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[mg]

Is this wire over the wall new in the TimeTraveler queue? It's on the wall along the section just before your put into groups. I assume that it's an anti-vandalism measure. We hardly ever go through the normal line... typically only ride during first hour TrailBlazer so I've never noticed it.

[shavethewhales]

Yeah, I think that's new. Pretty standard anti graffiti measure at SDC now. Too many damn kids trying to scratch their names everywhere. I've watched at least one get kicked out of the park over it.

[KevinLong]

The new normal as they transition from a theme park to an amusement park.  While its still a "Family park" With the bigger coasters and the lack/reduction in the original 1880's theme overall, I think it morphs from a family vacation spot to a more, cut the kids loose place like a Six Flags.

I am just glad I could experience the golden years.

my two cents and worth about that much

Kevin

[Okiebenz]

I guess the clientele is changing to the type that makes it necessary for such measures.

[shavethewhales]

Oh, there's always been vandalism. It's just that the crowds keep getting bigger and bigger and the volume of incidents goes up.

Kevin, I'd actually say the park is going the opposite direction and will be a multi-day resort destination before long. The "cut the kids loose" crowd is kind of priced out of SDC already and that's only going to continue as they keep upscaling the park.

[mg]

Shade material has been added to the Fire in the Hole queue.

For me, the most surprising thing about the FITH queue is lack of covered outside space. For it being the only ride that can remain open in inclemate weather, the weather protected line space is quite small.

[KBCraig]

Oh, there's always been vandalism. It's just that the crowds keep getting bigger and bigger and the volume of incidents goes up.

Kevin, I'd actually say the park is going the opposite direction and will be a multi-day resort destination before long. The "cut the kids loose" crowd is kind of priced out of SDC already and that's only going to continue as they keep upscaling the park.

That's a good point, and the park is way past "arrive after 3, next day free". Single day tickets are of little use except for a small subset of visitors.

I first experienced the park as a member of the generation who drank from garden hoses and were outside from sunup to sunset. (We didn't have street lights in my small town.)

I don't know the stats, but I'm guessing that most fans now buy season passes.

The total visit experience has changed with the times, but I will always object to breaking the theme. The computer-printed signs on synthetic materials are the most jarring to me, compared to hand-painted signs on wood.

I won't apologize for missing Miss Mary's Day.

[Swoosh]

The new normal as they transition from a theme park to an amusement park.  While its still a "Family park" With the bigger coasters and the lack/reduction in the original 1880's theme overall, I think it morphs from a family vacation spot to a more, cut the kids loose place like a Six Flags.

I am just glad I could experience the golden years.

my two cents and worth about that much

Kevin

No such thing as "cut the kids loose" at Six Flags parks with them being acquired by Cedar Fair.  They all have the chaperones policy in effect

[shavethewhales]

It is pretty wild that they didn't have that shade originally. That was one of my first comments when I saw the waiting area - all that effort for an indoor attraction but you are still waiting over an hour out in the rain/hot. I guess it's not wholly different than the old waiting area - just less trees.


On another topic, anyone driven by Indian Ridge recently? I don't have any trips planned until October myself, but I am curious if they are moving ahead with earthwork or if they were just clearing and grubbing to make survey work easier.

[mg]

On another topic, anyone driven by Indian Ridge recently? I don't have any trips planned until October myself, but I am curious if they are moving ahead with earthwork or if they were just clearing and grubbing to make survey work easier.

Last Wednesday I drove by to check it out and it doesn't look like any additional noticeable work has happened. There is the chance that there is stuff happening further down the hill where you can't see from the road, but it doesn't look like it.

[KevinLong]

The new normal as they transition from a theme park to an amusement park.  While its still a "Family park" With the bigger coasters and the lack/reduction in the original 1880's theme overall, I think it morphs from a family vacation spot to a more, cut the kids loose place like a Six Flags.

I am just glad I could experience the golden years.

my two cents and worth about that much

Kevin

No such thing as "cut the kids loose" at Six Flags parks with them being acquired by Cedar Fair.  They all have the chaperones policy in effect

Way back in the day I used to work at 6 flags Stl and have a ton of great memories. I tried in the 2010's to get a season pass and enjoy it again, I just could not.

90% of the theme part of the park was gone. staff in tshirts, mall/pop music throughout. I saw very few parents just a ton of kids, the shows had deteriorated to less than high school level productions, the buildings all remained the same. too expensive to replace I would imagine. you can see the dead bones of a once decent theme park buried in a Amusement park.

I know everything looks good in the rose colored glasses of the past, no argument. My sadness is that current generations will miss the real experience many of us had growing up. It used to be a bit like time travel to another place, every year it becomes less so, bit by bit. its a shame money comes before the unique experience.

I fear in 10 years the park will sort of look like the old one but the 1880's "experience' will be a shadowy memory to those who were there.

another useless two cents.
Kevin

[Duelist]

^ Your two cents is not worthless.  However I do disagree that they are losing the theme.  The new FITH may have eased up on the vigilante Baldknobbers but they still keep the story that they set the town on fire.  Sure a lot of the shows they do now are not 1880s specific and I do wish they would bring back some of them that were like the Courthouse Show and the Hatfield Haint.  But I think overall they are keeping the general 1880s theme.

[History Buff]

You're definitely right about Six Flags. Texas used to be heavily themed to the actual six nations represented by the flags. 

People at Dollywood last year asked us how it compares with SDC and it was hard to say. In many ways, they two are still similar, but the theme of Dollywood is more location-based and not limited to a time period. Who knows if SDC will go a similar route.  I hope they do not. It strangely works for Dollywood though.

I, for one, cannot stand the generic shows and completely out-of-theme acts though.  They completely ruin my experience and the illusion.  They claim, "You have a great past ahead of you," but they doing tell you that sometimes it's the 1880s and sometimes it's the 1980s.

[mg]

Anyone know where the second Thunderation train is?

[mg]

Looks like the side of Fire in the Hole may be getting a huge billboard facing the highway.