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[bradhig]

Is there a small hill in the flooded mine you go over?   What was the original theme before the shootout?

[sdcforever]

I don't know about a small hill.  There used to be a dip just as you departed due to the cars resting on a conveyor belt for loading and unloading and then dipping into the water.  They now use a set of raising and lowering metal bars for stability, so there is no longer a drop.  Before the current shootout it used to be a ride through attraction where you would just float past the scenes.  I'm not sure when it changed to the shootout.  Does anyone know?

[shavethewhales]

Was the theme any different before the guns were added? It seemed like it may have been themed around a mill.

There definitely never was any sort of hill on the ride though - it's a water canal. 

[History Buff]

The theme has always been a flooded mine operated by prisoners.  Before the shootout was added, the scenes were timed to the oar cars arrival in each area.  The saw blade disconnected itself and hurled toward you and the lights would go out as it got to the edge (Can you here the saw sound any more?).  The dynamite went off and the water rushed in as a strobe light added to the effect (I'm gettin' outa here no matter what!).  My favorite part was the canaries.  The first canary had a sign to explain that its being alive meant there were no dangerous gases escaping.  Further into the mine, a second canary hung upside down from its perch (subtle with no sign of explanation).  There were no guards in the mine, and I think the riders were actually supposed to be the ones recruited to help as all the prisoners were attempting to escape the flooded mine.  It was a pretty cool ride actually before the laser sounds and digital guns were added.

When the shootout was added, the last scene (the tall scene in the tower) was of some ghostly creatures up high and lasers being shot around overhead.  I have no earthly idea what they had to do with the mine, and I suppose they were too close to being in the dark arts for HFE.

One Christmas, early into their opening for the season, the flooded mine was transformed into a candy mine.  Prisoners were reclothed in red-and-white or green-and-white stripes and they were supposedly mining candy.  Christmas lights and big plastic candies of all kinds (peppermints and ribbons, etc.) were strewn all through the mine, and it really was something for the season.

FM was the first real "amusement" ride for SDC.  In that sense it is a history piece.  Perhaps someone else has more to add to my narrative here.

[betamike]

I think you are right on HB with the storyline as it relates to pre-Shoot Out.  The Shoot Out era came along in the early 80's at some point.  I remember the year that it happened because you actually had to wait in line for it!

Thanks for bringing back the memory of the tall tower and the ghost lights.  I never liked that as a kid but had totally forgotten about it as an adult.

[Copper]

The Ghost were added either along with the guns or around that time. Before that there was a cage over your head and foam balls would fall along with a flashing light, it was "falling rock." The "Gun" change was in 1989 or 90'..

[History Buff]

I had forgotten about the cave in.  That was a nice touch.  Now they have guys climbing a rope to get out through the top somehow.

Here's a trivia shot from FM:



From the SDC website:

Mike Hutcherson is the Senior Vice President of all the Ozark Mountain Country properties which include Silver Dollar City, Celebration City, Showboat Branson Belle and White Water. He has been with the corporation since 1979.

[Coaster]

They haven't ever seriously considered taking this attraction out have they? It is a true piece of SDC and Herschend history but it is also prime real estate for a newer ride or attraction.

I hope they never take it out but I want them to someday take out the shootout and make the ride the same ride it was in the past.

[History Buff]

Ditto.  Though I would welcome some great animatronics.

[Neo Fender]

This is a good overview of what the FM was.  When you're no longer a kid, you begin to see things through more cynical eyes.  There were a lot of signs and visual clues in the FM (e.g. the canaries) to show the theme that things were "out of control and getting worse".  If I recall correctly, there were (decades ago) a couple of cast members in the guard house to the left as you enter the ride.  They would interact with guests that were arriving into the queue (something that's sorely missing from SDC today).   The addition of the arcade/shootout element, along with overall removal of various scenes in the ride, really took the wind out of the sails of the FM.

The theme has always been a flooded mine operated by prisoners.  Before the shootout was added, the scenes were timed to the oar cars arrival in each area.  The saw blade disconnected itself and hurled toward you and the lights would go out as it got to the edge (Can you here the saw sound any more?).  The dynamite went off and the water rushed in as a strobe light added to the effect (I'm gettin' outa here no matter what!).  My favorite part was the canaries.  The first canary had a sign to explain that its being alive meant there were no dangerous gases escaping.  Further into the mine, a second canary hung upside down from its perch (subtle with no sign of explanation).  There were no guards in the mine, and I think the riders were actually supposed to be the ones recruited to help as all the prisoners were attempting to escape the flooded mine.  It was a pretty cool ride actually before the laser sounds and digital guns were added.

[marolinesdad]

Has anyone been on the Flooded mine lately?  When we were on it last week we noticed that a lot of the targets red lights were out and several of the effects were not working.  I wonder if they still have someone ride thru everyday to check on these things.

[DocSpeleo]

Well, since I'm now also signed off on the FM i'll be the new resident expert in whats going on now! lol

Yes, we do a walk thru in the morning, and then a ride thru every 2 hours.
There was only 1 character not working and his computer component said everything was fine... so maintenance is working on that.. but the computer isn't giving them any hints as to why its not working.

Targets red lights? i didn't know the targets had red lights? I did 4 or 5 trips through here including a walk thru of the channel (pretty interesting) and a walk on top of the ride (very cool) i didn't see any red lights on any target.. the target is the bullseye... (well actually inches below on the sensors)

[History Buff]

There are targets near the end that are lit with little LEDs.  I think they are orange or yellow.

[sdcforever]

^Yeah, they're in the weird exploding, starlit night area.  I have no idea what that area is supposed to be, but it's definitely freaky.

[History Buff]

The fireworky area is no longer that.  This was originally the area where they had put the ghostly characters.  They then changed it to fireworks - weird!  Now the prisoners are climbing the rope to escape.  Just before this is where most of the lighted targets are located.