Grandfather's Mansion Re-hab?

shavethewhales · August 16, 2007, 12:17:35 AM

Anyone been in Grandfather's (also commonly called Grandpa's) Mansion lately? It's not exactly a pretty sight. I'm not saying the place is totally run down or anything, but has gotten to the point to where it is only a mere shadow of it's former self. It's got an old creaky feel to it, which actually is great and fits the theming well, but there's also something about it that screams for a re-furb, at least a little bit of one. Besides, the place just needs more. After the tilting hall and the small room with the small assortment of tricks (most of which don't work anymore or really need to be fixed up), all that's left is the tilted room, which is what everyone heads for now without even looking at everything else.

I love the old mansion, but it really needs some TLC. I don't want them to totally re-do the place, as I have so many memories there, but they need to at least fix up the old effects so that they at least work, and some new wall paper and paint couldn't hurt. A few small additions would be nice too.

Really though, I could see them doing a major overhaul on the thing as early as this off-season. If they do plan on a mid-town re-vamp like I think they are, this would be a prime thing to fix up. I just hope they don't totally strip out all the things I have such fond memories of. I'm sure the tilted room will stay no matter what, but some of those old tricks are just too cool to lose (especially the tap thing, which was mimicked at the new Wilson's Farm area).

Oh... I hope this isn't where they plan on holding those cooking seminars...

Coaster · August 16, 2007, 10:25:30 AM

I'm in the same boat you are Whales. I've probably been in the mansion a million times. It's one of my fondest memories from SDC. But it does need a fix up. I think if they re-did it but didn't change it completely, it could become a highlight attraction like it used to be. And if they replace it with those cooking seminars, I will go to the Herschend's myself and complain.

shavethewhales · August 16, 2007, 10:42:09 PM

Hmmm, Midwestinfoguide's editor, who happens to be very knowledgeable on the park, mentioned something might be happening to the Mansion this off season. We'll just have to see.

sdcfan17 · August 30, 2007, 08:12:38 AM

I think they should reall do re-hab on it because it needs to sort of up to date. or at least clean it up a bit. There use to be a ladder in the tilted room that you would climb up and look into, my dad said that there was a anamtronic that used to be up there. but they took it down before i was born. they prob. took it down for saftey reasons.

shavethewhales · August 30, 2007, 03:42:48 PM

^That and the chaos there would be with dozens of kids trying to climb the ladder at once.

I have a feeling we'll see a lot done to the mansion this off-season. Like I've said about the Landing, that area of the park is just to prime to let sub-standard attractions sit there and deteriorate.

sdcfan17 · August 30, 2007, 08:45:00 PM

or they could add another story to it that would be so cool and add better special effects, and my dad said that some stupid kid slipped off the ladder and the family sued, that stupid kid had to ruin it for the rest of us.

Copper · September 09, 2007, 02:39:04 PM

Wow, I remember the ladder in Grandfathers Mansion. It was right next to the exit (mirrors) and as you climbed up Grandpa would talk to you. When Grandpa would talk it would freak me out, so I don't think I ever made it all the way up. There was a little hole at the top you would look in, but I never got to that point.

Coaster · September 09, 2007, 02:42:06 PM

Welcome to the forums Copper. You live near Branson?? What year did they take out the ladder?

shavethewhales · September 09, 2007, 02:45:28 PM

I wonder if they'll bring back something like the ladder with the re-hab. Probably not, as they have to be so careful now with capacity issues and insurance issues even more so, but I'd like to see Grandpa come back to the mansion in some manner.

Copper · September 09, 2007, 03:10:30 PM

Hello! Yes I live near Branson in Springfield, Missouri.

They are having trouble with attractions like the Mansion and Tree House. People have been messing around in them and now they have to post an employee in the Mansion from time to time to sop these things from happening.

The Tree House structure is dangerous and some major rehab is what would need to happen. There is talk of tearing it down and building a small flat ride in its place. I do know the City gets a lot of letters and emails over this lost attraction. I would hate to see it go.

Coaster · September 09, 2007, 03:12:19 PM

I've heard of the tree house being taken down but I haven't heard of the flat ride being placed there. Would it be a major flat ride like the proposed shot tower or a kiddie flat ride?

Copper · September 09, 2007, 03:27:04 PM

I believe a small flat ride, but I have also heard of a wild-mouse style coaster. When they were having trouble with the Waterboggan they purposed a wild-mouse coaster for that area. The wild-mouse in the Tree House location would have to be much smaller, but they could remove a lot of center city. The Grand Expo was originally going to take the place of Tom Sawyer's Landing and much of center city, so they could do something with the Landing and the Tree House location.

Coaster · September 09, 2007, 03:30:05 PM

The last thing I want them to do is remove part of the Midtown area. That's what makes SDC so great. The shops, it's not all thrill ride circus like other parks. I'm so glad that the Grand Expo is not in center city.

And a wild mouse coaster would be kinda neat, but it's not really the type of thing I enjoy. I'd like a shot tower or a tree house rebuild.

shavethewhales · September 09, 2007, 03:40:49 PM

A wild mouse would have been fun, but it wouldn't have worked at all at SDC. Not only are wild mouses bad capacity wise, but it just doesn't fit SDC. SDC is the type of place that has to be really careful not to lose it's charm with silly lower-class attractions. I would like to see the shot tower come back though, but again, it might not work in mid-town.

I still think my midtown re-vamp proposal is the best - see the Tom Sawyer's thread.

Coaster · September 09, 2007, 03:48:22 PM

Well I've read your revival plan and I agree that more shops would fix up that area. But think about where Tom Sawyer's Landing is located. It's right in the middle of the city. If they decide to take out the tree house which is expected they could build a shot tower ride in there. And it wouldn't look half bad.