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[biscuitcreek]

Got to the park about 4 on 6/10, not much was going on, heard part of the sound check for Poco which sounded pretty good. Got in line for the 7 pm Poco concert about 5:15. I think we went in around 5:30 or so. Was no need to get in line so early because EH was very empty Saturday night. Most of the people attending sat in the middle, both upper and lower. Not sure what we heard during the sound check but it was significantly better than what we heard during the concert; we got up and left before it was over as did many others.

Arrived Sunday about 10:30 and noticed it was Coca Cola employees and family day. We went to the first show of the Globetrotters Experience. Red Gold did not fill for that show. Will say that this show was much better than the one we saw the first year of the show. After the show we rode FITH (about a 20 minute wait), Flooded Mine (my gun showed that I earned over a million, ten thousand points -- shock), TNT (first and last time for a ride in the last seat of the train), Lost River (about a 45 minute wait), and the American Plunge (about a 15 minute wait). While in line for AP, someone mentioned that PK had shut down for awhile due to someone being hurt.

After AP we went back to Classic to change clothes and relax for awhile. We went back to the park about 6:30 and went to Sullivan's Mill to check on the markdown on cinnamon bread. We were somewhat rudely told that the only time they marked down baked goods was when the park was going to be closed for the next 2 or 3 days. We apologized for our misunderstanding and left; there were about 5 loaves of cinnamon bread left, no cookies.

We walked into EH and got great seats for the Rare Earth concert. The crowd was a little larger than Saturday night and again most sat in the middle sections. Rare Earth was very good, thoroughly enjoyed it. The group still sings well.

Talked to 2 guys as we left the concert. They said they were at Friday night's Lovin' Spoonful concert and said EH was packed. They said the Lovin' Spoonful did a great job.

Did notice that all of the bathrooms we visited during the 2 days needed attention. Thought it was interesting on Friday night that the EH bathroom already had trash on the floor and I went in a long time before the concert started. I did not see any bathroom attendants during the weekend.

Is there anywhere to get good frozen lemonade and frozen strawberry in the park this year? We have not had good luck on most of our visits when we have purchased at the stand across from the kettle corn. During the spring the stand by the saloon was closed. I did notice it was open on Saturday but the line was really long.

[Gilligan]

Lovin Spoonful was good Fri. night - not great, but good, and Echo Hollow was nearly full.  Not so full with Spinners and Association, but it was also rainy those nights.  Musically, I think all of these groups are fine and haven't lost their musicality; other than few can sing as well as they use to. These guys are so much older, so I didn't expect them to sound the same.  What I really enjoyed was that these are the original guys who wrote the music, and they sing their own music.  They aren't a tribute band!  We enjoyed it, especially hearing them talk about their success 50 years ago, their history, and musical careers.  They were fun nights! I hope SDC continues with these concerts next year. 

I'm not sure what's up with the bathrooms!  They definitely need some attention. I wonder if they are short staffed this year.  We got coffee at the first concert. The next night, we tried again and the sales lady yelled at us for asking!  Hubs was shocked and thankfully ( ) just walked away.  Few minutes later, another employee came to our seats asking if we were the ones wanting coffee.  She said it was being made and offered to bring it to us.  She apologized and said the first lady didn't know how to make it. I can only assume that it was noticed by someone in the know, and they wanted that situation corrected.

Park has really been been crowded the last few visits.  Kettle Korn line has really been long.  I thought the frozen lemonade stand by the kettle corn was the good one. Has that changed?

[U Smell Smoke]

Had good visits to SDC Wednesday, Thursday and Friday despite the hot, muggy conditions. Couldn't imagine being there in the summer without all the trees.  Got lucky Friday as Powderkeg opened on time and we were able to ride a few times before the crowds started building. PK is only running one train this week as the other two trains are broken down and they are waiting on parts. PK is my favorite ride at SDC and I wish it was more reliable. History Buff had mentioned the spinning wheel behind the bar at the Saloon.  We were at the show Thursday the 15th and the wheel was stopped at 15 so I guess HB was right that they set the wheel to the date. Fortunately, didn't see any major problems in any of the restrooms I went in. Did actually see an attendant in one of them one time!  Didn't seem to be much work going on Thursday at the new coaster but things were very busy there Friday. Ate Thursday at Percy's Southwest Grill and enjoyed it.  Globetrotter show was better than I anticipated and my family enjoyed it. We were in the line of fire when they tossed the bucket of confetti. Glad we didn't get the water. Classic HG bit. Last year for them at SDC.  Wonder if they will be at Dollywood in the future?   Again, we enjoyed our time.  Just wish the ride ops would move a little quicker and focus on keeping things moving when the lines get long.

[History Buff]

History Buff had mentioned the spinning wheel behind the bar at the Saloon.  We were at the show Thursday the 15th and the wheel was stopped at 15 so I guess HB was right that they set the wheel to the date.

