I notice that you didn't mention a few things at SDC that I noted this past week I was there.
1. You didn't notice the Awesome View of Wildfire from Stop #3, You can virtually see the entire ride from that lot.
2. You didn't take note of the Marvel Cave Lantern Tour Expansion into the Mammoth Room. It was a neat site and you get to see a historic Spanish Ladder in that room.
3. You didn't take note that Half the shops are closed until Blue Grass and BBQ fest. I didn't like that part one bit as there was 3 shops there that was closed that I wanted to buy stuff in and couldn't.
Yea I went to SDC on Thursday and Friday and skipped out on Saturday because I didn't fell like getting soaked (Even though I knew the park would be way less crowded on Saturday certainly alot less than the 17,000 people that showed up on Thursday and Friday. I knew to hit PK first both days.) I have been recovering from a cold and didn't want to risk it on Saturday especially when I have to return back to General Motors Monday as I have been called back.
Now about the Marvel Cave Expansion. They have paved a pathway to the Mammoth Room located just behind the Cathedral Room. (Off to the right of the bottom passage ramp down from the tower) From back there you can see another big room in the cave that features a historic Spanish Ladder in the back of it, they'll will point you to where to lakes passage path goes to, and point out a bat counter they have on the wall in that room. This is not yet part of the regular cave tour as of yet, you will have to go on the lantern tour for this one, which still only cost $10 and it's alot more fun than the regular cave tour. If you haven't done this tour I would recommend it. But I suggest sign up first thing when you get to the park as the lantern tours fill up fast.
Now about the view from Wildfire. On Thursday I discovered it on the tram ride back to my car when I was leaving to go eat in Branson West. After I ate I came back to that lot and spent over an half hour taking photos of Wildfire and Powder Keg from there. It was alot of fun doing that. One thing that I noticed while watching both rides for a half an hour is that Wildfire's capacity is 4 times better than Powder Keg's as they run 2 trains through while PK gets 1 train through in that same time frame. Another reason why it's a good idea to hit PK first. Also about the tram ride the new trams came from a park from the Atlanta Area as the license plates on those trucks are registered to Dekalb County, GA. So I am assuming it probably came from Stone Mountain Park. The old Green Trams are sitting in storage in the Bass Lot.
Now about the shop closers. I don't know if SDC is doing this to try to save labor costs. But it kept me from buying things I wanted there as some of those shops I wanted stuff at are closed until Blue Grass and BBQ fest on May 13. I find it a bum deal to me. I am guessing those shops are not supporting themselves like I thought they were doing, with the older demographic that goes to this park. They had the Carousel Barn and the Freight House set up as shops selling some of the closeout items from those stores, but they didn't have what I was looking for. Maybe they might have some of those shops opened earlier than May 13 when I come back down on April 27.
Here are some photos I took while at SDC this past week. I wish I had a better camera for these Photos as the zoom on mine sucks and I wish I had a Newer Sony Camera, than this Kodak one I have been using with better than a 10x optic zoom and more than 5MP.
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