days.

Disney can theme like no other but even they get complacent with effects not working and taking years to fix.

[mhguy77]

Someone said more shows, I'd just wish for more street entertainment like the old days that doesn't eat up 45 or more minutes.

I agree with the entertainment idea.  As  a child I remember walking through the park with small groups playing on stages like the one that was near the candle shop.  There was another outdoor stage where the magic shop is now.  Not so many years ago these stages were utilized more they are now.  You frequently came across outdoor musicians and acts.  Not planned shows that burn 1.5 hours with waiting to get in ect.  I am not saying there isn't a place for the big shows I love them myself but the small gems that were tucked into the side of the walkways are gone and missed.  Consider the Homestead Pickers.  That was the format, you happened upon the group and stopped for a few to listen.  SDC is single handedly responsible for my lifelong love of bluegrass because of the format that existed when I was a young boy.  The outdoor theaters also seem to be used less and less.  When I walk by the stages are empty more than they are full.   I think a move back to the seemingly spontaneous entertainment in the streets and on small stages would benefit the park and the experience.  I notice younger people outnumbering the mature generation that used to keep the park floating during school session.  I think the reintroduction of entertainment might help to bring the older generation back.

[KBCraig]

No limits? Bring back the spirit of Miss Mary for theming.

Hire a crew of sign painters -- real people with brushes and paint, not computer-generated printed graphics laminated onto fake boards.

Give Terry Wayne a budget to re-create the street shows, and an iron fist for keeping Citizens in character.