So someone did read my question.  Thank you for that tidbit.  I'm sure that's not even something for the general public to notice, but the mystery has been solved anyway.

[U Smell Smoke]

You're welcome History Buff.  I was hoping i would remember to check the wheel when I attended the Saloon show.  When they shattered the mirror at the end of the show it drew my attention that way and I checked it out.  Like you said...not a big deal but an interesting little tidbit to know.

[Preachin_Bill]

Went to SDC three times this past week. All great trips. I will present the highs and the lows.
-Flooded mine was in great shape. I was so happy and made multiple rides. It was also quite busy thursday.
-walked right on to outlaw run a few times. Great ride.
-powder keg really doesnt get old.
-food at SDC is reasonably priced for theme park. Throw in free ice water and i have no idea why anyone complains. Ate at lumbercamp, wagon works, along with eva and deliliahs once for breakfast and grabbed some cinnamon bread. Burgers at wagonworks are superior to lumbercamp. We make our own skillets at our cabin so we dont get those at sdc. Also tried the outlaw run ice cream for the first time and WOW. Also good to see more taffy being made at phoebes.
-saloon show was very good other than one modern music number.
-firemans landing was fun for my daughter. Glad they kept a sort of splash pad...thats a hit.
-we did our first ever sing a long in the church and it was wonderful. Love that church.
-cajun connection was sounding excellent in front of a FULL dockside theatre.
-many crafstmen and shops and signs reminded me why i love SDC!

The bad....
-FITH is in rough shape
-AP still not updated ( i know we all know this )
-thunderation was rough
-powderkeg was again not ready to open after chain drop. It seems they simply refuse to start getting it ready so its ready to go by then. Why should i get there before opening if the staff doesnt care to? Whats worse is the employees working PK were looking extremely tired and LAZY. They also didnt seem to care to fill anyone standing on line in on what was going on. Very poor all around.
-saw a few citizens texting. Just wait until you are in a back room.
-good to see ghost trap there but it wasnt working that i saw.
-on FM "im gettin outta here no matter what" wasnt playing....but everything else was excellent so no big.
-a few water features werent working...

Overall it was a great trip and there were many things about the park i was glad to see. I peeked over the fence to look at the new coaster but just shrugged and continued enjoying the other aspects of the park. Aint no use doin the choppin til the dogs have treed the coon. Hope to make it back for Christmas.

[sanddunerider]

sounds like a great visit.. will be there this weekend..

[Super]

Visited SDC on Thursday. My second trip this month.  Positive items: Bathrooms much cleaner (thank you), tram drivers are great, food was good (hash), more food vendors open on this trip.  Negative: citizens are on cell phones, Thunderation very rough, need to update the train ride.  Many riders complained about the same monologue and jokes for many years.

[Sungod]

No doubt about TnT. Was there today and the tunnel is rougher than earlier in the year.

[Swoosh]

All right - we have at least 3 posters that were there this week and no progress photos of the new coaster?  Come on guys.  You know the rules.

[Sungod]

Well I have a camera phone and only good pics were on-ride on TnT and that seems to be a no-no. I'm really concerned this will be another "short but sweet" SDC coaster. I know it's early on but seems to have a small footprint. I really hope I'm wrong. This park needs a franchise coaster that will be the face of the park for a decade.

[Swoosh]

This park needs a franchise coaster that will be the face of the park for a decade.

So... Outlaw Run? 

[Sungod]

It seems like Powderkeg and even Wildfire are more popular. I'm sure you have numbers to prove otherwise but everytime I'm at the park OR is a walk-on.

[Okiebenz]

Why do you supposed TNT is getting very rough all the sudden?

I ride OR a couple of times a year but thats about it.  It is too rough for me, even with the new wheels.

[HumphreyHawk]

It seems like Powderkeg and even Wildfire are more popular. I'm sure you have numbers to prove otherwise but everytime I'm at the park OR is a walk-on.

Keep in mind this is largely just a debate of opinion.....

I'd argue OR is no doubt a franchise coaster that all but a few other parks in the country would love to have at the top of there lineup.  At least in the roller coaster fandom communities OR is a much talked about and respected ride even years after it opened.

I'd argue that OR has drawn more people to SDC than PK and WF combined....meaning more people came and bought SDC tickets just for OR after it opened than the others ever attracted.  These are the folks who travel the country just for the rides and/or park.  Of course the fact that the park was already respected with PK and WF also helped get them there.

PK and WF are also great rides and I'd argue that WF if usually a walk on more often than OR.  It has the highest capacity and is usually an easy reride.   PK always has a line because it is both extremely popular (non-looper that attracts more riders) and has the lowest capacity per hour of all the major rides in the park....and is also the ride that has the most downtime:(  Don't forget other things that impact queue lines like....1. # of trains running  2. How good the operations are running 3. How the crowd flows through the park throughout the day (impact of shows nearby, time of day, etc).  All make it hard to just look at the queue line on a random day to say which is most popular.