The Master Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Anyone remember the old gum targets the park used to have many years ago? I know at least the Runaway Mine Train had them on the big wooden posts along the stairs up to the station. I guess the idea was people would spit their old gum at the target signs instead of on the floor or walls were it would be hard to remove. But still they were pretty gross looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 People would also cover certain parts of the letter 'G' in "Gum Target" with gum and turn them into something obscene. I believe that is why they were removed. Collecting and displaying gum has always been a big thing at GA. When I first went to the park in 1974 I remember a tree located in the center of the Log Flume queue (the queue wasn't covered at the time) that was encased in gum. The park was only open for a few weeks and yet people managed to cover the tree trunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Oh yeah any theme park always has that trouble. Just look at Superman. When you are hanging and looking at the ground waiting to be brought back into the loading area you get to look at all the gum on the steel floor below you for a while. For some reason people have always had an odd obsession with placing their gum in parts of the park everyone else will see as if it is going to be some sort of great spectacle. I can't even remember the last time that I even brought gum into the park chewed or not.I don't remember the gum targets but I can definately imagine that if what Harry remembers happened often those were probbaly scrapped as quickly as possible. Gotta love the lack of maturity for some of those kids that run around the park, and even some of the adults.Anyone have a picture of one of these old targets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 Walt Disney banned the sale of gum and peanuts (in the shell) because he didn't want those messing up his park. If I am not mistaken, GA doesn't sell either of these as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 They really do become a niusance once they begin to accumulate so I can certainly say that is a good idea. I think what annoys me most is when you see someone spit gum out into grass or mulch or something, and then they walk by a garbage container like 5 steps later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 The worst thing use to be the "gum tunnel"- Rolling Thunder's cross under to get to the inside (or left) track of the ride. Yuck! In addition to "weapons" I also think security should search for and confiscate any Sharpie markers that someone tries to bring into the park. That is trouble waiting to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsoxfan0810 Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 ^ Oh yeah. I see people writing on railings and such all the time. They need more people on lifeguard stands in the line to kick those people out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastn Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 I remember the gum tree on congo rapids line, the shorter side, when I was younger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 The sharpie markers and other writing are really annoying and just really rbing down the look of so many of the attractions. I think it's really disgusting though when I see people writing down names with phone numbers offering certain services when I know there are kids on those same lines who I am sure are reading that. There is no need for that kind of stuff at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted February 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 (edited) Two years ago while in line for Roaring Rapids I saw someone had used a marker to draw a certain female body part on the wooden ramp railing. Some people just have no class but the park did paint over it. It is really not a good idea to chew gum on a coaster because if you start to choke on it there is no way anyone can help you until the train is back at the station. It was on the news years ago a girl died that way at a different park. Edited February 15, 2008 by The Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 I don't even want to think about being in that situation especially with how long some of the coasters are today. I definately have seen many male and female body parts sketched all over the park in various places and it is just crude and disgusting. I really don't see what the point of doing any of that is, but at the same time I can remember being younger and how stupid I acted when I was with my friends alone in the park. While we didn't go as far as writing ont he walls or railings on rides, we definately did stupid things. I just wish the people who do those things would think for a second about what they think the point is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted February 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 The problem is those types of people don't think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 This is true. I have been in front of or behind them enough times on lines or just walking around the park to realize that some of them are just not going to care. Honestly makes me appreciate the fact that my parents trusted me not to be an idiot like that and go to the park because after seeing how come people act when they are alone there with friends I am sure my own parents could have found plenty of reasons to stop me from going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J4Sing Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 I don't remember the gum targets, they must have been after 1993. I do, however, remember the "gum tunnel" at Rolling Thunder. Back then, visit the park in early May, and there were only a few pieces. Visit in late August, and the entire tunnel was covered in gum. Have they found a way to stop this now, or will I still see a gum tunnel when I visit this June? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 The gum tunnel isn't as bad as years ago. For a while the left side of Rolling Thunder was rarely open so the tunnel remained unused. Last season was the first time in a long time that we have seen racing with four train operation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 I must have always taken the near side because I have no recollection of the gum tunnel. Now I am going to have to be sure that I go to the far side to see this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CycloneMan Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 The gum tunnel didn't bother me as much as the one in Viper's station, I remember being totally grossed out the first time I rode Viper (I was 8) and there were two cigarettes stuck into two pieces of gum. Ugh...so gross. -Dainan "Truelly classic" Rafferty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 (edited) The metal tunnels in Batman's line are also like that, the park just painted over the old gum, ick. Edited March 28, 2008 by The Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 All tunnels tonight seemd to still be pretty gum free. I guess we will have to see if by the end of the season things are back to normal as there wasn't a spec of gum visible in the "gum tunnel" on Rolling Thunder and even Batman's metal looked to be rather clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulieGBones Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 I am in agreement with everyone about the gum "artwork" in certain areas. It was quite disgusting. The tunnel of Rolling Thuner was extremely bad for years, thankfully now it is pretty good. As far as security looking for and taking away Sharpies/markers, I am all for that too. Two years ago I went on Nitro and a train left with three kids in the front row. When they came back into the station the one kid had "tagged" the restraint. The ride operator called security and then made the kid clean it off before ejecting him from the park People need to have respect for the park. The cleaner it is, the more pleasant the experience will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 ^ Shoulda made him lick it off as far as I'm concerned. Either that or let park personell find his ride and tag that see how he'd feel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Davidson Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 When I was eight, I remember leaning into the gum wall at Skull Mountain. Ewwwwwww. But lately the park seems a lot more gum free then back in the day. But still, how about the Penny Post in Kingda Ka's line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest warnerleroy Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 I"m surprised there isn't a topic devoted to sharpie writing, wich in some cases I really don't mind. For example on the Big Whell, perople will write thing like Julie+Mark. Just image if they got married and had brings and brought them to the park to show them there drawing. But if some idiot's just out to vandalize, THROW HIM OUT!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRHS Falcons Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 the gum walls are removed by a power washer just about every month or so by rides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 Not to dig up a topic from six years ago but gasmspiritblue shared a photo in a galleries of the legendary Gum Targets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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