InjunJoe

I don't know about using one of the boats as a planter but to setup a display explaning it's history in the park would be cool. They could even put it on the path to Hurricane Harbor. They already have old boats and stuff in there. It would fit right into the theming.

I am sure that would go over well with the locals in Eureka but NO just NO, dont do it. The last thing this park needs is to be trashed up with old junk planters. While I think that if placed in a couple larger pre-existing flower beds so that the boats were buried a few inches and completely surrounded by flowers, it could look really nice. But fortunately for you, there isn't any evidence to show that anyone who has the power to turn them into actual planters at the park has had a similar idea as myself. I think it'd be cool, but to each his own. Actually I think this is an awesome idea. They could have one out with some good landscaping and perhaps with some signage telling the history of the boat and the ride. I wish the park embraced its past instead of forgetting it. One cool thing that you may not have seen is that the park took a bunch of the old Hannibarrels and turned them into nice padded places to sit down near Tsunami Soaker & the train station. There is even a huge sign with lots of information & pictures of the attraction above the barrels by TS. I would expect the park to work on finding use for them before considering trashing them. The bumper cars sat for two years before they were just recently picked up by the Shriners to turn into go karts. I have not seen the Hannibarrels but that is exactly what I was talking about. That is great they re-purposed some of them for history sakes. Awesome! They should do more of that kind of stuff.

I am sure that would go over well with the locals in Eureka but NO just NO, dont do it. The last thing this park needs is to be trashed up with old junk planters. While I think that if placed in a couple larger pre-existing flower beds so that the boats were buried a few inches and completely surrounded by flowers, it could look really nice. But fortunately for you, there isn't any evidence to show that anyone who has the power to turn them into actual planters at the park has had a similar idea as myself. I think it'd be cool, but to each his own. Actually I think this is an awesome idea. They could have one out with some good landscaping and perhaps with some signage telling the history of the boat and the ride. I wish the park embraced its past instead of forgetting it.

The remaining boats are currently in the employee parking lot. Right now, I just locked five of them down to be re-purposed in different ways at St. Louis Children's Hospital. I think that auctioning a few off would be really cool, especially if done for charity. I also think that a couple could possibly be re-purposed as cool landscaping planters around the park. Thanks HWfan for the information. If at all possible could you keep us in the loop in regards to the boats? Perhaps you could even mention to the higher ups you know some fans of the original ride that would love to secure some of them as keep sakes. I just don't want to see them in a land fill somewhere. There's to much history in them. Other then a couple years they have stayed in use since the park opened. There's not a whole lot of things that have lasted for 44 years other then the buildings, Moon Cars and train.

There is always a summer show in the Palace, I believe this year its called Evolutions. During Fright Fest, they do "Love at First Fright", which is starting to get a bit old. Well it must just have been bad timing on my part because they weren't running when I was there. I'm pretty sure I seen Love at First Fright about 7 years ago though. Do they do they same one every year?

That's cool they have spruced up the Palace Theater. My question is are they actually using it again? I have only been to the park a couple times in the last few years but it seems the Palace has just been sitting there doing nothing for years. Back in the 80's and 90's they had local shows and international shows all the time in there. Sometime around the 2000 era they just quit. Going to see a show at the Palace as always one of my favorite things and I was bummed out when they went away. So what are they doing with all the old boats that were used on Scooby Doo? Are they destined to join the dump like the rest of the former props from that ride? I sure hope not. They should auction them off under the understanding they are collectors items only and not guaranteed to float or be usable for anything other then that. I would kill a puppy to get the opportunity to own one.

Thanks for the link. Added to my collection of classic park pictures.

I was a teenager in the 80s and basically lived at the park during the summer. My best friend and I would ride Jet Scream over and over on the days when there weren't any lines. It was the first coaster we had that went upside down and did loops. I loved that thing.

I'm posting all the Injun Joe stuff so everyone can have it and maybe someone else can contribute some stuff I don't have.

You are correct Sir! I remember being in the park a few years ago and eating lunch in that building with my Wife and Kids and explaining to them how that was the entrance to one of my favorite long ago rides then watching their eyes glaze over as I described it for the 100th time. Lol! I can't believe I forgot about that.

That was an amazing story. I remember those cannons being loud as heck. Do you remember any of the other animatronics on the River? I recall a guy in jail or something that moved up and down. Wasn't there also some animatronic gators in the water as well? I loved this ride almost as much as the Cave.

You don't know how grateful I am for all of this information. Thank you! You are the same guy I was talking to years ago. You told that exact story about the chief! That would have scared anybody I imagine. Lol. That's a bummer they just trashed all of that stuff. These days they could have put it up for auction on ebay and made a small fortune. There's tons of people that love to collect that sort of thing. It was all one of a kind. I have some decent pictures of some of the scenes but nothing of the Indian Chief. If you don't mind I want to pick your brain about what animation each one did. That way they can be recreated in 3d engine and brought to life at some point.

They removed it for Thunder River. The entrance was right across from Scooby Doo where the entrance to Mr. Freeze is now. It was a really cool ride. It was a full sized boat that held a good number of people. There was an employee up front on a microphone telling you a story as it went along. There were animatronics and stuff in some of the scenes. At the end there was a cannon shooting at you causing the water to spray way up into the air simulating cannon balls hitting the water. So much fun.

You're welcome! I have a bunch of old school pictures I can share.

Maybe this will bring back some memories for you.